what kind of light do you recomend?

Hey everyone, I'm new here and new to growing. I have one little plant, about 2 months old (almost) and it's about 8 inches tall. here's a pic looking down that I took the other day.


So anyways, I'm gonna get a grow light for it soon and I was wondering if y'all could recomend me a good grow light? something not too expensive, but ok for just one plant, maybe 2 if I plant another.

oh and btw, it's name is Sparky haha.

as big as you can keep cool.

250 watts for a plant. up to 400 hps for 1-4 plants, keep it cool. (exaust, vent's). hope this helps brother. google for best prices.

smallest i would buy is 400w. cause i started with those and wish i had gone larger to start . Don't get a unit with the ballast built into the reflector, they weigh a ton and are difficult to hang.

150 or 250 watt hps should be good for a couple plants...couple links below

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=150+watt+hps+grow+light&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=17537747576870040555&sa=X&ei=S6mDTuC1CvKKsALpqaH5Dg&ved=0CF8Q8wIwAA

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=250+watt+hps+grow+light&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=pZj&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1248&bih=666&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=13739088736040679029&sa=X&ei=EKmDTqDzEcbksQKXtbX3Dg&ved=0CHcQ8wIwBDgy

1000 watt all the way. GRO big

Bigger is not always better. Use the chart http://www.hpsgrowlightsusa.com/image51.jpg . If you're going to grow in a small area, a huge, hot as fuck light isn't necessary. Not to mention using the proper amount of electricity for your size grow. Simply put, just use the chart man, you CANT go wrong that way.

400w cmh. Can't wait till they come out with 600,1000w.

Go for a 400w hps light on craigslist with bulb and ballast for $150 and don't pay a cent more. Make sure that the hood you get has a tempered glass covered. and vent holes on each end. Trust me growing is all about forethought with this setup you won't be upset at yourself later because you'll have all the bases covered a solid base for growing and easy airflow and heat reduction.
You are going to have to get a fan to move air away from the light which is something you must have; your plants wont enjoy any area unless they are comfy and the only way to make sure this happens is to have good light and solid air exhaust.

If you're only growing one plant and on a tight budget, you could easily get away with using florescent lighting. T5 aquarium lights work great for small grows. They're relatively cheap to purchase, put out very little heat, don't require a separate ballast to operate and (with the right bulbs) the optimum light spectrum for both vegetation and flowering can easily be achieved .The one drawback of using florescent lighting is that it doesn't penetrate well. You really need to keep the lights close to your plants. If you have a large plant or want to grow in a larger area, you need to spend a little more and get an HID light. Metal Halide bulbs provide the blue spectrum for vegetation, while High Pressure Sodium lights provide the red spectrum for flowering. If you can only afford one, use HPS. Or better yet, HPS bulbs with enhanced blue spectrum are available. Be warned though, HID lights put off tons of heat, so make sure your grow area is properly cooled and ventilated. And remember, the more light you give your ladies the greater the yield, so go with the most watts you can afford. It really depends on the size of your grow area, but I would suggest using at least a 400w lamp. The biggest mistake most growers make is purchasing lights which only suit their immediate needs. Think to the future, so you don't have to replace things. My advice is, do it right or don't do it all.

I was thinking of getting a 400W, but that chart says I'd be good with half that. Now I'm more confused. Which way are we supposed to judge this? By the number of plants or by area?

Judge it by area. More watts = more lumen = bigger buds. A 250 watt light would be fine for a single plant, but the difference in cost between a 250W and a 400W-600W lamp is minimal.

Dude if you ever ever ever want to do anything more then a plant or two you'll be unhappy with a regular 400w. look into the chm if you go 400w. one light for the whole grow. Other then that go with a 600w

Orithil said:

I was thinking of getting a 400W, but that chart says I'd be good with half that. Now I'm more confused. Which way are we supposed to judge this? By the number of plants or by area?

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The chart says 250, but honestly I would say 400w as a bare minimum in interest of canopy penetration and possibility of expanding slightly in the future. The cost different, like previously stated, is minimal, therefore your deciding factor would be your ability to cool the light. Another thing to keep in mind is you can place a 400w a little closer to the plant than a 600w due to less heat. Also, you're saving 200w. If you decide on the 400w system, DEFINITELY get the CMH, the price difference, again, is minimal, and benefits are significant. If you go with a 250 or a regular 400w system, go with a switchable ballast and use MH in veg, HPS in flower obviously. But for your particular needs, I'd say a 400w CMH is exactly what the doctor ordered. Hope this helps

Also, you judge by the area, not the number of plants. This is because you could be growing SoG, SCRoG, you could be topping, FIMing. You could possibly say "oh you have 1-2 plants, you only need 250w", but if you're growing 2 MONSTERS you're obviously going to need more. Due to this, we judge what wattage is appropriate using your coverage area necessary to cover your entire canopy.

virulient said:

The chart says 250, but honestly I would say 400w as a bare minimum in interest of canopy penetration and possibility of expanding slightly in the future. The cost different, like previously stated, is minimal, therefore your deciding factor would be your ability to cool the light. Another thing to keep in mind is you can place a 400w a little closer to the plant than a 600w due to less heat. Also, you're saving 200w. If you decide on the 400w system, DEFINITELY get the CMH, the price difference, again, is minimal, and benefits are significant. If you go with a 250 or a regular 400w system, go with a switchable ballast and use MH in veg, HPS in flower obviously. But for your particular needs, I'd say a 400w CMH is exactly what the doctor ordered. Hope this helps

Also, you judge by the area, not the number of plants. This is because you could be growing SoG, SCRoG, you could be topping, FIMing. You could possibly say "oh you have 1-2 plants, you only need 250w", but if you're growing 2 MONSTERS you're obviously going to need more. Due to this, we judge what wattage is appropriate using your coverage area necessary to cover your entire canopy.

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Thanks, that's helpful. I plan on doing most likely 4 12/12 from word go. I'll look into this 400W CMH.

Edit - KK, I looked, no reason for me to have that as I plan on doing 12/12 from word go.

It's your call, but you'll only do 12/12 from the get one time. then you'll want to get some roots going. sorry don't mean to flame. It's just alot of work to get so little from your grow. I was doing 4 month grows and pissy about a qp. just to start over. I haven't been doing much inside. My bulk is outside. kind of like the lb per plant. but still clone and veg indoors and hang with a couple indoor guys. What ever you go with good luck.

virulient said:

Bigger is not always better. Use the chart http://www.hpsgrowlightsusa.com/image51.jpg . If you're going to grow in a small area, a huge, hot as fuck light isn't necessary. Not to mention using the proper amount of electricity for your size grow. Simply put, just use the chart man, you CANT go wrong that way.

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i got a 1000 watter and it only raises the temp five degrees. i dont find that "hot as fuck" at all. and it only increases my electric bill fifty dollars. ha ha. fuck a chart

12/12 from seed is a mistake. Seedlings need time to reach maturity. Your yields will be unimpressive and lack proper potency. Growing SOG or SCROG will net you much better results and is much more cost efficient. My advice is, take some time to rethink your options. There are lots of knowledgeable growers here at RIU. Pick their brains, and let it soak in before you purchase anything. We've all made mistakes, learn from us and then weigh all your options.

virulient said:

Bigger is not always better. Use the chart http://www.hpsgrowlightsusa.com/image51.jpg . If you're going to grow in a small area, a huge, hot as fuck light isn't necessary. Not to mention using the proper amount of electricity for your size grow. Simply put, just use the chart man, you CANT go wrong that way.

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that chart is not accurate. the lights dont have that big of a footprint.