Wanna go HPS/MH, Need suggestions and info

imlovnit24/7

Active Member
I'm working with about $150 total and a rubermaid cabinet that's 16"Dx36"Wx36"T (just over 4sq.ft.) so a 150w bulb won't be enough but a 250w should be enough. If possible I'd like to find a fixture what can use both HPS and MH. Tho I'm open to using LED but I think they're a little out of my price range.

What do you all think? If anyone can suggest a good setup online or if anybody who's upgrading I'd buy a used 1...

I've had 4 successful grows with CFL's but after looking at my watts to lumens ratio and i'm thinking of investing into HID. Tho heat has always been my reason for using cfl. I live in AZ with only swamp cooling at my disposal. Currently I have over 500w between 2 setups. About 170 in my veg area on 2 little clones that are vegging and about 350 in my flower box with 1 plant. I think I could better use my electricity you know
 

imlovnit24/7

Active Member
Of course I'm open to running 2 70w hps/mh side by side with a couple cfl bulbs down below for surrounding light and a slight mix of spectrum's. Or I've also been comparing LED's and thought if i bought 2-3 of these and in combination with my cfl's to beat the heat of HPS/MH but either way I'm prepared to deal with the heat cuz I want better light penetration.
 

budsgalore

Well-Known Member
Get a 400W HPS system then buy a MH Bulb to run during Veg.

Don't get suckered by a conversion bulb kit....HPS system WILL run MH bulbs but a MH system WILL NOT run HPS bulbs.

I used my system for years with no problems. HPS ballasts have an igniter MH does not.
 

imlovnit24/7

Active Member
That seem that a 400w would scorch my plants, cuz thats like 50000 lumens in just 4sqft. I know the rule of thumb is 10000 lumen is what the sun makes per sq.ft.

I'm open to other light wattages or setups as long as its within $150 and that i can keep it cool enough with a swamp cooler in the spring/summer/fall but winter the house is rather cool on its own(aka no heating system) but no real way to push cool air in
 
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