I have a 250 watt HPS that I use on my two plants (small stealth grow). But the ballast is louder than I'd like, and it creates a faair amount of heat - so I only use the light when I am around to monitor the situation. Otherwise, when I'm out, I use a 150 watt compact flourescent, a much cooler and quieter light source. The flouro is fine, and the plants are great, but of course the HPS is better... My question: is it stressful to plants to have their light source/quality changed all the time? Am I better off just keeping the flouro as the sole light?
No it should not affect it. If you were changing it every other day, then it probably would, but the HPS would be much more helpful to your plant than just fluoros alone.
Thanks stylez. My concern is that I do switch the lights pretty regularly - if I know I am going to be home for a few hours, I pop in the HDS - but if I take off again, or know ill spend the night at my girlfriend's, or whatever, then it's fluoro time. So I switch them back and forth pretty routinely. What do you think?
should be OK. it's even more OK if you use the HPS in the morning, Flouro during the day, and then HPS again before going dark. This will mimic the light spectrum of a natural day.
as far as your ballast questions,,, if its a vibration thats making it loud,,put a rubber mat under it,the size of a semi mudflap,,,,as far as the heat,,,if you positioned a small 4'' round normal fan on it to vent the ballast heat,,,that issue would be gone from your mind,,,if your system is a new one and not a remanufactured ballest,,, that heat will be natrual,,,they dont run cool,,,,your not going to grab it while its turned on,,,,,,if you can touch a match to it and it dont light the match,,,,then it aint operating at too hot of a level ---