When buying HPS does brand matter?

No one has an answer for me about bulb brand to buy vs. generic?

I'm running a generic $20 cheapie HPS bulb right now. Seems to work fine, but gotta remember I'm working in a 3x3 tent and the bulb sits REAL close to the canopy.

Got a bunch of super nice 1,000 watt Hortilux bulbs in my inventory, but those are reserved for my next larger sized tent build.

Yeah well im in a 3x3 also bro

Malevolence said:

I'll give you 40 bucks for one of your useless 400w HIDs sitting in boxes not doing shit.

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ill do 70!

There are differences in quality of components, bulb brightness, life, hood designs, noise, heat, and all that. I feel to grow good shit, pretty much any decent kit with a generic bulb will give good results.... but if you want to push shit to the max and squeeze every gram of bud you can out of your setup, you start digging into details. If I find something I'm interested in, I usually search for reviews on the web. If I can't find any reviews, it's usually a sign to go with another brand. Also, in the process of searching for reviews I often learn a lot more about whatever I'm looking up.

bratattack said:

Is an agromax 400w hps any different than any other brand 400w hps? I feel like it's just a brand name thing...

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I grew with a $30 bulb, and was gaven a $100 bulb, and to tell you the truth, they both gave me nice size buds and very sticky too.

I now just stick too cheaper bulbs.tmo

And that 600w, your talking about would be the way to go.Like you said you can drop the watts, if need be.

bratattack said:

No one has an answer for me about bulb brand to buy vs. generic?

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lol, you ain't lying!!

i already told you which brands to buy wtf are you talking about?

hortilux digilux or phillip.

sunmaster is okay, agroson is a good brand too. what else do you need to know?

polyarcturus said:

nah man if you got a dimmable dimmed to 400w you can put a 400w bulb in it if not ill send you a replacement(not really cause it will work) but i have ran all types of bulb ballast combos and you have to do something pretty stupid to have a failure. hell ive run 600w bulbs in 1000w mag ballast for a whole 6months b4.

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I don't know what ballast you have? but, most don't run like that???You can do it, but it's not the best thing to do.

no it is not the BEST thing to do it was an emaple ive done tons and tons of tests with ballast ive learned so many things about bulbs glass phosphor electrical properties it would make your head spin. im not telling anybody to put 600w bulbs i their ballast im just saying it can be done.

and like said, email lumatek if you feel i am telling you wrong, you can put a 400w bulb in a 600w digital ballast dimmed to 400w, in fact that is what it recommended instead of dimming a 600w bulb and shortening both the ballast and the bulbs life span.

I thought ballasts only dimmed by percentages, like 75%. And 75% would actually be 450w not 400w.

not all ballsts some go according to bulb wattage like lumatek.

others do not tho, you would have to email the manufacturer about.

ThE sAtIvA hIgH said:

i take it you have never visited the 250w hps club on RIU ?

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I still stand by my initial claim. In all instances, with proper ventilation, I'd always go with a 600 watter, no matter what. But sure, in a tiny room, 400 watts is enough to get some ok results. Just not enough light penetration for a decent size plant(s).........

SSHZ said:

I still stand by my initial claim. In all instances, with proper ventilation, I'd always go with a 600 watter, no matter what. But sure, in a tiny room, 400 watts is enough to get some ok results. Just not enough light penetration for a decent size plant(s).........

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Do you really think I could get enough ventilation with a 4" 171cfm inline fan, 6" ducting, 600w HPS with hydrofarm radiant 6 air-cooled reflector
IN A
2.5ft x 3.5 ft x 8ft (70 cubic ft) closet?!

I feel as though the room is so tiny that a 600w light would be far too hot no matter what with my setup.

You tell me though man you seem to be very affirmative with that claim and if you could back it up then maybe you'll sell me on picking up a 600w instead of 400.

im cooling a 4 with a 4 inch 175 cfm. i would cool a 6 with it and not worry.

Get a 1,000 watt Solis-Tek digital ballast and be done with it. It's dimmable by 1k, 600, and 400 watts.

400 watts will be enough for a 3x3 tent provided you're a good grower and got everything dialed in. With 600 in that space, success is pretty much assured and with 1,000 it'll be downright overkill... though it's nice to have options. Who knows? You may upgrade to a larger setup later on.

JJFOURTWENTY said:

Get a 1,000 watt Solis-Tek digital ballast and be done with it. It's dimmable by 1k, 600, and 400 watts.

400 watts will be enough for a 3x3 tent provided you're a good grower and got everything dialed in. With 600 in that space, success is pretty much assured and with 1,000 it'll be downright overkill... though it's nice to have options. Who knows? You may upgrade to a larger setup later on.

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Great idea, I've heard though that Baddass Ballasts is a better company. True?

No. I'm sure the Badass Ballast is pretty nice and all, but as a company Advanced Nutrients is full of snake oil.

The badass ballest is good real but the bulds are crap over 50 bulds have back already and we only started selling them 2 months ago

I would recommend a 600 watt dimmable Lumatek ballast. They are noiseless, reliable, produce barely any heat, and FUCKING PURPLE DUDE!!!! Plus you save on electricity (and the dim knob allows for even more precise control).