General questions about 250w MH...

[immaculate]

How many full cycles is a bulb good for?

Is the difference great between runnin' one of these all the way through (vag/flow) or best to flower with one only?

Thanks.

 

[messn'n'gommin']

How many full cycles is a bulb good for?

Is the difference great between runnin' one of these all the way through (vag/flow) or best to flower with one only?

Thanks.

As with all things on the net, this should be taken with a large grain of salt, but, it is a good rule of thumb to go by.


It doesn't list it, but the CMH Retrowhite has about the same lumen maintenance and life as HPS lamps.

As for running it all the way through veg/flo, ya, you can and get decent results too (read: head high). But, most find that plants put on a bit more weight during flower with HPS than with MH.

 

[intotheunknown]

MH lighting is best for the veg stage. MH has more of a blueish spectrum, vs an HPS which is more of a red spectrum, which is best for flowering.
also you would want to replace your MH bulbs about every 9 months or so, and im sure that varies from brand to brand. but you could also invest in a light meter, which you could monitor it exactly. there are lumen output charts all over the internet for specific bulbs. you could even check with the manufacturer to see what they rec.
hope that helps
cheers

 

[immaculate]

How hard is it to get a conversion for this thing?

http://cheaphydroponics.com/store/c...urst-250w-e-ballast-120v-hps/mh/prod_826.html

 

[frankborelli]

Immaculate - Run the MH for both flower and veg. I have used this method many many times and have achieved great results. You'll get much more colorful buds flowering with a MH. It's much easier and more economical as well as the 250w conversion bulb is $80 - $100. It will not affect yield negatively.

Also, you can run you bulbs for about 6 months. Then change it. I've used the connected ballast HydroFarm 250w MH for years inside a C-13. It's a great, reliable light. Good luck!

 

[immaculate]

I've got a used bulb...are there any tell tale signs that its ready for the switch? Thanks much for the help guys.