250watt hps is it worth it?

Hey people,

I want to upgrade from cfls to hps/mh, the cfls ive got just arnt giving the results im looking for,

I dont want to get massive high wattage, but ive been told when getting hps that 600watt is the best to go for as for lumens output ratio is the best and with lower watts its not as good,

So i was considering 250watt (i still think thats seems too high)

What i want to know is:

Is 250watt hps set up worth getting?

How many plant/s could you grow with 250watt hps on a ROUGH idea ((i no its hard to tell but can it do 1 plant or 2 or 3 in a small area with relflection all round))


thanks in adavance

b00linib said:

Hey people,

I want to upgrade from cfls to hps/mh, the cfls ive got just arnt giving the results im looking for,

I dont want to get massive high wattage, but ive been told when getting hps that 600watt is the best to go for as for lumens output ratio is the best and with lower watts its not as good,

So i was considering 250watt (i still think thats seems too high)

What i want to know is:

Is 250watt hps set up worth getting?

How many plant/s could you grow with 250watt hps on a ROUGH idea ((i no its hard to tell but can it do 1 plant or 2 or 3 in a small area with relflection all round))


thanks in adavance

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i run 140 watts total with CFL's seems to do the trick, only 5 bucks a month.

Smaller contained areas are harder with high output bulbs..as they produce heat and you have to have good ventilation. You'd be better to use a room and have a 600w on a track that moves throughout the day over the plants.

kaiserAxel said:

Smaller contained areas are harder with high output bulbs..as they produce heat and you have to have good ventilation. You'd be better to use a room and have a 600w on a track that moves throughout the day over the plants.

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who wouldn't be better? lol all im saying is CFL's have low heat, and dont cost much. and you can surround the plant with them.

Jrankin89 said:

who wouldn't be better? lol all im saying is CFL's have low heat, and dont cost much. and you can surround the plant with them.

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I use 4 foot T5 high out put bulbs from sunblaster and they give me good results. I find they are way better than cfls but not as good as the hps, but I use enough of them that it doesn't matter. I worry about heat so they work good for me. 8 four foot T5HO are supposed to be equivilant to one 600W HPS. They don't penetrate as good though. They are great for a ScrOG. What I do is run 4 accross the top and then I mount the other four down the wall so I still get great penetration and don't have to suffer that way. 250 watt bulb will grow a few plants. Of course 600W is nice, but 250W will be better than your cfls.

Is it worth it? depends on how much you're paying and what you expect in the end.

Defcon9 said:

I use 4 foot T5 high out put bulbs from sunblaster and they give me good results. I find they are way better than cfls but not as good as the hps, but I use enough of them that it doesn't matter. I worry about heat so they work good for me. 8 four foot T5HO are supposed to be equivilant to one 600W HPS. They don't penetrate as good though. They are great for a ScrOG. What I do is run 4 accross the top and then I mount the other four down the wall so I still get great penetration and don't have to suffer that way. 250 watt bulb will grow a few plants. Of course 600W is nice, but 250W will be better than your cfls.

Is it worth it? depends on how much you're paying and what you expect in the end.

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id say yes man, might be a little hot, but for sure better, take a look before you say that tho lol.

Like motorcyles, get one just a little bigger than you think you'll need and you'll be happy with the results.

Myself and all my friends that grow for personal use and a little extra to go around...we all use 400hps and they work great for cabinet or closet growing. You'll see a bigger difference in growth density using 400 watt instead of 250. I'm actually in the process of going air cooled and filtering the odor because those higher watt systems create bigger, stinky buds that reak the whole f-ing apartment up. GL

go 400 watts man.. get a switchable ballast.... ive done cfls... they are ok on a CHEAP budget... but you just dont get near the same results... just remember if u go 400+ in a closet. or closed area. ur going to need good vent and faning.

IndicaFatnHeavy said:

go 400 watts man.. get a switchable ballast.... ive done cfls... they are ok on a CHEAP budget... but you just dont get near the same results... just remember if u go 400+ in a closet. or closed area. ur going to need good vent and faning.

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Ya you can get 400 watt hps system with a metal halide conversion bulb for well under $175 . But yes, the heat and odor become an issue.

I am not growing in a closet, but I do use cfl's through seed or cloneing and veg to 20 1nches. I then use a 600w hps, you may not need as many watts, to flower. Your ventalation may make the decision for you!

HPS produces the most lumens and light penetration over any other type of light for the price. I use 250w HPS from seed to harvest, it doesn't get too hot and lights a 3x5 area very well.

Im still not sure, hps produce better buds but then you gotta upgrade the hole set up, exhaust fans ect, and it seems to me 400+watts is the favoured choice for hps, desions desions,,

First, how big is your space? Is heat an issue? Do you have good ventilation? Unlike what some have said, going bigger will not make you happy if you bake your plants to death. Do you have head room for the heat to dissipate? BTW it works out to how much effective growing area you have better than # of plants. My cabinet only has a 1 foot by 3 foot footprint. I could have 16-18 clones going at a time in there, or I could have a one plant scrog in there and the yields would probably come out roughly the same. SCROG is better legally because fed guidelines dictate that number of plants is an indicator of whether or not you are a "dealer".

I run 2 150 HPS in there. If you can manage the heat, a HPS will out perform CFLs.

I dont have a lot of space and jus came to the relization that i couldnt get a high wattage hps as of heat issues, and ventilation is not good at all, jus 1 pc fan going, i do have the door open somtimes which brings in a nice outdoors draft of fresh air, so i think due to the space that im limited with im gonna have to stick with cfls, im most probably going to get an outdoor grow goin aswell, thanks every 1 for the comments

If heat is an issue, and money isn't you can always go the LED way.

400 watt hps with 100 watt fan and filter set up ul get 6 decent plants on the go man... ps anyone know if a fish tank ph nutraliser would work for a hydro system, they dont kill fish so yea haha anyone tried it?

I just saw a grow on here where the guy got 270 grams dry from a 250HPS SCRoG.

get the 250 watt, low heat compared to 400 watt and compared to cfls the growth and buds are just way denser and bigger.