Need some advice .... Anyone be able to help ??

[redaaron]

HO - High Output
XHO- Extra High Output
40 - E40 socket

both HO and XHO us an E39 socket.
I don't know the exact differences between those bulbs this is the first time I'm seeing them, but that should help you identify which bulb you have.

You should look at a spectrum chart for your current CFLs as well and compare to the MH. Plants use all colors but mostly blue and red. Check out this chart Berowra Waters Algal Bloom Monitoring its a random webpage but it shows a chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b response. This chart, following the importance of chlorphyll activity of c.a. and c.b. and disregarding other factors like carotene, is seen that the best wavelengths of light ... are found at ~420nm 460nm 630nm and 660nm. That should help you identify which wavelengths are the most important when choosing a bulb.

I say get the HPS. Both MH and HPS can sustain a plant throughout it's entire lifetime, but the HPS has been proven to be better at that one thing we all grow to begin with and that's buds (or fun and what-have-you)

redaaron Reviewed by redaaron on 10-05-2010. Need some advice .... Anyone be able to help ?? Im currently using 8 CFLs for Veg , but i do have a 400Watt MH laying around , only problem is that the bulb i have for it is only 4000K color temp... but does push out 36,000 Lumens. My CFL's are 6500K , just wondering which would provide faster growth , the CFLs with the right color temp , or my MH that has a lower color temp but puts out alot more lumens. Some advice would be great, Thanks Rating: 5

[bobjob4u]

I would never flower without using mh and hps. I have seen yeilds increase drasically after finding the proper blend of spectrums and lumens:thumbsup:. I respect all the hps only for flowering guys, Do what works for you. But i do what works for me and my genetics. :jointsmile:

[redaaron]

I don't think either of us were talking about flowering with CFL's. We are talking about veg only. It is of my opinion that using anything other than CFLs or equivalent is OVERLOAD and wasteful to energy usage. To each his own though. You may find it is more effecient to run a HPS if you have a larger footprint to cover or you may not ....depending on your setup. I have yet to ever "flower" with only cfl's and I see so many people that assume that I do for whatever reasons. I think they just look at a few pictures and don't bother at all to read. Which obviously is a huge problem for people and their aptitude for knowledge.