Veg Lighting, opinions!
- Thread starter gnaut
- Start date
You're good to go. Tons of people do HPS start to finish.
You could veg with MH but you'd need a new ballast ($$$). Either a dedicated MH or a switchable.
You could use a CMH with your present HPS ballast. More blue than MH, more red than HPS, all in one lamp.
At this stage of your growing career, I'd consider a fine selection of lamps a luxury. Indulge yourself if you like but you have a great lamp just right for your space.
You could veg with MH but you'd need a new ballast ($$$). Either a dedicated MH or a switchable.
You could use a CMH with your present HPS ballast. More blue than MH, more red than HPS, all in one lamp.
At this stage of your growing career, I'd consider a fine selection of lamps a luxury. Indulge yourself if you like but you have a great lamp just right for your space.
Hi,
Yea go for a UAL T ballast they are cheap and u can feed them HPS and MH.
Imo no need for switchable or electronic ballast they are just to expansive for what you will save on your electric bill.
UAL T's cost 35 bucks and will do the job.
Hps magnetic ballast is a technology that's been going on since the 1940's it is pretty well dialed in not much left to improve.
They are noisier and might heat up your room faster but they cost 1/6 of the price.
peace
Yea go for a UAL T ballast they are cheap and u can feed them HPS and MH.
Imo no need for switchable or electronic ballast they are just to expansive for what you will save on your electric bill.
UAL T's cost 35 bucks and will do the job.
Hps magnetic ballast is a technology that's been going on since the 1940's it is pretty well dialed in not much left to improve.
They are noisier and might heat up your room faster but they cost 1/6 of the price.
peace
I split my grow room, the bud area is HID and the veg is now T5 with Quantum 6500 Blue 54 watt. Just got them today.
Had been using T8's. Used 6500 and 5000 and 4100. Clones did fastest vegging with the 4100 !??!! 12 tubes on top 8 tubes on sides on 4' x 6' table. Worked very well but ran out of room.
Most recently using 6 T8's and a 400w CMH on top with 16 T8's on the sides. Growth is too fast on a 4' x8' table.
Today I am hooking up 6 T5 54watt 6500 blue with 2 T5 460nm blue on top (2 reptile 10's on the way
) with 18 T8's around the side, 6500 daylights top row, 4100 daylights in the bottom three rows. The CMH is leaving the area.
Hoping for close nodes and stiff stems. Plants were too leafy under all that red. I'll keep replacing the 4100's until its where I want it.
Had been using T8's. Used 6500 and 5000 and 4100. Clones did fastest vegging with the 4100 !??!! 12 tubes on top 8 tubes on sides on 4' x 6' table. Worked very well but ran out of room.
Most recently using 6 T8's and a 400w CMH on top with 16 T8's on the sides. Growth is too fast on a 4' x8' table.
Today I am hooking up 6 T5 54watt 6500 blue with 2 T5 460nm blue on top (2 reptile 10's on the way
) with 18 T8's around the side, 6500 daylights top row, 4100 daylights in the bottom three rows. The CMH is leaving the area.Hoping for close nodes and stiff stems. Plants were too leafy under all that red. I'll keep replacing the 4100's until its where I want it.
spunion
Member
I was reading in a fluorescent topic about those T5/T8s being good for thick stem development.
I was going to say use CMH or MH in a vertical setup if you're trying to veg 10-15 plants in a fairly small space. If you are going to have a more reasonable 4-6 plants you could easily use a T5 (go with T5 over the higher numbers, they are brighter, more compact, and use less watts per output from what I understand). Phaeton's setup has got to be using a shit ton of watts
I was going to say use CMH or MH in a vertical setup if you're trying to veg 10-15 plants in a fairly small space. If you are going to have a more reasonable 4-6 plants you could easily use a T5 (go with T5 over the higher numbers, they are brighter, more compact, and use less watts per output from what I understand). Phaeton's setup has got to be using a shit ton of watts
Savings on a digital ballast (250/400W):
at 400W you save 50W in losses, at least. That's 0,05kW/h. I go for a setting 18h for 4 month a year (122 days) 12h for 8 month (243 days), with 25ct per kW/h in this example.
((18*122)+(12*243))*,05*,25=63,90
63,90 Dollars/Euro saved a year. Even more if you switch down to 250W in veg for two weeks. Also you have the option to dimm your system if the temperature gets too high in summer and those ballasts eat all bulbs.
at 400W you save 50W in losses, at least. That's 0,05kW/h. I go for a setting 18h for 4 month a year (122 days) 12h for 8 month (243 days), with 25ct per kW/h in this example.
((18*122)+(12*243))*,05*,25=63,90
63,90 Dollars/Euro saved a year. Even more if you switch down to 250W in veg for two weeks. Also you have the option to dimm your system if the temperature gets too high in summer and those ballasts eat all bulbs.
For veg in a small space/w just a few clones/moms, fluoro's are relatively cheap, do the job, and easier to manage, heat-wise than HID.
If HID for small space vegging of clones/moms, small wattage CMH. I spit on MH! zzzzt!
If HID for small space vegging of clones/moms, small wattage CMH. I spit on MH! zzzzt!
1
187020
If running a separate vegg area, I use approx half the wattage of flower area.... 400hps flower would be well supplied by a 4 bulb 4ft T5 at 216w...peace homie
