THE GROW SHOW - CHOOSING THE RIGHT LIGHT
Our resident GROW expert is a member of the 600-watt club.
Tue, Apr 19, 2005 11:37 am
It's obvious that high-intensity discharge lamps (HIDs) are the choice for anyone serious about indoor horticulture. It's also unanimously believed that high-pressure sodium (HPS) is the best overall light when deciding between HPS and metal halide (MH). Lately, I've found myself defending my choice of 600-watt lights over thousands of watts. I'm convinced that 600s are the best option for indoor gardeners.
That more watts or lumens equals higher yields is absolutely true. But bigger isn't always better. Thousand-watt lights are not for amateurs. If your grow space is 150 square feet or more, you'll probably want to utilize 1,000s. But if you're growing primarily for yourself and would like to save electricity, then consider what 600s can do. (Four-hundred-watt lamps are out of the question for any serious bud production.)
Forty percent less heat means that the lights can be 40 percent closer to your plants without burning them. This alone cuts the difference in efficiency between the 1,000-watt and 600-watt lamps nearly in half. The placement of lights—especially always maintaining the perfect height in relation to your plants—is essential to extracting maximum yield. The highest yields and densest buds come when lights are kept close as possible. During times of peak growth, you should adjust the lamp height every day. Set-it-and-forget-it growers should stick with 1,000-watters.
Twelve inches or closer to the plant tops is recommended with 600-watt bulbs, though the distance will vary somewhat depending on your ability to cool the lamps and the surrounding area. After colas form, back off an additional 4 to 6 inches to prevent scorching. Once plants and root systems are established, blast the plants with light. Intense light is the key to developing close internodal spacing during vegging and early flowering.
Multiple points of light ("inversion lighting") will encourage the entire plant into rapid photosynthesis more efficiently. More direct light comes into contact with all parts of the plant, resulting in faster growth rates and more developed buds. Believe it or not, more lights with lower wattage actually produce higher yields.
Initially, it costs more to purchase five 600-watt ballasts than three 1,000s. Using less wattage is obviously cheaper, but the reduction in the heat produced adds to the electrical savings by reducing cooling requirements. In case of a blistering heat wave, you'll have the flexibility to cycle some lights off without leaving large portions of the growroom in the dark.
Amazing as it sounds, with 600 watts it's possible to reap 80% or more of the yield you can get with a 1,000-watter. The only drawback is that nobody makes switchables or metal halides in 600 watts. A good conversion bulb by either Sunmaster or Solar Max will fix that. Check out the Gavita 600-watt HPS lamp with built-in reflector. I rated it the Best HID Lamp in the 2002 STASH Awards.
The inversion-lighting method depends heavily on the proper positioning of the lights. A good reflector is also essential to extracting efficiency from any lamp. Air-cooling your lights can help you to gain tangible control over environmental conditions, which is essential to maximizing any grow.
So you still think you need a little more juice than a 600-watter can provide? Hybridize your lighting by hanging a 1,000-watt MH among three or four 600-watt HPS lamps. Trust me when I say that blending HPS and MH at a ratio of 3 to 1 is the ultimate equation. Combining the two lamps yields higher-density buds than HPS alone.
Overkill is okay with fans, filters and general safety precautions, but not when it comes to wasting electricity and dealing with added heat buildup. Six hundreds are excellent, efficient lamps; so are 1,000s. But the truth is, with a little extra attention, three 600s will yield as much and possibly more than two 1,000s. As will six to four—same yield, less power.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN THE JUNE 2005 ISSUE OF HIGH TIMES






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KMKOtownblazer
Apr 28 2008, 5:11 pm
i dont know
Apr 2 2008, 2:33 pm
jordan
Dec 8 2007, 8:28 pm
Ckash
Dec 7 2007, 11:55 pm
Russian Science
Aug 22 2007, 5:10 am
Scarlett
Dec 12 2006, 9:55 pm
?????
Nov 6 2006, 4:28 pm
anotheranonymousgrower
Oct 21 2006, 10:17 am
A single 400W isn't much good for anything serious, but multiple 400W lamps are the cat's ass. I use 6 of them on an 8' x 4' scrog. Do the math, it's 75W/sq ft!! Then I've got the whole scrog surrounded with mylar laminated reflector panels that extend all the way up to the lights, and I pump CO2 in from the back of a 6" duct fan suspended from a light mover track above the scrog.( I move the fan, not the lights) It's the only fan in the room and it stirs up the air around the plants with CO2 enriched air. No oscillating fans needed. No dried out fan leaves from fan burns either. The room is sealed and I don't vent unless it hits 90 degrees in there.
This may not be as energy efficient as 4 of the 600W lamps, but I can get the lights closer to the plants and I have a much more even light spread over the whole scrog. Since my ballasts are not in the same room as the reflectors, I don't generate any more heat than the 600 watters that I would have to expend energy to cool.
Yep, it probably costs a little more more to run 6 of the 400 watters than it would to run 4 of the 600 watters, but I think that the better light spread and the lack of hot spots across the scrog rack pays off.
I had a 1000 on a mover and 2 400W lights fixed at each end of the scrog before. I saw nice buds on the ends under the 400s and a mohawk style stripe of nice buds down the middle under the 1000. Everything else along the long edges of the scrog was kind of ho-hum. The more even light distribution will fix this problem.
My opinion is that more smaller lights are better than fewer larger lights. It costs more to set up, it costs more to run, but it's worth it.
I still have my 1000 watters on another grow, but I don't expect nearly as much from the 2 1000 watters as I do from the 6 400 watters.
LINDAHELPMEGROW
Aug 12 2006, 1:46 am
cAN THIS BE USED FOR GROWING?
AND WHAT WATTAGE IS NECESSARY?
PLEASE HELP!
special guest
Jun 23 2006, 8:26 am
special guest
Jun 23 2006, 8:23 am
Scotty
Jun 17 2006, 12:32 am
1.Doesn't use as much eletricty.
2.Doesn't get as hot as a H.I.D. Lamp and it is self ballasted.
3.It is equal to a M.H. 400
!.
2SHAY
May 14 2006, 10:08 pm
Craig
Jan 12 2006, 8:44 pm
ok..the Critic, obviously you have NEVER grown indoors at all, and Obviously you are not even fit to comment on this thread. you must be the biggest fuck wit out because I will tell you this....any where you can hang a 400 you can fit a 600. your bud will be bigger..Because you are putting twice as many lumins you stupid fuck. Like I said if you had any idea at all.
my 600 cost the same as my 400 and if you are getting HPS globes for $10.....then they are not the right ones, they will work great on a basketball court...but for growing...you need the right globes to put out the choice heads.
any one who would make a comment like you have cant possibly KNOW anything, so shut ya fuckin gob
oh..by the way...I am an air conditioning tech with an electrical liscence.....I specialize in eviromental control....In other words, I build grow rooms for a living, and I am pretty fuckin good at to if I do say so my self.
go back to growing with flouros you IDIOT
Bermieboy
Jan 10 2006, 11:00 pm
the critic
Dec 11 2005, 6:49 pm
Maestro Potter
Sep 7 2005, 2:59 pm
worried
Aug 29 2005, 9:12 am
seeds?
Aug 29 2005, 4:50 am
how do i get them and how much should i pay?
91 blazer
Aug 25 2005, 11:44 pm
hit me up if you know
- blaze on!!!
grow vergin
Aug 13 2005, 2:06 pm
lil player
Aug 7 2005, 5:56 pm
bent2be
Jul 24 2005, 5:21 pm
just started, save your money and just get a HPS it covers both spectrums(true it's alittle more in the red than a MH but it really doesn't make that much of a difference) and you don't have to buy 2 different light systems or buy a conversion system. just make sure you keep the light as close to the tops of the plants as possible but without burning them.
as long as you have enough lumens blasting your plants vegging and internodal growth will be no problem, you'll get a bushy plant with dense buds. also HPS gives off LESS heat than a MH so it'll be easier to keep the room cool and you can keep it closer the the plants.
DirtySouth
Jul 23 2005, 4:48 pm
just started, help!
Jul 21 2005, 5:31 pm
DeltaNine
Jul 21 2005, 7:26 am
green thumb
Jul 11 2005, 10:55 pm
worried
Jul 10 2005, 4:21 pm
DirtySouth
Jul 3 2005, 3:01 pm
skibum
Jun 16 2005, 4:29 pm
Big Bad
Jun 13 2005, 4:49 am
Talon
Jun 12 2005, 9:51 pm
bill
Jun 12 2005, 3:10 pm
I would like to read all The Grow Show articles.Can you scan them or shoot digital photos, and post them somewhere, put up a link or something.
sparky
Jun 8 2005, 6:11 pm
best prices on lighting. econo versions are used.
Baddevil9669@comcast.net
May 25 2005, 11:36 pm
Hass
May 18 2005, 11:56 pm
ganj king
May 15 2005, 7:41 pm
tdp420
May 14 2005, 1:34 am
ganj king
May 13 2005, 8:00 pm
Old dogg
May 13 2005, 11:37 am
5-1-1 remembered reading that I needed a higher 1st number for veg state. My plants have been under the light for almost a week now.Growth is happening but seems to be slow.Any other hints?
flip
May 12 2005, 6:05 pm
da ganj king
May 11 2005, 10:56 pm
24-0 for veg (maybe 22-2 because of heat)
USE MH bulb
12/12 or 16/8 for flower
USE HPS bulb
simple.
smelly head
May 11 2005, 2:23 am
old dogg
May 9 2005, 10:09 pm
Sativa
May 9 2005, 8:51 pm
Sativa
May 9 2005, 8:49 pm
Is it a MH or HPS? Make up ur mind
old dogg needin help
May 9 2005, 8:31 pm
tomisalami
May 9 2005, 4:02 pm
Old Dogg
May 8 2005, 11:22 pm
pablo escobar tha third
May 8 2005, 10:33 pm
mIu4ea
May 8 2005, 9:15 pm
miss-spelt
May 6 2005, 9:42 am
and the guy who said outside is best but he starts inside then moves to a green house well thats a nice way of doing things and probly one of the best even tho it takes longer. but greenhouses are a controled inviroment its not outside like you clame it just utilizes the sun light. your plants dont get rained on wind dont blow em unless you want it to that aint outdoors. out doors is in a feild or back yard
Smart Ass
May 6 2005, 12:23 am
green crack
May 5 2005, 4:44 pm
terminalinsanity
May 4 2005, 5:15 pm
UNCLE JUNIOR on Wed 20, Apr 2005 13:15
BECAUSE OF THIEVES,I AM DOING MY 1ST INDOOR.I JUST GOT A COMPLETE 1000W (HPS+MH SET-UP)
ANY GOOD TIPS OUT THERE.
-------
Yeah... Make sure you set your capslock key in the off position, before you post again.
Southern Pride
May 2 2005, 11:44 pm
tango city Bs. As
May 2 2005, 8:43 pm
Jimmy's last comment
May 1 2005, 3:22 am
I have got my grow set up now.. the space is a tiny 18" x 18" x 28" high. i have a 400w HPS in there. The light is totally sealed and has a fresh air intake vented to outside the chamber. the exhaust is hooked up to 2 huge bathroom fans venting out of the chamber. The veg chamber is 18" x 18" x 22" high and has a 250W metal halide sealed and vented the same as the hps. The chamber is an old deepfreeze... i have been running it now with hps on 12/12 and the mh on 24/0.. with the temp below 80`f there is also a bathroom fan circulating the air in the grow chambers. Sooin i will get a air filter and vent the air around the plants to the outside like the lights. I just open the door now and then to get some fresh air in.
theloadeddragon
May 1 2005, 1:32 am
Pjammer
Apr 29 2005, 11:50 pm
A little cabinet w/ a 150w
sodium is fine for a little
bit... But GO FOR IT DUDE.
git the 600.Don't wast time
w/ a bunch of little lites.
Unless maybee 1 plant w/ a
lite on every side.
Just my $0.02
ripper
Apr 29 2005, 4:03 pm
jimmy
Apr 29 2005, 3:59 am
- but my oven puts out more radient heat than my 2 250w HID lights ... So i hope i dont get busted one day baking a cake.
MKM
Apr 28 2005, 9:06 pm
chigs
Apr 28 2005, 4:44 pm
girl with green
Apr 28 2005, 3:07 am
calibuds:)
Apr 27 2005, 2:52 pm
perro malo
Apr 26 2005, 11:55 pm
jimmy
Apr 25 2005, 7:45 pm
to the kyle doubter
Apr 22 2005, 10:41 pm
400 watt light. in my book you grow big or grow home. 600 watt lights are way more efficent. so to all you 400 watt lovers step it up a noch
and spend a little bit more cash. you can yeild 8 lbs in 80 days.
dongenero
Apr 22 2005, 12:13 pm
Much less electricity use (not that that is such a concern) and much less heat to deal with.
I'm sure a 600 would produce a better yield of larger buds but it's not like the 250 is making wispy little flourescent buds by any means.
Doubting Kyle
Apr 22 2005, 2:35 am
Proper tech and care of the rootsystems increase yeilds as well, not just lighting. Give some decent info Kyle, not this half baked commercial grow advice.
imtired
Apr 20 2005, 10:44 pm
organic mechanic
Apr 20 2005, 8:00 pm
imtired
Apr 20 2005, 6:52 pm
--peace--
chronic
Apr 20 2005, 4:00 pm
godbless
jimmy
Apr 20 2005, 3:36 pm
UNCLE JUNIOR
Apr 20 2005, 1:15 pm
ANY GOOD TIPS OUT THERE.
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