Anyone else using cheapo bulbs?

Have been using Plantmax 600w hps bulbs for a long time. At one time was getting them for 23 US$ each, free shipping.

Decided to try out another cheapo... Virtual Sun, VS600HPS. 28.37 US$ each, free shipping.

Anyone else using cheapo bulbs?

im rockin ghetto 1k bulbs. i forget the exact ghetto brrand but they were like 40 bones a piece. i only switched out 3 and left one digilux (3 runs used). after 2 weeks, i switched out the digilux because the other ones look like theyre doing better. i thought bulb mattered. an alot of people say they do. but i call bullshit. buy the ghettos and switch them out every 2 runs.

I bought my 400 from HTG Supply and just went with the bulb it came with. Still growing fine with it after 3 harvests. It is probably about time to pick up a back up bulb just in case............

It seems to have started up just fine.

i havent had problems with the cheap bulbs that come with the hps i bought seem to work fine

Yes for cheap bulbs i prefer the brand called interlux,My local shop sells them for 35 cash im actually
going to buy a new one sometime next week

Switch them out more often and they will work just as well if not better.

I have a $37 600w HPS Sunleaves Optilume works good!

Need to buy a horti and do a side by side. Cannot seem to find a side by side test done anywhere. Am open to the idea of the expensive bulbs performing notably better, but have doubts.

I saw one before, horti vs sunlux or something, horti won hands down.

id love to see a comparison grow

Yea the cheap bulbs are good for around 2 12/12 runs of 9 weeks each
After that i save them as spares and veg with them never any problems

If the Artemis Super is a cheap bulb....then yes.

I run $20 GEs in my 600s and $35 Sylvanias in my 1Ks. You can see the results link'd in my sig. It's not the price that serves as a determinate of quality. As a rule of thumb, choose lamps made by a "real" company: Philips, GE, Sylvania, Ushio, etc. Skip the lamps with agro-sounding names and claims of enhanced spectrum manufactured in China. This narrows things down quite a bit.

HeartlandHank said:

Have been using Plantmax 600w hps bulbs for a long time. At one time was getting them for 23 US$ each, free shipping.

Decided to try out another cheapo... Virtual Sun, VS600HPS. 28.37 US$ each, free shipping.

Click to expand...

I've tested Plantmax 400 and 600HPS lamps. The 400HPS lamps are actually kinda impressive. Very quick veg, IME. The 600s are utter crap. They measure closer to a 400 and produce about as well.

Just checked on the $20 GE lamp's availability. MDhydro sold them for years, but they seem to be gone. If it were me, I'd buy a Sylvania for $40:

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/600w-sylvania-hps-mogul-base-grow-bulb-p-1832.html

Simon