Ushio or Hortilux?

[LyryC]

Sup Icmag!

Mind helping me out if you got some experience?

Ushio 600W opti-red

or

HORTILUX™ SUPER HPS 600W

Both are good - Ushio cheaper - Curious what others might say to get. Originally ganna go with Hortilux but some one mentioned the German Ushio - and that raised an eye brow. Being a newb I figured I'd ask some vets.

Heres my piece of shit chinese ballast specs 600 - Watt Grow Light Digital E-Ballast APL600

I really appreciate your time and knowledge everyone!

Good vibes and blessings to all!

 

[nachoconqueso]

Can't go wrong with either one. I'd do hortilux since it's American made and environmentally friendly.

 

[Zen Medz]

My buddy uses Horti's and I've been running Ushio's, they are both great bulbs. The Ushio's don't seem as white/blue as the Horti's but the Ushio's are brighter. Most shops in my area consider them "premium" bulbs with good track records. Some of the older Horti's didn't handle the higher frequency of digi ballasts well, had premature failures and now some local shops are selling these older bulbs on a discount with no warranty. Good luck.

Wanted to mention that the older Horti HPS bulbs that weren't designed to work on digi ballasts won't say "Digital Ballast Compatible" or something like that like the newer ones do. My local shop is still selling these 25% cheaper than other Horti's. Just an FYI.

 

[Treetroit City]

I run ushio fwiw.

 

[LyryC]

Got the Ushio

Thanks for the input fellahs.

American made is a bad thing imo. No one gives a flying fuck about much here in America. Sure Hortilux may be hot shit - but when you look at germany vs usa - lol its a no brainer. They got us beat on everything - except stupid pointless loser shit - that is useless in life - like basketball and football - instead they spend their time shutting down nuclear power plants and installing solar arrays and engineering the worlds best cars yada yada - fucking hilter brainwashing really set them back.

Tangent over lol but then again America still has some backbone in it and the Hortilux are quality for sure - I would purchase their 1000watt bulbs which are actually cheaper than the 600w HPS here at my local shop... oh the perils of growing; perils... fucking aye - i can grow weed - i need to stfu - life is beyond good for me - blessed beyond belief - like us all able to read this

one love - blessings and good vibes

 

[Scottish Research]

I'm really happy with the Ushio. They work great! I found them at like 50% cheaper than the Hortilux.



R.Fortune

 

[nachoconqueso]

Nothing wrong with a company that gives Americans jobs. That what American made is all about man, helping your people. No need to freak out, you just gotta understand that hortilux is the bulb that all other bulbs are compared to. There's a reason for that. They're the most respected bulb manufacturer and they come from inside the country. That's awesome imo as America isn't known for producing a lot of great products these days.

FYI, I ran hortilux and ushio in 2009 before everyone was hyping about hi lux. This was before digital ballasts became the norm and both bulbs popped on me several times with a digi ballast. Bulb/ballast manufacturers made the adjustment a ways back so no more poppage . They delivered about the same quality light but I feel like the hi lux didn't have the longevity. People have a thing with going against the grain and it's practically becomin a thing to be anti hortilux. No idea why. They're simply the highest quality, longest lasting bulb with great customer service. Hard to beat them.

Also I use Sunmaster Warm Delixe metal halides to flower now so I'm pretty unbiased about hps.

 

[Scottish Research]

No one that I know is anti-Hortilux, they are anti-rip off.

I thought that Hortilux was a Japanese concern? Are they now producing lamps in the USA?

I guess on the plus side their new lamps work with Digi ballasts.

The bottom line is that Ushio provides a better ROI than Hortilux,

R.Fortune

 

[nachoconqueso]

They've worked in most if not all digi ballasts for a few years now. I read the bulb design is unique and I'm not 100% sure but it was either hortilux or the ballast manufacturers that had to make the adjustment so everything would be compatible. And yeah the new ballasts are made in japan I guess. Never heard of a bulb coming from outside the the USA but I'm not keen on the hortilux history. As far as price goes, roi is neglible. I can get hortis between $75-100 for 1000watters. Same with ushio. Even if I paid $10 more for a horti then I don't really care. It's $10 lol. Horti are kinda bitchy about minimum pricing but they've chilled quite a bit lately. Again, both are great. I just can't find a legitimate reason that makes ushio better than horti or vice versa. Well just longevity in brightness. Hortis go the fucking distance. I've seen people bust out nice crops with bulbs well over a year old. Again, says a lot about their quality. I guess now that I think about it that makes the roi in hortis several times higher than ushio.

 

[Snow Crash]

Neither dude! In 600w HPS there isn't a better bulb for growing than the Sylvania Grolux 600w. Highest PAR rating on the market.

But if you wanted a Hortilux I can set you up pretty cheap.

 

[Snype]

I get all my Hortilux's for $70 at the grow shop. The price tag is much higher though but I always talk the guy down and show him the internet pricing and he folds.

 

[LyryC]

In the end - i grow ushio - u grow hortilux - we both happy!

Both are great and lets all be happy we got choices!

Always time to expand and try em out and determine ourselves - which is what im going to do

 

[Zen Medz]

Snow, come on man, everyone was on board with Ushio's and Horti's and you had to throw in Sylvania's eh? Kidding, other than that hydro site stating that it has the highest PAR on the market are there any tests results or PAR levels given? If PAR meters weren't so expensive we'd have this $hit figured out! One of my local shops sells a bulb under the SLI name and said it's a great bulb for the money, wonder if it's a Grolux? Anyhow, I think we're all open to using the best bulb out there if it's priced reasonably.

 

[ColoradoOG]

Hortilux is what i run. Ive looked at independent 3rd party par testings and hortilux beats out the competition. Although some of their bulbs are made here in the US, their parent company is Japanese. They also make the only digital ballast not made in china, and recently when i reached out to my wholesalers, not a single one has came back because of failures. I dont think you will get an oh my god difference between the bulbs though, and although i dont mind spending the extra money i cant fault anyone for choosing that route and so with that said, good luck with your purchase and happy gardening!

 

[LyryC]

Thanks CO OG! It will be fun!

I feel like this is one of those decisions where both options are good and its the little things that make you lean one way.

Have a link to those 3rd party studies?

 

[Snype]

Here's a test where Hortilux wins by 10% over Ushio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgb_Khtqa1Q

 

[LyryC]

the comments on that make you stupider. not like im bright to begin with lol

 

[Treetroit City]

Okay, they both grow some great flowers if you have it in you.

The bulb does not matter that much. Get what's cheaper.

I know peeps that buy the cheap ones and switch out every run.

Doesn't matter THAT much at the end of the day.

 

[AlterEgo860]

if u want high end.. get Ushio or Hortilux.. if u want mid level.. go with lumatek solistek maxlume . if u want cheapest.. BUY CHEAP and replace every single GROW or every 2 grows dependin on strain flower time.

youtube has a few dudes doing sidebysides with meters..

I was told induction lighting is a great idea for growing.. but I haven't seen anything really on it.. a friend switched his small room 1000w hps to a 400w igrow induction system and claims to get same yields . .says plants look healthier.. but I don't know yet.

 

[qupee]

The ushio hps bulb just looks and feels like a well built item, considerably moreso than any other hps bulb I've seen. When I first opened one it was just like, "ya, german, seems about right." I don't have much more opinion on that, though I'll agree with a previous poster who states the hortilux appears more blue than the ushio.

if u want high end.. get Ushio or Hortilux.. if u want mid level.. go with lumatek solistek maxlume

I have not tried a solistek bulb, but it seems like I read only good things about them that make me think of them more in line with ushio or hortilux than lumatek or maxlume. I certainly consider their ballast one of the best.