just a couple of questions

[wantafanta]

Hey we are starting a smaller ebb and flow system and have a few questions. We want to grow around 4-6 plants. First we want to get a light off of this site due to the low prices and guareentees. Product » Econo 400w HPS with White Reflector - InsideSun (http://www.insidesun.com/index.php/action/item/id/73/)
We want to know if the white reflector or chrome is better for our needs. Also what would people reccommend for cheaper basic nutrients needed in the process. Finally and this may sound a little silly but is there and way to make the fill and drain fittings needed, or are there stores that sell these and are not hydro stores (lack of gardening stores in our area). Thanks for any help :)

[rhizome]

Gotta admit that I'm not real fond of batwings.
When you decide that you need to upgrade the reflector, you may have to rewire the new one to match IS's cabling.

Go for the white, as cheap reflectors are prone to " hot spots", and the chrome will only make this worse. I don't know what IS uses for hanging hardware, but please (!) don't cheap out here- really good, oversized chain & hardware is still dirt cheap. It blows to find out that cheap hardware has failed, dropping your lamp into your plants. Betchya it's happened to half the people here.

Go the extra bucks for the Hortilux upgrade. $ well spent.

You can piece together ebb&flow fittings from the electrical conduit parts at Home Depot, but it's niether easy or cheap. You will come to hate them.

Fittings should cost $10-15 dollars retail. They're small and light- will easy fit into an envelope. Just about any hydro shop will mail order from a money order, if you want to keep your credit cards clean. As long as the MO is good, they don't care about names matching addresses, etc.

Myself, I don't mail order- Google " Operation Green Merchant" to find out why.

If you're going to go hydro, you'll need to find a good supplier- Nutes, meters are specialty items. It is possible to run an ebb and flow on chemistry from Agway, but a true PITA. You may only need to purchase once a year, but you're going to need at least a good quality nutrient designed for hydroponic use. GH Flora is a good place to start. Also a pH test kit for hydro- fishtank kits don't have a wide enough range. Qrts of flora will run you about $35-40, test kit oughta be under $10. You could grab this stuff from IS w/ the light to save on shipping. I'm sure they stock- everybody does. They prob have e&f fittings as well.

Lemme know if this helps, or if I'm just being confusing.

[wantafanta]

Thank you very much for your help and all the advice will definately be taken. We can't afford the bulb upgrade but will definately try to afford a better light later. The flora system we definately will get as well. Insidesun dosent sell the fittings sadly but well just have to order that from another site and then I think well stop the oniline thing right away. Thanks for all of the help :)

[LOC NAR on probation]

If you can't get the hortilux upgrade you will kick youself when you do. I kick myself many times. It makes that much difference.

[wantafanta]

Well we finally got some luck and got a light really cheap from a friend that didnt want his anymore with a mh conversion bulb and the hps hortilux. now to find the fill and drain fittings :(