Whats up GC. Been out of the grow game for a while, but ready to get back at it within the next month or so. I'm going to be upgrading the whole room thanks to a healthy tax return I'll be getting soon At first the choice was obvious... 1k HPS, with your typical air cooled reflector (used to rock the 400W, but need more). However, after doing some research and checking out various grow room setups. I'm considering a couple other options. Keep in mind that I will not be growing trees, more like SOG style because I'm going to have a rotating flower room so I can pull a harvest ever month or 2. I may not be growing straight lollipops, but definitely on the smaller side. Oh, and If I do end up going with the HPS, it would definitely be the double end style. The thing about Using the HPS with air cooled reflector is, even though you can get the light very close to the plants because the reflector is air cooled, doing so lessens your light distribution. Even with a 1k, having it that close to the plants will still result in the plants In the middle getting more light, and the plants on the perimeter getting much less light. 4' T5 HO are ~50W each, so ~20 of them would be 1kW. I could have 100% light distribution with T5s on the ceiling and all 4 sides. Say, 8 on the ceiling and 3 on each side. I could also mix in a few blue ones for a more realistic spectrum. With lights on all sides and smaller plants, light penetration will not be an issue. That being said, does 1000W T5 = 1000W HPS? Also, I've been thinking about using a 1kW in a cool tube with NO reflector in a vertical orientation (as pictured below). I've been checking out some threads and people are claiming insane harvests. like 3LBs per harvest with a single 1kW HPS. I know the harvest is in large part due to genetics and overall lifelong health of the plants, but basically these people are saying that considering those 2 things aren't preventative, it will result in a bigger harvest then a regular "flat/horizontal" grow. I'm not a newbie at growing in general, but These alternate scenarios I have no experience with, so just looking for some input. Thanks.
I use T5s for veg (I stick with the blue spectrum only...yet eager to try the new Hortilux Power t5s which r supposed to have uv rays, which I supposed to make a big diff, as only HID lights emit uv rays, to date), am use the new Gavita double ended 6/750 lamp setup (with the master controller because for $300 ur not gonna find anything that competes!), just setup my second one, and I am running those with 5 foot high ceilings in my crawl space and getting INSANE results. I do have a portable ac unit though, which is very hard at work (would NOT recommend this setup without a good ac unit). But if u have a NORMAL room setup with ceilings 7-8 feet, (which is the ceiling height for my new flower room currently being constructed) then u could get close to that 3 pound per plant mark with those gavita double ended. Get the 1000 watt version, though, if u have ceilings over 8 feet heigh. Ok. Good luck! Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
And to answer ur topic headline question: no, they r not gonna get even close to the same result watt per watt. The 4 foot t5s require somewhere around the 70 watt per tube mark, and the insane growing that takes place when I take my plants OUT OF the 24 hour cycle, which is under t5s, and put them into flower at 12/12, under my double ended gavita hps (boner), the growth that takes place in half the daylight time speaks for itself. U can't even compare what u get with t5s and HPS in the flower cycle. I only use t5s for veg because i don't need them getting HUGE in veg and they have two months to veg under the t5s. I recommend a similar setup. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
"That being said, does 1000W T5 = 1000W HPS?" no it doesn't, has to do with bulb efficiency and in the case of flouros, inefficiency. probably a guess would be 1000 watt of flouro = 500 watt of HPS very roughly...