|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Unlike most fluorescent
fixtures, High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps offer
plants light of the proper spectrum and intensity to
carry them from the seedling stage all the way to maturity.
Metal halide systems stimulate vegetative growth by producing
light which is mostly in the blue range of the light
spectrum. High pressure sodium systems, on the other
hand, emit red-orange spectrum light to stimulate fruiting
and flowering.
Think you might want to run metal halide for part of the time and high pressure
sodium for the remainder of the time? You can do this in a couple of ways. First,
if you have a metal halide light, you can get a special high pressure sodium
conversion bulb that will run in your system and put out red spectrum light.
That means you can start plants under a standard metal halide lamp and then put
in a high pressure sodium bulb when it’s time for fruiting and flowering.
Conversely, if you have a high pressure sodium lamp, you can use a metal halide
conversion bulb in your system to emit light from the blue part of the spectrum.
Because the conversion process itself takes some energy to accomplish, conversion
bulbs aren’t quite as efficient as regular metal halide or high pressure
sodium bulbs, but they will give you the best of both worlds with just one light
system.
|
| Detail of Sunleaves Two-Way Ballast
switch. |
Another good option is the two-way light system. Two-way systems can be switched
back and forth depending on your needs at the time. Want a metal halide lamp?
Simply put in a regular metal halide bulb and switch the ballast to its metal
halide setting. And for high pressure sodium? Put in a regular high pressure
sodium bulb and switch the ballast to the high pressure sodium setting.
In addition to the type of light you want to use, you’ll also need to decide
what light size you want. HID lights are available in a variety of sizes from
250 watts and even smaller to 1000-watt systems. Keep in mind that small wattage
lamps are not usually as energy efficient as their larger counterparts, and you’ll
be left with a much smaller growing space and less light intensity. |
|
|
|
|
Home
