HPS vs flouro's for 6 week veg

Discussion in 'Beginner Lounge' started by hamma, Jan 27, 2009.

  1. hamma

    hamma Begun Flowering

    Here's the problem. I don't have a MH light and do not have the money to purchase one. What I do have is a 400 wt HPS and a box with 6- 27wt fluoros that put off light in a 6000K spectrum so they are pretty close to a MH lite.

    I have 3 plants that are 6 weeks old and have placed them in the hps room 2 weeks agoand it seems their growth is very slow there. I know that hps is for flowering but that's all I have so it has worked OK in the past. I am just thinking that maybe the plants would do better under the flouros with the blue spectrum. Even though there is only a combined 160 wts of light they are supposed to be equivalent to a 100 wt incandescent light, ya know the new spiral fluor bulbs that will save you $$$.

    So, my question is do I keep the plants under the HPS or Do I use the flouros that I use for rooted clones?

    I don't want to flower until they are 2 months old.

    Thanks for any input.
     
  2. BlazeOne

    BlazeOne Pothead Extraordinaire

    use the floros (IMO cuz i see growth everyday)or maybe you could grab a mh conversion bulb so you dont have to buy a whole new light but im not sure if thats what you couldnt afford or if your using the hps for a perpetual grow.


    or maybe wait till you can get a lil scratch and get 2 shop light fixtures from wally world and 4 plant/aquarium bulbs.
     
  3. ResinRubber

    ResinRubber Civilly disobedient/Mod

    You're growing SCROG right?


    Looks to me as if you have enough CFL's to do the job for three plants so either would work for vegging. Definitely use the HPS for flower though.


    Me? I'm lazy and if I wasn't using the HPS elsewhere I'd use it from start to end. That way I wouldn't need to change lighting later AND I'd get the benefit of a stronger light. Plus it leaves the CFL's available for any cloning or new seedlings.


    Just my humble opinion.


    cheers,
     
  4. hamma

    hamma Begun Flowering

    Does a MH conversion bulb work on a HPS ballast? I mean the word conversion does sound like it does but I thught these bulbs were for the lights that do both MH & HPS. Am I wrong...
     
  5. krondikebar

    krondikebar In A Cloud Of Kush Smoke

    dude if your plants aren't growing with a HPS light, why would they all the sudden start growing when you put them under CFL's?


    Am I the only one that thinks that theory sounds ridiculous??


    there has to be an underlying problem of why your plants "arent growing"


    Ive used a HPS light to veg well over 100 plants thru-out my life...works better than floros IMO...if you have the extra coin to spare for the added electricity that is...


    are you growing soil? chem nutes or organic? how much you feeding? whats the PH like? how big are the pots/containers? lets hear some details!
     
  6. nuggnester

    nuggnester Pot & Poker Enthusiast

    wow....


    um, there is no question, the HPS is better....home boy said he likes flouros cause he sees growth everyday?!?!? hahahahhaa...that's called stretch brotha and I wouldn't count that as legit growth any day...I'd rather them almost not grow then stretch!
     
  7. krondikebar

    krondikebar In A Cloud Of Kush Smoke

    only in a perfect world would every grower get to have a MH for veg and a HPS for flower. MOST of us, just go thru the whole thing with the HPS if we can afford to.


    HPS just makes your plants grow faster than CFLs or tube style floros. The lumens a HPS puts off are untouchable by your floros....


    I think resin was saying the same thing, but i smoke too much herb to be certain.


    I would suggest getting a hortilux bulb for that HPS of yours if you really want that added blue spectrum...might be right up your alley
     
  8. ResinRubber

    ResinRubber Civilly disobedient/Mod

    What's the bulb? Is there any manufacturer writing on it?


    Most designated MH conversion bulbs are for use in an HPS. In fact an MH does work in an HPS fixture of the same wattage. It's just that the HPS uses a capacitor to ignite the bulb. This causes a blast of voltage an MH doesn't need causing shorter bulb life.
     
  9. link420

    link420 Smokin' Fat Sticky Buds

    How big is your space? in a small space I would use the CFLs until they get to larger
     
  10. bLITzkRIEg420

    bLITzkRIEg420 sHAPesHIFTinG rEPTiLiAN

    Check this site for some CFL's...


    http://www.1000bulbs.com/


    I am using the 105w Eiko cool white CFL's gonna flower with a 400w HPS & a RED UFO LED.
     
  11. BlazeOne

    BlazeOne Pothead Extraordinaire

    I thought he was at 6 days:5headache: but 6 weeks makes more sense.
     
  12. PutTheKnivesOn

    PutTheKnivesOn Superspartaaaaa

    If you have restricted height i would vege under the fluros, do grow a little slower but as long as you keep the lights an inch or so above the fluros you get less stretch closer nodes and a more compact plant before flowering. Especially if you pin it down :)


    Under 400w youll get more growth and more stretch as you need to keep the light further away due to heat. If they seem to slow or stop growing once you put them under 400w it could be a heat issue, ph issue, stress. Do the stems also seem to harden up?
     
  13. hamma

    hamma Begun Flowering

    thanks for the feedback


    I misled some people by saying the growth has really slowed but I guess it's because of cropping the plants 1-2 weeks ago. I have the space and the ph, temp. and space are all good. I just wanted to get several different opinions on the subject and did. I have a couple 2 week plants vegging under the cfl's and their doing fine and I will keep the older girls under the HPS.


    Thanks for all your insight.
     
  14. krondikebar

    krondikebar In A Cloud Of Kush Smoke

    nice, hope we were some help to you.
     

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