cheapo HPS

[quaz808]

Going to need a new HPS bulb and im kinda low on fundage.
I did couple searches, but didn't find to much on using sylvania bulbs from Lows. I seen one there for 20 bux and thats right in my $$ range.
I had decent dence buds with my old HPS bulb(bought the setup on craigslist) But I noticed my yield was sub-par compared to the one I did with 1 70 watt hps(brand new, non horti) and 6 cfls.
I'd like to just get a new bulb for it, so I can rule that out as a problem.

Can I get good yields with the lows bulb or should I just spend the extra $$ and get an expensive one?

Thanks all

quaz808 Reviewed by quaz808 on 03-20-2008. cheapo HPS Going to need a new HPS bulb and im kinda low on fundage. I did couple searches, but didn't find to much on using sylvania bulbs from Lows. I seen one there for 20 bux and thats right in my $$ range. I had decent dence buds with my old HPS bulb(bought the setup on craigslist) But I noticed my yield was sub-par compared to the one I did with 1 70 watt hps(brand new, non horti) and 6 cfls. I'd like to just get a new bulb for it, so I can rule that out as a problem. Can I get good yields Rating: 5

[psteve]

You'll get a good yield from the cheapo, but you'd get a better one from the hortilux.

[Shovelhandle]

HTG Supply has 400 watt 55,000 lumen horti lamps for $29.

They are near Pittsburg and have great internet sales.

Shvo

[quaz808]

Actually, thats what my old bulb is.
I'll have to look into it, I think they are a nice 45 min drive from me, with no traffic.
$30 is right about where I want to be
Thanks!

[quaz808]

btw, shovelhandle, How did you know I was in pittsburgh?

[daihashi]

The HTG hps bulbs don't have a great color temperature. About 4100K.

Look into the GE Lucalox LU400 bulb. The price ranges from $13 online to $29 in most local shops.

The put out 51k Lumens initially and about 45k at half life. What's really interesting is the color temperature which 2100K. Very orange/red bulb. Great for flowering.

[quaz808]

Are the Lucalox bulbs smaller then normal HPS's, have you used them?

[khronik]

Saying the bulb has a spectrum of 4100k and that this is not good for growing isn't quite accurate. This measure of light color assumes a continuous spectrum, and is designed to measure how the light looks to the human eye, not to a photosynthesizing plant. Any HID bulb does not release light on a continuous spectrum anyway, and giving it a color number is just an average of all the wavelengths of light it produces. The horticulture bulbs are a higher number because they release both the normal HPS spectrum, and also some blue light that helps with growth. And plants do need light at both ends of the spectrum.

So I'd get the HTG Supply bulb. Actually, I did use one already. It burnt out after a day, but they replaced it free of charge and the replacement has worked perfectly.