lighting - T5 question

[BansheeRider]

Hi micro-growers,
nice to see there other growers here that "have" to do cab grows for one reason or another.... :smiley_joint:

i have space constraints and also am keen on keeping power consumption to a minimum while still trying to maintain an optimal yeild.
i am thinking on using a DR60 or DR80 tent with a 250w HPS and supplement it with 2 or more T5's, possibly as side lighting.
Another idea is to use 2x150w HPS....

what would be the most efficient setup with regards to yields and bud formation? 250w with T5 or jsut the 2x150w?
Would it be better to put the neons as side lighting or would it be better to place them horizontally over the plants?

i hope to be able to show you my setup very soon, probably after my OD grow finishes...

thanks for any advice
BR

 

[BansheeRider]

*bump*

no one has any advice regarding supplemental lighting with HPS?

 

[WilliamsWonder]

You can use regular old clf's for supplementing. 2 150w and 1 250w are very close to the same in lumen output. Just use the 250 with some cfl's... It'll help a bit.

 

[K Double O]

I use t5's in my veg... The trick would be how close can you get the set up to the canopy???

If you can get the t5's and the 250hps close safely.... then great....

Otherwise... IDK???

If you are running a Magnetic Coil Ballast.... You might want to try a 400 digi?......

I believe a standard 250hps pulls about 300watts input... So you are closing in on 400watts per say...

Instead of adding more of less in terms of light intensity... You will be happy with a 400 digi plus 1000bulbs.com has reduced wattage bulbs... 360watts....

Anyway just some ideas...

The choice is yours...

 

[Dice]

Id say of your two options that 2 150 watt lights would be better then the 250 and the t5's.
The two 150's is more light then the 250. not as much as the 250 with the t5's but the t5's are a better veg light then flowering light. They would help you with lumes but would cuse more stretch then bud.
The biggest problem with 2 150's thow is heat.
But with a copule of regular fans you should be ok.

 

[WilliamsWonder]

Dice, you can now get 32,000 lumen 250w hps bulbs, which equals 2 150w hps bulbs. Most 250w hps bulbs are 28,500, but new ones are 32,000. The 150w hps bulbs are 16,000 a piece... It wouldn't make sense to run 2 lights instead of one. If you can go with the 400w hps, it's definitely the better choice, but if all you can do is the 250w hps, then just use it.

 

[justanotherbozo]

Dice, you can now get 32,000 lumen 250w hps bulbs, which equals 2 150w hps bulbs. Most 250w hps bulbs are 28,500, but new ones are 32,000. The 150w hps bulbs are 16,000 a piece... It wouldn't make sense to run 2 lights instead of one. If you can go with the 400w hps, it's definitely the better choice, but if all you can do is the 250w hps, then just use it.

two 150's give you 2 points of light so spread the light
more evenly over a larger canopy than a 250 can.

this is my ghetto DIY light, powered by 2x 150's inside
my DIY cooltube.

 

[BansheeRider]

Williams Wonder, K Double O, Dice, and JustAnotherBozo - thanks for answering back with your experiences and ideas....they have definitely given me some help and stuff to think about.

it looks to me like the T5s are more indicated for flowering so I will probably go for the CFLs for supplements.
I also like the idea of trying a digital ballast with a digi 400 but the 32,000 lumen 250W HPS sounds tasty too....

thanks again, i wish you all many happy grows
BR