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What are your opinions of the 600w Hortilux HPS?
Is it capable of of vegging and flowering?
It has an increase in the blue...but is it a big enough increase in the blue to be able to veg.
This is the 3rd time I have changed light systems, this is the last one I want to buy...
:confused:
thanx gang!
Here you will find rave reviews about the new bulbs. Zandor recommends them as do many other.
I simply do not.
I think they will veg fine, it is the flower period that has me concerned as I believe you need HPS in a 2:1 ratio over MH in flower.
I believe there is no reason for HPS in vegg.
Yes, the one bulb will grow for both stages, but each stage has its own lighting needs just like each stage has its own nutrient needs.
So, will it work?
Yes.
Can you do better? If you can afford it, I would stick to CFL or MH for veg and HPS for flower...with a little MH added.
Just my opinion, thanks.
I was wondering the same seeing as I just got my 400w Hortilux in the mail... Dosen't it seem like the hortilux would be optimum indoor lighting, being that it has an enhanced spectrum? In my view, the closer a bulb comes to replicating actual sunlight (In spectrum) The better... after all most outside grows I see are TOWERING... and natural sunlight contains ALL colors in the visible spectrum so if you can dish out the extra $20-30 per bulb why the hell not?
Your enhanced spectrum bulb is great for a CRI...or color rendering index. But that simply isnt how plants use light.Quote:
Originally Posted by RastaKaze
Plants use specific light waves for specific processes. The light from the sun comes in certain intensities or frequencies or energy vibrations....the sun delivers this and it is measured in Kelvins....the rate or 'temperature' of matter.
Daylight in spring and fall hit the earth at a specific angle and is thus measured at a specific kelvin...while in summer the angle of light is again altered due to the earths wobble.
[remember the earth is actually closer to the sun in the winter time....but still much colder. in the summer time, the earth is furthest away from the sun, yet hotter. that is because of the axis tilt towards the sun]
Some plants flower in spring light....some plants flower in summer...some plants flower in fall.
But each plant flowers based upon the length of light per day or whether the light is getting longer each day or shorter...this ALTERS KELVINS.
For the particular kinds of plants grown by us tomato farmers....the plant begins to flower upon the growing shorter periods of daylight. THis particular light is BLUE TURNING ORANGE TURNING RED [LOWERINZG KELVIN TEMPS] until December 21, as the earth is now wobbling 'away' from the sun.
On December 22th, the light changes back to where the days begin to get longer....thus you have the RED TURNING ORANGE TURNING BLUE....[RAISING KELVIN TEMPS].
Simple math......
MH has avg Kelvins higher than HPS.
MH has avg Kelvins not produced in natural in fall or flower season for our tomato plants.
I just simply say, why is MH needed in flower period at all??????
It isn't. The Kelvin temps of MH simply arent the right frequency or color for a fall flower.
It isnt BAD for the plant at all...but why is it there and what purpose does it serve being there?????
The new bulbs you are referring to make it a ONE BULB for entire grow.
Great!
But, if you have the space, money and will, you will still get better results, I believe, if you give the plant the light that it needs at the time it needs it.
Now, if you are broke, or money is tight, or space is tight or some other reason, perhaps the new bulb is perfect.
But...in vegg...dont get rid of the higher Kelvin MH and replace with a lower kelvin bulb by putting an 'enhanced spectrum' bulb in there. You will accomplish lowering your Kelvins at a time when you would want them highest.
For veg, if I have a 500W MH bulb, I would rather have that, and so would the plant...instead of a 500W enhanced spectrum bulb.
The enhanced red waves do little for the plant at that time when you could be giving it the full Kelvins you can with an MH.
The same is true for flowering.....our plants needs more red...or lower Kelvins....and having an MH or enhanced specturm bulb is only going to raise the Kelvins....
Hey the new bulbs beat the hell out of any ONE SINGLE type of bulb...CFL, MH or HPS.....
But our tomato plants simply grow best when given what THEY need...not what WE think they need.
If you can only get one bulb, sure go for it.
But if you can afford all three types of bulbs....and have them in the needed strength and concentration, then you have the lights you need for the specific stage of growth for our plants.
results of a 600watt hortilux bulb on an Aussie Sativa, used for veg and flower.
1st pic 19 days veg from clonecut
2nd pic, the fruits of the labour
Kelvinspeak is impressive,I probably could be doing something better, however results speak for themselves.
And what would you have got had you vegged strictly under 600W MH?
And what would you have got had you flowered strictly under 600W HPS?
Oh Samoan Attorney...
I certainly forgot to mention what a sweet grow you have / had.
That is so beautiful.......not sure 600W HPS could have done a whole lot better.... :)
But that is a super sweet SOG you got there.
I hope to have something like that soon :)
Might I ask the space measurements?
Again it is a gorgeous grow and didnt want my rant to take away from that. I bet you coulda got another couple ounces with 600W HPS...hehehhehehehe:D
Nice grow :)
Hard to argue with results like that SamoanLawyer! Possibly could've been even better (not much if any) with straight MH and HPS but who cares with results like that. I mean the whole entire thing is one big giant mass of buds...which is what it's all about.
Well Bugger me roman, In all this time I thought I had a hortilux bulb, but its a Lucagrow, sorry for spreading misinformation. Im sure though its not going to make too much difference.Somehow I thought it was hortilux, dont ask me why! I just went to pull out the box it comes in and its definately a lucagrow.
Anyway yeh as i said I most likely could be doin something better like employing a MH for veg as i have done before on commercial grows, however coz I just grow for me and my brother these days, and I like to keep it simple as per my signature, I only use the one bulb.
Sorry Hardon I know my first post came off as a bit of a nudge on your knowledge of kelvins which is right on the money, I tried to edit it but was too late! anyway yeh MH is better for vegging ofcourse, but unless you have alot more space etc building seprate veg rooms can be tedious, i have a steelframe that sits in my bedroom where i root my clones and veg a bit under flouros, and it cant really be hidden, only under a blanket, so its hardly stealth.
dimensions for grow area are 4ftx2ftx7.5fthigh, I was doing DWC in that grow, im know doing a reticulating system with a rez and three pots, I will post a pic here but perhaps I should start a thread on my growspace etc coz Im sure some people would be interested, maybe i could help some peeps.
Yeh , I like to keep things simple, as per my signature indicates, I add nothing but nutes (amsterdam indoors, an aussie brand) and ph down (only in veg when the nte strength cant buffer PH,) and in summer a capful of guardian afortnight.
I'll start another thread on it so im not hijacking this one
Counselor...
I appreciate the discussion. And your Lucagrow light is indeed a 'dual spectrum' light. I dont know if thats the same technical terms as a Hortilux bulb or not.
I too run a dual spectrum system...I have a 250W MH and a 500W HPS....
I use neither in veg, but both in flower. So if this is the same content of the lucagrow or even the Hortilux, we are acheiving the same thing, just different methods.
I use two bulbs and you guys use one :)
But I just know its true that flowering tomato plants need HPS red far more than MH Blue....
I add the blue for the UV-B rays only.....but do so maintaining an HPS dominance of 2:1.
I will do some research this weekend on these bulbs. Hell if I can find Hortilux with a 2:1 HPS ratio, I'll buy two of them to use....that would be fricking killer :)
BUt I'd only use them in flower :D
Thanks again and I am sure your skill in your grow system deserves far more credit than your light bulbs.....again a nice awesum grow. Really !