250w CMH 4000k bulbs

So, who else makes these besides Philips? I have a 250w magnetic HPS ballast I've never used, and I recently changed my growing areas around. I had a small box for vegging and a small custom closet space for flowering. I could only fit 3 plants in the flower space very tightly, so I bought a Secret Jardin 2x2 and I'm putting the veg space in the previous flower space. I was vegging with a custom made fixture that held 4 55w PLL tubes, but the fixture will not fit in the new veg space, will either have to make something else or work with the 250w ballast.

get some 6500k cfls and use the HPS with a HPS bulb

cmh is good, but overrated.

can you remove the PLL from the fixuture and mount the bulb on the walls and hang the ballasts, you any good with electric? you could go this route instead of having to buy the cfls if your are.

I made the fixture for the PLLs, I just don't feel like making another. I can make a reflector for an HID bulb much easier.

As to HPS, sorry, don't want that for vegging. I'm looking for a vegging set-up only.

hps and blue cfls would be fine to veg with. you can run an MH bulb in your HPS ballast and thats what i would do personally. it will work fine.

What's wrong with the philips retrowhite?? yeah ge and sylvania both make cmh bulbs but not at that temp..............some china mfctr's are making various cmh's (2600k-6000k) with stolen patents and are extremely unstable so I wouldn't recommend them for you

PSUAGRO. said:

What's wrong with the philips retrowhite?? yeah ge and sylvania both make cmh bulbs but not at that temp..............some china mfctr's are making various cmh's (2600k-6000k) with stolen patents and are extremely unstable so I wouldn't recommend them for you

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Nothing wrong with it other than price . Was looking to see if there were cheaper bulbs from reputable companies is all.

brotherjericho said:

Nothing wrong with it other than price . Was looking to see if there were cheaper bulbs from reputable companies is all.

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What are you looking to spend.........I buy my philips cmh bulbs at the local electric supply store($57 for hps ver/$64 for the mh ver)..........

PSUAGRO. said:

What are you looking to spend.........I buy my philips cmh bulbs at the local electric supply store($57 for hps ver/$64 for the mh ver)..........

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Not sure, just looking at options at this point. All I have going in veg right now are some clones I took a week ago and I just put two seeds in soil, so I've got a week or so to decide. I have a 40w PLL and 32w circline in the space now which should be fine for the clones and soon to be seedlings.

I like the results I get with my 6500k 55w PLLs. Very tight nodes, strong stems, and good green growth. I would like to use them again, but I'll have to rig up another fixture because the old one won't fit. But I wouldn't mind using that 250w HPS ballast either, its brand new. If I can slap a 4000k CMH in there, I'm hoping to get as good as (if not better) than I would with my PLLs.

EIKO puts out 3000k and 4000k, but only in 150w. There are obviously regular pulse MHs that you can get in that range, but it seems the CMHs have a fuller spectrum. I'm looking for good blues because I get that with the 6500k PLLs.

Well I love pll's also and compared to cmh are way cooler/manageable in the summer...........If the 250w is your only option at this point, why not try it ? these guys even throw in an hps bulb for free with a cmh purchase http://advancedtechlighting.com/cdmed18.htm so it makes it quite a steal IMO............I have yet to use any indoor light source come close to the vegging capabilities of a CMH(flowering is debatable/i personally prefer it)............good luck grower

Those PLLs actually put off a good bit of heat. Since my original veg box was only 30" x 21" x 30" (w x l x h), I had to make an air-cooled fixture for my PLLs. That was with 4 55w tubes, so close to a 250w HPS already. My new veg space is actually smaller in area but much taller, and also will have exhaust going to the outside, so I think heat management will be a little better.

Right now I have a Pro-Grow 180 and a 150w 3000k CMH in my flowering tent. Temps can run as high as 85 at the top of the canopy, mostly due to the CMH. I was also considering picking up another LED panel and moving the 150w CMH to my veg space instead. I have a 4000k bulb to use. Overall, I might have the best heat management with this option, but I really don't want to spend too much more at this point.