lighing problemos

john long

Active Member
i can by with my budget two king of bulbs that cost almost the same price but i have some questions before i choose...

the two bulbs are:
1. CFL 80W
2. HPS 250W

i know they both sucks anyway wich 1 should i buy?

-is it true that i need to add another 100$ to buy a ballast for 1 of them & if so which one?

-im gonna buy only one bulb of the choosen kind so it needs to match the two parts of the growth (development and bloom) so which one do both and not only 1 of them?

-is it true tht the HPS heats up?


i schoose one of them that do the best preformance, but of one of them needs a ballast or anything that gonna cost me more that i have than ill buy them other one anyway...

please answer on every part of my questions so i wont buy anything and get sorry about it... and stop telling me that HID is better because i allready know that.
 

tahoe58

Well-Known Member
the hps will have significantly more "power" or light intensity (i.e., lumens). but it will also generate more heat. the other difference might be the "K" rating....so it is a trade off....light intensity to grow or manage the heat?
 

john long

Active Member
so what is your suggestion? by the way where i leave its now beggining of the winter so it might be cold in my closet so its better be something with head dont it? (but not too hot i dont want my plant to burn up..
 

tahoe58

Well-Known Member
a single CFL will not likely produce enuf light intensity....even at 80W - how many plants? how big is your space? I agree that the space may need heat...but the heat can build up pretty fast and then you've got a problem? seems to me that if only one bulb the hps would be the better choice - as long as you have a plan to deal with the heat if that becomes a problem. .... someone else with better experience needs to help you...I am only starting myself....
 

VictorVIcious

Well-Known Member
ok thanks anyway.... so i understand that hps does not need no ballast and also CFL?
This is incorrect. Most places sell the kit whicn includes the ballast for hid and the ballast is a part of the base of the cfl's, so no separate ballast is needed. The higher watt cfl's can require a mogul socket the same as the hid,s.
I have two suggestions. First buy SeeMoreBuds excellent book, "Marijuana Buds for less". He grows 8oz of bud from three plants using 8-42 wattcfl's, amazing. He includes pictures of how he set it up, what he used and pictures for everyday of the plants life. Its available at Barnes & Nobles in the Gardening section. Get help finding it, it will help them remember they have it, and ask if they are going to carry any of his other books, it will make them think about it. If you don't have a Barnews and Nobles, Garden Knowm has a link to it, he wrote it.
Second, check out t-5 lights. The advantages for closet growers, and I am not one, are discussed in my thread' My current set up: journal?? I am not suggesting you go to Lowe's and build a room, just check out the information on the results with the t-5's. VV
 

john long

Active Member
thanks so now i know almost everything about this two lights... i only need to know which one is better fer a closet.
 
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