600w @75% power, 400w @100%, or 4x4' T5 6500k for veg

so ive been growing for over 2 years. out of that time, everything has been going great. great yields, awesome strains, no huge grow issues to speak of. I have been fighting my veg times and growth rates. I grow 9-9.5 week strains, and vegging for that long results in monster plants after flipping and the stretch. my plants are reaching 6'+, so I bend the tops over and tie them up.

I currently veg with a 600w mh xxl cool tube in a 4x4 tent at 100% power. 2 weeks in cloner, then 3 weeks in solo cups, 6-7 weeks in veg under 600w mh. this run im gonna run my ballast at 75% power for the duration of the veg cycle. im wondering if the 75%/600mh would be better than running a 400wmh/100%, or would the T5 4 bulb option be better? would the growth be evenly slowed or the 400w be a tad slower? im looking to have my veg'd plants to be about 1' shorter than my current flip height. I already FIM, SC, and Lollipop (little defoliation). I would have to purchase the T5 and 400w systems by the way.


thanks everyone

CFL early, 400W next, then 600W at full blast right before flip.

Don't dim your lights. It hurts performance, spectrum and decreases bulb life.