I have about 4 CFL lights I will be able to use during vegetation once I start growing, however I think it would be best to get HPS lights during the flowering stage, so I'm wondering...how easily obtainable are they? Do I need special fixtures for these bulbs, or will a normal fixture work? And, what stores can I get them from? I was thinking maybe walmart, or home depot...
Yes, HPS lights use a certain type of ballast so the bulbs will not work in anything that isnt compatible. Ive never looked really hard, but I have seen some 75-175 watt HPS lights in home depot under the "security lighting" section. they were about 40-50 dollars iirc. I personally ordered my HPS lights online, from www.htgsupply.com $119 for a 400w HPS system already built. with ballast, and everything already wired for plugin.
yes I order one from ebay, 400hps/mh switchable for 120 including shipping, you just have to shop around.
the 70-100w HPS lights from home depot (ebay is even cheaper) are pretty easy to obtain very cheaply (40+ bucks) and are a snap to wire into a remote ballasted unit. http://www.drugs-forum.com/growfaq/1151.htm The super ghetto method is to remove the socket from the fixture, extend the wires into your growbox, then seal up the fixture w/ the included metal plates and you dont even need the radioshack project box, since the fixture has become your ballast.
I found a 250 watt HPS sunsystems V. It was 214 out the door with the bulb. havent flowered with it yet, but it does kick out the light, heat to Make sure you think about the heat, mine has a ventable hood.. the heat from these can kill your plants
Now that I look at prices, and I know people that have grown perfectly fine plants with fluros...I think I might just stick to fluros for my first grow
Even though I'm a new grower, I've read that it's a lot better to use an HPS light for flowering because it gives off a different spectrum of light, just as CFL/MH is better for vegging because it's light spectrum is more blue. The spectrum of light an HPS emits is mimicking the light the sun gives off when the days become shorter and it is lower on the horizon. An HPS light is also just a lot more powerful and will give your plants more lumens to increase yield in flowering. Again, I'm not an expert but I believe I have the right idea. Maybe someone else with more experience can give you more advice.
I know that that is true...with the spectrum and so fourth, and I feel great that you offered to sell your exta HPS light to me, the only problem is I don't really have the money to pay even $50 for lights...which is why spending around $20 on fluros was the better option