Metal Halide Lights

HELP, please. brand new to this, trying my hand at something diferent. I have a dedicated grow room of 9' x 11'. I have the opportunity to obtain some 400 watt metal halide lights at $40 each. I am thinking this is a good deal, but thought I would double check. In a room that size would 4 of the mh lights be overkill or just enough? The grow room will be on a strict 12/12. Everything on timers.
I plan on having a graduated grow cycle, hopefully will be harvesting every couple of weeks or so. I understand that at one end of the room the lights will be lower, and raised as the growing progresses. How many plants can I reasonbly expect to plant and have decent results with in a room this size?
Also, for my veg/root/mother room or what ever we want to call it, I am trying to figure out lighting. It is 5' x 8" with a 30" x 5 foot formica counter. I am planning on keeping my mothers under the counter. Would a 2 tube florescent light work there? I will be germinating on the counter, will also be placing 1 quart containers of clones and germinated product on the counter. Will a 4 tube fixture be good for that?
Thanks in advance for the help!!!!!

First off, MH bulbs are best for vegging, if you flower with them you wont get near as much weight as with HPS bulbs, and 400 watt lights are best at doing a 2'x2' - 3'x3' space.
Second, perpetual growing takes a lot more time and effort then growing everything at once, make sure you have adequate free time.
I would only plant 6 plants max under each light unless ur going to SOG or ScRog then up to 24 per light. Its not how big your room is, its how much light coverage your lights provide.
Any lighting will keep your plants alive, but adequate lighting will give you results.

If you nickle and dime your grow, you're gonna get nick and dime results. Pay good money for good lights and try and save money in other areas.

Hope this helps...

Actually, I did a lot of research for my grow and CMH (ceramic metal halide) lights are best from start to finish. Thier spectrum matches that of the sun more closely than any other high intesity lighting around.

Bezy said:

First off, MH bulbs are best for vegging, if you flower with them you wont get near as much weight as with HPS bulbs, and 400 watt lights are best at doing a 2'x2' - 3'x3' space.
Second, perpetual growing takes a lot more time and effort then growing everything at once, make sure you have adequate free time.
I would only plant 6 plants max under each light unless ur going to SOG or ScRog then up to 24 per light. Its not how big your room is, its how much light coverage your lights provide.
Any lighting will keep your plants alive, but adequate lighting will give you results.

If you nickle and dime your grow, you're gonna get nick and dime results. Pay good money for good lights and try and save money in other areas.

Hope this helps...

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i disagree he dont have to spend a ton of money to get great grows
i seen people buy thousands of dollars of equip and couldnt grow shit

I use salvaged hps streetlights and salvaged mh streetlights and when i flower i switch the mh to hps conversion bulbs

as long as ballast watt output is what label says they are still good

Actually, it is not trying to nickel or dime, it is trying to get the best bang for the buck. I will get whatever lights I need, just not sure what kind to get yet. As far as light coverage being adequate, I will put in as many lights as needed. Free time?--I am retired, so I have as much time as it takes. Just trying to do something a little different, hell, I don't even partake, puts me to sleep. Not looking to do anything huge, maybe have 10 -12 growing in the grow room at any one time, have a few in the veg room getting ready to move over to the big room. Just got in some white ice and vanilla kush, gonna try my hand at that, supposed to be easy for newbies and boneheads like me, lol. A good example of bang for the buck is fans, found 6 decent fans at $10 each, should be able to move plenty of air in the rooms with them. Also invested in a filter system, thinking about an ozone generator, not sure about that yet.

use the money u saved buying good cheap equipment and spend it on some air cooled reflectors

George2002 said:

Actually, it is not trying to nickel or dime, it is trying to get the best bang for the buck. I will get whatever lights I need, just not sure what kind to get yet. As far as light coverage being adequate, I will put in as many lights as needed. Free time?--I am retired, so I have as much time as it takes. Just trying to do something a little different, hell, I don't even partake, puts me to sleep. Not looking to do anything huge, maybe have 10 -12 growing in the grow room at any one time, have a few in the veg room getting ready to move over to the big room. Just got in some white ice and vanilla kush, gonna try my hand at that, supposed to be easy for newbies and boneheads like me, lol. A good example of bang for the buck is fans, found 6 decent fans at $10 each, should be able to move plenty of air in the rooms with them. Also invested in a filter system, thinking about an ozone generator, not sure about that yet.

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