Lighting

[gettyelee]

HID vs LED vs Induction. What you really need to consider when lighting your room/s

[Guest Mr_smith]

LED is fine for supplemental lighting. But an entire LED grow will not yield as well as an HID grow and will cost you more.

 

I dont know a whole lot bout induction but I would assume that more people would be using them if it were so great. The only thing I have heard is they dont have the proper spectrum, but once again I dont know enough about it to form an educated opinion.

 

All I know is there is a reason 95%+ of growers use HID.

[smokinsumbud]

LED is fine for supplemental lighting. But an entire LED grow will not yield as well as an HID grow and will cost you more.

 

I dont know a whole lot bout induction but I would assume that more people would be using them if it were so great. The only thing I have heard is they dont have the proper spectrum, but once again I dont know enough about it to form an educated opinion.

 

All I know is there is a reason 95%+ of growers use HID.

 

 

 

 

more expensive to buy too

[smokinsumbud]

more expensive to buy too

 

 

 

cfl for babies

mh for veg.

hps for flower

[Jipo]

400w mh for babies

1000w mh for veg

2200w hps for flower

[Sativasfied]

What you really need to consider when lighting your room/s

 

Ceramic Metal Halide

 

Once everyone learns more about these, and demand grows, there will be a market for more than just 400 watt bulbs, and CMH bulbs will be predominately used by indoor gardeners over MH & HPS.

 

It is only a matter of time now.

[Guest Mr_smith]

I use a 400w ceramic MH for veg. Works amazingly.

[TheFlyingBuddha]

What is the difference between a conventional HID and a CHID?

[Guest Mr_smith]

Its like this.

 

You have your Metal Halide- More of a blue spectrum designed for vegetative growth.

You have your High Pressure Sodium- More of a red spectrum designed for flowering.

Then you have this new guy, Ceramic Metal Halide that runs in a hps ballast and can only be had up to 400w. While CMH isn't really designed for growing, it works out great. It was designed to replace HPS in warehouse like settings. The spectrum on these bulbs is awesome, they can be used for flowering and veg which is great for the grower on a budget.

 

As I said, I'm seeing very good results with these bulbs. The one I have is made by Phillips and I could only find it online. I think I paid like $60 shipped. However, horticultural bulb manufactures are indeed taking notice of the benefit of these bulbs and trust me, you will be seeing a lot more of them in the near future.

[smokinsumbud]

Its like this.

 

You have your Metal Halide- More of a blue spectrum designed for vegetative growth.

You have your High Pressure Sodium- More of a red spectrum designed for flowering.

Then you have this new guy, Ceramic Metal Halide that runs in a hps ballast and can only be had up to 400w. While CMH isn't really designed for growing, it works out great. It was designed to replace HPS in warehouse like settings. The spectrum on these bulbs is awesome, they can be used for flowering and veg which is great for the grower on a budget.

 

As I said, I'm seeing very good results with these bulbs. The one I have is made by Phillips and I could only find it online. I think I paid like $60 shipped. However, horticultural bulb manufactures are indeed taking notice of the benefit of these bulbs and trust me, you will be seeing a lot more of them in the near future.

 

are these also called conversion bulbs ?

[Jipo]

are these also called conversion bulbs ?

 

Nope a conversion bulb is the opposite bulb setup to ignite in the wrong ballast basically. A MH Conversion bulb is a metal halide bulb setup to ignite by a hps ballast. A CMH bulb is a completely different bulb and is the truest "white light" HID, They have pretty much the same spectrum as both MH and HPS and have about equal output as a 400mh bulb.

[smokinsumbud]

Nope a conversion bulb is the opposite bulb setup to ignite in the wrong ballast basically. A MH Conversion bulb is a metal halide bulb setup to ignite by a hps ballast. A CMH bulb is a completely different bulb and is the truest "white light" HID, They have pretty much the same spectrum as both MH and HPS and have about equal output as a 400mh bulb.

 

so ...you cant use them with a hps ballast have to use a mh ??

[boroboro]

CMH bulbs are separate from both HPS and MH bulbs. They run from a standard HPS ballast. Everything I've read on growing with them recommends the 'Philips HPS retro-white 400 watt CMH'. They're not currently available, AFAIK, in anything over 400 watts.

 

I used one for a few years, for veg and flower, and was very happy with the results.

 

Bulbs are around $50, with a lifespan about like HPS bulbs.

 

I built mine with a ballast kit from 1000bulbs.com, $60 and it's still running fine years and years later.

 

More info on CMH Bulbs: http://advancedtechlighting.com/cmhfact3.htm

 

Anyway, I second the CMH recommendation. You can have lots of light for only about $120 (more if you need a reflector, though), and it's good for all stages of plant growth.

[Guest Mr_smith]

so ...you cant use them with a hps ballast have to use a mh ??

 

CMH bulbs can be operated in HPS ballasts only. If you were to have a 400w switchable (HPS or MH) ballast, you would run a CMH bulb on the HPS setting. If you have a MH only ballast, you would be unable to use a CMH bulb. If you had an HPS only ballast, you would be able to run a CMH just fine.

 

400w is the max for a CMH at the moment. I assume this will change shortly as bulb manufactures are starting to see the CMH as a money-maker in the horticultural field.

[Timmahh]

ok, so i want to use the CMH Phillips brand bulb. I read thru the article linked, but was a bit confused when the spoke on the ballasts for them. So what ballasts would one choose for useing a 400wt CMH bulb.

 

according to the article linked

the only ballast Acceptable for a 250/400 Watt CMH is the GE Ultramax unit

 

but they also say

50-400 watt CMH Generally utilze either a standard Magnetic Metal halide Pulse Start Lamp or Electronic Ceramic Metal Halide Ballasts *Specifically stating for CMH.

 

so whats a good ballast option for the Phillips 400w CMH, and can you suggest a hood.

only looking for a personal setup right now. and need to decide on lights to use.

but i want the ability to expand when/if needed.

[boroboro]

Any "ANSI S51" ballast will work.  That's the industry standard for 400W HPS core-and-coil transformer style ballast.  I have read that digital ballasts aren't suitable for the CMH bulbs.  

 

I ran mine for a while with a bare bulb, then bought a Sunlight Supply Magnum XXL 6" reflector.  Love that hood -- I ended up buying more of them for 1000W HPS lighting in the flower room.

 

For a near infinite amount of additional reading, there is a 4,000 post long thread at icmag about CMH bulbs and their use:  https://www.icmag.co...ead.php?t=72215

 

 

 

edit: just started re-reading that thread, and realized that my ballast answers above here only apply to the 400W CMH -- there are other requirements for smaller CMH bulbs.  No wonder there is some confusion.

 

 

[jimmy]

Has anyone used the Dual Arc bulbs, I was thinking about switching over to 400w dual arc in flower and 400w MH in veg. I am currently useing 1000w MH in veg and 1000w HPS in flower but because I have a low ceiling in my flower room I have heat issues.

[curegiver]

Has anyone used the Dual Arc bulbs, I was thinking about switching over to 400w dual arc in flower and 400w MH in veg. I am currently useing 1000w MH in veg and 1000w HPS in flower but because I have a low ceiling in my flower room I have heat issues.

 

I've been using Hortilux's SuperBlue bulbs. I did notice a difference in the buds compared to SuperHPS, but not much.

 

I was paying $230 and now they're up to $280 for some reason. SuperHPS are $130.

The white light is extremely appealing, but I don't see SuperBlue performing in accordance with it's high price.

 

We need a technology breakthrough or something. LED technology has huge potential, I am surprised there aren't LEDs that output 200,000 lumens yet.