# 400 or 600 ?



## dontknowmuch (Aug 15, 2011)

Sorry guys I know all the info is all on this forum. But I have thought myself into an oblivious state.. I am going to tent off an area for flowering roughly 3ft x 4ft x as tall as I want, hoping to have 6 or 7 plants. Should I get 400w hps or 600w. also not sure if I really need an air cooled hood or not? avg temps in my neck of the woods are low to mid 70's in spring/summer dipping below 60 at night and 30 - 55 in fall/winter. I will be intaking air from outside and exhausting outside in summer and into my living space in winter ( hopefully to keep me warmer )


----------



## JCChronic (Aug 15, 2011)

I bought a 400 and am sorry I didn't get a 600, it could have been a big hassle as I live in a HOT country but it sounds right for you


----------



## Hick (Aug 15, 2011)

3'X4'=12 sq ft... more than a 400 will cover efficiently..  
I checked my tarot cards.. I see a 600 in your future...


----------



## Locked (Aug 15, 2011)

Take it from someone who bought a 400w before I bought a 600.....get the 600 now. Not to mention you need it for a space that big.  If heat is an issue consider a cool tube or air cooled hood. Jmo


----------



## Hushpuppy (Aug 15, 2011)

Naah you can do with a 400 watter.. ..Just kidding, you need the 600w without a doubt. They produce some heat, so I would get a cool tube and pipe it so that the heated air can be modified to what serves you best. You probably will have to experiment with it a bit to find the best setup. I say get a cool tube as opposed to a vented hood because I have both and have found that unless you get the MagnumXXXL hood the light footprint is too small and has to be backed up to reach the edges of the grow, which weakens the light intensity to the plants. The cool tube eliminates the footprint. You could do a naked vertically hung bulb if you are experienced, but heat control will be a challenge to master.


----------



## Rosebud (Aug 15, 2011)

600!


----------



## 7greeneyes (Aug 15, 2011)

gotta go w/ the 600 watt. Me goilz love the lumens! :aok:


----------



## OGKushman (Aug 15, 2011)

1000


----------



## Growdude (Aug 15, 2011)

Man all this 400w hate :fid:


----------



## nouvellechef (Aug 15, 2011)

Growdude said:
			
		

> Man all this 400w hate :fid:



Nope. 400 watt. CMH bulb all the way.


----------



## 7greeneyes (Aug 15, 2011)

nouvellechef said:
			
		

> Nope. 400 watt. CMH bulb all the way.


 
HPS best for canopy penetration in bloom, imo ...


----------



## BlueNose (Aug 15, 2011)

Growdude said:
			
		

> Man all this 400w hate :fid:



I've used bigger lights in my easy bake oven 


my vote......600


----------



## OGKushman (Aug 15, 2011)

my first grow indoor was a 4x4x8 with a 1000 watt...


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 15, 2011)

rule of thumb is a min of 3000 lumens per sq ft for vegging and a min of 5000 lumens per sq ft for flowering. You have 12 sq ft, so you want at least 60,000 lumens.  The best a 400 is going to put out is about 50,000 lumens.  A 600w HPS will put out 80,000-90,000 lumens.  Go with the 600W.  I would get an air cooled hood.  It really doesn't matter how moderate your temps are, you are going to have to cool your light.  What are your ventilation plans?  Remember thaqt ventilation is for more than heat control--plants need a continual supply of fresh air all the time the lights are on for ;proper photosynthesis.


----------



## dontknowmuch (Aug 15, 2011)

thanks all I guess it's a 600. THG my plans are to vent outside air into the space, maybe passive or fan, not sure. And under your advise I will be getting the cool tube, so just sucking air out through the cool tube and venting it outside or to another room should do the trick? Is it easy to hook the fan up to the tube and what type of fan and duct supplies should I be looking for. I wanna have the handy man come and drill my vent holes before I set up anything else. I would do it myself but afraid I would crack my stucco walls.

would the Digital Greenhouse 600 watt HPS Grow Light $199
on HTG be a good one and upgrade to cool tube or do you guys know other ones I should look at. Much appreciated


----------



## Locked (Aug 15, 2011)

260 bucks shipped to your door. 600w digi ballast and air cooled hood.

Go to eBay and look up item number 170679564894


----------



## Locked (Aug 15, 2011)

This is the type of fan I wld suggest. They are called inline fans. I hve a 6 inch that does around 450 cfm.


----------



## dontknowmuch (Aug 15, 2011)

cool, if I get one of those fans and suck the air through the cool tube will a passive intake work out ok or do I still need a fan to push air in? also shall I assume that the cool tube is fitted for 6" duct


----------



## Sol (Aug 16, 2011)

like this-fit 6" duct from fan or whatever.


----------



## Roddy (Aug 16, 2011)

Passive if using a fan to suck the air....it'll suck air in through the passive inlets and then be drawn through the lights and out.


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 16, 2011)

dontknowmuch said:
			
		

> thanks all I guess it's a 600. THG my plans are to vent outside air into the space, maybe passive or fan, not sure. And under your advise I will be getting the cool tube, so just sucking air out through the cool tube and venting it outside or to another room should do the trick? Is it easy to hook the fan up to the tube and what type of fan and duct supplies should I be looking for. I wanna have the handy man come and drill my vent holes before I set up anything else. I would do it myself but afraid I would crack my stucco walls.
> 
> would the Digital Greenhouse 600 watt HPS Grow Light $199
> on HTG be a good one and upgrade to cool tube or do you guys know other ones I should look at. Much appreciated



Inline centrfuge type fan (not an inline duct booster fan--big difference).  Look for brands like Vortex, Can, Eclipse.  You will also want a fan speed controller and a good quality insulated ducting.  I use passive intakes with the fan pulling the hot air from the lights and exhausting it into the crawl space or under the deck, depending on season.  You may also need a carbon filter.


----------



## dontknowmuch (Aug 17, 2011)

ok so when I set this up I only need to suck the air from one side of the cool tube? and which side should that be or does it matter? I seen a vid where the guy has duct on both ends one with the fan sucking and the other end coming from a passive intake. Is that necessary? 

On a seperate note what kind of hangers for lights do you all like?


----------



## Locked (Aug 17, 2011)

dontknowmuch said:
			
		

> On a seperate note what kind of hangers for lights do you all like?




That one is easy.....Pro Grip makes the best light hangers hands down in my opinion.  You can get them on eBay or at most online hydro shops.
This is them>>> growwurks.com/progrip-heavy-duty-light-fixture-hanger-300-lbs-1-ea.aspx


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 17, 2011)

dontknowmuch said:
			
		

> ok so when I set this up I only need to suck the air from one side of the cool tube? and which side should that be or does it matter? I seen a vid where the guy has duct on both ends one with the fan sucking and the other end coming from a passive intake. Is that necessary?
> 
> On a seperate note what kind of hangers for lights do you all like?



There are different ways to do things.  I have ducting from the intake side of my hoods that extends down near the floor where it can pull cooler air.  The intakes are low on the wall and in the floor.

If the inlet duct is connected to an intake and you are pulling air from an adjacent room and exhausting it outside the grow space, you need another fan to bring fresh air into the room.  Your plants need a continual supply of fresh air all the time the lights are on for proper photosynthesis.


----------



## dontknowmuch (Aug 24, 2011)

Thanks Hemp, if I am intaking air from outside do I need to worry about bugs and if so what steps should I be taking?


----------



## Locked (Aug 24, 2011)

dontknowmuch said:
			
		

> Thanks Hemp, if I am intaking air from outside do I need to worry about bugs and if so what steps should I be taking?




Maybe some pantyhose over the intake outside?


----------



## dontknowmuch (Aug 25, 2011)

wow thats kinky


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 25, 2011)

I screen all my intakes.


----------

