After a few years of fixing stuff , hid, ballast etc.
I use a 30 year old mh 1000 watt ballast and (very loarge brand name Geee's bulb)
The growing / cloning section use the same companys full service ballast and bulbs.
The bottom line reasons large companys buy them because they work good and are dependable. With only 40 years of data on there side.
Pot growers suffer from the problems of any advertizing.
Who puts up the better show, and how can you return it.
Dear sirs
I want to return you product as it does not do a good job of growing marijuana.
Like that going to happen.
Example of things I found 430 hps marked on the outside , in side was a 400 watt regular ballast. Lighting for a parking lot uses box fixtures, lighting inside uses a parabolic system for the distance to the floor.
Now if you fly look down and see what lights are the brighest. MH bright lights all over.
One more if cpf, ecolight were any good industry would buy them. They still use full service ballast and full service bulbs. Because they are more efficent.
The only way to get real data on growing is by the age old process of
HOW may watts used, How many grams produced, How may months in bloom.
1000 watts , produced 1000 grams in 2 month , give you a 0.5 g/w/m