Did I screw up buying a 150hps?

[Ifrit]

I'm confused about lighting because I have come across threads about growing with a 150hps but then I am now finding threads about using 400-600w for growing. I've also discovered that using HPS from seed to flower will have a negative effect on the plants. I should be using a MH bulb in vegetative stage and HPS in flower stage. Is it possible to swap out the HPS bulb that came with my Sun System for a 150 MH bulb?

 

[mr2shim]

If it's a digital ballast in the reflector then yes, if it's magnetic no.

 

[Noob grower1]

don't wasn't the money. Get some 6500k 150watt cfls 10 bucks a pop at wm. Works great for me. 150 watt hps is still small... ide pick up some 2700k cfls for flowering.. I got 430watt hps 4 150 2700ks cfl and 2 10watt led bulbs (they look cool)... get as many as possible n scatter them alll over just watch ur temps=)

 

[drcucumber]

it depends on how ambitious your grow is. You can stretch 150 watts quite far, and I have done so myself. It wont have a negative effect to use it whilst vegging. It is just that it isnt the most ideal colour spectrum. You can get some supplemental CFL lights of the correct colour to use in vegging. You can also use some supplement CFLs in flowering to get some more yield.
As long as you are not expecting major yields, or growing more than a couple of plants, it is not a screw up.
Keep the light as close as you can make it (without heating the plant too much) and reflect as much of the light as possible.
Keep the plant short

 

[growone]

remember, big doesn't always get you big results
can also give you big headaches, big power bill, etc.
many have used this size hps with good results, depends on how large a harvest you have in mind

 

[AimAim]

Make the best of it, you can always use it for supplemental lighting down the road.

 

[MYOB]

How big is your grow area?

would be the first question I would ask.

And wasting your money is buying "as many (CFL's) as you can and hanging them all over the place"

If your space allows, HPS lights are best for flowering.

For vegetative growth, a high output T5 fixture or PLL fixture are good options. The tubes will provide better coverage, be cooler, more efficient and look a lot cleaner than spiral CFL's hanging all over the place. Spiral CFL's are not good grow lights.

If you are growing the plant in one area from veg-flower, there are "switchable" ballasts which accept both MH and HPS bulbs. That would be your best bet.

EDIT:

Ahhhh. You already bought the light that you wanted to know if you should buy...

 

[nuckyt]

I wouldn't say its a waste a "bunch of CFLs" would be a waste and a great way to start a fire, but you want to go at least 400 watt.

 

[King Cobra]

I wouldn't say its a waste a "bunch of CFLs" would be a waste and a great way to start a fire, but you want to go at least 400 watt.

Not True!!

You can get great results with 150hps..but remember it's not just all about the light!!!

 

[Oo S0uP oO]

If you were a fucking badass, smarter than the average idiot, really paid attention to the guys who know there shit, and somehow managed to pull 1g/watt for your first grow (I assure you, you will not) strain depending, it might take you 100-130 days from seed to cured smoke. which gives you an average of under 1.5 grams a day for your time with none to save or share. My wife alone smokes more than that. I believe most of us start this hobby with the intention of being self sustaining farmers, to fall short of that before we start because of equipment is, in my opinion, indeed a waste of time and money. -S0uP

 

[jimdandy]

You can grow decent cannabis with a 150. But the light coverage is just enough really for one plant! Don't fret hear me out. Read up on topping and LST. Learn to combine the two. you can top after the 6th node and i strip the small bottom nodes of to leave 4 mains. As they grow, spread them out with some sort of ties. let them come to the edge of your pot, then flower. What will happen is those 4 branches will turn and grow upwards at the tips, and the sub branches will also grow as tops. That way you will have an even canopy with mostly top buds. It will control the stretch and increase yield. With a 150 you should get 2 or more oz's with this technique. Also with one plant, you can use 1 cfl to start her out. As she spreads it will not hurt to use hps in veg. There are growers who use hps all the way through their grows and they do ok. Yes Mh does have more of the blue light spectrum that is beneficial in veg. But she will still grow. Be patient with your grows. Don't expect perfection at the start of learning this stuff. There is a learning curve. Just be patient and ask a lot of questions. Don't overwater, Don'toverfeed, Don't over analyze! You will be fine!!

 

[King Cobra]

You can grow decent cannabis with a 150. But the light coverage is just enough really for one plant! Don't fret hear me out. Read up on topping and LST. Learn to combine the two. you can top after the 6th node and i strip the small bottom nodes of to leave 4 mains. As they grow, spread them out with some sort of ties. let them come to the edge of your pot, then flower. What will happen is those 4 branches will turn and grow upwards at the tips, and the sub branches will also grow as tops. That way you will have an even canopy with mostly top buds. It will control the stretch and increase yield. With a 150 you should get 2 or more oz's with this technique. Also with one plant, you can use 1 cfl to start her out. As she spreads it will not hurt to use hps in veg. There are growers who use hps all the way through their grows and they do ok. Yes Mh does have more of the blue light spectrum that is beneficial in veg. But she will still grow. Be patient with your grows. Don't expect perfection at the start of learning this stuff. There is a learning curve. Just be patient and ask a lot of questions. Don't overwater, Don'toverfeed, Don't over analyze! You will be fine!!

AGREED!
Well said Jim.

 

[Slipon]

maybe get one more, one that can run MH as well, use the single MH for Veg and add the HPS when you begin to flower, and run both HPS in the end, and maybe consider a scrog, 150W need to be close to the Bud site`s

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