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hydro_rocket

BEST 400W Metal Halide?

Hydro_Rocket
19 years ago

Can anyone recomend the BEST metal halide system?

Including the BEST (brand and model)400 watt bulb to promote vegatation?

And where to find the BEST buy?

Thanks,

Joe

Comments (7)

  • brainiac
    19 years ago

    Here is my vote:

    http://www.hydroponics.net/i/386305

    Get the Warm Deluxe bulb upgrade.

    They used to offer a System I ballast as an upgrade but it doesn't appear on their webpage now. The System IX ballast shown is pretty good.

  • watergal
    19 years ago

    I bought a Hydrofarm Radiant online from AHL Hydroponics. I got the Agrosun Gold bulb (has a little extra red for flowering - if you just are doing foliage, the normal bulb should be fine. I also got the glass shield for peace of mind in case I splash water on the bulb or it breaks.

  • dave_jam79
    19 years ago

    I think the sunmaster cool deluxe is the best vegetative bulb ive seen. theyre so blue it looks almost eerie!

  • jwmeyer
    19 years ago

    The best all around bulb will be a bulb that can replicate the spectral graph of sunlight as closely as possible. Two bulbs that come to mind are the HORTILUX BLUE which has a CRI of 92, and the PHILIPS MASTERCOLOR ceramic metal halide w/ a CRI of 85. Both are available in assorted wattages and both are excellent choices. For more inf. just punch in either philips mastercolor or hortilux blue in your search field.

  • zink
    19 years ago

    jwmeyer,

    I see you have posted this in threads other than the Hortilux one.

    I have seen the Spectral Power Distribution that Philips published for the MasterColor line of lamps. I have never heard of this being used as a plant light. At the time I saw it, I immediately began looking up information, and found none.

    This looks to me as if it would be amazing as a grow light, but I have never seen it represented as such, or ever heard of anyone who has used it to grow.

    What do you know? Links? Info? I would love to see how good it is.

    Zink

  • shrubs_n_bulbs
    19 years ago

    This product bulletin includes a graph for the 4000K mastercolor. I assume the 3000K is similar enough that you can guess a spectrum.

    Also, the Hortilux Blue which you've probably seen before.

  • jwmeyer
    19 years ago

    Zink,
    Here is some inf. that will explain and answer your questions better than I could. Yes, the Philips is a great light for growing indoors. HPS and MH lamps were not initially intended for growing, that is true. They were designed for industrial applications. Some companies added some blue spectrum when it became clear that folks were using them for growing. W/ the Philips Mastercolor, it to is designed for industrial use BUT, Philips designed a bulb that replicates as closely as possible, the sun's light so workers see better and feel better. It makes good sense that a lamp that is good for human's, and closely matches the sun's spectral gragh, will be good for growing plants as well. There is a grow shop here in Portland that brings to fruition dwarf banana tree's using 1 400w Mastercolor bulb under a 7' parabolic reflector. I use a 4' vertizontal reflector myself w/ a 400w mastercolor...

    JW.

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