cooltube?

IF i order a ballast, what else do i need? I want to get a cooltube, will that have a female plug port for the cord that runs from the ballast?

You need a ballast, a reflector, a bulb, and a timer. If you're getting a switchable ballast, make sure to get a 220v timer if you're going to run it on 220v. The socket from the bulb plugs into the ballast; the ballast plugs into the wall. Check out premium setups; they are no more expensive than the cheap ones.

Potpimp is right on... get a good setup the first time, otherwise you will end up spending more money when you decide to upgrade. I wouldnt use a cooltube, just because of the loss of the light... just get a good air cooled hood.

reverof said:

Potpimp is right on... get a good setup the first time, otherwise you will end up spending more money when you decide to upgrade. I wouldnt use a cooltube, just because of the loss of the light... just get a good air cooled hood.

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Can't agree more! Plan for the future! If you plan on expanding your grow in the future, Think of what you are buying now and how it will fit in the grow that you want to end up with! For example a 6in exhaust fan is only a bit more than a 4 inch, sure you may only need the 4 inch now but if you expand you will be glad you don't have to go buy another fan! I don't mean you have to go buy the best and most expensive thing on the market, but go with a name brand, some thing you know will last and some thing you can be proud of (I know it make me feel good and proud to own nice things)! I've been running one of my ballast for about 5 years now!

What kind of reflector would I want to get to go along with a 250 w hps lumatek bulb? I was thinking of a cooltube, I didnt know that cooltubes caused more lumen loss then an aircooled reflector. I though what made this happen is the light passing through the glass.

what kind of fan would I want for this? if i want it silent and simplistic as possible for a dr 60 + carbon filter

Just get the best one you can afford. I was shocked to find that the premium reflectors with tempered glass, flanges and high efficiency reflector were about the same price as the cheap ones if you add the tempered glass, and flanges. One thing that was a bit disappointing was there was very little holding the glass in because the angle brackets were so flimsy and bowed out in the middle. When I broke down my grow op I siliconed the glass in place so it could not fall out. I bought a box of 6" duct and ducktaped a small fan (minus the base) to the intake; it worked very nicely and was very quite. On my exhaust end I figured since there was nice, warm air coming out, I would use it. So I took a tall, narrow cardboard box. put a few brackets inside it and a couple of cor-x (cheap plastic sign material) shelves about 3" shorter than the length of the box. I staggered the shelves and cut openings at top right and left bottom. I plugged the duct into the bottom hole. The air flowed under the bottom shelf, up and over the bottom shelf full of buds, up into the next chamber and across the top layer of buds. It made one heck of a nice, quick, cheap dryer; my buds were very nicely dried - not too fast - in two days and it was basically free.