Which is better? (2)-400w hps or (1)-600 or 1000?

Hi. I currently have a 400w PL light setup. I was thinking to augment this with a cheapo 400w hps (used, rebuilt, etc. off ebay or inside sun). Certainly the 400w hps systems are affordable. I wonder though - is it better to have (2)-400's or (1)-600? I'm afraid to go with 1,000 as I'd have heat to deal with and wouldn't be able to get the light as close to the plants anyway so it might be counter-productive. My space is about 3.5 or 4x4 feet. Or - hopeing to not have more than 4 plants in waterfarm type containers (kitty litter tubs).

What do you guys think? I sort of feel that one 400 hps is making progress slower here and if I could spend another $100 bucks on an extra 400 - they'd grow faster/fatter. But not sure what route to take. I probably should have gotten the 600w pl light but they were crazy expensive.

As always money rules. If all you can get is the 400 it's going to be good. More is always better but you have to be able to buy it. I have a 4 x 6 but only use 3 x 4 of it with a 1000 HPS. You can spread the 2 400's out a little, almost as good. If you go with insidesun and they have the option to get a hortilux bulb . Get it, it will be 40 bucks more but worth it.

With what you are talking about I would use the 600 watt and lots of mylar.. the pair of 400's may give better light but twice the heat running two bulbs..:smokin:

Hey Bender, I think he wants to put both lights together, augment. Unless he got the 1000. Then I would use the 400 for veg. like Bender says you need the mylar too. Get the good stuff.

oops my bad :o

in a 4x4 area add the second 400 and it should work out great..

I run 1 400 Hps in a 3x4 box and it works very well. probably not as well as LOC NAR1958 and his 1000 watts..:D LOL

I agree, regardless of lighting.

Mylar = Better results.

No prob's here Bender. Only a couple of weeks left and you can see them hanging. Their looking good. I will try for a few more pic's today.

Yes, Right now I only have one 400 HPS (PL Light system). Pricey. I hate to have bought it for nothing only to buy another cheapo 1000w or 600w. And the 600's seem expensive and almost the same price as a 1000w.

So I thought if I got another 400w light, I could run them together during bloom times to get 800w. Then, having 2 separate lights, I can still have the option to use one for veg & one for bloom at the same time. Currently, I have one of those flouro shop lights and a few CFLs if the 'real' light is in use.

Would (2)-400 HPS's give off MORE heat than (1)-800? (hypothetical).

I guess the 2 lights makes sense for me. The only question do I get another 400 or another 600? If I go 400/600 - then I have 1,000. Just not sure if 2 lights of the same wattage are better than one?
LOL - I'm befuddled about this. I would just like to have fat buds like I see in pictures vs. my thinner little guys. Since I'm doing all this work. You know?

EDIT: Yes, everything is mylar'd. Except ceiling.

2 400watters would give off more heat than 1 800w, just because 2 ballasts running(2 400w) vs. just the one(1 800w), as far as the bulbs, i dunno the bulbs run at nearly the same internal temps so the bleed-off heat from 2 400's would be more heat, but not double (suface area of bulbs?) JMO

a 1000 watt bulb will give (bud) size and density that is not possible with a 400watt bulb...

2 - 600 watt bulbs placed properly, used to grow small plants is the best bang for the buck.. you can get a huge yield with impressive buds...

400 watt bulbs can not even be comapred to properly used 1000 watt HPS..

and NOW you KNOWM

I guess I was hopeing for a different answer. Something like - "yes, two 400 HPS's would be great and act as if you had an 800 on them!". :(

I just don't know if I need to ramp up to a 1000 for 2-4 plants. Then I might need to set up a cooling system, etc. I'll have to ponder this. Thanks guys!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 4x5

2 400watters would give off more heat than 1 800w, just because 2 ballasts running(2 400w) vs. just the one(1 800w), as far as the bulbs, i dunno the bulbs run at nearly the same internal temps so the bleed-off heat from 2 400's would be more heat, but not double (suface area of bulbs?) JMO

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Actually, my current 400w ballast gives off no heat that I can detect. It feels slightly warm if I rest my hand on it but it's 'comfortable' heat. And I don't need to have the balast in the grow area either.

I wanted to get a 600 but husband talked me out of it. It's frustrating that the prices for the 600's are often more than the 1000. I'd still love to get a cheap 600 but fear the quality of the ballast if I go dirt cheap.

I just hate waiting 3.5-4 months from seed to harvest. Seems everyone with big lights goes 2 months or less. I wonder if I ran a 400 & 600 if I'd have to constantly rotate the lights or plants. Or if the 600 would shine enough for a 3x3 area to avoid that.

hello : )

the key to growing with a 4oo is to get that light as close as possible... if you have a glass cover between your bulb and your plants you cn get the light within 6 inches of your canopy... use as many fans as it takes to blow the heat from the bulb upward and away from your plants...

if you can hang one of the 400 watt bulbs verticaly between 4 plants ... and another 400 watt bulb horizontaly over the same 4 plants you will yield HUGE...

you may even yield 4 - 6 ounces per plant... that is impressive!!

: )

Thanks! My buckets are pretty close together and not sure how a hanging 400 would fare. But I bet I could pull it off. My 400 hps is about 10-12" above the plants. Moreso to try to get 4 plants under the light. I didn't bank on having 4 plants but they all turned out females (Bubblicious).

Maybe I'll try something like that. 600 above and 400 down low. I just have to decide if I should buy another 600 or 400. There's so many cheap 400's on ebay. :) What gets me all confused also is that there are 1000's that are not much more money than the 400's. Can you tell I have a problem with this decision? :)

I noticed you mentioned a worry about heat...bro, they all run hot in little spaces so get the 'bang', but if you buy another 400w...I would recommend a MH. I use both.
lw

At the same time? I have a MH conversion bulb I use for veg then switch it to HPS (430 hortilux). I do think i'll be scouting for a 600 watt system.

Man, that space is perfect a little SCROG, The light will distribute beautifully over all the nugs nearly equally if you do it right.

The Light:
The absolute optimal light for that space would be a 600W HPS and a 400W MH in a dual light hood with cooling.
Now assuming that Money is an issue. I would personally continue with the light you have. If you want 2 lights for the different photoperiods (I would), then i would buy the 600 W MH and use it for flower and use the 400W for Veg.

If you don't know what SCROG is, just do a search and you will see all kinds of howto's.

I would do 2 plants under whatever light config you choose. It won't take much time to fill a 4x4 screen with 2 plants, that is for sure.

What kind of yield do you want your system to produce? I always like to design around how much i am looking to end up with.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by moreover123

Actually, my current 400w ballast gives off no heat that I can detect. It feels slightly warm if I rest my hand on it but it's 'comfortable' heat. And I don't need to have the balast in the grow area either.

I wanted to get a 600 but husband talked me out of it. It's frustrating that the prices for the 600's are often more than the 1000. I'd still love to get a cheap 600 but fear the quality of the ballast if I go dirt cheap.

I just hate waiting 3.5-4 months from seed to harvest. Seems everyone with big lights goes 2 months or less. I wonder if I ran a 400 & 600 if I'd have to constantly rotate the lights or plants. Or if the 600 would shine enough for a 3x3 area to avoid that.

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Moreover...this last statement is about 2 months or less...is only flowering clones...minimum time from rooting to finish is 8-10 weeks.
from seed...the shortest time you can hope to finish, 12-16 weeks, although the shorter period would effect yield and potency. For full potency from seed you need the full 4 months, or there about.

check this page out:
http://forums.bghydro.com/showthread.php?t=24

and this:
http://forums.bghydro.com/showthread.php?t=25

I don't mean to offend anyone with this offsite info, but I knew right where it was and wanted to provide it quickly for moreover and the rest of the gang here.

Look at the lumens ratings and the watt per SF...I think this will help you alot...600w hps is so expensive due to the fact that is really close to a 1000w in output.

goodluck lw

I'm w/ latewood...1000's top them all in price, life time and BUDS.

Hortilux eye is a BIG factor aswell IMO.

I like using multiple smaller lights for the flexibility of it. I own a 1000HPS that gets used only during the winter when it is cool enough, because it gives off SO much heat. I veg under 250MH plus flouros, and bloom under a 400MH plus a 400HPS. I have to add that I have the densest, most gorgeous bus in winter when I rock the 1000HPS plus 400MH in flower! Keeps my house nice and toasty too.

When using multiple lights, a key to temperature control is keeping your ballasts on the other side of a wall from the grow room, running the wires through a hole.

I wish Inside Sun would start putting longer ballast-to-lamp cords on their systems, with a plug instead opf hardwired!