CaptinDirty said:
i have been reading that everyone needs a 400w hps to grow a plant, its nice to hear that you really don't. i picked the 70w up for $15 on sale. i just hooked it up and it puts out a lot of light with a nice glow!
hookah, are you using a reflector for the hps? mine came with one, but it is kind of bulky. idk if i should keep it on to focus the light more, or cut it shorter so i can get it closer to the plant?
Yes, mine has a reflector too.
Im pritty sure you have either the same one as me, or dang close to mine.....b/c i know what you mean; my 70w'er is bulky as heck.....however i got used to the bulkyness, and finally figured out how to make it hang "almost" level.
I was going to take off the whole box, and reflector...then just hang the Bulb vertical.......and move the ballast futher away from the plant....to give me a little less heat. ( not that theres much to begin with).
Ideally, i think you should remove the box, hang the bulb vertical, and surround the hps bulb with your plants....as in a circle of plants around the hanging bulb.
If you do; do that, rotate all your plants every few days, so that the side of the plant that isnt facing the bulb.... gets light.
and one more ideally situation....If you have enough money, yet you dont want to buy a higher hps or mh because of heat or w/e..... Then i would say buy either two 70w'ers.......or find the 100w'ers from lowes.....or mix 70w with a 100w.
Or you can do what i did, and use just the 70w hps...and add as many cfls as you can, through out your grow.
annnnd mylar is always going to help you out.