ok have the hydro system working. Germany has no concept nor idea of home use hydroponics so I have had to create everything from scratch and bits and bobs from plumbing and gardening sources.

But it has ran now for 3 days with no overflows, no spillage and continual water flow to each container in the system.

Now I am trying to find lighting which is a serious problem. These people here even at lighting outlets have never heard of HPS or MH bulbs!!!! Seriously!!!

We may have found a mass wholesale outlet for overseas shipping which may have what I need, but have to wait till Monday to go there and find out and he may not sell them to me because I am not a business, sheesss...

I can order the bulbs out of country no problem, but the ballast is the problem since I have to have something which runs on the german specific 220 system with their plug outlets and connectors.

So the next question is, to properly light my 24 squre foot area I need about 9600 lumins which breaks down to average of four 50 watt HPS Blubs. My concern is IF I get a 50watt ballast for the 50 watt HPS bublbs, can I use the same ballast for a 50watt MH Bulb or do they need different ballast systems?

50 watt HPS Per lumins is 3400 x 4 = 13600 well above the selected 9600 range, usually MH bulbs have a denser or higher average of lumins per watt count as well I have noticed so the Lumins will go a bit higher still once I change to the MH 50 watt bulbs.

However the basic question is can I use the same 50watt ballast system for the two different types of bulbs IF the bulbs have the same connector / Screw in size and shape on their ends? Or will I need to have two differnt ballast systems to run each different type of bulb?

Many thanks for all the assistance and advice to date it is working well. Even have my dear old Mother asking me for help with her hydro system in the states, nope she is raising tomatoes LOL!
tolmarex Reviewed by tolmarex on . Total Newbie with several questions ok first time ever growing cannabis, it is technically legal where I live, you can own and use, but not sell, barter, trade, or transport. So only legal way of course is home grown. Now comes the strangeness if you will. I am currently preping an area for a hydroponics set up. It is a specialty build Giant Iguana Enclosure, no more iguana so figured use it for something. Reason I state this is to point out the enclosure is able to be controlled for humidity (55 up to 98%), Heat 24C up Rating: 5