anyone use an HPS for vegging?

[yota]

What do people think about using a HPS for a few weeks of vegging? What have people noticed is the difference between veggin with an HPS as opposed to a MH? And/or lastly, Am i better off getting a Conversion bulb for my HPS set up, or just stickin with the HPS? Thanks a lot in advance. - yota

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

HPS are made for doing both Yota (for the last ten years at least). I've used MH and HPS with a SOn-T type bulb for vegging/flowering, and used Mh and HPS straight, and seen no overall benifit to just using a HPS with a Son T type bulb from start to finish. Son T were the first to incorporate the blue spectrum from memory, but nearly all the HPS bulbs you get now include the blue spectrum for vegging I think. I'd check that at the shop before buying it of course. but so long as the light has advertised a sufficient blue for vegging you shouldn't see enough dif to make the extra expense worthwhile. IMO.

 

I wouldn't use a straight HPS (single red spectrum) for start to finish but, and if that's the option, use the MH, and then the HPS. But for just a few bux more thana straight HPS bulb, you can get some great bulbs that will see you all the way through. I might stand corrected, some guys til use the two bulb method, and maybe they can sway my thinking. but it'd take a fair bit to do it.

 

I think some guys around here have fantastic knowledge of what brand bulbs to use in the HPS to utilise the single light idea to it's max. maybe best off chasing what the brand names of those lights are. I tend to use whatever is cheapest on the day, but I've been lucky to get some great deals over the years on good bulbs cheaply.

 

I think Al. b, Luke, and goodness knows how many others should be able to stree you in that direction. I saw a thread recently (I cant recall where it is now) that went into bulbbrands for this topic. i'd be keen to read their ideas too.

 

cheers mate

rob

[Pure]

I tend to find I get tighter node spacing from MH but really your not going to be disappointed with using hps all the way through , they just may space out a little more from node to node which can be reversed and not noticed with the right training

 

I have used conversion bulbs for a while now with very pleasing results but i have to say that if i had been asked to purchase my first set i probably would have just stuck with a HPS bulb or lower watt MH

 

My opinion is if you can afford to run MH for veg then HPS for flower or a conversion bulb for veg then do it , you WILL reap benifits from it but if your on a bit of a budget and deciding between this and a different upgrade i would weigh up which is more important this time around

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

That's interesting about the converstion bulbs pure.

I've considered the stretch difference in MH and HPS with most modern ways of growing isn't worth worrying about. But that's completely subjective I suppose to the way you're growing. I suppose if you were growing a stretchy plant, it'd be well worth using MH for the veg wouldn't it?

 

I have a question if anyone can help in this area too.

I have a 1000 watt "dual control box" by Albite. I've run a HPS on it, but haven't ever run a MH on it. There isnt any switch , and no-one I know sems to know anything about it. I still have the part number if that might help. I bought it second hand at a hock shop with a hood a brand new HPS bulb in the box for 50 bux.

 

I assume I can just screw the MH bulb straight in as if that's what it's made to do can I?

 

It's enormously heavy, definately got two ballasts inside by the feel of it, but like I said, no switches anywhere to convert.

 

Anyone know of this type of ballast?

 

thanks

rob

[konflikt1877]

sure you canbut you really dont need to...just use a fluro.. why waste power

[yota]

It has been taking forever for them to veg with my T5's. I can get a huge plant in 3 weeks under a MH, and a small plant in that teim with T5 it seems anyways....so i was thinking of just using a HPS for veg as well and skipping the T5

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

Ihave no idea what T5 is. but most of my indoor grow life, for veg I have used 4 fluoro lights, x 4 feet long. Screw them in a "bank" with just a couple inches between them.

 

if you get some ply wood, and screw drop sides on the board, you end up with your own home made gadget with enough light and penetration to grow your seedlings/clones to 30 cm tall in no time with internodes so close it's scary.

 

I've had clones with internodes so close you couldn't see "main stem" between the branches.

 

I dont have the old fluoro board anymore, I'll build a new one soon ad put apic up how to do it. it's not rocket science. At present I'm usinh HPS and I'm not impressed. Keep a strong fan blowing on them and they do ok, but otherwise they strectch a bit. I'lluse MH for mothers, but onlybecause my mother set up is very half arsed, and it throws a clearer light, so the neighbors dont think something is up. I dont think fluoros have the power to work well on mothers.

 

i see people being "conned" into buying these fluoro lights now that are a huge version of what looks like a compact fluoro. They seem to work well for taking clones, but they don't have the power to punt the plants on like a bank of 4 x 4 foot long tubes. The tubes cost just 3 or 4 bux each, so ya looking at 12 bux for the lights once you build the "reflector or "housing" whatever u want to call it.

 

The old school idea of using fluoros has been overtaken by money grubbing hydro shops who dreamt up a way to make it all look high tech, and those who bought into that style thinking it must be better because it looks so flash, are sometimes unaware of just what others are speaking of when they say they use fluoros for veg. it's like two different things being talked about.

 

i dont know if that's what's happening here, but I know it's the case in other circles.

 

really, just try it. Screw 4 tubes 4 feet long side by side. keep the lights no further than a couple inches from the top of the plants, and watch the bastards power on.

U need to hand the whole apparatus on chains to make the small adjustments, and they are heavy, that's thebiggest draw back. Also, if you clone and veg in a cupboard, 4 foot long cupboards are hard to come by to fit the whole shabang inside of. but they can be found.

 

if u dont need the cupbaord business, then you're way in front , and should try it.

 

cheers

rob

[yota]

thanks Robbie...i have noticed that the plants i vegged under T5 (floro) are more compact and have closer nodes. Do you think shorter plants with closer nodes is better than stretched out bigger plants? Maybe im reacting to harshly to my situation, but my current plants i vegged under floro are WAY smaller than plants that i usually veg under MH. So i was scared i was going to lose a lot of yield potential. But time will tell...

 

And by the way, my rooms are all set up - seperate veg, mother and flower room. The T5's are basically floro's that pump out a bit more lumens i think. they are bluish spectrum floro's. 4 rows of 2 foot bulbs for one veg room, and the same for the mother room. The Flower room use's a 600w hps.

Edited May 13, 2008 by yota

[aussie1]

I used to veg under a HPS ( Son-T or lucagrow which supposedly has the blue spectrum as well), but then a few years in, I decided to try a retro globe (mainly blue). I noticed a slight difference in the node space with this change. However, recently I had a sticky beak visitor stay for 2 weeks, and in order to cut down on fan noise etc, I opted for a 130 watt fluoro so I could still operate but with less chance of detection. The plants (2) got to a fair size in 4 weeks under fluoro, but had to finish them under a couple of 600 HPS. But the huge difference was the internodal spacing, I would say I have 4 times as many bud sites as normal.

I do not know whether that will equate to a better yield yet, as I may just be trading off bud sites for overall bud weight. It will be interesting to see the end result. Will let you know so you can decide whether there is enough difference to bother with a MH veg. A HPS only veg will still bring pleasing results.

aussie

[shirty]

Im sure the difference is bugger all between veggin MH versus HPS if using Son-T especially

 

My first indoor grow ever was t5 all the way , my 2nd & 3rd was 400w MH & the t5s , and I cleary remember the growth being WAY faster with the latter option.. but as far as node spacing .. I honestly didnt think there was much difference

 

On my 4th tho, it was 400w HPS using Son-T globes all the way , & I didnt notice , again , any real difference in node spacing etc.

 

All my grows after that were under either 2 x 400w HPS , or 2x600w HPS , and have never felt the need to go to MH

 

.. but .. atm , many years later , Ive just started a clone/seedling box using a bank of 8 x 24 Philips 'Tornado' CFLs , my first time using anything like these, & Ive gotta say , so far , the node spacing is VERY tight < I wasnt expecting this at all.

These puppies will be flowered under 2x250w HPS in a cabi , as personally , I just dont think u can beat HID lighting for bud density .. I remember my fluoro buds used to look n smell great , but crushed down to nothing , a few cones..

 

I'd just use the HPS with quality globes & be done with it mate .. jus my 2 cents worth

 

Im sure theres someone here who's tried MH versus HPS who could give u a clearer answer than me tho soz