HPS from Seed to harvest or METAL HALIDE from seed to harvest.. ?!?!?

TATTOODETROIT

Well-Known Member
how do you grow.. do you use HPS from seed to harvest.. ? I was always told to use HPS all the way through cause its the best light 'PERIOD'.. !!! Or METAL HALIDE from seed to harvest.. ? Subcool grows with Metal Halide only.. Isn't that right? Or do sum of you do METAL HALIDE for VEG & HPS for FLOWER.. ?! What about HPS/MH hybrid bulbs anybody using them.. ?! Anybody with pics of diff grows usin diff combination HID lighting would be kool..

All money can afford me rite now is the 1,000 watt GE LUCALOX lamp that came with my Grow light kit.. I'd like to upgrade to a better lamp.. HI-Lux or a C.A.P. You guys that are running Quantum ballast what lamps are ya runnin..
 

Buddy Ganga

Active Member
Get one of those new bulbs that does both.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]89$
600w HPS & 400w MH In One Bulb
[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]
The PlantMax Dual Arc Bulb incorporates the best of HPS and MH in one bulb with two simultaneously operating arc tubes that are optimized for peak performance. The 1000 Watt Dual Arc Tube Lamp runs a 400w Metal Halide and 600w HPS in one bulb providing full spectrum lighting for your plants. This PlantMax grow bulb runs on a 1000w HPS ballast and emits 110,000 Lumens.
http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/lights4.shtml

$199
[/SIZE][/FONT]USHIO HiLUX GRO Dual 1000W MH / HPS Hybrid Bulb
Covers the entire photosynthesis spectrum of your plant
For maximum branching, vegetative growth and maximum flower yield
The ultimate full spectrum 1000 watt lamp that covers the entire photosynthesis spectrum of your plant. For maximum branching, vegetative growth and maximum flower yield!
 

TATTOODETROIT

Well-Known Member
Get one of those new bulbs that does both.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]89$
600w HPS & 400w MH In One Bulb
[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]
The PlantMax Dual Arc Bulb incorporates the best of HPS and MH in one bulb with two simultaneously operating arc tubes that are optimized for peak performance. The 1000 Watt Dual Arc Tube Lamp runs a 400w Metal Halide and 600w HPS in one bulb providing full spectrum lighting for your plants. This PlantMax grow bulb runs on a 1000w HPS ballast and emits 110,000 Lumens.
http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/lights4.shtml

$199
[/SIZE][/FONT]USHIO HiLUX GRO Dual 1000W MH / HPS Hybrid Bulb
Covers the entire photosynthesis spectrum of your plant
For maximum branching, vegetative growth and maximum flower yield
The ultimate full spectrum 1000 watt lamp that covers the entire photosynthesis spectrum of your plant. For maximum branching, vegetative growth and maximum flower yield!
Thanks, yeah I've been researching those.. I heard the Hybrid lamps burnout faster.. I've heard sum guys get the same results (yields) with generic (cheaper) HPS lamps when compared to buyin the more exspensive lamps.. I guess your just payin for the name & all the bulbs are the same internally.. Hhhmmm... ??? That'd be sum shit if that was true..
 

Buddy Ganga

Active Member
I was told from the beginning that bulbs would be my biggest expense, and they were right.
Even if I had used cheaper bulbs the rate of replacement will still rack up the costs.

Many people don't understand the workings of the bulbs we use and shorten the output and life span never knowing.
Most bulbs have a restrike time, meaning they have a certain time you should wait before turning them on if they shut off for any reason.
Most are 20 or so min's. If you restrike to soon you take days off of the bulbs life and output.

The lights are actually tested for hours by turning the bulb on and leaving it on for months.
What they don't tell you is that every time the light turns an and off it shortens the life span and cuts back an output.
Very few bulbs are actually designed specifically for growing.

Right now I can go to Lowes and buy 400 watt GE MH bulbs for $29.. But I'm only going to get what I pay for.

sorry if my post is hard to follow, a bit medicated right now.
 

ismokealotofpot

New Member
You can buy a switchable ballast and change out your bulb in flower every two weeks. It works good. I would say it could add a quarter yield.Grow it skinny with one bulb, fatten it up with the other bulb. Never used a dual arc bulb so I cant comment on that. I think its hortilux MH, but it has a bad ass spectrum way bigger than any others Ive seen. Amazon was the cheapest Ive found its about $40 less than a hydro shop.
 

tomcatjones

Active Member
yup. i now have the 1000 dual-spectram and a 600 hps for flower and a mix of both warm and cool fluros in veg. t8s -flowering starts under the 600 moves to the 1000 to finish. have to ad in the UV again when i get the new bulbs.
 

HankDank

Well-Known Member
if i had to choose one or the other, id choose HPS, i grow HPS seed to finish and my plants thrive realllly well, i don't get all the stretch people always talk about, and they grow like weeds during veg under HPS, my friend uses MH for veg, and we never really see any difference in growth between our plants. Not saying there is no difference, just saying as far as my personal experience has been, HPS all the way is more than ok.
 

hoss12781

Well-Known Member
I used to use a switchable ballast running MH for veg HPS for flower. It's kind of the standard, those dual chamber bulbs look pretty cool but god damn that's expensive to replace every six to eight months. I used to run plantmax bulbs which if you look at the spectrum output are pretty damn close to hortilux and only cost about 35 bucks for a 400w as opposed to $100 plus with the higher end bulbs.
 

TATTOODETROIT

Well-Known Member
Lookin at buyin a USHIO 1,000 watt Conversion bulb right now..
Not sure which direction I'm gona go.. How'd your crop turn out under that Plantmax bulb hoss.. Do ya have any pics.. ? And you are right about those Plantmax bulbs.. I've been eyeballin those too.. LoL.. Decisions.. decisions.. Heh heh heh
 

TATTOODETROIT

Well-Known Member
if i had to choose one or the other, id choose HPS, i grow HPS seed to finish and my plants thrive realllly well, i don't get all the stretch people always talk about, and they grow like weeds during veg under HPS, my friend uses MH for veg, and we never really see any difference in growth between our plants. Not saying there is no difference, just saying as far as my personal experience has been, HPS all the way is more than ok.
Rite on.. Thanks again for the good post, that's just what I wanted to hear.. That is someone with 1st hand experience in the real world with a complete HPS grow.. An what you just stated is what Mel Thomas points out in his book.. Using a HPS lamp all the way through (seed-harvest) is more cost effecient.. !! Plus your not havin to change bulbs out half way through growing all the time..
 

stumpjumper

Well-Known Member
I've never vegged with a HPS so I couldn't tell you but I know my plants grow FAST under a MH. I just flowered under a cheap HPS bulb and the results are phenomenal, They say the more expensive bulbs do not degrade as fast, not sure if it would be cheaper in the long run to keep replacing a cheap bulb for every grow or to use a more expensive one and only replace it every few grows.

Not in the mood for math, need more coffee lol.
 

TATTOODETROIT

Well-Known Member
I've never vegged with a HPS so I couldn't tell you but I know my plants grow FAST under a MH. I just flowered under a cheap HPS bulb and the results are phenomenal, They say the more expensive bulbs do not degrade as fast, not sure if it would be cheaper in the long run to keep replacing a cheap bulb for every grow or to use a more expensive one and only replace it every few grows.

"Oh ok.. What kinda cheap HPS Bulb are ya using.. ? You bring up a good point about lamp life.. Idk either, 1st time grower here.. But that seem's to be the norm.. buy cheap bulbs replace em more, spend more replace less..

Not in the mood for math, need more coffee lol.
Heh heh heh.. Me too.. Kinda.. My coffee pot's only a 4 cup pot.. But I've already had 3 pots.. !! Lmao.. 12 cups of coffee an I'm still sleepy.. !!
 

hoss12781

Well-Known Member
Unfortunately no pictures man, but I'm not on here to hoodwink people they're very legit for the price. Having used both I believe the mark up on other high end bulbs does not justify the increase in price comapred to plantmax.
 

mrcokeandcrown

Active Member
I am actually using plasma lights, they work amazing for
Both veg and flower . I have only had one harvest on the
New light but my plant growth rate and yeild were pretty
Close to double!!! From when I was using mh&hps lights..
Their pretty expensive but will pay it self off quick and I've
Heard they last longer and have less problems than the mh
Or hps..

But if ur stayin with mh an hps I would do mh for
Veg and hps for flower , that's how I got MY best results..
 
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