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Sun System X 400 HPS

Hello all,
  Up until now, I've been using just a simple fish tank and fluorescent light setup that has served me well.  I'd really like to take it to the next level, and create a bigger chamber capable of growing more plants.  My local Hydroponics place is running a special on this. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with these systems or anything similar.  Any advice?  Would it be suitable for growing CPs (mostly Neps.)  
  Also, with this light a fish tank will no longer do.  What setups has everyone had luck with in the past?  This is out of my range, a simple support structure and plastic screen for humidity would be great.  Have most of you built your own, or are there good pre-made things out there?


---Lane
 
Lane,

I have a 400 watt Metal Halide system (not HPS, but similar), that I use with neps. I have a wire rack system from Costco, and I leave my neps open air in my house. So far, they're growing like crazy, and I've had it running for about six months. If you have something that absolutely needs extra humidity, just put the fish tank somewhere under the light. This size light is suitable for providing good, strong light for a 4' by 4' growing area.

As far as my limited knowledge goes, I think Metal Halide has a bit better color spectrum for cps than High Pressure Sodiium (HPS), so I might look for MH instead.

Capslock
 
You definately want MH not HPS. You can use one of each but I wouldn't use just HPS, way too low of a color temp.


joe
 
I use a Sunsystem combo 600 watt hps/400 watt MH unit with great results. I can only use it in the colder months as there are some heat build up issues. It also eats the rooms humidity and requires the use of a good humidifier.

Although the unit failed, the company backed their warantee and provided reasonably prompt action regarding the repair and return of the unit at no expense.
 
I was growing with an HPS 400W for several years before I went to study outside... And I had to reduce down my collection of all my big specimens... All species grow very well under it, but tend to have a yellowish color after a while... You must know that you should change the bulb 1 time a year for having the full spectrum, in either case (HPS, MH), mine was 5 years old, so it can explain a lot of things...

My Nep, in that time, were awesome, just lack a bit of humidity (and i got rid of them unfortunatly...ah I miss them!), wonderful Sarr, great sundews, pings, etc. The only genus which didn't like it much was Heliamphora, which began to make curled up spoon nectar under this light, which it didn't under fluorescents tubes. but it is the only negative point.

I think that a HPS is producing less heat too, but i'm not sure about this... And finally, they release on the market some 'balanced spectrum' HPS bulb, which is supposed to be very close to MH, getting more blue light in the bulb spectrum.
 
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