How often to you replace your flower bulbs?

I only like to use mine for 3 grows. I use hortilux 600's...and they'd burn much longer, But I've always heard they degrade quickly from new..even though they will burn for years. What are others thought?

Every 2 months.

Bulbs are rated for burning hours and they are never turned off during the test.
Every time a bulb is turned on or off it's life and out put is shortened.
If you do not know the bulbs "restrike" time and restrike it to soon you just took months off it's numbers.

Buddy Ganga said:

Every 2 months.

Bulbs are rated for burning hours and they are never turned off during the test.
Every time a bulb is turned on or off it's life and out put is shortened.
If you do not know the bulbs "restrike" time and restrike it to soon you just took months off it's numbers.

Click to expand...

That's basically every grow. I'd love to be able to afford to do that.

Buddy Ganga said:

Every 2 months.

Bulbs are rated for burning hours and they are never turned off during the test.
Every time a bulb is turned on or off it's life and out put is shortened.
If you do not know the bulbs "restrike" time and restrike it to soon you just took months off it's numbers.

Click to expand...

I use a master lighting control and I bought a delay starter just to save that wear and tear on my bulbs. I swap them out every other grow. I may try later to experiment with a cheaper bulb and then swap out every harvest. I hear there are some very good bulbs under $50, I am sticking with my hortilux till I see different though.
http://www.discount-hydro.com/products/C.A.P.-High-Temperature-Shutdown-with-Delay-HLC%252d3e.html

For the most part yes, but we do 2 week cycles harvesting every two weeks.
6 flowering bulbs being replaced every 8 weeks means no plant is ever under a bulb for it's life time of use.

As I've said before, I sell my used bulbs to another grower and get $50 back.
My bulbs run 124.99 each so after my discount and price match I get them for about $85 which means bulbs only run me about $35 when all is said and done.

Ushio by hortilux are the one's I run right now. They come with a 1 year replacement guarantee.

That's good shit right there.

bob harris said:

I only like to use mine for 3 grows. I use hortilux 600's...and they'd burn much longer, But I've always heard they degrade quickly from new..even though they will burn for years. What are others thought?

Click to expand...

12 months, continuous use of 12/12 light schedule.

I use mine for 4 grows, but I use the dual arc hortilux.....those damn things are crazy expensive, but I get significant improvement in harvest, and denser nugs, tested on the same genetics of course. I really like them.

bowlfullofbliss said:

I use mine for 4 grows, but I use the dual arc hortilux.....those damn things are crazy expensive, but I get significant improvement in harvest, and denser nugs, tested on the same genetics of course. I really like them.

Click to expand...

I've been waiting to hear someone say that. I use the super HPS and bought a few MH Blue to check them out. I love the dual arc idea, that is why I bought a growzilla, but getting a dual arc bulb sounds easier than having both lights. lol

great info!

I was useing cheap plantmax bulbs and switched to hotilux at more than 3x the price.I could see no visable difference in plant growth so after 3 grows with hortilux I went back to plantmax and still saw no visable difference in my plants.Now i'm not saying plantmax is as good as hortilux as i didn't do any type of scientific study but i'm on disability and at more than 3 for 1 i buy plantmax.If i would have seen a difference i would have kept forking out the money for hortilux.I run my lights mixed mh-hps untill last 3wks then hps only.

I change mine 1 time a year..about 5 grows. Never run them more than on 12/12. I use the Ultra Sun bulbs. They work as good as the Hortilux I have used in the past. No real difference that I personally have noticed. I'm no professional..Just grow my own smoke.

after a year of 12 12 you lose 20% of your light

Buddy Ganga said:

For the most part yes, but we do 2 week cycles harvesting every two weeks.
6 flowering bulbs being replaced every 8 weeks means no plant is ever under a bulb for it's life time of use.

As I've said before, I sell my used bulbs to another grower and get $50 back.
My bulbs run 124.99 each so after my discount and price match I get them for about $85 which means bulbs only run me about $35 when all is said and done.

Ushio by hortilux are the one's I run right now. They come with a 1 year replacement guarantee.

Click to expand...

How do you afford such a large grow without charging your patients any money? You're spending almost $300/month just on bulbs.

purklize said:

How do you afford such a large grow without charging your patients any money? You're spending almost $300/month just on bulbs.

Click to expand...

maybe he makes some on the side for profit who cares it his business not yours

Yeah, I agree with your attitude on this, I'm not normally nosey - I'm bringing it up though because he tears into people who charge their patients money...

You mean you can't just change them when they burn out? haha

I change mine every year and I use the same bulbs for veg and flower.

Anyone bother to use a light meter on new bulbs and watch the degradation curve of their output or make the decision to change them through the use of some type of PAR meter?

i tend to use mine for as long as possible, i dont see the point in wasting money, so i will say at least 12 months