Considering HPS. Am I being crazy?

jacare · Oct 24, 2025

I am in the process of deciding what to get for a new 4x2 flower only tent which will be mostly used for SOG.
I've explored lots of LED options in regards to lighting and somehow I have found myself looking at and seriously considering HPS. Am I being crazy?
My thinking is that I can get a 600w omega black dimmable HPS setup for under £50 which can dim down to 250w and 400w which would be where it would be used. Surely there's a sensible argument for this? With winter quickly approaching and equipped with sufficient ventilation surely it's got to be worth a go?
Somebody please let me know if I am talking sense or if I have gone down a rabbit hole and convinced myself it's an awesome idea.

KG1 · Oct 24, 2025

Some LEDs are made for 4x2's a HPS will do one but not ideal at the edges.

250w is not really that hot in any light all base ventilation system will easily clear the heat and keep tent at room ambient.

Im pulling almost 200cfm through a similar tent no light can alter the temperature by more than a degree or two and it tracks the rooms temps which are what I seek to control over all.

So yes hps is still a winner, jump on in but if £50 is a burden I'm gonna recommend saving for a mars hydro FC or FCE. In fact even being a big fan of all lights especially HPS I feel even I am going to ditch them for LEDs and have my sights set on a FC-3000 EVO at Christmas.

Mars hydro are always spamming out great deals, can pick up their new environment controller with the FC/E series on the cheap or just wait till they bring out new offers and Christmas deals which won't be long.

LED Grow Light

Mars Hydro's LED grow lights feature the Samsung FC-EVO, FC Series, FC-E Series, TS Series, and SP Series, as well as grow tents, ventilators, and other accessories, all of which are designed to meet your growing needs.

marshydro.eu

Another option is to buy the base modes TS1000 and below and string a few along the 4x2 but then your limited to seedlings and veg with flower never seeing real potential due to lower PPFD.

Overall it's hard not to go led even own Mars hydros full set up or similar company of which few seem to be as big here in the UK.

jacare · Oct 24, 2025

KG1 said:
Some LEDs are made for 4x2's a HPS will do one but not ideal at the edges.

250w is not really that hot in any light all base ventilation system will easily clear the heat and keep tent at room ambient.

Im pulling almost 200cfm through a similar tent no light can alter the temperature by more than a degree or two and it tracks the rooms temps which are what I seek to control over all.

So yes hps is still a winner, jump on in but if £50 is a burden I'm gonna recommend saving for a mars hydro FC or FCE. In fact even being a big fan of all lights especially HPS I feel even I am going to ditch them for LEDs and have my sights set on a FC-3000 EVO at Christmas.

Mars hydro are always spamming out great deals, can pick up their new environment controller with the FC/E series on the cheap or just wait till they bring out new offers and Christmas deals which won't be long.

LED Grow Light

Mars Hydro's LED grow lights feature the Samsung FC-EVO, FC Series, FC-E Series, TS Series, and SP Series, as well as grow tents, ventilators, and other accessories, all of which are designed to meet your growing needs.

marshydro.eu

Another option is to buy the base modes TS1000 and below and string a few along the 4x2 but then your limited to seedlings and veg with flower never seeing real potential due to lower PPFD.

Overall it's hard not to go led even own Mars hydros full set up or similar company of which few seem to be as big here in the UK.

The FC4000 was/is definitely one of my options but when I think about running an omega black at 400w in a SOG then it's sure to get a half decent return.
My thoughts were that I'd have the tent and fan setup in place with the HPS and then further down the line just swap out for a better LED when they become more affordable or to where I can justify getting one over a £50 HPS.

KG1 · Oct 24, 2025

If your a good grower any light will give great returns irrelevant of efficiency.

The FC-4000 is on offer £280 with their new icontrol system for lights fans temps etc.

It's hard to ignore Mars hydros savings , already very affordable not going to see much change for a while yet.

Ultimately you have to decide, still drooling over the FC-3000 hoping by the time I have the money they still have the icontrol deal going.

jacare · Oct 24, 2025

I hear what you're saying. I just need someone to tell me if I do want to save money for the short term would I be fine with an HPS at 250-400w in a 4x2 SOG or am I being ridiculous?
I do really like the FC4000 and at that price it is good for what it is, I'm just trying to save where I can.

jacare · Oct 24, 2025

Also as a side note, I have no experience with HPS.

BearWater · Oct 24, 2025

jacare said:
Also as a side note, I have no experience with HPS.

I don’t think you’re being crazy. I say give a shot for a run. I have a 400watt set up I’m sitting on right now. Thinking I may run a single plant under it come time. Waiting for cooler temps.

jacare · Oct 24, 2025

BearWater said:
I don’t think you’re being crazy. I say give a shot for a run. I have a 400watt set up I’m sitting on right now. Thinking I may run a single plant under it come time. Waiting for cooler temps.

What kind of setup have you got?

BearWater · Oct 24, 2025

I’ll have to go look : ) I got it at the beginning of this summer. It’s nothing special I don’t think, pretty generic, picked it up from someone getting rid of fans and the light and a couple other things.

jacare · Oct 24, 2025

BearWater said:
I’ll have to go look : ) I got it at the beginning of this summer. It’s nothing special I don’t think, pretty generic, picked it up from someone getting rid of fans and the light and a couple other things.

I mean like your whole set up, tent fans lights etc.
What have you grown with it and with what results?

BearWater · Oct 24, 2025

jacare said:
I mean like your whole set up, tent fans lights etc.
What have you grown with it and with what results?

Ah yes! lol : ) I have a 9x11 shed. I’ve insulated most of the walls. And have foam board also. I’m the process of making it a three room setup (flower, veg, lung) my first run out there in soil and my diy led wasn’t horrible) it was enough to get my feet wet, and to show me I could pull it off. I’ve since upgraded lights to a phlizon 1000w And have aci controllers for the fans(exhaust/intakes) I have a 8000 rated ac unit that is also my heater, currently used on a timer during lights off. I have a very robust dehumidifier for the size of my outfit, but it works : ) got a couple auscultating fans for the walls also. There’s a lot to read through, but if you want to check it out Here’s my grow dairy

juliando · Oct 24, 2025

jacare said:
I am in the process of deciding what to get for a new 4x2 flower only tent which will be mostly used for SOG.
I've explored lots of LED options in regards to lighting and somehow I have found myself looking at and seriously considering HPS. Am I being crazy?
My thinking is that I can get a 600w omega black dimmable HPS setup for under £50 which can dim down to 250w and 400w which would be where it would be used. Surely there's a sensible argument for this? With winter quickly approaching and equipped with sufficient ventilation surely it's got to be worth a go?
Somebody please let me know if I am talking sense or if I have gone down a rabbit hole and convinced myself it's an awesome idea.

Cheaper up front - but then you have to run 400w 12/18 hours a day.

You could run 4 LED fixtures on that - create any kind of spectrum you wanted.

jacare · Oct 24, 2025

juliando said:
Cheaper up front - but then you have to run 400w 12/18 hours a day.

You could run 4 LED fixtures on that - create any kind of spectrum you wanted.

Yeah it would be for 12 hours.
I know its a big selling point for thr led but let's not include running costs as a factor.
What do you think I should expect in terms of performance?

juliando · Oct 25, 2025

jacare said:
Yeah it would be for 12 hours.
I know its a big selling point for thr led but let's not include running costs as a factor.
What do you think I should expect in terms of performance?

Not the perfect spectrum for the total life, best for flowering - but im sure it would grow a plant at 400w or whatever.

(Also, bulbs...they get used up, change spectrum and a replacement could cost more than that fixture.)

jacare · Oct 25, 2025

juliando said:
Not the perfect spectrum for the total life, best for flowering - but im sure it would grow a plant at 400w or whatever.

(Also, bulbs...they get used up, change spectrum and a replacement could cost more than that fixture.)

It would just be for flowering

AlanJohnson · Oct 25, 2025

No mate, I wish electricity wasn't so expensive and I had my old tent set up I would still definitely use MH and HPSs, LED technology is coming along fast but it cannot replicate HPSs grown bud just yet.

If you look at most warehouse commercial grows you will see they are using those 1000w MH and HPSs, they constantly put out denser harder but and penetrate the canopy will loads more power so your lower down buds still come out as actual rock hard buds and not fluff.

AlanJohnson · Oct 25, 2025

I've still got 4 of them (600w) with digital ballasts and MH and HPS bulbs (Osram) bulbs also for Vedge in storage. It's why I tell people if an LED panel is a mix of Samsung and Osram's it's premium as many new growers don't know or have never heard of Osram, they are the best company for high power grow lights.

I'm noticing right now I'm doing 3 under 150w LED is pretty much the same as doing them under a 250w HPS, but the HPS 250w had loads more penetrating power. I'm no expert not even a novice in learning about lighting but you can just tell when weed has been grown under high power, high heat bulbs.

jacare · Oct 25, 2025

AlanJohnson said:
I've still got 4 of them with digital ballasts and MH and HPS bulbs (Osram) bulbs also for Vedge in storage. It's why I tell people if an LED panel is a mix of Samsung and Osram's it's premium as many new growers don't know or have never heard of Osram, they are the best company for high power grow lights.

So you think at 400w an hps in a 4x2 SOG would get solid results?

AlanJohnson · Oct 25, 2025

There's a comercial still using High powered bulbs (MH and HPS), I used to find a 600w perfect for a 1.5 x 1.5 x 2m tent with an 8 pot Wilma to be perfect, but to deal with the heat I would use a 10 inch extractor, a 6 inch would do the job but that's at full power all the time where with a 10 inch you can run it slower and plus you have a bigger filter.

AlanJohnson · Oct 25, 2025

jacare said:
So you think at 400w an hps in a 4x2 SOG would get solid results?

What's 4x2 ft or Meters

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