# Not sure which light to pick for 600w HPS. Think i am solid on my MH choice though.



## tony8404 (Jan 19, 2015)

I am using a 600 watt magnetic ballast mh/hps switchable.

I been reading so much I cannot think.

For HPS:

Hortilux super hps en lamp 600w  

Agrosun red sodium 600w

Ushio hilux gro super hps 600w

Lumatek 600w hps

for MH:

Hortilux blue daylight mh bulb 600w.

I am sure I want the Hortilux MH bulb for sure. it is the HPS I cannot decide on.

Any advice?


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 19, 2015)

I have found no huge difference between bulbs--I usually buy inexpensive bulbs because I swap them out every 6 months or so.

I quit using MH a long time ago (use T5sw to veg), so have no opinions on the MH.


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## 000StankDank000 (Jan 19, 2015)

Hortilux is the best IMO 
The Blue bulb is huge coin. I run regular MH and HPS hortilux.
Some say cheap bulbs changed each grow is just as good.


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## Locked (Jan 19, 2015)

Before I switched to LED I would buy cheap HPS bulbs at www.1000bulbs.com.
Like THG I would just swap them out around every 6 months.


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## Rosebud (Jan 19, 2015)

I would suggest a T5 to veg under and forget the MH. jmo  Green mojo for you.


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## Dman1234 (Jan 19, 2015)

Same here cheap bulbs changed out often is the way to go, IMO if you are paying more than $30 per bulb your wasting your money. Jmo.


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## tony8404 (Jan 19, 2015)

wow... I should have came here 36 hours ago!!!!

You guys just threw me a curb ball... Here I thought for sure going from the 400 watt hps bulbs from Menards at 25-30 a pop too one of these talked about name brands was going to be key... 

Finally get some money to treat myself waiting for a few years and I want to cry now lol...

I keep reading how important the light is. Not as much as spectrum but by its par  or uml then wave length goes on from here man. 

My brain hurts man. from all the reading....


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## tony8404 (Jan 19, 2015)

by the way I am using the ballast below just in case it makes a difference...

I am using a 600watt Mh/HPS Magnetic Ballast from MaverickSun.... 

Since I am using that ballast does it make a difference to my choices now?


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## tony8404 (Jan 19, 2015)

After I just looked at some of the t5 systems available at the place I am going through man you guys got me thinking now! 

The price I was going to pay for the bulb I can get the t5 system for just a bit more..


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## Locked (Jan 19, 2015)

Can you link us to that ballast? Magnetic ballasts usually only work with either HPS or MH not both. Digital ballasts work with both.


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## tony8404 (Jan 19, 2015)

let me ask some questions on them as I never used one.

Cost wise is it the same as running the 600w ballast?

just plug into the wall? 

Suggested brand?

Suggested size 2"     for a 4'wx3'dx7'tall tent.

what wattage? 

I am going to look at the ones I can get to see what I find.. back in a bit.


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## Locked (Jan 19, 2015)

tony8404 said:


> After I just looked at some of the t5 systems available at the place I am going through man you guys got me thinking now!
> 
> The price I was going to pay for the bulb I can get the t5 system for just a bit more..



I would without a doubt go with HO T5 over MH for veg.


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## tony8404 (Jan 19, 2015)

sure thing hold on!


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## tony8404 (Jan 19, 2015)

Here is the link to the one I have.

http://www.mavericksun.com/steel-ballast


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## tony8404 (Jan 19, 2015)

Instead of wattage for the t5 light system forget wattage... i need to say how many bulbs? 2,4,6,? 

So far I was looking at this Sunblazer t5 system. 
Product Information
&#8226;Fixtures include FREE Spectralux grow lamps.
&#8226;Advanced reflector design offers excellent reflectivity diffusion.
&#8226;White powder coated steel housing.
&#8226;Wire cable hangers included with every fixture. Now you can choose to hang horizontally or vertically.
&#8226;12 foot power cord &amp; on/off switch allows for easy operation. Eight lamp model features two on/off switches to run four lamps at a time if desired.
&#8226;Louvered for cool operation.
&#8226;Run on 120 volt power only.
&#8226;Fixture includes the blue/grow lamps.
&#8226;Daisy chain feature allows multiple fixtures to be plugged in together.
&#8226;92.59 lumens per watt.
&#8226;5-Year Warranty.


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## Locked (Jan 19, 2015)

I run a 4 foot 4 bulb HO T5 in a 2x4 veg tent and it works great. How many bulbs and the size of the bulbs will be dictated by the space you are using them in.


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## Locked (Jan 19, 2015)

Looks like that ballast you linked indeed will work with both types of bulb.  That being said I just don't think MH bulbs are all that. I would rather veg with HO T5 and flower with HPS.


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## tony8404 (Jan 19, 2015)

I am thinking of doing that now. since that hortilux blue 600w mh bulb was like 1114.00 i can get the HO t5 system from sunblazer with the bulbs just a bit more.


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## 000StankDank000 (Jan 19, 2015)

At least you don't have a digital ballast if you bought the hortilux blue as I have read that they work best with the style you have so don't cry to much. I'm a fan of the hortilux bulbs . Tangie dank posted how both his cheap bulbs are ruined after one use.

I have gone nuts reading on best veg light for $ and power consumption and T5 HO can't be beat. I still can't say I like it better yet as I'm comparing it to a 1000watt MH hope it's the same. I'm going 4 foot 8 bulb in a 4x4 so same power as hammy.


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## 000StankDank000 (Jan 19, 2015)

I'd cancel that blue bulb order if I was you and get the T5HO your energy bill will thank you


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 20, 2015)

Lighting needs are figured by lumens per sq ft.  For vegging you want a minimum of about 3000 lumens per sq ft.  For a 12 sq ft space, that is 36,000 lumens.  So a 4'  8 tube fixture (54W tubes, 5000 lumens each) that puts out 40,000 lumens would be great. 

Truly, I have found the expensive bulbs to be about the same as cheap bulbs.  I have had a 1000W HPS since 1998 and so have tried a myriad of bulbs.  I personally have found that buying inexpensive bulbs and swapping them out frequently does great.


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## tony8404 (Jan 20, 2015)

thanks stank and hemp!

So you all think going with the t5's is better than the 600watt mh horti?

Man that bulb I can get for 114.00../. I can bet the ho t5 system for about that same price. Maybe I will go with that then... is it that much better than a mh bulb?


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## Locked (Jan 20, 2015)

tony8404 said:


> thanks stank and hemp!
> 
> So you all think going with the t5's is better than the 600watt mh horti?
> 
> Man that bulb I can get for 114.00../. I can bet the ho t5 system for about that same price. Maybe I will go with that then... is it that much better than a mh bulb?



IMO yes. It puts out less heat and you can get the lights right down on them. It makes a big difference in Veg when you are trying to keep the plants short and squat. That and proper training and you can really keep them more low profile than vegging with an MH and having to keep a distance between the light and plant tops. I personally wouldn't veg with anything else right now. LED tech might make me rethink that in the future though. I am loving the LED's in Flowering. But they are expensive in comparison to an HO T5 set up and honestly they didn't do any better at Veg than my HO T5.


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## tony8404 (Jan 20, 2015)

Hamster Lewis,

You know what man... you really got me on those HO t5's now...

I will tell you what man... I will go the T5 Ho route and drop the dam 114.00 MH horti .... I see you are being passionate and that is what I am looking for.... Not only that... but I can get the whole ho t5 setup for less and it will still save me on electricity and heat and what not.  

but since you talked me into t5 ho lighting... Help me pick out this god for saking ventilation system.. It is driving me up the wall man. 

deal?


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## tony8404 (Jan 20, 2015)

You were answering questions I had back in 2009 ham!! That is why I am taking your word for those t5 plus they look sweet! not only that it saves me from having to switch the bulbs and one day I swear I know it will happen I would forget to switch the hps to mh lol...


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## Locked (Jan 20, 2015)

tony8404 said:


> You were answering questions I had back in 2009 ham!! That is why I am taking your word for those t5 plus they look sweet! not only that it saves me from having to switch the bulbs and one day I swear I know it will happen I would forget to switch the hps to mh lol...



You won't be disappointed.   I am not good on ventilation other than get a bigger fan than you need and a speed controller. I am lucky enough to not need a filter. My Flower tent is in negative pressure 24 hours a day and I vent that air outside my second floor window. I don't have neighbors close by where it vents to.  When you add filters to the ventilation set up you want to make sure your fans can handle it. They put a bit of stress on the fan.


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## tony8404 (Jan 20, 2015)

if I cannot go HO for the t5 what is next bet?

I can go with 

sunblaze t5 2,4,6,8 bulbs? they state 92.59 lumens per watt includes bulbs

0r commercial t5 4,6,8 which includes the 64,000k tubes.

or Sunleaves pionner t5 4,6,8 tubes at 54watts and 1800 lumens per tube. 54watts per tube.

or designer t5 2,4,6 tubes at 6400k. just states includes appropriate number of fluorescent 6400k t5 tubes.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 21, 2015)

A 54W emitting 5000 lumens...or 92w lumens per watt, is an HO tube.  A 54W tube emitting 1800 lumens is not.

Look for 54W 4' tubes that emit 5000 lumens.  IMO, the brand is not critical and I buy inexpensive fixtures.  I like to use tubes around 6500K spectrum for vegging.  Get a fixture large enough so that you are getting approx 3000 lumens per sq ft.  Co9oling a T5 is a lot easier than cooling an HID fixture.  I think part of that is that the light is spread out over a larger space and not concentrated in a single bulb.  I am currently cooling a very small vegging space (36"x20"x36" with a 12 tube 2' T5 30,000 lumens) with a bathroom type exhaust fan as I only have 15 cubic feet.


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## ncmga (Jan 27, 2015)

Greetings,

Oh oh, just to comment, in your light set-up what is your
purpose, yield or quality? For you other pro's out there. My particular purpose is quality because I am growing plants and producing trichomes. I have never used HPS
lighting but prefer MH because flower quality NOT size is 
what patients are looking for. I've used Sun Master warm deluxe (3200K)  for years and quality is through the roof. Of course we all want more, but is more better? The most recent grows are using full or balanced spectrum lighting. Right now I am doing full spectrum led lighting, but recently the (4200K) MH is coming strong with some strains looking like HPS flowers. Don't take my word for it, check KOS seeeds (the Rev) and his TLO(true living organic) system, he does MH only as I do. For med patients, MH, for $, HPS. Do research first, before I bought my first HID to grow cannabis, I studied a few years and then made my move and never looked back. Cannabis uses UV light(MH) form essential oil production  and IR(HPS) for flower. The blend gives a wholistic production as our sun does with all the colors of the spectrum. Early morning/ high noon/ late evening , same spectrum, different angles. All gardeners choose your tools wisely.

Peace 
Atomic Dog


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