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Ceramic Metal Halide Questions

Posted by gnomico (My Page) on
Thu, Dec 11, 08 at 14:10

I am interested in buying a ceramic metal halide lamp. I am confused about the vertical versus horizontal. I currently have an HPS lamp with the reflector hanging from the ceiling with the bulb parallel to the ceiling/floor. Is this vertical or horizontal? Also, my ballast is a 400 watt magnetic HPS. Do I need anything else to use the Philips HPS CMH bulb? Thanks in advance.


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Ceramic Metal Halide Questions

Your reflector orients the bulb horizontally. You have a correct ballast for the CMH bulb. You don't need anything else although your reflector almost certainly could be upgraded, and your ballast upgraded to a GE digital.

The Philips CMH bulb is cheaper and typically retails for $60. This bulb is either horizontal or vertical but cannot do both in one bulb. The average color temperature is 4K or 4000 degrees Kelvin. This bulb I recommend for the vegetative stage.

The GE CMH bulb typically retails for $100. This bulb is universal, and operates horizontal or vertical with no penalty (unlike MH). The average color temperature is 3K or 3000 degrees Kelvin. The GE CMH is higher output (more intense) than the Philips CMH and slightly less blue than the Philips CMH. I recommend GE for the bloom phase.

Either the Philips 4K or the GE 3K can be used for all stages, and still do way better than HPS. The only time I recommend HPS is for tall plants (over 2.5') or perhaps as supplemental light in a greenhouse (in greenhouses, GE recommend half CMH and half HPS). HPS has a higher output than CMH, but HPS is mostly yellow-orange.

You may contact me at: euroindoorgrow@yahoo.com
for more info.
Ciao,
Bill


 
 

 

 


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