Ok here it is…I am currently using CFL’s AND
L.E.D’s, all DIY lighting. Its what I was able to afford and had 75% of items already kicking around my garage. Anyway, here is my break dwn of what I have rite now at almst 4 weeks into flowering.
22 CFL’s - 14 2700k
- 8 6500k total 506 watts
22 LED’s - 11 5000k
- 11 2700k total 190-205 watts
Now my question is, would it be worth putting an extra 400watts of meatal halide in too?? I knw hps is best for flower but need to get to town to pick up a new HPS 400 bulb.
Will the M/H mess with my flowering and cause them to stretch too much or just too much blue in general? @dbrn32 whats your thoughts??
I am planning on QB’s 8n future but gtta work with this mix n match lighting for now lol
Thanks for any thoughts on this, @Ozzimotosan1
Stay Green
How big is your canopy? I stole this from hlg while back, gives you reference on light intensity expected from cfl’s.
Based on the mixture of your lighting, it probably wouldn’t be a lot different going to mh. Also would depend on exact mh bulb you have. Hortilux has some horticulture specific mh bulbs that will do great from seed to harvest. A standard 4000k mh not as good, but can still grow weed.
Otherwise you really just want to get into right light spectrum and try to keep intensity up. A decent 400w mh is fairly good in 3x3 space with reflection. Hps would obviously be better for flowering. But if you can’t get it now, make most of what you have. If your space is bigger, try implementing the led and cfl bulbs with the mh. Start with the warm whites (2700k) to add more reds.
Getting 400 watt mh in should definitely help then, it’s a big space. I would then grab some of those smaller fixtures and try to place them in corners.
No problem! Just try to make whatever you can happen without spending a bunch of cash. If you’re planning on a light upgrade, save the money for that and make due with what you have until then.
@Liljoe All I have ever used is LED’s. Never did the math etc., I go by what works and what doesn’t.
So far the COB LED lights are better than the just plain LED grow lights. Most of those are cheap Chinese junk, and not worth the material they wasted making them. The COB’s worked pretty damn well for my Purple Haze. I just didn’t let them go past cloudy trichomes, but that’s the buzz I wanted.
With this Indica grow, the OGK (like you my Bro 
) I used low-level plain LED’s at seedling, and then tried my first (and best) COB LED after I saw that the LLP LED’s just weren’t getting any growth. They loved the COB, so I kept that on them until I got the QB’s. Now they are the best I have used. HLG makes great ones that are warrantied for three years. If a LED ever goes bad, I have the sources to get replacements from, and a great set of Weller temp controlled soldering irons to do the repair work. Again, the proof is in the pudding as they say. This grow has been my best, and they are the healthiest, and most disease and bug resistant plants I ever grew, just keep the humidity down to keep the white powdery mold away, and these babies may get entered in the Bud Of The Month contest. Oh ya, and at flowering they LOVE that RAW brand Nitrogen, and Phosphorus!
Quantoms are my next big purchase, hoping after this round. I am going to put this 400watt m/h in there for now, and I have anoth 400watt I may fix. my buddy ended up giving me 3 400watt lights. I should be able to get 2 of 3 working. 1 for parts. Free is the best price I have found lol
Glad to hear your are going well.
Stay Green @Ozzimotosan1
@dbrn32 this is 2 of the 400w m/h bulbs. Which would b a better choice? Multi vapor?
I also have this bulb but its a 320/350watt, would probly burn up if I put it in 400w fixture for too long rite? I did put it in and it works but just left on for a couple minutes just to test bulb. My 150 hps bulb works in the 400w unit too but i only left on for a min, again just to test bulb was good(my friend gave me a variety of diff bulbs to try)
Thanks again for your time
very nice diy set up Joe.!!
the aluminum pan hoods freaking rock.!
the MH will do great on them plants.!
like dbrn said… put the 400w MH in the center and put your 2700k bulbs around it to cover the edges/corners of the room and they will provide plenty of the red spectrum to make nice looking fat buds.!!!
sadly, i have 2x 400w ballasts, hoods, and bulbs boxed up and in the attic.
wish i could let u borrow them to carry u thru until u get some QB’s.!
Sylvania and GE r the best 400w HID bulbs for the money,
there r better bulbs, but they cost 2-5 times more,
google the M154 and M131 and see what info u can get on that 320w bulb.
keep us updated man.!!
I’m not familiar enough with the different model numbers of the bulbs sorry. I definitely wouldn’t run the lower powered bulbs on the bigger ballast for long. And mercury vapor bulbs don’t usually emit the wavelengths most interested in for growing.
I would research the model numbers of the two 400 watt bulbs and see if you can get the cct of each. Whichever is lower is the one I would use.
awesome chart.!
i might find that and steal a copy for myself.! LOL
the new ppfd measurement is awesome,
we can now use a meter to find sweet spots and/or dark spots.!
thank you for all your posts on ILGM, keep up the great work.!!!
You should be able to download my screenshot as pic and just save it.
Thanks a bunch for the compliments @SlowOldGuy, I love DIY stuff. 
And @dbrn32 thanks for all the help.
Will find info on those other bulbs later for sure.
The sylvania 320/350 bulb is 3800k. I cant run with my 400w balast.
Here r specs on tje 2 400w mh
Disregard the lucalux one, I have that 400w hps bulb but it is burnt
Bottom one looks to have a little higher efficacy and both are 4000k.
do u have a multi-meter, the $15 moisture/light/‘pH’ meter.?
the pH portion is junk, but the moisture and light meters work good,
the light meter measures candle power, not extremely useful to us, but it will find dark spots in the grow area.!!
about 200 will keep clippings green, at 500 veg growth is slow and kinda stretchy,
750+ is good veg, 1000+ is good flower power.!
Do you have solar? With the cost of electricity here, I cut my consumption down to 400W, and that’s according to specs with lights. Not getting a KillaWatt meter anytime soon. Those M/H and Halogen or whatever they are use a s**t-ton of juice Man. Figure the cost after a six month grow, and here I could just get some at the dispensary for the same price per 1/8. New pix on the journal. Will @ you. - OzBro
Thanks @dbrn32. @SlowOldGuy I do have a lux meter for lights. @Ozzimotosan1 I ak almst at my 4 week mark (Monday is 4 weeks) and only plan to put the 400w in just to finish flowering, so like 5-7 weeks roughly. I live in Ontario Canada and we have the highest hydro rates in Canada if I am not mistaken, that Is why I am going with efficient LED’s in near future. Just have to get thru this round
@SlowOldGuy here is the light meter i have.
Nothing fancy or expensive but its works good. I am hoping to get 400w light up and running today. Got it hung in my room, just have to mount transformer on top, outside of my room and connect 2 wires.
Stay Green friends