I like the single heat source compared to a 400w and a 600w setup plus your over all cost is cheaper with the dual arc..1 ballast, 1 hood, 1 bulb, and 1 heat source while still gettin full spectrum light out of a 1k is the ticket IMO
If I had to choose between two bulbs settin on the table for my 1k, I am grabbin the dual arc over the
Hortilux Super HPS everytime..
Solarmax makes a cheaper one and so does Uishi I believe
We are also comparing initial lumens which is only accurate for the first month or so, if that long. If your really on your game, you are replacing your bulbs every 90 or so days anyways in order to stay in that output lumen sweet spot, they deminish with the quickness after about 120 days, not that you will notice at all but it is spiraling downward I assure you. Probably a 90 day old
Hortilux Super HPS lamp with it's 145,000 initial lumens is roughly the same a as a new Dual arc, I mean we are only talkin about 35,000 lumens between the two anyways from the get which is roughly a 250w lamp. The difference in a 600/400 setup is really only 27,000 initial lumens so like a 150w lamp difference in initial lumens.
Another thing is that most mag ballast are not goin to fire that bulb to it's full capacity unless it is brand new or with brand new capacitors and ignitors. The cheap ones that come in the ballast are about the crappiest ones available to man. Alot of times when you are getting deminished results or you bulb just doesn't seem as bright, that is is the reason. The ballast manufacturers setup hydro stores with all these components because it is an easy field fix and you can charge a bit ot two for the service. Most mag ballast manufactures will tell you that to maintain the ideal/optimum output levels from the ballast those particular components should probably be replaced on a an annual basis. Why do you think there are whole sections of hydro catalogs with nothing but these components? gotta replace them as regular maintance
Tex
