Ceramic Metal Halide vs HPS

I'd like to get a 400 watt horizontal setup for vegging my plants, and eventually flowering also.

I hope Philips make a 1000 watt version soon!

From what I read, CMH uses the HPS light tube with MH gases in it. Whatever, as long as it works!
 
Phillips doesn't make these bulbs for, nor markets them to horticultural uses.
Their spectrum is spectacular, like the sun. Preferred by people in commercial spaces.
I think it's kind of handy that cannabis likes the same temps, humidity, and light as I do.
CMH grows good herb, but Phillips doesn't care. Officially. Yet
 
The SunPulse CMH bulbs have been out for a while. They're expensive, and the company makes 4 different spectrum bulbs for each wattage, to be used in veg, bloom, late bloom, etc.

They also want you to use all 4 during the grow to get the best results. I think these bulbs are about $100 apiece, so even using just the 4K bulb for the whole grow winds up double the cost of the Philips full-spectrum CMH bulb.

They do run on digital ballasts, though.

Yeah, the GE digital ballast for their CMH bulbs is around $350. It will run both the 250w and 400w Mastercolor bulbs.
 
The SunPulse CMH bulbs have been out for a while. They're expensive, and the company makes 4 different spectrum bulbs for each wattage, to be used in veg, bloom, late bloom, etc.

They also want you to use all 4 during the grow to get the best results. I think these bulbs are about $100 apiece, so even using just the 4K bulb for the whole grow winds up double the cost of the Philips full-spectrum CMH bulb.

They do run on digital ballasts, though.

Yeah, the GE digital ballast for their CMH bulbs is around $350. It will run both the 250w and 400w Mastercolor bulbs.
Again SUN you are correct...LOL
 
My indoor (indica dominate) strains gets a poor calyx to leaf ratio using a 4k CMH. But using the Life Light 3k spectrum CMH bulb during flowering I get a much better calyx to leaf ratio. The 4k bulb is very good for outdoor strains being grown indoors (sativa dominate) strains..

The 4k CMH is a full spectrum bulb.. It's not so good at flowering strains that have been adapted to work good with a 2k HPS bulb indoors. That's been my CMH experience anyway.
 
My indoor (indica dominate) strains gets a poor calyx to leaf ratio using a 4k CMH. But using the Life Light 3k spectrum CMH bulb during flowering I get a much better calyx to leaf ratio. The 4k bulb is very good for outdoor strains being grown indoors (sativa dominate) strains..

The 4k CMH is a full spectrum bulb.. It's not so good at flowering strains that have been adapted to work good with a 2k HPS bulb indoors. That's been my CMH experience anyway.

great info bro, :thanks:

I think that I read somewhere that the Life Lite Ballast is made in the USA.

I'll check it out, thanks!

One way or another, I going to give CMH another run.
 
I don't understand why some growers say they're just a great veg bulb.

The spectrum tells the whole story, although dogsnova's strain specific info is very interesting and helpful.

They run several degrees cooler than MH, and actually even run a bit cooler than HPS.
 
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