Definition of NOOB lighting questions

[Tronica]

I don't really like that setup tbh, lol.

I don't like the lack of hood on the bulbs up top or the fact that they don't look movable. Always having to stack shit pisses me off... But lack of air cooling, and reflectivity. Lighting is one thing, but not catching all that light going vertical, you're losing so many lumens. I would seriously consider the reflector I made. Buy a ballast online, a bulb for that ballast, build this and you can do you're full lighting with air cooling for under 200$.

When the reflective mylar is applied they look like this.

You can adjust the wings for the proper light dispersion.

 

[Tronica]

Yikes those 400w systems are super spendy. If you want to buy a full system try HTG to start with.

http://www.htgsupply.com/growlights.asp?categoryID=1&subcategoryID=155&typeID=55

 

[lampshade]

http://www.specialty-lights.com/900517.html

http://www.specialty-lights.com/901342.html

Those were the 2 i was talking about the rest are spendy for sure, those are 200

 

[lampshade]

That HTG is a deal though.

 

[QuickStrike84]

Thanks for the links guys! I was searching on Ebay (of course) and I wanted to know what you guys think about this particular product. This, combined with the shipping, is very affordable for me but I want to make sure its not some crap system. If this looks good to you guys, I'm buying it tonight and I should be good to go right? I will post pics of my cfl setup tomorrow when i get the mylar wrapped and the side panels on if I get that far...

thanks again guys I'm starting to get excited about this project again after being at a complete stand still

http://cgi.ebay.com/400-watt-HPS-GROW-LIGHT-400w-System-Hydroponic-sun-lamp_W0QQitemZ120346852510QQcmdZViewItemQQptZHydroponics_Seed_Starting?hash=item120346852510&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1308|301:1|293:1|294:50

 

[Tronica]

Thanks for the links guys! I was searching on Ebay (of course) and I wanted to know what you guys think about this particular product. This, combined with the shipping, is very affordable for me but I want to make sure its not some crap system. If this looks good to you guys, I'm buying it tonight and I should be good to go right? I will post pics of my cfl setup tomorrow when i get the mylar wrapped and the side panels on if I get that far...

thanks again guys I'm starting to get excited about this project again after being at a complete stand still

http://cgi.ebay.com/400-watt-HPS-GROW-LIGHT-400w-System-Hydroponic-sun-lamp_W0QQitemZ120346852510QQcmdZViewItemQQptZHydroponics_Seed_Starting?hash=item120346852510&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1308|301:1|293:1|294:50

lol, bro thats the same light i linked you too, except i linked you right to the source.

those are good for the price. theyre not the greatest quallty, but they will get you thro a grow.

 

[QuickStrike84]

lol, they are the same thing! ok, so should i go with the MH or HPS system? I'm growing hyrdoponically if that makes a difference as to which is better to use

 

[lampshade]

Thanks for the links guys! I was searching on Ebay (of course) and I wanted to know what you guys think about this particular product. This, combined with the shipping, is very affordable for me but I want to make sure its not some crap system. If this looks good to you guys, I'm buying it tonight and I should be good to go right? I will post pics of my cfl setup tomorrow when i get the mylar wrapped and the side panels on if I get that far...

thanks again guys I'm starting to get excited about this project again after being at a complete stand still

http://cgi.ebay.com/400-watt-HPS-GROW-LIGHT-400w-System-Hydroponic-sun-lamp_W0QQitemZ120346852510QQcmdZViewItemQQptZHydroponics_Seed_Starting?hash=item120346852510&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1308|301:1|293:1|294:50

Yup. GET IT! Peer pressure. That is the same one tronica was talking about. Hope all goes well. Lamp

 

[Tronica]

hps all the way.

use some 65k spectrum cfl lights in your veg chamber, or even some t-5 floros if you wanna spend more.

 

[lampshade]

Get an HPS for sure they will stretch a little more in vegetative but you will be using cfls for veg.

 

[QuickStrike84]

Well, now that I have paid for that I should be expecting it in a week or two(hopefully).

I really should have come here earlier b/c I think that I am back on track and have the mindset now that I CAN do this...I just got out of the military and I've always loved to smoke pot and I figure I would get a great hobby out of this also! Thanks for all of your help guys I really, really appreciate it!

One last bit of clarification...

65k..ur referring to the lumens correct?

how many cfl bulbs and what wattage should i get for the early stages of my grow?

also, once i enter the flowering stage, do I run the HPS light combined with the CFL's that I would have already been using the whole time or JUST the HPS?

wow, i just can't get over the help i have already received...thanks again

 

[Tronica]

65k is refering to the color spectrum, lumes will always be kind of propoertionate to the wattage of the bulb. but real lumens that are available have to do with intensity and distance.


anyways, for vegging like 6 plants, get like 6 26w 65k cfls. that should cover you just fine. you might be able to get away with less.

 

[lampshade]

Well, now that I have paid for that I should be expecting it in a week or two(hopefully).

I really should have come here earlier b/c I think that I am back on track and have the mindset now that I CAN do this...I just got out of the military and I've always loved to smoke pot and I figure I would get a great hobby out of this also! Thanks for all of your help guys I really, really appreciate it!

One last bit of clarification...

65k..ur referring to the lumens correct?

how many cfl bulbs and what wattage should i get for the early stages of my grow?

also, once i enter the flowering stage, do I run the HPS light combined with the CFL's that I would have already been using the whole time or JUST the HPS?

wow, i just can't get over the help i have already received...thanks again

6500K is the temperature, its also called cool white. You dont want to get warm white. And id say you will need 2 for every plant Then later on you may want to add more ive seen 6 or more on one plant. You can run the cfls in flowering with the hps, it will help quite a bit actually the blue mixed with the red of the hps, but it will cost alot more, so its up to you really.

 

[Tronica]

how many plants are you trying to grow in there? have you thought about how you are going to train or top them?

 

[QuickStrike84]

Awesome, thanks! Once I get a little deeper into this project and little more familiar with this forum, I'm going to post pics as I go along.

 

[QuickStrike84]

Honestly, I'm only going to start with 3 MAYBE 4 just to get a feel for things unless you guys think that's too many for my current/future setup. I'm constantly reading and trying to understand what needs to be done during the process, so I guess the answer is NO to your question b/c i'm still trying to get a feel for what all this means. I was in no-way going to just drop some seeds in net pots and expect them to grow but the box/lighting was the first problem i ran into. Any tips for what you are mentioning or other threads that are noteworthy of mentioning? I atleast know what you are talking about but I haven't read too much into them yet..

 

[fat sam]

i just got one of these sunburst mh units from hydrofarm, i use it for seedlings as well as veg but what it is is a self contained all in the fixture hid meaning all you have to run is power because the ballast is right in the thing, now it does run a little hot but you can get an air cooled kit for it, yeah there are cheaper units out there but i got it so i could just toss it in the closet without having to rig up a ballast and all, they have both mh and hps up to like 400 watts i think and my 250 mh with the hortilux bulb was like $200