250 hps vs 250 cfl

I live in Australia and we cant seem to get the big cfl's (100 and 200w) you guys talk about, and i'm pretty sure the usa electricity setup is way different to us so ur bulbs wont work here. I'm collecting all my bits and pieces atm for my first grow...i just bought 2 x 5000k 48w natural cfl's (=240w) for AU$26ea I plan on buying 2 more when i can afford, and then 4 x 3000k 48w warm light cfl's for flowering. Does this sound ok for a grow-box measuring W600mm x D400mm x H1800mm?

Im also comparing how hot my 400hps gets compared to my 420cfl. Ive never used a 250hps before so i dont know how much cooler they are, dont get me wrong i have nothing against hps i just think they run cooler
But i have to admit with these $20 150w hps being sold it kinda makes me want to build a little dual hps cab. The only thing cheaper about CFLs is the fact i can get them replaced for free for 9yrs. But the initial price is the same if not more. I didnt it for heat, not efficiency

krinkle said:

I live in Australia and we cant seem to get the big cfl's (100 and 200w) you guys talk about, and i'm pretty sure the usa electricity setup is way different to us so ur bulbs wont work here. I'm collecting all my bits and pieces atm for my first grow...i just bought 2 x 5000k 48w natural cfl's (=240w) for AU$26ea I plan on buying 2 more when i can afford, and then 4 x 3000k 48w warm light cfl's for flowering. Does this sound ok for a grow-box measuring W600mm x D400mm x H1800mm?

Click to expand...

yeah it sounds okay..use all 8 bulbs for flowering though..you need more light coverage during flowring for a decent yeild..

Cheers wyteberrywidow.....I just got 2 x 35w 4ft fluros as well, for free from work....pulled em outta the roof when no one was looking u reckon i should run the warms and the cools together for flowering?

Having tried both, the HPS would be better. Although if you get a 400w it will be better. If 400w produces too much heat you can maintain the light cycle with a small 10w CFL and run the HPS on 3 or 4 hour cycles. I have 400w of HPS and 400w of CFL it is amazing how much more the 400w HPS ends up prodcuing.

Grams per Watt... nothing will beat HPS... that is why commercial growers of all types of plants use it...

Grams per Watt... that is what makes your home grown cheaper or more expensive than street value...

I know initial cost is a factor... but if you are between 20 and 30 and see yourself growing for the next 10 to 20 years... the initial cost investment and savings disappear....

In the long haul, we are all trying to improve how many grams we get for every watt ($) we burn...

For a small grow... NOTHING will beat a 400 HPS... not even 2 X 250 HPS...

The 400 and higher lights have more intensity... the light "hits harder" kinda thing...

Put a 400 in a cooltube with a good fan and you can have it 6 to 8 inches from your plants... let's see a 400 watt CFL 6 to 8" without ventilation... you are going to have trouble... You will need ventilation no matter what...

Sure the HPS is going to require better vent... but the outcome more than makes up for the trouble and expense...

Just my 2 cents... and yeah.. upgrade 2 times... not 15... that saves a pile of cash too...

Gypsy...

krinkle said:

Cheers wyteberrywidow.....I just got 2 x 35w 4ft fluros as well, for free from work....pulled em outta the roof when no one was looking u reckon i should run the warms and the cools together for flowering?

Click to expand...

yeah run those lights together for full spectrum lighting..