Why Hps?
- Thread starter SuchLaser
- Start date
RooRman
Well-Known Member
In my expierience (although this is argueable) the MH does make the plants exhibit tighter inter-nodel growth during the veg phase. The mostly blue spectrum of light provided by MH lighting is perfect for vegging plants and forming large prolific veg. growth.
HPS on the other hand is mostly in the orange-red spectrum and encourages budding and flowering in plants by imitating the suns light during the autumn harvest. HPS bulbs are great for flowering, but poor for veg. because of their usual total lack of the blue spectrum. In my expierience, plants flowered under an HPS light will yeild much more than those flowered with an MH or CFL.
HPS on the other hand is mostly in the orange-red spectrum and encourages budding and flowering in plants by imitating the suns light during the autumn harvest. HPS bulbs are great for flowering, but poor for veg. because of their usual total lack of the blue spectrum. In my expierience, plants flowered under an HPS light will yeild much more than those flowered with an MH or CFL.
Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
i've been using cfl's for my seedlings and clones. but in the hours that the flowering hps is on i have been moving them out under them and moving them back under the cfl's for the off hours. so they are getting 12 hrs of cfl and 12 hrs of hps. the main reason i do this is to save electricity any ways i can find. so am i harming the growth, confusing the clones & seedlings or does it matter that much??
RooRman
Well-Known Member
CFLs are great for seedlings becasuse theres a low risk of burning them. But as the plants mature they would benefit more from stronger light like a MH. Also, MH lighting provides better coverage and penetration, so sometimes it is more efficient to have one MH system for a bunch of plants rather than a crap load of CFLs. However, the veg. period is short (4-5 weeks)and you can easily get away with using just the CFLs for vegging then switching to the HPS for flowering. Moving them back and fourth is just more work and why run the HPS at all if you don't have to.
Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
the hps is going for my flowering plants anyway. so if it doesn't hurt them i save 12 hrs of electricity for the veg closet per day. i'm house bound so the work (not much work) of moving them is just something to help fill the day.
RooRman
Well-Known Member
I would think the more blue light of the CFLs would be better for the vegging plants. HPS is poor for proper photosynthesis and really all about forming flowers. I wouldn't say you are hurting them with the HPS, because I have seen it done before, but I would just as soon veg. with lots of CFLs and leave just the other plants in flowering under the HPS. After all some stretching will occur either way.
Also, I like 24hrs. only for seedlings. Plants do things in the dark that they cannot do when the lights are on. I truly believe the plants grow better when they have a dark "rest" period. I usually turn the lights back to 20/4 at about 2 weeks, for a week, and then to 18/6 for the rest of the veg. Saves money too!
Also, I like 24hrs. only for seedlings. Plants do things in the dark that they cannot do when the lights are on. I truly believe the plants grow better when they have a dark "rest" period. I usually turn the lights back to 20/4 at about 2 weeks, for a week, and then to 18/6 for the rest of the veg. Saves money too!
Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
yep, been doin' that. it just made sense to me. ok, i'll just leave them under the cfl's. it makes sense also. thanks bro.
- Thread starter
- #8
I mean, does the redder spectrum make for shorter nodes or bigger buds? I know HPS is a little stronger than MH in lumens, is that why they use HPS for budding? has anyone here personally tried 13/11 ir 14/10 (on/off) for budding? seems like it might work since that's more natural than 12/12 but don't want to risk wasting time ya know?
