Does anybody here BLOOM with Metal Halides?

[Marquis de Sod]

I just have to fucking know. I got this ol timer telling me that he used MH's and that I am fucking up by using HPS's for bloom which i know of course is total BULLSHIT but i am just wondering, if, say out of poverty or necessity, anybody out there is doing this and what kind of buds you are getting and a pic would be great but not necessary.

thanks in advance to any and all who reply. if you did this in the past and can give me a comparo then so much the better. peace.

 

[Sinse_Farmer]

I haven't done it personally, first-hand, but I have heard that you can get decent buds with a MH. However you are def correct in that the HPS is the way to go.

During veg the plants like the "blue-ish" light from the MH
During bloom the plants like that "reddish-yellow" light from the HPS.

The HPS wins everytime for blooming. I've read/heard that the HPS is what ultimately can yield you those really rock hard colas and nugs, where w/ a MH one would not have the density that they get with an HPS. You probably already knew all that anyways, but I decided to jump on the thread and be the first to reply - lol

To answer your question though, I think one can get very decent buds with a MH but in the same conditions the buds would be better had they flowered with a HPS bulb.

-SinSe

 

[MIway]

Can't say it was out of poverty, but ran two times on Horti Blues from start to finish... and had the highest test scores from those batches.

Plan on using them again, just to cycle with the Super HPS... think I will be using the Blue for a while longer. First 2 weeks of bloom with the Blue, then the last 3 weeks... HPS in the middle.

Horti Blue


Horti Super HPS

 

[Space Ghost]

i use both with great success:

 

[Sinse_Farmer]

i use both with great success:

Space G,

It doesn't look like those lights rotate or move - (maybe the plants do) - either way, assuming they DO NOT:

Is there any difference in the buds on the far MH side vs the buds on the far HPS side? I'm assuming the middle area has the "best" ones since it is getting the most of both?

Lemme know if I was unclear - often I can be....
-SinSe

 

[Space Ghost]

Space G,

It doesn't look like those lights rotate or move - (maybe the plants do) - either way, assuming they DO NOT:

Is there any difference in the buds on the far MH side vs the buds on the far HPS side? I'm assuming the middle area has the "best" ones since it is getting the most of both?

Lemme know if I was unclear - often I can be....
-SinSe

you are being perfectly clear, and no, no light rails or anything, static lights. There is slightly more yield with the sodium and a slightly higher quality product with the MH. And as you stated, the middle is the real sweet spot.

 

[pinecone]

I've done it a few times with traditional MH bulbs and more often with CMH bulbs. I'm definitely biased against HPS and haven't bloomed under one for some time. It is hard for me to believe that the plants like that orange light.

Pine

 

[soil margin]

In my limited experience, MH promotes quality, frostiness,etc. HPS promotes quantity, density, etc.

They both have applications during flowering and imo any professional grow room would be wise to have both types of light. I prefer a 2.5:1 ratio of HPS:MH wattage. So for every 1000w of HPS light I mix in 400w of MH.

Girls havn't had any complaints yet.

 

[supermanlives]

mh gives shorter more resinous happy plants . hps gives higher yield atleast in my experience

 

[who dat is]

I guess this is the same principle for CMH? I have vegged under a CMH and the first two weeks of flower have been under a CMH. I was going to sandwich an HPS in there for 3 or 4 weeks to bulk them up and then finish under the CMH again. I haven't ever done this all the way though but it sounds like the way to go. Any thoughts on this?

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

I have not tried the CMH's yet, but plain MH work very well mixed in with HPS, the ratio 3:1 HPS:MH gets mentioned by some, I have run 1:1 and grew some great weed that way.

IMO, the difference is you will see slightly healthier looking plants, with less stretch and slightly more potency, I think from the higher UV in MH, not because some lower yield crops appear to be slightly better quality.

Also, I believe that, with Sativas, it is even more beneficial, again, just my opinion from observation, not scientifically proven information.

 

[the gnome]

10 years ago a friend north of the border used MH for veg-n-bloom
he said the MH buds were way stickier as opposed to HPS.

I'm thinking hps in bud like always and finish the last few 2ish weeks with MH to see if it
draws out more resins?

 

[Oldmans_Herbs]

I have used MH only and had very big flowers, to each his own. 73's Herb

 

[soil margin]

I have used MH only and had very big flowers, to each his own. 73's Herb

Just as people have used HPS only and gotten frosty, high quality bud. The question is would your flowers have been even bigger with the addition of HPS light? and vice versa.

 

[Greenlife1]

I have done both MH, and HPS for flower. That being said yes the HPS yeilds more, but better trike production with the MH. Like Soil Margin said I like to mix. I now run a 400 bare bulb in between my 2 1000 hps. Works better this way. You have to remember we are trying to replicate the sun. The sun is not a HPS nor a MH. So by mixing spectrums its a win win.

 

[Oldmans_Herbs]

When dealing with the light spectrum all i know is -- it is all that matters.. lol the age of bulb used etc.. might change the spectrum? so to say for sure i cannot. i use HPS for flower with a MH for filler light. i have beautiful flowers from my Haze to my Kush. peace Herb..

 

[aligee]

I use both ive noticed more trich covered sticky buds for sure.

 

[bigAl25]

I have used both for my last 2 grows. MH on both lamps during veg, and a mix of MH and HPS during flowering. I do move my plants during flowering, and the middle is indeed the sweet spot.

 

[Marquis de Sod]

indeed the newer bulbs are a combination of both. okay so my friend would be right, in his limited memory of what he grew, very frosty buds. i doubt he had the density i am getting, but it seems if one adds about 400W worth of MH to a thou or two of HPS, then that would be ideal, ie more sun like. hmmmm veddy interesting!

hey thanks guys. great comments! - aligee, which ones gave you the most sticky? i assume it was the MH's like everybody elses sticky nugs? i'm fresh outta 400W ballasts tho, both in use already. i could put a flourescent over the plants that have it now tho. mmmmmm!? have to think that one over. alot of my crop will be done in only a week. at the very least i will start bloom with MH and end it sooner. my main bloom room has a switchable ballast, i will thro that MH in there anyway till theyre done. what the hell. obviously, it aint gonna hurt nothin.

 

[Sinse_Farmer]

Back again I am!

Back again I am!

you are being perfectly clear, and no, no light rails or anything, static lights. There is slightly more yield with the sodium and a slightly higher quality product with the MH. And as you stated, the middle is the real sweet spot.

Thanx for reply.

I'm really happy I checked out this thread, since I did NOT know that the MH actually could produce a higher quality product (stickier and more resinous), I have been under the assumption that the HPS is necessary for that rock density.

Was very interesting to read everyones replies! I'm positive i'm not the only one who learned something here!

(wishes had more space, more reflectors, more ballasts and more bulbs )

-Sinse

Marquis - you did say you were going to finish the last week with the MH? Be tight if you noticed an increase in trics~