After replanting my stretched week-old plant I bought one 75 watt philips agro-lite which is around 7 inches from the top of the plant and it seems to be working decently well. Using these forums I found that using this light isn't the best because of the heat it produces. I have read articles that say HID bulbs are the best. Should I switch and if I should what HID bulb should I buy, keeping in mind that I don't want to spend too much money at this point? Right now I am growing one plant with one light as I want to fully understand the growing process fully before growing multiple plants. Also I don't have a large enough set up to have multiple lights at the moment.
New grower trying to make sense of all the lighting options
- Thread starter termso
- Start date
GrowUrOwnDank
Well-Known Member
You can get a 150 HPS from eBay for about $65. Better you can get a dimmable 400 for a little over $100 delivered. The 400 is better for maybe 3 or 4 plants. 150 one or two.
LED gives off little heat. You can get one under $100. Maybe a 150 UFO. OR EVEN A 300 watt. But, I don't know who is the best. I do trust Mars as an adequate capable light. Not the best. But, they work. CFL. they work. But..... I use an HPS and a couple of LEDS. CFL for a seedling. Gotta think ahead. You don't really need 400 watts for a single plant. But dimmable to 200 watts is about right for late bloom.
LED gives off little heat. You can get one under $100. Maybe a 150 UFO. OR EVEN A 300 watt. But, I don't know who is the best. I do trust Mars as an adequate capable light. Not the best. But, they work. CFL. they work. But..... I use an HPS and a couple of LEDS. CFL for a seedling. Gotta think ahead. You don't really need 400 watts for a single plant. But dimmable to 200 watts is about right for late bloom.
sunny747
Well-Known Member
Agreed with all of the above..
The 150w HPS lights are an awesome starter light. Plug and play. Cheap LEDs? Maybe, I'd go with the 300w LED because it's likely around 150w actual. The good thing is that the LED will be awesome for VEG in future grows if you step up..
400 HPS is awesome, but now you're into having to air cool and it's overkill for 1 plant... For right now you can't go wrong with the Sun Systems 150 HPS..
The 150w HPS lights are an awesome starter light. Plug and play. Cheap LEDs? Maybe, I'd go with the 300w LED because it's likely around 150w actual. The good thing is that the LED will be awesome for VEG in future grows if you step up..
400 HPS is awesome, but now you're into having to air cool and it's overkill for 1 plant... For right now you can't go wrong with the Sun Systems 150 HPS..
Good questions! Right now the plan is to have three plants with about 3 square feet of space available
Thanks for the info! I looked up the sun systems bulbs and they aren't expensive at all and I will probably switch to them when I get more plants
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Four foot T5 if you can fit them lengthwise, 2 footers if you can't.
Thanks for the suggestion, those might be out of my price range right now and a little big but I hope to get there eventually
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
You must have a ballast to use HID lights. You don't simply screw them into a socket on a lamp. You do know that, right? Spend about $100 on eBay to buy a 400-watt set-up with both Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium bulbs and a cheap reflector with a ballast. If you can't spend that go with CFL in 6500K.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Dude, shop lights. Possibly the least expensive option you've got!