So need some Opinions on a big upgrade

[bluealein56]

This is my first time and i kind of been growing and learning as i Grow. its crazy how this hobby seems to take over everything else.lol. So now that i got a few kinks worked out it time to spend some money. So enough of my stoney ramblings, i have convinced the wife that the girls need more love. now that she has come around to the idea i, i know have santa clauses blessing on a serious light upgrade. I dont wanna go off the wall extreme with this but wanna get something that is efective and will get the job done with GOOD yeilds. I only plan on keeping four or five of the plants in five gallon buckets, which is all i think i have room for? Its a 27.5x 34 inches big. which i guess is somewhere around 7 square feet? not sure failed college algebra twicebefore i passed it. Im already having some heat issues, though i do plan to install the exhaust fan and vent to the roof. Anyways i plan to LST all of the plants and flower in the same room, and i hope to vegetate as long as my space allows for. So i guess i want to know what you folks would put in it if ya had about 100-200 dollars to spend on the light system, minus the flowering blub cause ill buy it later.CFL's, HPS, etc?

 

[Trent45]

400 watt HPS would probably be perfect for 4-5 plants in that space, well over the lumens per square foot, with exhaust, heat would be no issue

 

[bluealein56]

wow so no one else wants to comment?

 

[TheEnhancementSmoker]

wow so no one else wants to comment?

Okay, here's another comment....buy the 400 HPS like he suggested.

Hundred bucks from insidesun.com

 

[BUDISGUD]

yeah get a 400 watt

 

[bluealein56]

the only thing im wondering is should i go cheap and buy a refurbished type set or go with something new. and really how do i know which ones are the dependable ones.i dont wanna be halfway through a grow and a bulb or ballast go out and im without light of a couple a days

 

[Growdude]

the only thing im wondering is should i go cheap and buy a refurbished type set or go with something new. and really how do i know which ones are the dependable ones.i dont wanna be halfway through a grow and a bulb or ballast go out and im without light of a couple a days

If you have the money go new, IMO magnetic ballast are cheap and dependable, been used in industry for years. Other than that there are electronic ballast that claim to be better.

I use the industrial standard sylvainia HPS bulbs for $17.00

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

wow so no one else wants to comment?

LOL--I have several suggestions.

First of all, you don't keep the reflective material on the floor--it serves no purpose. Since your wife has been kind enough to let you expand your grow space, you should do something to protect the floor--I see there is carpet. I would put a heavy duty tarp on the floor and run it up the wall a couple of inches, maybe just above the baseboards to create a "trough" to help contain any spills.

I also think that it would be a good idea to get your power strip up off the floor.

In addition to the exhaust fan you plan on, an oscillating fan should be put in the room to move the air around and help strengthen the stems of your plants. You will need some kind of inlet.

A 400W would give you terrific coverage for flowering. I would recommend an air cooled hood to help with heat. In the winter, the heat from the light is vented into my bedroom and will pretty much heat my room.

 

[bluealein56]

Go with the 400w HPS but remember 1 thing.

Check my current grow, what I'm running is outlined in it.

ok so im thinking im gonna go with the 400 hps. Im limited to this one grow space for right now so i will have to veg and flower in the same place.will it be ok to just use the hps bulb through both veg and flower? i think i might way till the next gro to get the halide conversion bulb not sure.?

 

[bluealein56]

LOL--I have several suggestions.

:ignore: Im just pumped that the hemp goddess gave me advise. your like one of my online growing hero's. thanks for the tips and out with the reflective on the floor.

 

[bluealein56]

ok, so yeah its bought and paid for and in the mail. gonna be blasting these seedlings in a few days with 400 w hps gonna rig it up to be air cooled as well.

 

[sticky skunk]

wow so no one else wants to comment?

it is funny how the hobby takes over:hubba:

 

[brushybill]

i know i am a little late chiming in, but if your hps is convertable i would get an mh bulb for veg, then go with hps for flower, or you could veg with cfls or t5's which would cut down on heat
good luck

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

The way I outlined to veg is going to save a lot more $$$ in elect.
than vegging under a 400w HPS...my 2 cents.

:yeahthat:

I am a big fan of vegging with fluoros. I have a 400W MH that I used to veg with, but don't anymore. I find that I get just as lush growth with the fluoro, which takes about 1/2 as much electricity and stays cooler.

 

[bluealein56]

well i have already bought the cfls and a hps i think im just gonna use one of the two or cant i just get a mh conversion bulb. i just cant see cashing out another hundred dollars for my third light setup in two weeks. electricity is not such a huge deal for me, i have done a few things to lower my bill already. i just feeel that this cfl set up i got right now is flawed casue it doesnt seem like im getttin an even spread of the light.

 

[Friend-of-a-friend]

Dude, is that crinkly reflective material insulation? It looks like the stuff I started with (a kind of foil covered bubblerap), and if so, its prolly not doin ya much good. I just went out and got some Mylar and it's awesome! If that stuff is Mylar, then it looks way crinkled.Plus I Vegged under flouros for first 10 days, then went to 400 watt MH along with flouros for my first grow and had good results. This time I'm doing everything same as first grow, but vegging strictly under Flouros........so far growth has been pretty comparable.

 

[omnigr33n]

You could buy the $25 150 watt hps and use the cfls at the same time if you want to save some money. I feel that would work pretty well.

 

[bluealein56]

i appreciate every comment and suggestion. but im just wondering though how big of a difference is there when using mh during vegetation over just using hps the whole time? curious.....ill probably through some more money out and get the mh bulb cause that would be the easiest route. think i might experiment with straight fluros during the next grow. im just pumped to be getting my fisrt hps set.

 

[bluealein56]

Dude, is that crinkly reflective material insulation? It looks like the stuff I started with (a kind of foil covered bubblerap), and if so, its prolly not doin ya much good. I just went out and got some Mylar and it's awesome! If that stuff is Mylar, then it looks way crinkled.Plus I Vegged under flouros for first 10 days, then went to 400 watt MH along with flouros for my first grow and had good results. This time I'm doing everything same as first grow, but vegging strictly under Flouros........so far growth has been pretty comparable.

you are correct. i have actually had better luck than i did without it before, but i think iam gonna go with the mylar. just been focusing on the lights and exhaust the past week

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

i appreciate every comment and suggestion. but im just wondering though how big of a difference is there when using mh during vegetation over just using hps the whole time? curious.....ill probably through some more money out and get the mh bulb cause that would be the easiest route. think i might experiment with straight fluros during the next grow. im just pumped to be getting my fisrt hps set.

I have found that I prefer Panda film over mylar. While it is a little less reflective, it comes in thicker mils and I find it much easier to work with. I got the 6 mil thickness. It is relatively easy to hang without wrinkles, it will last longer, you can rehang it, it is washable, and it blocks light. When I redid my flowering room, I took the mylar down and put up Panda film.

How about vegging entirely with fluoros? This is a Satori vegged under a T5 fluoro: