Want to switch from CFL to HPS.. help me find the way.

Hey all... just started my 2nd ever grow. First grow I did with a single plant in a 1.5'x1.5'4.5' using CFL's and the "Buds For Less" book.

Now I've relocated and am working with a space 3.5'Wx3.75'D.. 8' ceiling but I currently have CFL's suspended from beams about 4.8' up... I could certainly move them higher if need be.

As you can see, I've got a 3 plant grow starting but am quickly realizing that for all the $$$ I'm going to drop on CFL's and fixtures, I could probably just get one decent HPS light+ballast and call it a day.

My question is: where do I begin? So obviously I need the fixture and bulb.. what's a good wattage for this space? I see several people on here like 400W bulbs for this size. Would this be too much for my dimensions? Either way, what's a good brand of ballast? Is there a particular bulb that is preferred?

*ALSO* are there other considerations I need to think of? This grow is in an office closet.. if I leave the doors open and keep the fans going, will I still need equipment to exhaust heat?

Attached are a few pics of my current setup... the CFL's are okay, but I'm tired of the constant readjusting that comes with keeping them about 1" from the plant.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks and peace.

get a lumatek 400 digital ballast and hortilux bulb.

i have magnetic ballasts right nwo but when i upgrade soon it will be to lumatek most likely.

400 watts would be perfect for the space and will give you those dense frosty nugs you always wish you had

ImTheFireMan said:

get a lumatek 400 digital ballast and hortilux bulb.

i have magnetic ballasts right nwo but when i upgrade soon it will be to lumatek most likely.

400 watts would be perfect for the space and will give you those dense frosty nugs you always wish you had

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Thanks for the suggestion.. any hood you recommend?

a 600 watt light would give you about 10,000 lumens per square foot, which is excellent, but you may not be able to handle the heat. if you are living in a situation where stealth is not important then keeping the door open with sufficient fans would work for either a 600 watt light or a 400 watt light.


try www.htgsupply.com and look for complete systems that include bulb, fixture, reflector hood and ballast. they're kinda expensive so you may want to choose your system there and then buy it from somewhere else.

desertrat said:

a 600 watt light would give you about 10,000 lumens per square foot, which is excellent, but you may not be able to handle the heat. if you are living in a situation where stealth is not important then keeping the door open with sufficient fans would work for either a 600 watt light or a 400 watt light.


try www.htgsupply.com and look for complete systems that include bulb, fixture, reflector hood and ballast. they're kinda expensive so you may want to choose your system there and then buy it from somewhere else.

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funny you mention that. I just got in my 250 watt HPS due to my small growing area i didnt want to push it. The prices that they have are the best on the net that i have found. Also there was a delay in my order by a day or two because of back order. For the trouble they through in a free MH conversion bulb. Fired the light up today and couldnt be happier. more output than my CFL setup for sure. I had 9 45 watt bulbs in there with two 4 foot fluorescent tubes as well. Now just the 250 watt HPS and the 4 footers

Thanks for the advice.... how about reflector hoods? any suggestions?

there are two main choices - batwing and air-cooled. if you're able to keep your closet door open and you don't have an inline fan handy then i would just go with the cheap batwing. brand really doesn't matter.

Any thoughts on this setup?

http://www.amazon.com/400W-120V-Digital-Light-System/dp/B001GL03LS

Goodlovin said:

Any thoughts on this setup?

http://www.amazon.com/400W-120V-Digital-Light-System/dp/B001GL03LS

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that's a cooltube that requires the use of ducting and inline fans to push air past the light to cool it. probably doesn't fit your situation.

desertrat said:

that's a cooltube that requires the use of ducting and inline fans to push air past the light to cool it. probably doesn't fit your situation.

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I agree you are going to need a good extractor setup for something like that. The bat wings are easier to cool so to speak with fans directed at them, this has been my experience. In the area that i have i have three exhaust fans on large intake fan and two air movers inside. The two inside are aimed at the bat wing and keep ambient temps good along with the intake and exhaust set up. I have some final touches to do to the room and ill get ya some pics up.

So if I use, say a 600w cooltube, how much fan do I need? Also, at what point in the ductwork should the inline fan be placed? Do I want the fan pushing air through the cooltube or pulling. In other words, do I want the fan before or after the cooltube?

It is always easier to push than pull at all aspects of life. LOL

So here's my shopping list--- any thoughts?

Sunlight Supply 600 Watt Electronic Light System

$256.97


Can Filter Can Fan™ 6" High Output, 440 CFM

$213.99


Viagrow Air Cooled Deluxe

$100.00


Viagrow Light Hanger 26"

$28.99


Eye Hortilux 600 Watt Hortilux HPS Upgrade

$24.99


Lumatek Lumatek Electronic, 600W Dimmable Ballast

$0.00

Total: $624.94

nonononononono. nothing bigger than a 250 is gonna work in this area. 250 will be ok, the heat output is containable, how do I know? cause I remember when I started growing and I asked for recommendations. All these ppl told me to get 400-600 watt lights. That would be overkill at this point. IN your situation you could get a 250, self contained sunsystems hps light. I have been looking into LED's. And for YOUR area, you might wanna look at those LED's... why? they produce virtually no heat. theyre \ cost efficient. they prove results. And they would fit that area perfect, (very stealthy)

Bro, I dont wanna see you spend all this money and get no bang for your buck. DIY carbon scrubber+250w HPS (enclosed ballast)+3 computer fans. check my link, dont spend 30 dollars at taco bell and get garbage, spend 10 and get a steak at a restaraunt....know what I mean?

Got a cooltube with reflector, 600 Lumatek electronic ballast and Hortilux 600w Super HPS bulb. S&W 312 CFM inline fan. Current temp, 76.6 F humidity 50%.

Any thoughts?

Looks good they should fatten up quik what is your nutes And soil

Goodlovin said:

Got a cooltube with reflector, 600 Lumatek electronic ballast and Hortilux 600w Super HPS bulb. S&W 312 CFM inline fan. Current temp, 76.6 F humidity 50%.

Any thoughts?

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I have a thought.... if there is any where else you could grow you should move there. You can grow a lot more than 3 plants with that light. the plants look great but you should use ALL of that wonderful light you have.

Goodlovin said:

Any thoughts?

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with the air cooled light you can drop the lights to within a foot of the plant tops (test with your hand)