HPS question.

im growing 3 plants in a 3'x3'x9' closet. Would a 150 watt hps work or should i go 250? im thinking 250 but im worried about heat. i have 2 nice fans now with 1x125watt, 2x42 watt, 3x23 watt. 5k, and 27k

LMK what you think! im ganna cut out most if not all cfls when i get the hps. 150 or 250?!?!?

Are you going to have an air cooled reflector? w/exhaust (not just circulation)?
A 3x3' footprint can support a 400+ W lamp.

yes air cooled and yes im going to cut the top corner out of the closet door, and put on a dryer exhaust cover. im thinking 250 watt hps with euro reflector from htg. what do you think? also do you know of any cheap exhaust fans out there?

I like the 250 better than the 150.
If you get a fan to cool the lamp, I still like a 400W. It is a better fit for a 3x3 space, and may work better for your next grow area! You could still have a good grow with the 250.

I got a Can fan RS4 off ebay for $90. I wanted a quality, quiet fan for my grow box with 400W HPS lamp & can filter.
If you got no concerns with fan noise, and you are not pulling through a carbon filter, (and no 400W lamp to cool), you can go with a lesser manufacturer and lower cost.
Look through craigslist & see if you can find a bargain.

I have a smaller space (3' x 3' x 6.5' tent) and use a 600 watt hps.
As long as the reflector is cooled you would have no problem using a 600.

If you have a cooled reflector with a 250 with a euro reflector (the least efficient hid) the buds can touch the glass without problems.
I have that set up in my small under the stairs area.

Let air in at the bottom of the closet somehow and then have a filter up top

air into filter>through light> into fan (in or out of the closet, since you have good height, you could put it up there)
exhaust into another room to create air flow, cut a hole in the wall if you have to, some vent into the attic.

Thanks guys. Im going to cut 2 holes in the door, one in the bottom right corner and one on the top. im ganna put a dryer vent cover on the top square hole to cool decent. im going to build a diy carbon filter to pull thru so im ganna need a decent fan. can anyone recommend a less powerful quiet inline fan?

you can get a lumitec ballast....it will run a 250 or a 400....its a better way to go as it gives another option....

You should use a 250 watt HID at least. That can cover a 2.5' by 2.5' area, depending on the reflector, but plants cannot be allowed to get very large. Maybe you could put three plants under it, but more like two and certainly not much taller than 2' at harvest. Even one slightly larger, topped plant would likely yield roughly the same.

A digital 250 watt system\bulb isn't going to throw off a lot of heat. Nothing a common 4" duct fan can't help.

When in doubt, always go with the next size up...

richinweed said:

you can get a lumitec ballast....it will run a 250 or a 400....its a better way to go as it gives another option....

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this is a good idea. be warned you'll need to buy multiple watt hps bulbs as you can have a 250w bulb and put it on 400w nor can you have a 400w bulb and set the ballast to 250w it wont work...well it may but it can damage ur equipment and possibly start a fire...or make a bulb explode etc.

but a 3x3 space = 400w hps.

you can section it off to make your space smaller if u wanna use a 250...but using a 250 in a 3x3 will mean less lumens for sq ft which will cause more airy buds and weaker growth.

2-150's would be better. With 2 lights, you have better range to cover your plant(s). You can also have different height issues when your plants begin stretching, and 2 lights give a grower better flexability in reaching lower bud sights. I use 2 150's in my 2x4 closet, with excellent results.

I am running a 400w in a smaller tent and LOVE IT .. CHECK OUT MY THREAD IF YOU WANT... sOME BALLASTS can go from 250 - 400 but i suggest keeping it on at 400
PS why only 3 plants?

sounds like a 400 watt cool tube is the way to go.

How about a good cheap inline fan that can pull thru a carbon filter?

How is apollo brand ballast?

themanwiththeplan said:

this is a good idea. be warned you'll need to buy multiple watt hps bulbs as you can have a 250w bulb and put it on 400w nor can you have a 400w bulb and set the ballast to 250w it wont work...well it may but it can damage ur equipment and possibly start a fire...or make a bulb explode etc.

Click to expand...

With a dimmable ballast, for example a 400 watt system, a 400 watt bulb will ignite at the lower wattage settings including the 250 watt settings (usually 250, 275 watts). Having a 400 watt bulb running at 250 watts or a 600 watt bulb at 400 watts should work and the bulb should not start a fire or explode. Worse case scenario it will shorten the life of the bulb. But, in the reverse situation, supplying more power than a bulb is rated for such as running a 250 watt bulb on the 400 watt setting could very well blow the bulb catastrophically.

zbrenner said:

sounds like a 400 watt cool tube is the way to go.

How about a good cheap inline fan that can pull thru a carbon filter?

Click to expand...

The cheapest inline fans don't work with carbon filters. Those would be booster duct fans you can get at a hardware store. A 6-inch inline booster fan typically runs about $25 and that will help you cool a 400 watt bulb.

The High Output duct fans used for more intensive cooling and air scrubbing are more expensive. The cheapest 4" HO inline is about $80, from HTGSupply. These HO fans do move a lot more air, in general you would also want to get a digital or analog variable speed controller to control control the fan.

i have a plan! Getting a 400 watt hps/mh apollo cool tube light. its only 138 bucks! ive been researching and im going to build a DIY carbon filter and mod a stanley blower fan in my closet. heres a link http://forum.growkind.com/showthread.php?t=36192 or http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20440 .

i have a question tho, should i hook the cool tube up to the intake to the blower or the outtake blower. in other words it would be carbon filter-intake to blower-outtake blower-cool tube-exhaust OR carbon filter-cool tube-intake to blower-outake blower-exhaust. idk which one to do. Whichever one i pick will be vented outside the closet.

400+ watt hid...period. You'll be hating the nugs you get if you skimp on lighting with that decent sized space. I'm in a tent double that size and I run 2 600 watt hids in there... Hook up carbon filter to powerful duct fan (rated to use with carbon filter) exhaust, run exhaust air through your cooltube to cool the lights and send hot/stank air out the house. Ohhhh yeah!

okay perfect will be buying this setup a week after rent! cant wait!