CFL or HPS

Ok, well basically every time i decide on one, someone comes along and makes me chose the other, i have gone back in forth in decision about 10 times now. and still havent purchased either. i need to make my purchase within the next 1-2 days so all the opinions and input would be great.

Basically i wanted to go CFL because money saver, and less heat, but then people told me, o HPS way better much bigger yield, and dont need to buy all extra pieces that you do with CFL.

So i look into HPS, and then people tell me, HPS will overheat... need to be careful, more expensive on electric bill (etc)

So my questions is, whats your opinions on the better way to go and why?
And is there a big difference in the yield?

cfl's give off little if no heat, but you need alot crammed into a small space,and they save energy, plus they are cheap

HPS get hot, you need a fan to keep the temp. down,
but you will get a bigger yeild from HPS, i just found a 150w HPS for $25.00 at econolites,
thinking about buying it myself in the next couple days, then add a few CFL's with it

Like I said earlier CFL's can not compete with HID light anyone who says that CFL's are better has never grown with HID lighting or has constraints that make them have to grow with flouro's

You kidding?
Yield, HPS.

I think you need to do more research in the next 1-2 days instead of buying a lighting system you dont know enough about.

Serach. theres enough info on this site for you to be able to make a informed desicion.

they both have their UPS and DOWNS.
some people cant afford HID, some have heat problems, $$ problems,
yeah Hid overall will beat the CFL's
but ive seen some outstanding grows w/ cfls

yea well my only restriction mainly right now is money.
i dont want tospend to much. so i look at it like this
spend the money to build my grow room 4x4x(5or6)
and then buy the 400W HPS and get the ducting and duct fan to keep it cooled, and buy an extra fan. Along with a timer and lightin hanging system.

or..

A few cfl's, a fan, and then i'd have to buy the extension cords and the connectors to plug the bulbs in and multiple timers probably if i went cfl right?

It's worth saving your money and spending your time for a better set-up patience is the most important thing you can add to a grow.

nope, just 1 timer, but it can get tricky

1 400w HPS, just my 2p worth..GL either way!!

ok so if i go to HTG Supply and buy there 400w hps 6" euro cooler reflector setup, with an extra bulb, a timer, and the thing to raise and lower the light, and nutrients, it comes to about $300.
then i still need to buy ducting and duct fan, and i already have mylar and soil.

then i should be all set right? wouldn't really need to buy anything else? just the materials to actually build my room?

HPS all the way!!! I have a 400watt'r HPS in my apartment and it pulls off the meanest grows! CFLs are too slow to grow anything (although they still work) and no heat is extinguish. Definitely HPS!

colem , what area are you growing in,
because im wondering if i build a 4x4x(5or6) foot box if i will need the 400w HPS euro cooled reflector, or just a regular 400w hps , HTG Supply offer both, but the euro reflector is like $60 more if i dont need it, heh

candle its the only light u need

Hey theinfected, im using HPS with sonT gro bulb, timer and and small fan. I have an adjustable stand for it to move it up and down as the ladies grow taller. I had a box built but ditched it and now just use 3 large cardboard pieces (roughly 3x4.5 foot each) and corner it off in a room of my apartment. Really works a treat aye. All in all the only costs really were the HPS (which wasn't really too expensive, especially when you see what it grows!) and a $5 fan haha. Electricity has only increased by $20. Mate to be honest its definitely the way to go. These 400watt'rs can grow in confined spaces and also in a large space with 10 or so plants. Cheers

kk, so a 400w with no speciall cooled reflector will be fine for a 4x4x(5or6) area with atleast 1-2 fans and wont have to worry about heat to much?

Yeah bro, completely adequate. The standard reflector works sweetas. I actually just stuck some reflector with film on the lighted side of the hps reflector with some double sided tape and also adds to the growth (i believe). I wouldnt go spending up high on extras that arent needed mate. Because HPS heats up make sure you have a small fan to circulate the air, and that you start a plant under it. If you stick a half veg'd plant directly under it too close you will get definite bleaching of the leaves. I had this problem when i first got my hps. Plants grow big healthy and thick skinned under hps bro.

I started with CFL's as shown in the first pic below. There's (2) 105w, (2) 27w, and (1) 42w. They produced a heck of a lot more heat than I thought they would. I kept hearing--CFL's don't get hot. Mine got pretty darn hot. And I had air blowing all over them in a closet with the door open (fan blowing air out of the closet too). Temps where managable (2-4 degrees above ambient) but only because I had quite a bit of airflow.

Now I'm under a 250w HID in an air-cooled hood (second pic--before my cab was built/installed). Much better. It took more work to set up an inline fan to exhaust the hood and the grow area but temps are now EASIER to control than with the CFL's.

Just my experience.

my understanding is the only reason hps is more expensive is because of the added wattage, hps more efficient than cfl's meaning more lumens per watt. Therefore the same amount of light would be cheaper coming from an hps rather than cfl's. Pay attention to the lumens rather than the wattage, shoot for around 2500 per sq ft.

Yeah i agree with snocap. a 400watt HPS sonT gro will outdo any cfls. HID is ok, and better than cfls but just more expensive to run. HID is better for greenhouse growing rather than closest...I was told this anyway..cheers

cfls are not necessarily cheaper.it depends what part of the world you live in.
americans seem to be able to buy everything dirt cheap but its not so cheap,for instance here in canada.40 watt cfls are about 14 bucks + tax.just the end plugs for an
extention cord are 6 bucks.plugs,cords,bulbs,sockets,fans,it all adds up real fast.unless your growing just one plant,its probably cheaper to buy a 400 watt hid.if youve ever put a 40 watt cfl beside even a 150 watt hps,lol, its like lighting a smoke under a street lamp.even a small hid gives off way more light.