Well I am sitting here trying to decide between a couple of lights. What I'm looking for is a small light to use for seed to 1month, clone starting, and maybe 1-2 mothers. I've got around 115 bucks left on my credit card Here's the 2 lights I'm debating on- Sun System Light Kits - - * 150 watt high pressure sodium bulb included - delivers an amazing 16,000 lumen or Compact Fluorescent CFL Grow Light Bulbs: Express Light Bulbs With the 200watt bulb and economy reflector. Really hard to decide for me. The HPS while not ideal for vegging works and is more lumens+ventilated and looks a hell of a lot nicer. The 200watt CFL is only 10,000 lumens but a hell of a lot better for vegging. Really looking at needing around 2sq feet of coverage. Really wish I could find a lower watt MH for under 100$.
I would go for the CFL if it's just for vegging, but look around for a 6500k one. Envirolites are good. CFLs are great for veg, you dont need serious ventilation or the lumens of a HPS
Yeah thinking you're probably right. I have enough heat issues with my 600 watt HPS- but they'll be in different areas so it's cool. Going through trying to cool down a grow area with a HPS is a pain. My question is with its ventilated hood won't that take care of a majority of the heat? I never owned a ventilated hood before. The CFL is cool I just wish the reflector wasn't such a POS, lol. Anyone ever run a 200 watt CFL bulb and know how much heat it gives off? Just thinking with that much wattage it's probably going to give off as much heat as the ventilated 175 watt HPS.
Ah well. I think I may have found what I need. Tabletop Fluorescent Lighted Plant Stands & Seed Starting Propagation Stands at Home Harvest Garden Supply Lots less wattage than I was hoping for but pretty damn good deal. Well I bought this light above-^ The 2-foot one. Even had enough left to get some Mylar!