This question was asked here 100 times and answered 100 times, why don't you try using the Search feature ? and you'll find it right away...
MH=Metal Halide / HPS=High Pressure Sodium........MH/HPS=HID......HID is High Intensity Discharge, which describes the TYPE of lighting. T5/T8/CFL are all fluorescent lighting.(Type) So........HID lighting (MH for veg/HPS for flower) is better for growing.
You use Metal Halide to grow the plant (18 hours on, 6 hours off), then when you want to bud, you change to High Pressure Sodium, 12 hours on, 12 hours off.
I veg with T5 and flower with HPS. 18/6 for 1-2 months, then 36 hours of darkness, 12/12 flowering. Miracle Gro (24-8-16) for veg. Schultz (10-15-10) for flowering. AMAZING RESULTS!!
Hi, I'm a Newbie to indoor growing and I just bought a 400w HPS. Now I'm starting to think I should have bought a HID switchable system. Can someone please comment on how these systems are (how good they work) compared to me going out and buying a whole new MH setup. Thanks!
Rather than buy a whole new system, look into one of these bulbs for your HPS ballast. It is a ceramic metal halide lamp that is designed to operate on your ballast. It has the blue spectrum like the MH lamps...............check it out: Phlips MasterColor Ceramic Metal Halide ~ CMH ~ HPS-Retro White
No, read about it on these forums. I have a switchable ballast that runs both types. There is a great read on here somewhere about a guy that uses them though. Try the search function and query ceramic metal halide and do some reading. It will save you having to buy any more equipment. Also, for a conversion type bulb, the price is good.
Did you do any research before you went and bought it? 400W HPS can easily flower around 3-5 plants and get some quality buds. But you will need lights to vegetate your plants with, you can go down two paths: Metal Halide lighting, which is faster and debately produces better results, or Fluorescent bulbs (CFL/T5), cheaper to run & buy and easier to get to specific parts of the plant. Go and spend about a week doing some research on all parts of growing, i read up on everything before i planted my first seed and mistakes still were made.
Thanks everyone. I've decided to get a switchable ballast and start the veg with a 400w halide. I've been reading day and night on the forums so I don't eff the whole thing up. Just put the little girls in soil today and while I'm waiting on the ballast to arrive they will be under 2 Fluors... softwhite and daylight.