True 600w MH?

cannabineer

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
Thedillestpickle said:
Hey well that sounds about right 7500k is a good number for what Im planning to do
the word conversion just worries me because Im thinking its going to put out more red than I want despite having the 7500k rating(as that is just the average colour temp)

So what is this conversion bulb stuff? Can I plug what is called a MH conversion into a HPS ballast or does it have to be a MH/HPS ballast? I know I did see one that specifically said it could be plugged right into an ordinary HPS ballast which I found surprizing, is that the case for all the MH conversions?

The application is that I want to minimize stretch on my sativa strain and Ive been advized that If I run an MH for the first two weeks of flower, or as long as the stretch period lasts, than I can limit my stretch, HPS(red) light encourages the plant to stretch out. So I dont want something thats "colour corrected" or otherwise putting out a good amount of red or ill just be wasting my efforts and end up with a plant that needs to be topped endlessly...

cheers, thanks for the reply
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Imo you have two good ways of doing this - either run a 600W conversion bulb like mine, or ...

run the hPS with actinic T5s as supplementary lighting. It's the blue/UV/actinic that signals the plant that it need not stretch for the light. Much good info in that regard on the "LED without LEDs" thread.

My 600 is running on a Lumatek 600W digital ballast intended for HPS. Dedicated ballasts for MH v. HPS have slightly diffferent specs for the ignitor and capacitor (or whatever solid-state wizardry fulfills those functions in my Lumatek; I grew up on magnetic ballasts), so I imagine that the lamp is built to accept those differences. Even so, it's a true MH and it's bright!! and blue!! as it illuminates my little quiet place.

You CAN flower on MH. However the sheer efficiency of HPS makes it a better flowering light. It's an efficiency thing, and one day i will be experiemnting with actinic supplementation. Not only will it limit stretch, but I read that it enhances both quantity and quality of trichome formation! Win/win imo! cn
 
SimonD

SimonD

Well-Known Member
Thedillestpickle said:
Also are you saying you flowered under the MH conversion bulb? If so I wouldnt be blaming the bulb for your lower yeild!!
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Where did that comment come from?

just how much less than your roughly 3 ounces per square foot were getting with the conversion bulb?
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What conversion bulb?

Are you actually trying to find a way to question my competence, because my experience with a product - actually working with it - doesn't mesh with you reading about its specs ? Seriously? I'm a professional cultivator. You're staring your first grow. Get a grip.

Simon
 
Gastanker

Gastanker

Well-Known Member
Thedillestpickle said:
do you have a digital ballast? if so check out this page, They have MH's with 3k 7k and 10k they also have conversion bulbs so ignore those

this is what I want right here, I just need to have myself a digital 600w ballast and Im all set http://www.ncwgs.com/lamps_plantmax.php#Pulse-Start-Metal-Halide

thanks for all the help and quick responses
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Which of those bulbs do you want? I think you are missing the difference between a conversion bulb and a MH bulb. If it's 600w its a conversion bulb - period - it is identical to their 400w and 1000w in all ways but it is a conversion bulb for the mere fact that it's 600w. There is no such thing as a 600w MH ballast so the bulb is a conversion bulb (MH meant to be run on a HPS ballast).
 
Thedillestpickle

Thedillestpickle

Well-Known Member
Hey sorry Simon if I may have stepped on your toes there, I thought it was possible you were flowering under MH do to perhaps not having the budget to use a HPS at the time. Im not questioning your competence, you must know what your doing to be getting 3 ounces per square foot. My second question you quoted there I was asking just what is says, I am wondering how inferior the bulbs are compared with what you normally run? seeing as I have a bulb that probably has similar specs to that one, Id like to know just how it rates when compared to other bulbs.


The actinic bulbs sounds like a really good option, Ill be checking out that thread, I was already considering using side-lighting anyways but I havent really looked into that yet. Might have just the thing Im looking for, wouldnt burn much extra wattage either. thanks for the help
 
SimonD

SimonD

Well-Known Member
Thedillestpickle said:
Hey sorry Simon if I may have stepped on your toes there,
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No problem :)

I thought it was possible you were flowering under MH do to perhaps not having the budget to use a HPS at the time.
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In this business, equipment costs hardly figure into the equation. It's not like we're growing potatoes.

My second question you quoted there I was asking just what is says, I am wondering how inferior the bulbs are compared with what you normally run?
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You mean the 600MH Digilux? Like I said, it's the slowest growth I've ever seen with HIDs. Where as my usual setup has a clone ready to go after about 3 weeks, these lamps hardly made a dent. I'm talking minimal growth. Maybe a few inches (!). Really. It was that bad. Imagine how I feel after spending $120 on the pair and then losing weeks to add to the joy. I'll probably try them again; I mean, I might as well, but it won't be anytime soon.

I would strongly suggest buying a lamp from a "real" company: GE, Ushio, Sylvania, Philips. Whether you choose an enhanced spectrum lamp or not is up to you. Just please understand that the specs printed in the ad don't necessarily reflect reality (bad pun intended).

Simon
 
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