So I am about to start my second grow, for the first I grew in dirt and I had 4-85 watt cfls(2 6400 Kelvin and 2 4000something Kelvin) for veggin and flowering. I am debating either buying a 400 watt interchangeable HPS/Metal Halide light setup, or doing a hydro setup. I can do the hydro setup fairly cheaply with the same lights, or spend a bunch of cash and get the lights/ballast/shield and then have to deal with cooling my grow room as well. Is it worth it drop all the cash on lights, and will a hydro setup make a big difference over dirt? I'm not going to spring for both this time, and I am really hesitant to upgrade the lights and deal with all the heat they put off since I live in an apartment and am growing in an enclosed area. Any thoughts??? BTW first harvest was 2 oz off 3 girls, is that decent for dirt and CFLS?
i would upgrade the lighting bro. you will be very happy with a 400 watt hps system. also they are not as expensive as you think. i have been winning them rather cheap on ebay. i have links to them somewhere in my led hydro journal
Don't know what kind of a hydro setup you are thinking of, but you can build a DWC hydro setup for about $40 with a rubbermaid bin, and an air pump. YOu could get both the lighting and squeeze the hyro setup into your budget. But as stated, if one or the other, get the lights, you will see the most difference in your grow by replacing the fluro's and getting the mh/hps.