does the brand of HPS Bulb and fixture matter??

[hakaveli]

Hey guys, Im looking to buy my equipment to get started with my growing. I am still trying to decide where im going to get my HPS lighting from (ebay or in-store or craigslist?) and what kind Im going to get. Should I be weary of what brand I get or is the wattage rating all that matters??? I'm thinking of getting a 400-watt HPS but am not sure if I should go with 600-watt. I want to go with a 600-watt because it would be able to support a fatter yield but at the same time this will be my first grow so I dont know if i should make the immediate investment. I dont want to have a pessimistic attitude though as im pretty sure growing shouldnt be hard for me as Im pretty good at learning and am disciplined. But if successful with my first grow I want to grow as much as I can with whatever space I will have the next time. I am permitted by law to grow! anyway, my original question is DOES IT MATTER WHAT BRAND HPS BULB & FIXTURE I GET OR SHOULD I JUST PAY ATTENTION TO THE WATTAGE RATING?? and what does the light consist of? bulb, reflector, and fixture?

also, how much, on average, should i expect to pay for:

200-watt HPS (fixture and bulb)
400-watt HPS (fixture and bulb)
600-watt HPS (fixture and bulb)

is the reflector part of the fixture??

EDIT: I JUST READ THAT A BALLAST IS REQUIRED FOR USE WITH THESE HPS LIGHTS. DAMN. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE FIGURE OUT WHAT LIGHT SETUP I SHOULD GO WITH I AM COMPLETELY LOST AND DONT KNOW WHATS GOOD AND WHATS WORTH IT AND WHAT NOT!! :-(

the ballast is to make sure the bulb doesn't put out more energy than it should be right?

[buzb8lvr]

I'm normally in the "you get what you pay for" crowd but some nice lights can be had for cheap. www.htgsupply.com sells nice little setups for a good price. Many people use the htgsupply lights and their customer service is top notch. Not sure on the others but a nice 400 watt system (bulb, ballast, reflector) will run you about $150ish shipped. You can also get the kit that comes with a metal halide conversion lamp as well as the HPS lamp and still come in at under $200. I know a similar setup at my local hydro store will cost at least $250 without the MH bulb.

As far as wattage goes, it really depends on your grow situation. Obviously more watts is better but as you go up in watts the heat you have to deal with increases. I believe the 600 watters are the newest therefore most efficient as far as lumens per watt. You really have to take account of the square footage of your grow area and your ability to dissapate the heat that is generated.

Forgot to add, there are premium bulbs that have a few extra lumens and/or a little bit better light spectrum. They are no doubt nice but you can for sure get away with the plain jane bulb and do just fine. If you buy a kit that comes with a bulb I would just go ahead and use it and when it comes time to replace it you can buy the more expensive ones if you have the extra cheese $$.

[hakaveli]

awesome! thanks for your input bro greatly appreciated