Question about HPS

I have 2 50w HPS lights I'm gonna use (maybe a 3rd, and probably some cfl's as well). I got them from a hardware store, pretty cheap. I might invest in a 400w or so from HTG down the road, but for now I'm fine with this. Well thinking about how I'm gonna set it up, I came up with a couple of questions.

First, if you look at the attached picture, that's basically what the light looks like (sorry I'll try and get some photos up if I can later). The grey part is the main thing, where the bulb screws into (would that be considered the ballast?). The red is the bulb obviously. And the yellow is this clear plastic cover that goes over the bulb.

1. They say only to set it up like it looks on the left. I'm not putting it on some apartment complex wall, can I just rotate it like it looks on the right? Is there a reason they say not to, or is it just that it's designed primarily like that.

2. The plastic cover. Can I keep it off? I think it would be better to have the plants get direct light from the bulb rather than have it go through the plastic cover. Will having it off create heat problems or burn my plants?

Any help is appreciated. If you need more info from me just ask.

Question about HPS

There are some bulbs that require specific positioning... If the bulb is a vertical only bulb than.. well, you can only set it up vertically.

Best to double check if there's a reason as to why it is suggested to set it up the way they suggest to set it up, could be a good reason.

Question about HPS

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobBong

There are some bulbs that require specific positioning... If the bulb is a vertical only bulb than.. well, you can only set it up vertically.

Best to double check if there's a reason as to why it is suggested to set it up the way they suggest to set it up, could be a good reason.

Thanks for the response.

Well I checked it out and the most I've got out of it were in the instructions: "For side wall installation only." I checked all over the box, instructions, the actual light, the website of the company. It doesn't go into anymore detail than that, and that was what made me ask here.

I also read on the instructions that it shouldn't be facing reflective surfaces less than 5 feet away. I don't know if this is because it's an outside light that auto turns off during the day, or if it's for some other reason. I can just disable it by taping over the sensor, but it doesn't elaborate and I'd rather not risk it if I'm going to put up mylar (might just go with flat white paint).

I've only opened one of the two and have just examined the contents with out using them. I'm just going to seal it up with packing tape (another box in the store looked like it was resealed too) and return them with the receipt. Re-thinking this out, I might buy a 400w HPS if I can from HTG Supply or something.

This will be my first grow, so I'm starting off with bagseed. By the time I have to move out, It will be pretty close to when I should be harvesting any of the plants that might make it. So with that in mind, I might want to use cfls on this first run. I might prefer this too since although HTG says they ship it discreetly, I bet my roommates would ask wtf it is.

[rant][sorry]I'm not going to tell them under any circumstances, as they smoke, I don't really often. I know they would want in, but not want to put in the proper time/effort. And I know even if I did come up with something by myself, they'd feel they are owed some of it, undeservingly. If I have something and they want it, they'd feel I should give them some because I have plenty of it. I've bought 1/8th sacks in the past and smoked no more than a bowl and lost the rest to snaps as they asked.[/sorry][/rant]

All I want this for is to have fun growing it, and have some personal smoke. In time, if I can get a small room or large closet dedicated to growing, I'd like to grow peppers too, maybe a few tomatoes. I don't really like tomatoes, but I love fresh pico de gallo.

... back on topic, what do you think I should do, CFL's for now? I'd like to get this started asap because of time restraints, but I'm still waiting on my comp fans for my box and I need to pick up some soil. Other little things I pick up, and other modifications I can make along the way.

I'll make another thread for it, but it'll be a 2'x2'x5'h box. I'll start off with 6 or 7 bagseedlings (one I think might be cracked/crushed and probably won't even germinate) and hope at least 4 make it. If more make it, I'll try and keep em for as long as I need, but I'll toss enough to give the 4 best looking enough space.