What is the best lighting for the money/situation.

[jakester]

I am really excited to be in the position to get a legal grow up and running soon and am now looking at lighting. I will be growing on soil in a smallish closet. I will have a max height of 5' the light can be at with walls at about 5' deep by 9 foot wide. Ventilation will be very good and temps wont be an issue. I am thinking the best fit for me would be an air cooled 600 watt HPS with a digital 220v ballast.

I used to grow a hydro setup about 15 years ago with a 250 watt MH and it would grow the greatest looking and smelling plants that had no real density.
I think 1000 watts would be overkill while a 600 centered in the closet with maybe 4 68 watt CFLs @2700k filling the dim ends of the closet would be plenty for a small perpetual harvest type of grow. I could introduce new plants toward the outside and move them into the main light area as they mature.

Any problems, issues, ideas or suggestions?

jakester Reviewed by jakester on 12-21-2009. What is the best lighting for the money/situation. I am really excited to be in the position to get a legal grow up and running soon and am now looking at lighting. I will be growing on soil in a smallish closet. I will have a max height of 5' the light can be at with walls at about 5' deep by 9 foot wide. Ventilation will be very good and temps wont be an issue. I am thinking the best fit for me would be an air cooled 600 watt HPS with a digital 220v ballast. I used to grow a hydro setup about 15 years ago with a 250 watt MH and it would Rating: 5

[Charbud]

Definately a 600 watt, i think 1000 would be overkill. If there is space try and have a veg and flower room so you can put clones from the veg straight into flower with no delay and see a nice yield every couple months. I also hear air cooled lights are the sh*t ! If i were you id grow them to the end inside as you can easily control the plants variables, temp,water,pests, nutes.

Charbud

[jakester]

Definately a 600 watt, i think 1000 would be overkill. If there is space try and have a veg and flower room so you can put clones from the veg straight into flower with no delay and see a nice yield every couple months. I also hear air cooled lights are the sh*t ! If i were you id grow them to the end inside as you can easily control the plants variables, temp,water,pests, nutes.

Charbud

I will have a mother/clone chamber made from a cardboard box with 2 computer fans, 2 68watt (300watt replacement) CFLs and a 100 watt MH spotlight. I have done something similar before with a 2 chamber grow and semi perpetual yields. I will be starting with much better genetics this time and a little more patience.

[mainegrown]

i dont know about others and dont seek to speak for them but the general trend that i have seen is to use a high pressure sodium- HPS for flowering and MH for for vegg..
but the MH might work for you i read somewhere that it helps to produce tons of trichromes and such to make potent but not very heavy buds as 'red' light is needed for flowering to take place.. well not really needed but it helps a lot!!
hope this helps
-J

[jakester]

i dont know about others and dont seek to speak for them but the general trend that i have seen is to use a high pressure sodium- HPS for flowering and MH for for vegg..
but the MH might work for you i read somewhere that it helps to produce tons of trichromes and such to make potent but not very heavy buds as 'red' light is needed for flowering to take place.. well not really needed but it helps a lot!!
hope this helps
-J

I want some of what you are smoking.:hippy:

I did say I was looking at a 600 HPS for flowering and CFL MH for veg.

[jamessr]

Multiple CFL's on multiple 1/4 inch 4x8 plywood surrounding your plants. Way less money and way less heat. Your plants will look like the plants in many Walt Disney shows. Just a thought for your concerned questions posed.

I did this many years ago when my situations were the same. Medicine came out great.:thumbsup:

[jakester]

I have a hard time believing that CFLs alone will pack the density or weight.

[redtails]

They won't, you can get the quality but not weight. HID lighting has far more lumens per watt and a much better range. I'd go with the 600 for your setup, sounds like a perfect fit (except maybe the height).

[LetsSeeYa]

Sounds like ya got a good plan there my man:thumbsup:







:rasta:

[jakester]

They won't, you can get the quality but not weight. HID lighting has far more lumens per watt and a much better range. I'd go with the 600 for your setup, sounds like a perfect fit (except maybe the height).

From what I understand a 600 gets about 18" of light penetration @ 18" distance from the bulb. So if I keep my plants under 30" or so I should have plenty room to optimize yields with that light.