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Got MH?

Well, I need your expertise everyone.

So, with the plasma light out of the question ( http://ocps.proboards.com/index.cgi?boar....ead=3813&page=1 ), as it doesn't have much bang for the buck, I'll be going with MH instead (I think...).

Now, I come forth humbly with questions for all you experienced growers that have ventured this way, am I going to have many 'surprises' when it comes to building a new setup with a Metal Halide? (of course I am, who am I kidding..)

But where to draw the line... when it comes to wattage, is 1000W too much to deal with when it comes to the heat generated and the cooling of such heat? Magnetic ballast vs digital Ballast, is digital worth the price difference? Should I start small and eventually go bigger, or start off with a bang...

I've got a decent budget(and access to loads of spare wood lying around), I'll be building a custom setup, probably 5'x5'x4'. Contemplating using mylar 'heat blanket' lined walls(does anyone know how to get rid of the wrinkles ;) ), or painting the walls white with weatherproof paint. A misting system is something to consider down the line. But I'm mainly concerned about lighting.

I've got plenty of T5HO's, I like them, but they have to be quite close for them to be efficient, and I like how MH covers a broader area, and the output in lumes they produce...

Comments, suggestions? How would you do it differently? Any help is more than appreciated :D
 
Like you brought up, heat is serious issue. Especially when talking about 1000W, MH back a real punch, that's why they're used to light up baseball fields LOL. I've never seen small MH bulbs, only large ones and with the heat they exert I really don't think you'd even be able to use one for a LL setup, it'd be too much. Plus I don't know where a common household would get a power supply large enough to light one of those up.

What kind of T5s do you have? I have a 6 tier one and for most plants, a couple feet is close enough for them to really color up. I'd advise against the MH but if you choose to get some, let us know how it goes and and how you dealt with the symptoms and how many aliens were able to spot you from space :p


Edit: If you're looking to get started: http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122478 Didn't even know they even made fixtures for household uses. Doing a simple search I found some lower wattage bulbs, http://www.1000bulbs.com/Metal-Halide-Light-Bulbs/ 100W and looks like you'd get around 9000 lumens with them. Maybe it's more feasible then I thought but I'd still mess around with the heat issue.
 
Anything that generates lots of lumens also generates significant heat, depending on what you're growing, you'll need to find ways to deal with the heat. Given the fact that you'll need to deal with the heat, MH is supposed to be a great way to go ...

I know Pyro used one when he was in GA - he may have some tips ...
 
In my young and dumb days I used 1000w MH's for clandestine growing... they do work well and they do produce copious amounts of heat. Back then we would mix HPS and MH to get the right spectra.

There can be a significant difference in efficiency based upon reflector and ballast design, and their lumen maintenance can be pretty low... so be aware of those factors when you shop for your fixtures.... all MH are definitely not created equal, probably want to avoid the "fly by night" vendors and their cheap models

Here is a couple good refs I have

http://bluegrasscarnivores.com/research1/MH.pdf

http://bluegrasscarnivores.com/research1/GE_Horticulture_2009_05.pdf

I second Ron's recommendation... Pyro would be a good person to ask. IIRC Clint used HPS... he would be another good resource.
All my MH/HPS experiences are "old school herbal"
Av
 
I visited a highland grow chamber in Denver many years ago that was lit with a 1000 MH. It did not feel hot in there, but he did have it on top of the chamber with a glass plate separating the lamp from the inside of the chamber.
It cost about $1/day to run.

Cheers,

Joe
 
Young and dumb!
So which are we, older or wiser?
Oh, never mind! ...someone will claim "both" and we will know they are lying!

Hey, a lot of the current "herbal growers" are cutting edge on growing plants in general,
so it seems the herbs hasn't badly affected them all!

Oh, and on subject... yea, if you need heat, that IS the route to go!
(Maybe one could heat their house AND light up their plants all at the same time!)
Good luck!
 
Paul,

I had a hidden room behind a wall of hay bales in the loft of a barn north of Lafayette Ga. on Hwy 41 some 30-ish years ago.

100+ hydro units, fully automated.... it was truly cutting edge back then.

Anyways, one day GBI shows up with a search warrant. They tell me they suspect I have been making moonshine. They search the entire property but somehow they never find the secret door leading to the grow room.

After that everything was cut down, burnt and all equipment sold... valuable life lesson learned

Man I was stupid LOL

Av
 
I run a 150w MH fixture with a magnetic ballast over one of my reef tanks and I love it. The heat really isn't that bad if you know what to do with it. For instance, I have a small computer fan blowing in between the fixture and the water, which manages to take the water temperature down to about 78-79 as opposed to 82-84 without it.
I know 150 watts is far off from 1000, but I think a larger fan would do the same trick.

Like I said, I run a magnetic ballast and think it works just fine. I don't really know the difference between magnetic and digital, but I can't imagine there being too much of an advantage to either one.

A couple things to keep in mind:
If you decide to get a misting system, be extremely careful to make sure no water touches the bulb while it's on. It will shatter almost instantly.
Also, do not touch the glass when handling the bulb, hold it by the plastic piece on the end. The oil on our fingers can really lower the bulb life. If you accidentally touch it, give it a complete wipe down with rubbing alcohol.

Good luck.
 
Av,

Hey, I remember that Barn!
(Kidding!) :-))
 
  • #10
It was at the end of copperhead road ;)
 
  • #11
I had a 400W MH over my large LL Neps that lived in a showerstall. They grew fantastic under this, most LL plants in terrariums have kinda soft leaves but grown under the MH the leaves were quite tough. I would have liked to try MH over the HL neps since my fixture was a reef unit capable of running two remote 400W bulbs but I thought the temps would be too high, especially in summer.


Is it illegal to make moonshine only in certain states? When I bought my bag of hydroton for the vivarium bottoms they had the giant coils and all the other gadgetry for a DIY distillery.
 
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