Gandalf The Green 7 Report post Posted March 19, 2014 Hello good people of open grow! This will be my first real post here at OG, but hey we all start at zero, right? I've been lurking for a while and this is the first time I haven't been able to find what I need here! Shout outs to mr.dirt, randude, saxo, green angel, and of course our awesome breeders sannie, e$ko, and professor p and that's leaving out a lot! Let me preface with the fact that quality is allways more important to me than yield for I suffer terrible insomnia with bouts lasting 10+ days but have found much relief through our beloved plant, anyways on to my question. I would like to get some feedback on what you guys are using. Currently I'm running 1X1000w Solistek digital ballast with 1000w eye hortilux super hps and have had good results but, I am looking to aquire 2 more Solistek ballasts and upgrade overall. I have a 15000 btu AC and 6 inch ventilation so cooling is down I just need help with bulbs. I know I want a 1000w hortilux super blue mh in the middle of my flower room and parallel with the floor plus 1000 watts of hps on either side at a 45* angle. Question is what hps bulbs should I use. Digilux? Sunpulse mh? What would you use? I'm open too all suggestions. Thanks for listening to my stoned ramblings I'll have to post a tutorial for my amber glass! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ReverendMaynard 3,379 Report post Posted March 19, 2014 For MH, Sunpulse but imo you're already using the best HPS bulb. Peace RM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Draigwen 396 Report post Posted March 19, 2014 phillips make good bulbs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gandalf The Green 7 Report post Posted March 19, 2014 Thanks for the input guys! Rev- you always seem to give good advice so I'll consider sunpulse more. And I agree on the quality of hortilux bulbs but ive been hearing of people having comparability issues with digi ballasts. And wanted to avoid replacing my lamps prematurely. Agian thanks for your input fellow OGers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ReverendMaynard 3,379 Report post Posted March 19, 2014 I use Lumatek digi + Eye Hort Super HPS with absolutely no issues so as the SunPulse. Peace RM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greystone 200 Report post Posted March 19, 2014 The issue with eye hortilux and digi ballasts was resolved back in late 2012, so make sure u don't by older eye bulbs is all Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gandalf The Green 7 Report post Posted March 19, 2014 Thanks guys I knew I could count on you! So I guess it will have to be 2 hortilux then. You have help make some Nepalma, doublejam, and huckleberry kush lady's very happy in the near future! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ReverendMaynard 3,379 Report post Posted March 19, 2014 The issue with eye hortilux and digi ballasts was resolved back in late 2012, so make sure u don't by older eye bulbs is all True for a few bulbs when digitals really caught on. A lot of vendors who sell bulbs stamp the date the bulb was packaged right below the threads for warranty purposes. Cheers, RM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
do0d 55 Report post Posted March 20, 2014 Been very happy with solistek and growlite bulbs (with OG Hood) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Misterdirt 11,962 Report post Posted March 20, 2014 How many people have been able to do controlled comparisons between bulbs? I've used a number of brands, but too much other stuff was changed for each grow that I can't compare. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlackStoneInstitute 2 Report post Posted March 20, 2014 How many people have been able to do controlled comparisons between bulbs? I've used a number of brands, but too much other stuff was changed for each grow that I can't compare. I wonder the same thing. I've got a JD lighting digi ballast and they threw in their generic mh+hps bulbs. Ran them a couple of grows with no issues and very good yield and growth. In the past I had used the regular old Phillips hps bulb from the hardware store. It too produced quite well with no issues. I truly wonder if there is a noticeable difference between these $30 bulbs and the $100 ones. Maybe the question should be which bulbs are your least favorite? Anyone had any bad experiences with bulbs for digital ballasts? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gandalf The Green 7 Report post Posted March 20, 2014 When I first started I used a 400w sylvania hps from the hardware store. At first I thought it was my fault my internodes were 12" but then swapped for a 400w hortilux and boom 1" internodes. So while I'll do believe there's a difference in performance of bulbs in diffrent price ranges as long as you get one specifically for plants you won't see more than a 15%-20% increase in yield/quality/micromole output. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nil 454 Report post Posted March 22, 2014 I have had good results with Digilux HPS, but have not tried their MH bulbs. My belief when it comes to MH veg lights is that one proven brand is as good as another. If you are just vegging for a short time before flo, you are not likely to see significant results by using one brand over another. If you are running a dedicated grow room full of mothers for the purpose of rapidly producing clones, I think your MH bulb would be more important. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hoodlamb 0 Report post Posted June 16, 2014 using philips 600w red spec HPS in a digi ballast using a Philips 400w MH in a 400w digi ballast, tuned down to 250w are Philips good with digital ballast? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gregster 795 Report post Posted June 16, 2014 Hortilux , I had 8 hoods 2 rows of 4 , I tried different bulbs to see for myself which ones I liked best , sunmaster, ushio, sanagro red, grow bright, sylvania, a couple others I can't recall off hand, when you walked into the room the hortilux stood out , and I have run them in electronic and mag ballasts never had a failure, I'm not trying to sell them just saying they are good bulbs. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SmokinErb 26 Report post Posted June 24, 2014 I primarily use Ushio Hi-Lux bulbs. Finally fired up my first Hortilux, and it almost reminds me of growing with CMH a little while back... its a very neutral "white" light color as opposed to the red/yellow/orange glow of my Ushio's. Building my grow now, when its fully running with 5000w, I imagine I'll have 2x Hortilux and 3x Ushio. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DreamOfGreen 1,916 Report post Posted June 24, 2014 not sure where i read that if you combine a lumitek ballast with their bulb it produces more lumens per watt than nearly any other combination in the same price range will. so that's what i got, a 400 watt. it burned fine for about 3 weeks than the round connector tip at the end of the screw in base of the bulb broke loose inside the socket. piss poor quality control and a total pain in the ass. not bothering to send it back, just not using a lumitek bulb again. i threw in the 600 w digilux that i had been running and had just replaced with an ushio hi-lux. so now i'm running a 600 watt revolt ballast with the ushio and a 400 watt lumitek with a 600 watt digilux bulb that's burned for about 10 months. it's really damn bright and looks to the eye to run as well as it did in the revolt. pretty soon i.'ll upgrade to another 600 with a hortilux bulb and the lumitek will get used in veg room with rev's recommended sunpulse mh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
