Cheap 600 watt mh bulb worth it?

S

smokey mcsmokester

Well-Known Member
Hey guys im kind of in a pinch, running out of funds for things and decided I should add another mh bulb to my room.... i have a spare 600 watt hps/mh ballast but no mh bulb for it...
So I go on ebay to find a cheap 600 watt mh bulb and come across this virtual sun 600 mh bulb for 32.99 with free shipping...
This is super cheap... Im wondering what you all think? Anybody have any experiance with virtual sun products?
Also they advertise it as a mh bulb but it appears to be a mh conversion bulb...weird right? Or is it an actual mh bulb? Please take a minute to check out the link and tell me what you think....Thanks .....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Virtual-Sun-600-Watt-MH-Metal-Halide-Grow-Light-Bulb-/170715177528?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27bf6ae238
 
T

The Medical Grower

Member
Yeah. Weird looking bulb. Hmmm... Is there a grow shop anywhere near where you live that you can get to? If so they should have a wide range of bulbs and pricing to choose from. I really like the Hortilux extended spectrum bulbs for my HPS, but its a really expensive bulb. The Metal Halides I use (two 250 watters) came from a local hydro store and only cost me $24.99 each excluding tax. IMHO buy local if you can, even if it costs you a few more bucks. That way if the bulbs are shit you can take them back to the store and exchange them or get a refund. Hope that helps.
 
S

smokey mcsmokester

Well-Known Member
The Medical Grower said:
Yeah. Weird looking bulb. Hmmm... Is there a grow shop anywhere near where you live that you can get to? If so they should have a wide range of bulbs and pricing to choose from. I really like the Hortilux extended spectrum bulbs for my HPS, but its a really expensive bulb. The Metal Halides I use (two 250 watters) came from a local hydro store and only cost me $24.99 each excluding tax. IMHO buy local if you can, even if it costs you a few more bucks. That way if the bulbs are shit you can take them back to the store and exchange them or get a refund. Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply... My local store is 100 miles away and I was just the the other day....Doooohhh....lol.... Thats the thing, moneys a little tight this month so Im trying to go cheap( I know cheeap isn't the way to go)... I usually buy good merch, But for 32. bucks Id say it's worth the gamble... As long as itt lasts me a few months, I dont care as i'll definately upgrader to a better bulb next time... Just thinking this is a mh conversion....
 
massah

massah

Well-Known Member
looks like a 4200k color temp MH lamp...seems a bit low on the color spectrum to me for veg cycle...also that seller only has 83 seller ratings...and started selling in the beginning of august...nobody has had a chance to use the bulbs for any amount of time to give them a negative rating yet...looking at all those factors i'd pass...
 
S

smokey mcsmokester

Well-Known Member
massah said:
looks like a 4200k color temp MH lamp...seems a bit low on the color spectrum to me for veg cycle...also that seller only has 83 seller ratings...and started selling in the beginning of august...nobody has had a chance to use the bulbs for any amount of time to give them a negative rating yet...looking at all those factors i'd pass...
Click to expand...
Yeah I agree , I think Ill pass... I didnt see the 4200k... Thats the turnoff for me... My 400 mh is 6000k I think... I could be wrong... but that is low for a 600 mh bulb...Thanks for the reply...
 
S

smokey mcsmokester

Well-Known Member
What would you guys think If I just added a 600 watt hps with my 400 watt mh for veg? Ive never used hps for veg but Ive heard it works....hmmmm...
 
massah

massah

Well-Known Member
definitely...more light = better, just be sure you are evacuating that heat...I'd say run the 400watt MH for the first week or two, then introduce the 600watt HPS, but it depends on how many plants you are trying to sustain and in what size grow area, but definately going with the 600watt HPS + 400watt MH for the entire grow would be better than just a single 600watt of either type :) Also remember that the bulbs degrade in luminosity over time, so you probably want to consider purchasing new bulbs next grow(and selling those two on craigslist for 1/2 off to some sucker) ;)
 
S

smokey mcsmokester

Well-Known Member
massah said:
definitely...more light = better, just be sure you are evacuating that heat...I'd say run the 400watt MH for the first week or two, then introduce the 600watt HPS, but it depends on how many plants you are trying to sustain and in what size grow area, but definately going with the 600watt HPS + 400watt MH for the entire grow would be better than just a single 600watt of either type :) Also remember that the bulbs degrade in luminosity over time, so you probably want to consider purchasing new bulbs next grow(and selling those two on craigslist for 1/2 off to some sucker) ;)
Click to expand...
Currently I have 10 in about 2 weeks veg under a 400 watt mh... Im getting ready in a couple of days (possibly tomorrow) to transplant them into 5 gallon buckets and Im pretty sure the footprint of the 400 watt mh isn't going to cover that much area... My room is roughly 8x8 with a 6" exhaust duct with a 180 cfm inline fan so Im pretty sure that will cover the heat + a 4 inch inline duct with 2 80cfm computer fans for fresh air... I guess Ill just go with the mh/hps combo and switch the ladies around daily to even out the combo of the different light spectrums.... Thanks for the help in my decision massah.....
 
SaMokinTheGreens

SaMokinTheGreens

Member
You can run the entire cycle on HPS or MH. As for the spectrum for veg anything from 4200k to 6500k is an acceptable veg spectrum and would increase veg growth by 10 to 15% and HPS increases flowering growth by as much as 10%. These are fair and conservative figures unless someone would like to correct me. So I personally think if you get one good grow cycle from a $35 bulb it has paid for itself. I am currently using a 600 watt Virtual Sun MH Bulb and have zero complaints.
 
S

smokey mcsmokester

Well-Known Member
SaMokinTheGreens said:
You can run the entire cycle on HPS or MH. As for the spectrum for veg anything from 4200k to 6500k is an acceptable veg spectrum and would increase veg growth by 10 to 15% and HPS increases flowering growth by as much as 10%. These are fair and conservative figures unless someone would like to correct me. So I personally think if you get one good grow cycle from a $35 bulb it has paid for itself. I am currently using a 600 watt Virtual Sun MH Bulb and have zero complaints.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the insight on the virtual sun samokin...Just wondering now if the 600 watt hps would benefit more than the 600 watt mh combined with the 400 watt mh having more of a kelvin rating but a different light spectrum... Im wondering If the combined spectrum of a mh and a hps bulb would benefit better....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top