Metal halide or high pressure sodium?

buckettoker

buckettoker

Active Member
i've bought everything i need for my next grow except better lights
i've got scott's potting soil
small pots/ 2 gallon pots for later
b'cuzz nutes/miricle grow
fans/mylar
(am i forgetting anything)?
all i need now is better lights,
would you guys suggest a metal halide bulb or high pressure sodium?
im lookin to grow about 6-8 plants.

-Matt k.
 
T

tokin24/7

Active Member
get a mh.. both would be nice. but find some better nutes and stick with the tables i have the 800 ss and luv it
 
C

C_Pac

Well-Known Member
MH provides the best spectrum (quality of light) for vegetative growth (the period from seedling to maturity). HPS provides the best spectrum for flowering. The flowering stage is more important because that's when you're making budzzz. You can use HPS for vegetative growth, but with slower, less lush results. Many people around here have had good results just using compact fluorescents of the right spectrum for vegging instead of MH, too.
 
C

C_Pac

Well-Known Member
Bottom line is, use HPS for flowering if at all possible. If you can't get or afford a MH too for vegging, then make do with what you can.

Forgot to mention, you can also get what's called a MH conversion bulb that will work in a HPS system. That way you can have one (HPS) ballast and just swap out bulbs for flowering.
 
K

kdrush

Active Member
I've been using a 400w hps for 2 plants, and it feels like a little overkill. The plants look great though, I've used it for the entire grow. People say to use a MH bulb for vegging, but an hps will work just fine. you don't want to use a MH for flowering though. so I'm going to go ahead and recommend a hps.
 
K

kdrush

Active Member
you need a ballast, first of all, and it depends on the size of the bulb. I have a 400w and it uses a larger socket than normal. I forget what it is called, but I just brought the bulb to my local electrical store and they knew what it was.
 
COD4

COD4

Well-Known Member
C_Pac said:
MH provides the best spectrum (quality of light) for vegetative growth (the period from seedling to maturity). HPS provides the best spectrum for flowering. The flowering stage is more important because that's when you're making budzzz. You can use HPS for vegetative growth, but with slower, less lush results. Many people around here have had good results just using compact fluorescents of the right spectrum for vegging instead of MH, too.
Click to expand...
Yea I'm new to indoor growing myself and CFL's for veg work great
 
buckettoker

buckettoker

Active Member
i guess ill ask the guys at home depot if i need it and what kind of socket i need.

but im gonna go with the hps.
thanks guys
 
worldsandreams

worldsandreams

Well-Known Member
you can get a ballast that will run both bulbs and thats what i would recommend. that way you can use MH for veg and then switch to HPS for flower
 
B

billiamlane

Active Member
I am reasonably new to this but i believe there is a full spectrum bulb that can be used in a hps system. I think its called agrosun i think
 
buckettoker

buckettoker

Active Member
cool that looks pretty reasonable
i might be able to afford that right now
thanks ill get back to you when i get it.
 
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