Recent content by Todway

--- before I returned my very nice digital Ph meter to Prof Equipment in Janesville, WI, I tested our water for severl days running. after sitting overnight, as recommended on several websites, indeed the water was right at the neutral level. BTW, we proved that our Brita filter water jug...

-- they are bulbs from leading manufacturers. they are not cheaper than online -- SORRY! - it's a convenience issue. And the lumens are easily tracked with a light meter. if you are not happy with them, simply return them. it sure beats paying shipping fees and breakage. i returned my PH meter...

for seedlings etc,. you only need either: 75w and or 120w Philips grow bulb(s), or - better - the 75w (17w consumption) 24-in. fluourescent plant tubes at Wal-Mart (about $10 each). Well made, and durable. After that, two 48-in. fluor Eco-Lux or Philips Plant/Aquarium tubes, about $9 each...

many guides suggest 1-ft. of distance per 100w of output. Just yesterday the clone-master at Blue Sky in Oaksterdam reiterated what many always say: no closer than THREE FEET to the plants with HPS or MH 250W and up bulbs.

a 400w MH has about 33,000 lumens, a 400w HPS has about 50,000. I stepped up to the latter bulb after several weeks of MH. I measured it all for 12 weeks with a NIST-cert. digital photometer for accuracy.

it's true that the veg state is fine with 24/7 lights. it's widely known.

two reliable vendors are: high pressure sodium, and garden.com. One is in PA, one in VA. the switchable MH - HPS electronic ballast from garden.com is best, and reflector, which includes mogul socket and long cords on both ballast and reflector. Ballasts have a 3 yr. warranty. You can get...

in veg state it's fine to run 24/7 lights. I've just done so for 8 weeks, from 125w HPS to 250w MH to 400w HPS, for 2 plants. many sites advise that the longer the plant grows, the stonger the result will be.

250w MH might be best, it's cooler than 250w HPS since it has about about 30% or so fewer lumens.

I would go with 250w HPS for that space. It's much too small for anything larger.

the best way is to buy a 150w HPS and a 250W MH and 400W HPS, successively. In the cubic space you have, i think 600w is overkill. the 150 are useful for sub-canopy. One online site sells switchable electronic ballasts w/ 3 yr. warranty for use with BOTH HPS and MH bulbs (of same wattage.) The...

I've used those bulbs, they're very good. So is Sylvania.