Whats the big deal with the blockbuster ?

Hi people,
Just pondering grow lights atm and would be grateful if anyone could enlighten me. Got couple of questions;
1. Is it worth getting an aircooled light ? I live in uk so it's not particularly hot most of the year although it is approaching summer , how much of a problem would it be keeping a 4x8 tent cool without aircooled lights?
2. What are a good reliable brand of lights? I've put a few below that I'm considering but is it really worth it to spend the extra on the blockbuster? I know it's a decent light but the price difference between that and the cheaper light is significant.
3. Should I buy both MH and HPS bulbs or just go for a dual spectrum ?

Cheap
http://www.hg-hydroponics.co.uk/powerplant-coolwing-air-cooled-light-kit-4026-p.asp

Mid priced
http://www.hg-hydroponics.co.uk/super-sun-2-air-cooled-light-kit-4023-p.asp

Expensive
http://www.hg-hydroponics.co.uk/blockbuster-air-cooled-complete-light-kit-4019-p.asp

Again cheers for any posts.

What lighting do you plan on running in the 4x8 tent?

Please please please do not use HG HYDRO for your stuff.

They are scam artists.


Blockbuster hoods are the shit. I used to use one.

As long as you keep exhausted air away from the room with the tent in it then you shouldn't need to air cool your lights.

Just buy something like a SYLVANIA GROLUX hps lamp.

If you don't want the bother of changing lamps then just use hps start to finish.


In a 4x8 I would consider running 2x600w lamps.

For this tent I would probably use an 8" RVK200A1 with matching RHINOPRO carbon filter to exhaust.

Then a second fan as a powered intake with an RVK150A1 with some screen over it to stop bugs etc.

Exhaust the 200mm fan out of the room.

Have the 150mm fan near a window sucking cool air from near the window into the tent.


Make sure ballasts sit outside the tent and not inside the tent.



J

Cheers man that is very comprehensive but I do have some more questions. Firstly are hg hydro really scammers? They seem fairly legit and they're the only place in uk I can see selling blockbusters atm. Also if I run a HPs the whole way through will there be a significant loss in yield cus it can't be that difficult to change a light bulb can it lol?

Ok so maybe they are, cheers for the heads up man. How 're they still operating !?

Ive had the super suns and the blockbusters, ill take the blockbusters anyday. Perfect pattern.

In terms of heat I'm not sure really, you could keep that tent cold put your going to have to pump allot of air through it. How much heat does a 1k bulb put out? About 4,000 btu. Put it this way, I just built a bigger garage and needed to heat it up to put down an epoxy floor. It's 51f outside. I hung 5 1k bulbs and it was 83 in there. The garage is 24 feet x 20 feet by 10' high....

Anyways, back to the Blockbuster, it is hands down one of THE best hoods you can get. Period. Very high quality construction, great hinges, good seals and it has one of the strongest and most even light patterns I have seen. It's money dude.

I never understood why people want to skimp on the hood. Your growing indoors...the light is THE most important thing.

So in a nutshell..get the BB

And DONT get the 8" version. The guy that owns sunlight supply told me straight up that 8" hoods are designed for people running six or more hoods in a row.

Cheers

Its not difficult to change a bulb but if you're giving less than 6 weeks veg time you won't really need an MH as hps can do it without a loss in yield.

I bought my blockbuster from my local grow shop who ordered it in for me.




J

legallyflying said:

I never understood why people want to skimp on the hood. Your growing indoors...the light is THE most important thing.

Click to expand...

https://www.rollitup.org/t/a-whole-lot-of-hempy-and-a-whole-lot-of-watts.712994/

LOL...well yeah. You could say I have "seen the light" ...and it doesn't have a fucking hood around it.

The bare bulb very with trees is rocking. 32p and change of 18 bare bulbs last run. Converted the hempy to DWC this round. (Just to make my partner nervous. LOL)

Putting 10k bare bulb in a 10x24' portion of the garage. Just had a 4 ton AC installed. I hope it's enough!

I run blockbusters and supersun 2's. I even got the newer 3rd generation blockbuster, I like the older model better and my light meter and buds says its better too. The 3rd gen blockbuster is nicer looking(like a barn) and spreads the light alittle more but has a dull strip about 6-8'' wide in the middle of the spread. The blockbuster most of us know and run is IMO the best hood available.

Hey booms, just curious..is the "old" blockbuster the one without the cable that prevent the cover from opening all the way?

I have one of those and 11 of the newer ones. I prefer the newer ones but never put my light meter under the old one. The SS2 do rock as well, not as much spread but man they lay the light down!!

yeah the older blockbusters have no cables the glass just hangs. I have them side by side and use the older ones to finish under and use the new ones for fresh into bloom/early blooming plants since there not as bright and concentrated. Honestly a cool sun has almost the same foot print and very close to the same output overall as the new gen3 blockbusters. Id trade my 3rd gens for older style blockbusters anyday. Yeah i like my SS2's for veg rooms with 600s and blockbusters for bloom rooms with 1ks.

Cheers guys, looks like blockbuster it is then.