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Discussion forum for the various methods and structures used for getting an early start on your growing season, extending it for several weeks or even year 'round.

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Old April 22, 2015   #31
paulywog0667
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I'm just using a 6500k 150 watt HQI. Then a 55 led unit, but the LEDS are 3 watts each. In a mix of white to blue in spectrums. So there is red in them and green. No problems so far, except for peppers seem to like the warmth a bit more. I also have been running a small unit comprised of 2x 24" 6500k flourecsents. Lastly a small CFL bulb in the 6500k range. Your spectrums are more organized in color/heat temperature. If you notice, a 10,000k bulb will run hotter. Than the same wattage 20,000k. PAR is more intensity measurements. It's used in the aquarium trade. Usually by how far a light can penetrate water. Red, pink, white, blues and greens all include colors on the color wheel. Pink still has the colors red, green and blue, but in percentages, not really coordinated by a kelvin chart. That is why nm at times can seem confusing. Reds/pinks in a 54 watt t5 bulb are not going to penetrate as deep of water as a blue or violet in the same wattage. A balance of species exact is the best route. Or if intentions of growing faster or slower. A good mix of 6500k has kept the plants growing for me. I think ebay has plenty of good LED units, but you have to know what your buying and growing. I've never tried the eye hortilux stuff. I have family that works there, but with aquariums too. Once something is marketed to a specific market, packaging and related customer service. Prices can jump up, but maybe they should expand markets if needing $30.00 a bulb. Unless it's a uncommon length. In aquariums, more the 6 plus foot range. A big jump would be 8' and longer. 4' $20 tops. If you can't give a specific kelvin and you keep needing help though. I guess customer service would cost more into a price.
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Old April 22, 2015   #32
Elagrow
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Eye Hortilux is the best for grow lights, the problem is they know it... I sell 10 hortilux super HPS 1kw ($129 each) to every 1 of the Maxlume HPS 1kw ($40 each). There is value in the name for sure, but they are the best from everything I have seen.

The PAR works the same I think for Plants, (I am still learning about it) as the light intensity for the colors, and plant penetration...

The LED's with 3w diodes are good, they are less intense, but run cooler, and even if you compare the 5w diodes next to the 3w diodes, you may not notice any difference in growth. (although I have never tested this concept, and this to me atm is just hearsay)
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Old November 22, 2016   #33
DutchOverflow
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I'm using a vivosun cheap 600w with digital dimmable ballast so I can click down to 400w and 250 which is nice for smaller plants. It does get hot as mentioned previously in this thread so I bought an 6" duct line that attachs to my light tube with an in line air mover fan for $30 bucks and it drops the temp of the bulb greatly which made me feel better but when I was in the local hydro shop talking about the bulbs the guy told me that having the fan pushing air into the tube is creating a pressure on the bulb and is not good for it. Also the box that the unit came in stated not to use a fan to blow or suck air throught that tube. I don't understand why it would be called a "cool" tube that perfectly fits to 6" fans and ducts yet not allow for cooling fans. Any ways I removed the fan and have been just running the light on 600w without the fan and the room temp stays about 78-81 althought it is fall here in Texas to daytime temps are 60-78. The guy at the shop also mentioned that the mh and hps bulbs work best with out cooling as they burn better at higher temps. Anyways the light works great it seems after a month will post an update in here down the road if its still going strong etc. I bought this kit off amazon for I around 120-130$
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Old November 22, 2016   #34
paulywog0667
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Pretty sure most aquarium units that are halide come with circulation fans. Might be for overall unit and water evaperation though. If not mistaken, the concept of a exaust fan is something a microcontroller could monitor and kick on to filter gases if a bulb broke. Aquarium carbon and phosphate pads would probably work decent, but there might be something that needs filtered besides whatever a p100 respirator would handle. A bulb running cooler could be circulation, but spectrums account too. Blue runs cooler than red. Not completely sure of exacts though.
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Old November 22, 2016   #35
Cole_Robbie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DutchOverflow View Post
I'm using a vivosun cheap 600w with digital dimmable ballast so I can click down to 400w and 250 which is nice for smaller plants. It does get hot as mentioned previously in this thread so I bought an 6" duct line that attachs to my light tube with an in line air mover fan for $30 bucks and it drops the temp of the bulb greatly which made me feel better but when I was in the local hydro shop talking about the bulbs the guy told me that having the fan pushing air into the tube is creating a pressure on the bulb and is not good for it. Also the box that the unit came in stated not to use a fan to blow or suck air throught that tube. I don't understand why it would be called a "cool" tube that perfectly fits to 6" fans and ducts yet not allow for cooling fans. Any ways I removed the fan and have been just running the light on 600w without the fan and the room temp stays about 78-81 althought it is fall here in Texas to daytime temps are 60-78. The guy at the shop also mentioned that the mh and hps bulbs work best with out cooling as they burn better at higher temps. Anyways the light works great it seems after a month will post an update in here down the road if its still going strong etc. I bought this kit off amazon for I around 120-130$

I don't agree with a single thing that hydro store guy told you. Air-cooled hoods on hid lighting have been the norm for twenty-plus years.

And this statement:
mh and hps bulbs work best with out cooling as they burn better at higher temps.

is just dangerous. A 1K metal halide bulb has an internal temperature similar to the surface of the sun. Both HPS and MH bulbs will explode when they get too hot. HPS tends to rupture internally, but MHs will blow up like grenades, throwing out shards of glass that are thousands of degrees hot.

Sorry to lecture. I just don't want you to burn your house down.

Last edited by Cole_Robbie; November 22, 2016 at 01:43 PM.
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