HELP!!! With My Metal Halides

Ok I have (2) 250watt MH lights and a 3'wide x 2'deep x 5'high grow space. My question is would using both of these lights be like using a 500 watt one? Is that how the lighting spectrum works or is it more complicated than just adding another light?

It's a bit more complicated. A 500W (which you can't get so we'll say 600W MH instead), would have better canopy penetration, as in the light would get better 'access' to the lower parts of the plants.
But 2 250W MH would have better coverage, as in because they're two lights, spaced further apart, they'd cover a larger area with more even and intense light.

Hope this helps, I'll get back in touch later on. Cheers mate.

Thanks...see the thing is that i got the two lights for free so im trying to make the best out of what I have instead of buying a new 400 or 600 watt with a switchable ballast.

Two 250W MH are sweet as mate, MH is for veg anyway, and you don't really need anymore than 400W of blue spec light for veg when doing a personal grow. Two 250's is great really, good coverage.

If anything, invest in a 600W HPS down the track when you want to flower, you will be well rewarded.

Cheers.

Those MH wont get you buds when it comes time to flower. One of them will be more than plenty to get you started though. At 5ft tall I would just get a 250w High Pressure Sodium (HPS) MABY a 400 but be prepared for lots of heat if you do a 400. Even if you can control the heat I would still get a 250w though and run the MH and HPS for flower the added veg spectrum of the MH will minimize streching.

i was thinking of going thru all stages with my 400 watt hps i just gotta get ventilation b4 i turn that baby on i figure two weeks down the line ill invest in a 250 or 400 mh or even a 175 reason im only using them for mothers ill be taking clones to perform sog op so as soon as theyre 12-16 inches in flower chamber i want to have my mothers in a closet and i built a 3x4 frame for my budding like isaid b4 i need ventilation once i can maintain heat issues ill get another h.i.d lamp

Got a PM from the thread starter but couldn't reply so...

yoyogrow said:

So for my space, 5ft tall x 3ft wide x 2ft deep you would reccomend me using my 250watt mh for veg and a 250 watt hps for flowering? I plan on having 4 plants, is the 250 hps enough for that many plants?

Click to expand...

To start off with your area will fit 6 plants nicely if you have full use of the floor area.

I would really try and run one of each during flowering (1-250wMH & 1-250wHPS) for your situation. The use of a MH during Flowering will keep your plants from getting to tall for your area, and keep tight bud formations, as well as keep the distance of radiating heat down.

Another option is to use a 400w or 430w HPS, which will require more distance from to escape the radiating heat, and the SOG method or really good ventilation to keep the girls away from the heat.

Hope this helps and I'll be around.


https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/95941-4x8x7-three-stage-enclosure.html

Check out my room here I use one 250w for keeping 2-4 mums + 20-30 newbies, in a 4ft x 3ft veg area.