Hid..hps..mh

hey guys,im gunna cut to the chase, i went to a light shop today to have a look at sum HPS lighting, i went with the thought there was just gunna be complete kits ready for me to go THATS THE ONE I WANT

but, i got bombarded with all these questions i knew nothing about, he offered me a choice between to different bulbs(one was long and skinny, the other more short and fat, looks alot mro elike a normal incandecent bulb)
im looking for either a 70 or 150, probly go with the 70, and they ased me about what fittings etc i want and said i could get a complete set for 200bucks or one for around 90 and that was the cheapest they had and both of these arent particurly suited to growing

so can somone please tel me what i need/explain all the things i need to know to go buy a HPS, coz iwas pready embarresed when i had no clue, i know u need a bulb and a ballast , and thats about all i know atm, please anyone, give me a hand
+rep for people that help

Why not buy online?

You can easily find what you need, with a clear list of specifications for you to compare different setups.
You can take your time, and not have to deal with a sales attendant.

Something like this may be worth your while. It has everything you need to start up with.

rather not specify details, but for various reasons i cannot get stuff delivared, the situation is, i WILL be buying my setup from this shop, so yeh back to original post

oh, andi live in australia so the majority of websites ive been reffered to dont ship here

Ok. In that case, go to your hydro store and specify that you want a 150W HPS kit. This should include a reflector hood (air cooled ones are better), a ballast (sometimes enclosed in the hood in 70 - 150W units), a HPS bub. The higher wattage bulbs are generally cylindrical. All the 150W bulbs I have seen are globe shaped, but either will work fine.
If you can get the cylinder shaped one, you would be better off. These are easier to fit into cool tube setups, should you opt for one.

On ballasts: It is better to get a remote ballast (i.e - not enclosed in the hood) as they do get hot, and having it outside the growbox will reduce temperatures.

Entire kits online would cost you roughly 120 $AUD, so I would imagine you would pay in around the same, adding along, should you opt for cooltubes/vented hoods etc.

is their any special terms i should need to know, necause going in and asking for a 70w or a 150w HPS kit seems abit broad (its not a hydro shop, it is a light shop, like all they stock is lamps bulbs and shit like that to do with lighting, not a shop orientated for growing) depending on prices, i know i should opt for the remote ballast, is theyre anyhting else i need to specify, type of bulb? do i need ot know anything about "capicitors" and "ignitors" and "fittings"

You just need to go in knowing what you want.

Checklist:

Remote ballast
Reflective/vented hood
HPS bulb that matches the wattage of your ballast (either shape will do)
**Ensure the bulb will fit in the bulb holder. Some HPS lights come with MOGUL fittings which are larger than a standard Edison screw.

As soon as you have the above out the way, you have a decent setup.
Additions and improvements can be made as time passes.

a 10 second tango with google, and I found a page with about 30 hydroponic speciality stores in New South Wales.
A visit to one of these stores may be more worth your while, as store attendants will have a wider knowledge base on products suited to your hydroponic needs.

Check it out..

www.ablite.com

Also based in NSW.. Great selection.

cheeers dyzal, ur a champ man

Hey conepuller2299, i also live in australia you definitely need to find yourself a hydro store, look around you'll find one! and when you do you will be glad, i used to get all my stuff from bunnings at first but they dont have anything good for what where growing hydro store will have everything you ever need to grow the finest ganja

conepuller2299 said:

cheeers dyzal, ur a champ man

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go with the 150w HPS. you will NOT be disappointed (-;

lol ! the short fat bulbs are metal halide these are for vegging the skinny ones are High presure sodium. for flowering . Tell them assholes at the hydro shop .U want a complete setup in the wattage you want. BTw if u are vegging u need the mh but a mh ballast wont light a hps bulb . U can get a switchable ballast that will light both or u have to get both ballasts. sounds like u need to do some research b4 u walk back in there again .

kingofqueen said:

lol ! the short fat bulbs are metal halide these are for vegging the skinny ones are High presure sodium. for flowering . Tell them assholes at the hydro shop .U want a complete setup in the wattage you want. BTw if u are vegging u need the mh but a mh ballast wont light a hps bulb . U can get a switchable ballast that will light both or u have to get both ballasts. sounds like u need to do some research b4 u walk back in there again .

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MH is not needed for vegging, but it helps. A good HPS bulb(430w Son Agro for example) with added blue spectrum is all you need from seed to harvest.

kingofqueen said:

lol ! the short fat bulbs are metal halide these are for vegging the skinny ones are High presure sodium. for flowering . Tell them assholes at the hydro shop .U want a complete setup in the wattage you want. BTw if u are vegging u need the mh but a mh ballast wont light a hps bulb . U can get a switchable ballast that will light both or u have to get both ballasts. sounds like u need to do some research b4 u walk back in there again .

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dunno much about HPS, but on MH, this is just not the case. MH's come in many different bulb styles. This not only has to do with the physical connector for the bulb (mogul, hqi, etc), but also the way the bulb is oriented in the fixture (base down, base up, horizontal). Look at a MH HQI bulb, then look at an HPS bulb and tell me which is skinnier