Printable View
i currently have 5 plants under 6 40 watt florescent bulbs and have been doing fine. this is my first grow and i am learning as i grow. i am thinking of switching to a 400 w HPS/MH. can anyone suggest if this is a good idea. any fav brands of lights? will i benefit much compared to my 6 florescent bulbs. thanks
Well, let's start with some math... 6 x 40w - 240w vs. 400w. Yes, it is likely that you will benefit from the upgrade. Not to mention that the HID light will put out a range of spectrum over a much wider area and with greater penetration which can not be achieved with a fluorescent bulb. Concerning which light is suitable for your situation, you can get a kit that includes the ballast, the cable and socket, the hood, and even the bulb. Or you can purchase components separately. It depends on your needs. I say go for a kit. It will get you where you need to be. Just consider the venting issues as you will have more heat with and HID.
You can check out my grow in my signature. i use a 400 HPS
I can get one pound of bud from a 2' x 4' area with 400 Watts of MH/HPS ,sometimes ;)
Very efficient watt's/lumen with 400 watt HIDs.
Shov
Being a beginner you might want to work a little longer with what you have; if for no other reason than to get the basics dialed in.
CFL setups are great for learning the basics. You're going to experience several more challenges utilizing HPS or MH particularly as mentioned- with HEAT. Heat can impact your productivity in a negative way in close quarter grow setups. You're going to have to find a way to get the temps down by isolation of your ballasts outside the grow room/closet and adding a vent fan if nothing else. It ain't rocket science but there can be a learning curve for the newbie. Just wait until you get a whitefly infestation too! Lol.
Good luck and remember to have fun with it whatever you end up deciding on! For me it turned out to be a new hobby in which to dump money, heheh. Unless of course you consider the free high grade meds I've grown!