Hortilux bulb worth it?

[HARDDON]

The Hortilux bulb being discussed is a great light.

It has a Kelvin temp of 10K.

They dont make them much brighter than this.

MY only concern, is that during flower, while you will have the red spectrum that you need for flower, you will have the blue spectrum overlapping the red spectrum in intensity.

This is simply not how MJ best responds to light in flower.

Plants that flower in red spectrum need primary red spectrum. This type of bulb will deliver the red spectrum but it will be in an unbalanced ratio that is contrare to what MJ grows under the best.

While this may or may not affect flower size, flower density, flower propogation and propensity, I suspect it will affect flower potency.

I have studied the light spectrum and MJ reqquirements in depth...and I have yet to find anything that even remotely suggests this strong blue wave overlap will do anything other than promote vegetative growth...not flower.

I can essentially for what ever reason, buy any type light on the market...and I wouldn't veg without quality CFL's and flower without a red spectrum dominate light source.

But we all have our preferences...and this is just mine.

HARDDON Reviewed by HARDDON on 07-29-2005. Hortilux bulb worth it? As the title says, is it worth the extra cash? Or will the stock one work fine. insidesun bulbs. Rating: 5

[Marc Benson]

I just read an article...if that means anything...that says the reason the Hortilux bulb is so good for both veg and flower is because...well here's a quote:

"However, the lack of blue spectrum light in Standard HPS bulbs can sometimes make a plant stretch during the vegetative growth stage. Enhanced Performance HPS lamps have a wider blue spectrum, which makes a significant difference in plant growth."

Sort of makes sense. But hard to question your success HD with the cfl's.

I think it's time for some major R&D.

[Zandor]

The Hortilux bulb being discussed is a great light.

It has a Kelvin temp of 10K.

They dont make them much brighter than this.

MY only concern, is that during flower, while you will have the red spectrum that you need for flower, you will have the blue spectrum overlapping the red spectrum in intensity.

This is simply not how MJ best responds to light in flower.

Plants that flower in red spectrum need primary red spectrum. This type of bulb will deliver the red spectrum but it will be in an unbalanced ratio that is contrare to what MJ grows under the best.

While this may or may not affect flower size, flower density, flower propogation and propensity, I suspect it will affect flower potency.

I have studied the light spectrum and MJ reqquirements in depth...and I have yet to find anything that even remotely suggests this strong blue wave overlap will do anything other than promote vegetative growth...not flower.

I can essentially for what ever reason, buy any type light on the market...and I wouldn't veg without quality CFL's and flower without a red spectrum dominate light source.

But we all have our preferences...and this is just mine.

Very well said HARDDON.
I switched last year now to full HPS lights. The next round of KBS will be 100% HPS Hortilux bulbs. What I have learned from the last year is this bulb grows very tight nodes, very large flowers. This is the first time in many years that the stretch during flower has stayed proportional to the growth up and out. The plants stay uniform, I guess I do use more light then anyone of you and yes that is a factor. I like to give the plant more credit then just to think the color spectrum of the light controls 100% of the plants cycle. I think the light cycle plays a bigger part then spectrum but spectrum is important as well. Once the plant senses the light cycle change I think it shifts focus on what part of the spectrum to use, the spectrum is still there maybe or maybe not is the same percentage but itâ??s still there. I find they work the very best as side light vertical hung as opposed to top light horizontal mount bulbs.
You are also correct saying itâ??s just an opinion too. Not all high tech is worth the money and just because you can afford it means should you. For me itâ??s an easy call, one bulb one transformer it a no brainier. In my opinion and from what I see before my eyes they are worth the money. The next generation out soon is even better, this bulb is built and tested growing marijuana. They are raising the bar on lights and pushing the limit.
To me the difference is 2 pounds + from each plant vs. only ounces with out proper lighting, cooling and temperature control.

[Krippysmoker]

Well I was a bit confused....I have a 430 watt with an as of yet unused Son agro....grow room should be finished by the end of this weekend. To hot last week to do shit...anyway I already purchased a 430 hortilux HPS. Now the funny thing and this was from the guy at the hydro shop...said the 400 BLUE HORTILUX for MH was better for overall plant growth and flower. Not sure if he was right or wrong but it did make me wonder if I should switch out my MH light. Let me know what you guys think....less Lumens I know...but the graph did make it look appealing....and they even compared it to the HPS hortilux...much broader spectrum

[HARDDON]

"However, the lack of blue spectrum light in Standard HPS bulbs can sometimes make a plant stretch during the vegetative growth stage. Enhanced Performance HPS lamps have a wider blue spectrum, which makes a significant difference in plant growth."

Exactly. This bulb is superior for vegetative growth compared to an HPS. No question.

But all the blue spectrum provided simply isnt needed...nor used....for flower purposes.

For flowering, MJ uses, needs and wants red spectrum, or roughly 2700K.

The plant simply doesn;t use the blue waves to grow when flowering. It is just running juice which is cool if you dont mind the bill.

Place what you want over your plants...the plant will take what it can get but only if what it needs isnt present.

If you have good red spectrum, all the blue in the world wont hurt, but the fact remains MJ uses red for flower.

There is no question about that anyhow

[latewood]

I am seeing this in my grow...because I have to still use what I have and I believe the 400mh is better than nothing until I can upgrade. I see that the plants that are under more of the mh light side are stay tighter and more uniform, but the budds are not keeping up with the plants under my hps.(i din't mean to grow so many, but I got 11
fems out of 18 seeds, wanted to start my stash)and the ones under the lesser 250w hps are going nuts!!! anyway, I definitely agree with all Z and H stated in this thread...I hear what Zandor says "2lbs"
I'm gonna go in the bedroom closet and get the piggybank!!!...later

[Zandor]

Itâ??s just an enhanced spectrum bulb. Like grow enhancers for vegetation and flowering. Many many others factors play their part in the growth cycle.

The bulb you are talking about is a Super horizontal or super base up metal halide bulb.

The Enhanced Spectrum H.P.S. Bulbs have both colors and work from start to finish one bulb one transformer.

[Zero Revolt]

Hello all. I myself use a 400Watt Eye Hortilux Super HPS Bulb. Now this particular bulb increases the amount of blue and green spectrum light your plants take in by 30% over standard HPS bulbs while still producing the red and yellow spectrum light you need for flowering as well. So in the end all you need is one bulb to produce cannabis from start to finish. Hardon what you said about the blue spectrum light interfering with the cannabis flowering stage is illogical. Blue or green spectrum light will not negativly affect the plants during the flowering cycle instead the plants will just not use any of the light in those spectrums. Instead the plants will only use the red and yellow spectrum light instead. Now there are other spectrums of light other than blue,green,yellow and red such as orange for starters however cannabis growers do not need to concern themselves with the other spectrums as they are too far off from the primary bands to be benifical in any way. Not trying to correct you hardon. Sorry bout that.

[Marc Benson]

My question would be this after hearing all the above info. Does the fact that the Hortilux bulb gives both the red and blue that a plant needs, does it give them in less quantities than say a straight mh (or florescent) gives blue or hps gives red? In otherwords is it more beneficial to have the mh/flouros and the hps because of more light in the frequencies needed being generated specifically by the different bulbs than all of them just by the Hortilux?

[Zandor]

Science is always evolving and good growers keep up with science and always try to learn new and better way's to grow. If you are still using the same light bulbs that were used 10 years ago you are missing a lot. You will still grow the same amount of weed you grew 10 years ago with about the same quality. If that's works for you then have fun.

Please don't put MH, HPS in the same league with fluorescents lights. Fluorescents wish they could produce the lumens MH & HPS can.

Fluorescents may work as sidelight but MH & HPS are better; fluorescents are just a lesser of evils as lights go.

Serious growers will always spend the money and take the time to try. They are not afraid to experiment and will always strive to produce the very best.

Well I'm out of words on this topic. Either you use them or you don't it's up to you.