Im doing hydro i got everything but lights i am trying to keep my budget to a mim i was seeing if anyone can tell me what dif lights i should get and like th dif between the lights and i really dont want my power bill to be high if anyone can help me out it would be awsome thanks
If you are on a small budget, go with CFLs. You can get them at most box stores for a reasonable price. A few of them per plant and you are good to go. Check out Kamel's CFL Guide. It is a sticky in this forum for more info. If you want to spend a little more, both initially and in your power bill, check out HID lights. Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium are the most popular types among growers. One note, heat can be a major issue with HID lights. So keep that in mind before purchasing. Third option is LEDs. But, IMHO LEDs just aren't quite there yet. Maybe in a few years, but I have yet to see someone complete a grow without supplementing them with another form of light. Good luck.
Good question! Seems like what I'm hearing is the best "safe" economical starter light rig is cfl. Gotta admit though... I'm curious about the LED; in particular these new 3watt diode rigs such as by growgoddess.com. It's supposed to have the juice the other rigs (LED) have lacked to this point. Feedback anyone?
sweet guys thanks i thnk i am ganna go with cfl but i i can get led im going to but can i get a setup were i just use led?
Not that I have seen. For veg I think you can, but every grow I have seen has had to supplement during flowering. Good luck.
how many plants do you plan on having? I honestly am not much of a fan of cfls, ive used em before and they work but your not gonna get the same quality nuggets as you would with hid. If you only have a few plants id say a 250w hps and you'd be much happier and 250w really isnt too much power draw. just sayin cfls do have a downside, and as far as the leds go i looked into goin there but the general consensus seems to be they're not all the way there yet
Dude! Don't skimp your plants on light! How much space do you have? This will determine the wattage you need. 2'X2'=250W 3''=400W. Personally, I wouldn't grow under anything but 1000W, but I have high (hehe) expectations of my final product. I like big mature buds. My experience with even a 430W was less than stellar. 4'X4' closet? Run a 1000W. Just make sure you have good ventilation, but even if you grow with CFL's you need good air flow. If you are going to risk growing (hopefully your medical), why would you risk it for sub-standard bud? You can now get a switchable ballast, so you can use both MH and HPS bulbs, highly recomended if you only have one space. If you are flowering under an HPS, try adding some T-5 flourescents around the perimeter, (Phillips Alto bulbs), you will notice the difference. Good luck! Go for it! There is enough info here on this site for you to have a succesful grow! Peace! Fatty.