Replacing my 600 HPS Bulb

[whyme2]

Just what the header says. I have been using the same 600 watt bulb now for 2 years (was used when i got it). So its time to invest in a bulb. I use this with a 400 watt hps for a personal grow. Currently running 4 different strains). I do grow in soil.

Which bulb should I get and why. I really appreciate any advice here. Thx

 

[Pinball Wizard]

what kind of ballast?...digital or magnetic?

 

[DocLeaf]

Beware that some new bulbs from the same old companies now have new/different filaments.. which break/burn out easy!

It's definitely worth investing in a new bulb after so many running hours.

 

[bluebublelove]

I'd recomend either eye hortilux, ushio, or if you want a all red spectrum, agrosun makes a 600w red sodium bulb that blows flowers up

 

[whyme2]

using an magnetic ballast

thx for the input so far

 

[Pinball Wizard]

using an magnetic ballast

thx for the input so far

with magnetic ballasts you can use any brand... ...shop around for your price range...$$$...I like Hortilux.

 

[mikeross]

Yup with a magnetic ballast any brand should work... can't say the same about digi's.

Anyways, I want to hear about your yield with a 2+year old bulb. Over the last couple harvest have you noticed your yields getting smaller and smaller? I change my bulbs every 3 cycles but even at the 3rd grow with the same bulb I hardly notice a difference in yield... yet everyone says you should change your bulbs every 3rd cycle for maximum yields. Just wanted to hear about the consistency of your yields with such an old bulb.

what brand bulb was it?

 

[whyme2]

The old bulb was a Phillips.
It is gonna be hard to answer a question accurately about yields.
I have changed my setup on every grow, to tweak output. I have used different strains. I have used different soil mixes and nutes. Tried topping, lst, etc ...
It seems to me that my yield has dropped AND I am getting less visible Trichs on the same strains. I don;t even keep scales around to know how much I have grown. I generally judge my yield with how many jars I fill up.
I guess I am hoping that a new bulb will be the latest tweak to my grow setup.
I am leaning toward the Agrosun 600 and also changing my 400 to a CMH. I hope that the light spectrums will give me a nice veg, and an great flower, and an awesome harvest.

Last harvest was 3 Kalichakra(Mandala) veg was about 4-6 weeks - plants topped twice. Two different phenos total dry harvest was about 8 ounces (give or take an ounce)

 

[Pinball Wizard]

I generally judge my yield with how many jars I fill up.
I guess I am hoping that a new bulb will be the latest tweak to my grow setup.
I am leaning toward the Agrosun 600 and also changing my 400 to a CMH. I hope that the light spectrums will give me a nice veg, and an great flower, and an awesome harvest.

If your 400 ballast is magnetic?...I recommend the CMH bulb.

(Two white widows under a 400 CMH)

 

[Vincent Vega]

Hortiliux eye for mags would be my choice.

 

[good drown]

i second or third the hortilux eye. i have 2 600's in my digi lumatek, and also a 400mh eye and a 400 lumatek. works awesome

 

[whyme2]

ok - now leaning towards the hortilux - decisions

Thx All

 

[whyme2]

Gonna get the hortilux eye for the 600 watt and want to get a cmh for the 400 watt.

Any recomendations on sources - or warnings on who not to use.

PM's welcome

Thx again all

 

[LlamaSchool]

I've been throwing money away on Hortilux Eye 600's and 1000's but I plan to go a little cheaper next time. What do you guys think about a lower priced bulb? Am I getting hosed paying $100 for these Hortilux bulbs?

 

[Irie_Lion]

What do u guys think about these bulbs....http://www.1000bulbs.com/600-Watt-HPS/38752/

someone recommended them sayin its basically the same bulb as the sunmaster 600w.....http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=50243

Seems like a great deal if its the same thing I'm gona give it a shot when i switch out bulbs inna few weeks.

 

[Bahamut]

The Philips CMH are nice bulbs and I got mine from here http://advancedtechlighting.com/cdmed18.htm. My friend is using a 400w Hort.Eye and they are good but for the price you can get 2 CMH bulbs and they are said to last longer. For the 600w I would stick to Hort.Eye, Im a bit paranoid about buying inferior quality bulbs after hearing so many stories.

 

[Nemesi5]

imo i would just go with the sunmaster. a bit cheaper and i dont think you would really see much noticible results with the hortilux. as for the 400 im on mh now, next time around i wil be trying out the cmh for veg.

 

[luvtogrow]

Just ordered the solarmax superhps 600w for $64. I generally use hortilux and have used argosun. The argosun was having trouble kicking on with my mag ballast but works fine with the electronic ballast. The solarmax has 95,000 initial lumens the hortilux has 88,000. I'll run them both side by side.

 

[flat5th]

I run 2 400w...I've been using Solarmax for a few bulb changes now. I like them pretty well but i've had a few duds. It seems whatever brand i try there's always a dud here or there.

I've been thinking about getting a case of generic bulbs and switching them out every grow. You can get a case of like 24 for the price of 1 brandname bulb.

just a thought.

fifth.