It's time to upgrade my whole grow. The new box will be around 8sq. ft( maybe scrog setup), so I figure a 400-430w bulb should be sufficent with 50-53w/sqft ( not enough?). Anyways I'm just finding so many bulbs to choose from and am getting tired and confused by chart after chart, graph after graph ....my question is which is better: Horitlux or Agrosun?

Hortilux HPS is enhanced in the blue region for veg and should run cooler than a MH. Bigger buds, not as tight, according to legend.

AgroSun MH says it outputs 49% more red spec than standard MHs. Probally will run hotter and produce smaller, but tight nugs.

Has anyone tried both? I'm leaning towards the Hortilux just because of the heat factor. Oh ya....I'm upgrading the ballast situation also, so the fact that Hortilux is a conversion bulb doesn't really matter. Perhaps get a Agrosun MH bulb and ballast and a Hortilux bulb to throw in during flowering....the best of both worlds?!

Clouds

go with the hortilux

curiously, I have always found that HPS runs significantly hotter than MH...and I went with the Agrosun...in a vented Hydrofarm reflector hood...

good stuff...

if you read through all these posts, it appears the people that have been doing this the longest go with the AgroSun....

I have run the 1000 watt hortilux and the 1000 watt agrosun gold and if I had to choose just one I would stick with the MH agrosun plus you can buy a 1000 watt gold for about 65 us
and thats not to shabby good growing.

Thanks guys!

I think I will go with the agrosun and matching ballast. Then, down the road, if I want to experiment with a hortilux I'll only have to buy the bulb. I'm sure either will be an improvement over the home depot specials I'm running at the moment.

George, my MH most definately runs hotter then my HPS. It could be the types I'm using right now , old and crappy

Have you checked out the dual spectrum?

The agrosun gold I was refering to is a MH bulb only and the eye hortilux is only for HPS use.
I know they also make conversion bulbs just don't put a HPS bulb in a MH fixture and vice a versa.
just my 2 cents

Wango, yes, I was talking about a Hortilux conversion bulb. I should have been more specific.

Bong, that's actually sort of what I run now, a homemade reflector with a 250hps on one end and a 175MH at the other.

Hers' some graphs that I found while on my search...










This is a great site about growing orchids
growing under HID

and of course something from here....
more graphs/charts and indepth discussion

Thanks everyone and I hope that this can be useful to someone.

Clouds

awesome info you included thanks.
Before I came to CC all I ever heard about us potsmokers was that we were stupid because we get stoned or burned out or brain addled but now I know the truth.
Weed people are the most enlightened most intelligent people around and Clouds_of_Smoke you are a shining example of that type of awesome brain power.
Thanks for your input.