250w HPS vs 180w or 240w Blackstar LEDs

My plans as they stand right now are to use a 250w HPS in a cool tube for my flower closet. I will be using a standard bulb, not one of the more expensive grow types that sell for $50+. It will be covering approximately 3 sqft, perhaps more (odd shaped space, partially triangular). Due to the limited space and shape, I could not fit in a standard reflector so I will be DIYing one.

However, I've been looking at LEDs for flowering. I already have a setup for my veg box and I'm happy with it. But with all of the DIY I'm having to do for my HPS setup, I wonder if a 180w or 240w Blackstar LED panel would be just as effective, or close?

I realize HIDs are the best, for the most part, due to superior light penetration. But once I put my 250w in a cool tube, I reduce my lumen output. Plus, my DIY reflector will probably not be the best. With that in mind, how would one of the LED panels mentioned compare?

http://www.amazon.com/Light-Lighthouse-Hydro-BlackStar-Flowering/dp/B004E662SA/ref=pd_sbs_lg_1

http://www.amazon.com/Lighthouse-Hydro-BlackStar-Light-Flowering/dp/B004E636HK/ref=pd_sbs_lg_2

Here are the dimensions of my flower space. Height is about 6'.

I don't see the sizes, but by the sounds of it we have a very similar size room to work with. I'm starting my first indoor very soon and I was initially looking at the Blackstar, then the Pro-Grow as it has more wattage and the $/W is cheaper by about 30cents.

I would think for the size of room, I would go LED (that's what I'm doing at least), it's going to be easier heat management and save you money in the long run on power.

I'm still new on this, and just spreading some of the knowledge I've picked up with my research. Hope this helped you a bit.

I already have the ballast and bulb for the HPS setup, just haven't put it together. If I end up not using it, could put it up for sale, get a little back anyway. That is if I decide to go LED instead.

My main issue with HPS is somewhat outlined above. Plus, both of my grow areas are inside a walk-in closet, so heat management is dicey when people are over and door must be closed. I have recently run some duct and a register to the closet off the main AC branch, but temps in my veg box can go up to 85F with the door closed. Right now, the hot air from the veg box is exhausted out into the closet so the overall ambient in there gets up to about 76-77F, so I'd be fighting that with the HPS even though I plan to use a cool tube. The exhaust from my flower space will be scrubbed and sent outside of the house.

The Pro-Grow 180 supposedly uses more watts than the 240w Blackstar, so that is why I am considering.

I have switched from a 250 hps to 2 blackstar 240's. first thing to tell you is you wont need a cool tube with a 250watt hps i had mine 2-3 inches away from my plant with no problems as it doesent get that hot, i switched because i was unhappy with yield and light from hps and i think theres more light and less heat from a blackstar 240 than a 250w hps, however i dont grow more than one plant per time and have the blackstars hanging around my plant like this / \ . i dont think they would be great if they had to cover alot of plants but fine for 1-2 plants and better than hps imho as i can keep the blackstars further away from the plant than i could of with the hps, just my two cents, as for bud production am just starting to flower so cant say yet how good they are for that but great in veg so far

I've heard it both ways on the 250w HPS. When I started with my veg box and the 55w PLLs that I use for it, I was also told I wouldn't have too much heat issues either, but boy, that was way wrong. I guess it is also a function of actual space (volume) of the area.

Certainly I'll have more volume in the flower space due to height, but after burning up too many seedlings, I am a bit sensitive right now to light and heat issues.