Quick Metal Halide lighting question

I have a 175w Metal Halide Light, and an option to add a second bulb of equal size on the same ballast. This would work fine for veg-ing im sure, but not the best for flowering. Using only one of these existing 175w bulbs preferably due to heat concerns where the plants are growing, is there anything I can add to this setup without going over to HPS completely, to acheive a better flowering stage?

You can flower just fine with Halides, just because the spectrum isn't "ideal" doesn't mean they aren't good for flowering too, they'll still beat anything but a HPS itself.

Your only other option would be to add one of the $20 150w hps's in addition to the halides to fill out their spectrum. Small price to pay if you can.

You can use a conversion bulb. These will allow you to use a HPS lamp with your current balast. I am not sure they come in 175 W. The smallest I could find was for a 250w metal halide balast.

how expensive are these conversion bulbs? and i think the ballast can accomodate up to 600w if im not mistaken, its all really just a heat issue about adding extra large bulbs along with the existing metal halide. but i wasnt aware of these conversion bulbs for my ballast...sweet.

here it is looks like about 95.00...worth it though I guess???



http://www.specialty-lights.com/10005.html

Conversion bulbs make no sense economically as you see there when you compare that to the $20 econolight 150w hps that includes bulb and ballast complete.

(Which is why I didn't even mention them.)

What kind of balast do you have?! My understanding is you have to match the balast with the bulb. Not one balast powering 175-600w bulbs. aside from that I thought metal halide came in 250,400&1000w only. ?