HID LIGHTING SYSTEMS
Light Up Your Garden

HID lighting systems...

H.I.D. stands for High Intensity Discharge. And intense, it is! These special lights have been used for a couple of decades in large commercial greenhouses. But now they are readily available for home use! HID lighting systems have revolutionized indoor gardening... What a vast improvement for the modern home hydroponics enthusiast (that's you)...

HID is pretty much the standard now for an indoor vegetable or herb garden. They are fairly expensive, and hot, but they supply the proper spectrum needed for flowering and fruiting crops; actually, they are quite close to what the sun provides.
 

HID= MH & HPS

HID lighting systems...

There are 2 types of HID bulbs available: MH (metal halide) and HPS (high pressure sodium).

The MH is a good all-around light, and perfectly adequate for most vegetables. If you can only afford one light, get a metal halide (MH). You can get a good 400 watt MH lamp with bulb for about $130-$150. But read on...

The HPS bulb is preferable for the flowering/fruiting stage of your vegetables. Preferable, but not absolutely necessary...

Hmmm.... MH is best for the vegetative stage, and HPS is preferred for the flowering/fruiting stage... Decisions... decisions...  Hold on... there's an easy solution!

Get a  lamp that will accept "conversion" bulbs! Use your MH bulb during the vegetative growing stage, and switch to the HPS bulb after the flowers appear. Voila! The best of both worlds... and simple, don't you know?

 HID lighting systems have gotten much more compact and come way down in price in recent years. And we have found a great conversion lamp setup with both bulbs for under $200! This is the system: HID ULTIMATE COMBO LAMP WITH MH & HPS BULBS.

Although HID bulbs are pretty expensive, they last for years. MH bulbs will last for two years, but we suggest you change them at 12-14 months (of daily use; don't forget to deduct the time you were using the other bulb).

HPS bulbs will last up to five years, but you should change them every two. Why? HID bulbs will keep on lighting, but they gradually lose their spectrum (and effectiveness). And you can't tell just by looking at them. But your plants will know...

 

DO YOU NEED AN AIR-COOLED LAMP?

HID lighting systems...

Okay, so by now you probably know that you want a conversion lamp with both an MH bulb and an HPS bulb. And you know you will need a good reflector, a heavy duty ballast unit, and a grounded timer.

If you are setting up your garden in a small or closed off room, you should give serious thought to getting a lamp with exhaust ducts and an inline fan, so you can route the heat out of the grow-room. This will definitely cost more, but you will not be fighting the heat! A cheap oscillating fan will not get rid of 94 degree heat in a tiny little grow room.

Unfortunately, this is a decision you need to make NOW, before you buy your HID lamp. Why? If you opt for a ducted lighting system, you need to order a lamp with cutouts on the ends which allow exhaust duct hookup. They look like this:

                       

And this is what they look like with the ducting in place:


                           


You will also need a small round exhaust fan inline in the ducting to push the heat created by the lamp out of the grow-room. Just so you know... something to think about. These are called "air-cooled" lamp systems, and may well double your lighting costs.

We have not had to resort to inline exhaust ducting, but our gardens have always been set up in fairly large rooms with plenty of A/C, or on a cool patio. But if I was going to set up in a small enclosed area, I think I would get an exhaust duct/fan system.
 

WHAT ABOUT WATTAGE?

HID lighting systems...

Okay now, what wattage do you need?

• 25 watts per square foot of garden as a minimum.
• 30-50 watts per square foot is preferable.
• You can't have too much light, but you sure can have too much heat!

Maybe this will help:

• 400 & 600 watt are the most popular hydroponic grow lights.

• 600w HPS is the most efficient & versatile HID lighting system made.

• 1,000 w bulbs are very hot and can't be placed very close to the plants. Get two smaller ones instead.

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Simon) Is my garden getting cooked? Here's how to check for excess heat: Place your hand palm down right at the top of your plants. If the top of your hand is hot, you need to raise the lamp higher. But if your hand is pleasantly warm, that's just right. You want the light as close as possible without burning the plants.       How much will the HID light raise my electric bill?    Answer: From $7- $20 per month, depending on what you pay per    KWH. If you run a 400 watt lamp 18 hrs per day, you will use 7.2    KWH. Check the cost per KWH on your electric bill and multiply X 7.2    to get the operating cost per month.      Help! No matter what I try, the HID light tilts down at the cord!     Solution: Put a brick (or other heavy non-combustible weight) on    top of the lamp, and slide it over 'til the lamp is level... Voila!

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