Comparing different MH light bulbs. Which is best?

Pepe le skunk

Well-Known Member
While reading an interesting thread on using Metal Halide during the last 2 weeks of harvest and the science behind it, It lead me to another thread that started talking about different bulbs and what the results others have had using different manufactures bulbs. I started to look at what the offerings are and the wide selection and choices available. So this is an attempt to sort it all out. Please feel free to read and respond back to what your results have been. Here are the two very good threads about MH during flower and what other people have presented.

https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/612126-using-mh-bulb-last-2-a.html

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=243060

Here is a third thread(sticky) about lighting in general. https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/83128-lumens-lux-adding-all-up.html

Just doing a few hours of searching and reading here are a few things I have found and just some thoughts about the different lights and there costs. This will only be effective if you help with what you are using and what you have all had sucess with in the past. I hope to do the same type of thread on HPS light bulbs and some will be included in this post. However I have not fully researched HPS bulbs yet.
So please help add your comments and feedback.

Two Metal Halide bulbs that stand out from these two articles above is the:
SolarMax 1000 watt MH 7200K 85,000 lumen bulbs $100.82

and

BT56 1000K MH bulb $29.01

Just doing some quick research on the two bulbs the Solar Max bulb is blue enhanced and the BT56 is actually the type of bulb, shape or glass size actually.
I will report on the different bulbs available, pricing and the categories they are available in.

General MH bulbs
MH Grow Bulbs
Blue enhanced MH bulbs
Red enhanced MH bulbs
Red and Blue enhanced MH bulbs

Hope this helps and feel free to comment.
 

Pepe le skunk

Well-Known Member
Hope this helps because most have to buy new bulbs every 6 months to 1 year anyway of MH or HPS.
From the articles above a few things right off the bat stand out.

"the PAR (or McCree) curve also shows what the chlorophylls/beta carotene/other
accessory pigments absorb; not all the light absorbed does good things and can even have an inhibitory affect on tissue synthesis and bud formation!
I've been taking the PAR curve as pretty much verbatim since it's bounded around everywhere, but I'm just beginning to chip away at the whole
photosynthetic issue thing. Lots of reading to do for sure! "
PAR is a good way. PAR is measure in Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD)
or umol/m2/second
It is about photons........ Lumens is a measure of light photons in a range that
the human eye is sensitive and not what should be considered when evaluating a light source.
bottom line wattage per Sq foot and luminious power is what its all about for
yield and overall plant growth.
Lumens is a measurement of light output at nm points in the spectrum that the
human eye is sensitive to. Not the amount of energy the bulb puts out that
plants are sensitive to.

It is better to examine the points of high output by a bulb (spectrum output breakdown) as it relates to what a plant uses
in the many photosynthetic processes that occur within the plant tissue.
Measuring photon output at all different wavelengths against the plant sensitivity curve is a very good start.
Photosynthesis is driven by photon count, so a lamp with a higher photon output
will produce a better yield.
https://www.rollitup.org/attachments/indoor-growing/2654310d1368438477-comparing-different-mh-light-bulbs-compare5.jpg
compare5.jpg
PAR%20Curve.png
https://www.rollitup.org/attachments/indoor-growing/2654309d1368438476-comparing-different-mh-light-bulbs-par-20curve.png
 

fssalaska

Well-Known Member
For veg Hortilux Blue Daylight MH best I've ever used. For flowering the Hortilux Super Red HPS are awesome, Like them better than BadAss bulbs, I'm using BadAss HPS right now just because I was dumb and bought 2 of them on sale. BadAss The Big Lie ! Hate them
 

nameno

Well-Known Member
This was a good idea.
Tell me more about Badass bulbs.I was thinking 'bout them a long time.Glad I didn't.
I got a friend who has never told me wrong about growing,he believes in the ushio bulb,strongly.
If this thread doesn't change my mind I'll try that next.Peace
 

Pepe le skunk

Well-Known Member
I am not suggesting any or all of these bulbs are ment to be used in growing. Just what is available.
Here is a list of a few different 1000 watt MH bulbs and their descrptions as advertised on the net. Examples are from Amazon and google search. Didn't even look at ebay and this is by no means all that are available or the finale numbers that the bulbs produce. Just simple information and their approximate costs. Many are similar in numbers but not even close on price. I was looking for least expensive, Color enhanced, Plant grow bulbs and blue and red enhanced bulbs for the growing industry and green houses. Many have the same Kelvin ratings and makes me suspect they might just be repackaged by marketing companies that know the bulbs are already made by a major manufacture and all they do is repackage it and sell it for a higher price under their name. Here are just some of the examples found with some searching. Please feel free to add yours and your experience.

Regular MH
1. Eiko BT56 MH 49199 4000 Kelvin, $16.92
2. Sylvania BT37 MH 64351 3800 Kelvin, $30.57
3. Sylvania BT56 MH 64435 4000 Kelvin, 105,000 lumens, $48.71
4. Triangle Bulbs BT37 MH 59111 4000 kelvin, E40 base, $26.99
5. Appollo MH 6500 Kelvin, 110,000 lumens, $29.95
6. GL Bulb M1000 6500 Kelvin, 120,000 lumens,

Grow Bulb
1. MaxLume Grow bulb BT56 $29.01
2. Interlux Grow Lamp Towards Blue spectrum, E39 base
3. Hortilux BT37 MH $72.95
4. DigiLux MH 120,000 Lumens $67.99
5. Plant MAX MH 7000 Kelvin, 93,000 lumens, E39 base $28.90

Blue Enhanced MH
1. SolarMax Blue 7200 Kelvin 85,000 Lumens $100.82
2. Advanced Nutrients Baddass Blue Diamond bulb 110,000 Lumens $66.95
3. SunMasters Cool Deluxe 6500 Kelvin, $83.98
4. Ultra Sun 7500 or 10,000 Kelvin Blue Enhanced $47.75/ $53.74
5. Bloomerang Brillent Blue 6400 Kelvin, 100,000 lumens, 10,000 hrs $58.00
6. Hortilux Blue BT37, 110,000 lumens, $72.95
7. HortiLife Blue Power, 15,000 hours, $48.35
8. Virtual Sun Cool Blue MH 4200 Kelvin, 110,000 lumens, $32.99

Red Enhanced MH
1. SolarMax Gold MH Red enhanced T25, 100,000 lumens, $85.72
2. Agrosun Gold MH $75.79

Red/ Blue Enhanced
1. Earth Worth Red/Blue enhanced MH 4200 Kelvin, 110,000 Lumens/ $42.95


As you can see the pricing is as cheap as $16.92 and go over $100 bucks a bulb. So if there are rare earth elements in the bulbs why don't they say what they are?

Hope that helps.
 
Top