HPS Grow Lights

What is HPS lighting?

HPS lights, also known as high pressure sodium lights, are HID bulbs – High Intensity Discharge.

This type of gas discharge lamps produce light via an electric arc between electrodes.

HPS lights need to be used with a ballast of the same strength and a reflector used to redirect light towards your plants.

Who do I Need a HPS Light?

HPS Lights are the most-used type of lights when it comes to indoor growing. They’ve made themselves a home in growing culture due to how efficient they are, and also because they were the only type of lights available for grows over 1m2 in size until recent years.

Nowadays, LED and LEC lighting systems can produce more grams per watt used, although the fact that HPS lights are cheaper make them the preferred light by many growers.

How Much Light Does an Indoor Cannabis Plant Need?

Light is measured in lux. The light of the sun reaches plants at between 32000 and 100000 lux.

Small plants only need 5000 – 7000 lux.
During the veg period they’ll need around 15000 – 50000 lux.
During the bloom stage they need 45000 – 65000 lux.

What Sodium Light do I Need for my Indoor Grow?

HPS lights produce light with the perfect spectrum for the bloom (flowering) period.

Some growers use metal halide grow lights during the growth period and then during the flowering period they switch to a special HPS flowering light.
Other growers prefer to go halfway and use a mixed HPS light which can be used in growth and flowering stages.

Saving Electricity in Your Indoor Grow

Depending on if you use a mixed HPS light or specific lights for the growth and flowering periods, you’ll use a different strategy. Let’s have a look at both options:

Different Lights for Growth and Flowering

If you’re going to use a different bulb for growth and for flowering, we recommend using a lower strength bulb for the growth period. For example, a 250w metal halide grow light for growth and a 400w HPS light for the flowering period. You’ll need to use different ballasts for the 250w and 400w models if you’re using an analogue ballast, although if you decide to use an electric ballast you can use the same device thanks to the included dimmer.

Mixed Grow Light for Growth and Bloom

If you’d prefer to use the same bulb for the entire process, we highly recommend using an electronic ballast. Electronic ballasts are secure and come with a dimmer, which allows you to reduce the wattage to half during the first grow weeks and increase it as your plants grow. You should use them at full power during the bloom period.

What HPS Grow Light Should I use in my Grow Tent?

80x80 cm Grow Tent - HPS 250W or HPS 400W grow light
100x100 cm Grow Tent - HPS 400W grow light
120x120 cm Grow Tent - HPS 600W grow light
150x150 cm Grow Tent - HPS 1000W grow light

What Mixed HPS Grow Light Should Pick?

There are plenty of options available nowadays; you can pick between:

Pure Light HPS Grow Bloom Max Grow Light, available in 250w, 400w and 600w – the most affordable range.

Lumens for 250W: 32000 lumens.
Lumens for 400W: 56000 lumens.
Lumens for 600W: 90000 lumens.

These lights produce a colour temperature of 2100k. Their light spectrum has been adjusted to produce light that’s slightly whiter than standard HPS bulbs. This stops plants from stretching too much during the first growth weeks.

Sylvania Grolux light, available in 400w and 600w - professional quality mixed grow light.

Lumens for 400w: 58000 lumens.
Lumens for 600w: 90000 lumens.

They produce a colour temperature of 2050k, with a corrected light spectrum for growth and flowering.

The Philips Master SON Grow Light, T Pia Green Power, available in 400w and 600w. It has PIA Philips Integrated Antenna technology, which increases lifespan and improves light flow.

Lumens for 400w: 55900 lumens.
Lumens for 600w: 89000 lumens.

Thes elights have a 2000k colour temperature and a corrected light spectrum for growth and flowering.

If you need 1000w, you can use the Philips SON – T 1000w E E40 grow light, with high Philips quality.

Lumens for 1000w: 130000 lumens.

Colour temperature: 2000k with a corrected light spectrum for growth and flowering.

What HPS Grow Light to Buy for the Bloom Period?

Some of the best options are:

The Pure Light HPS Bloom grow light is available in 400w and 600w, and it’s the most affordable light with a decent price/quality ratio.

Lumens for 400w: 48000 lumens.
Lumens for 600w: 75000 lumens.

Colour temperature: 2100k, ideal for the flowering period.

The Sylvania SHP-TS Lamp comes in 400w and 600w formats. This is quite the trustworthy model, with a Sylvania Wound antenna, easy turn on and long lifespan.

Lumens for 400w: 55000 lumens.
Lumens for 600w: 90000 lumens.

The Philips Master SON T-Pia Plus 600w Grow Light is the most professional HPS model that produces high quality and is one of the most efficient in the world. Plus, it’s made without using lead making it a great eco-friendly alternative. It’s easy to turn on and can be restarted within 30 seconds. Its Philips PIA patented technology (Philips Integrated Antenna) prolongs the lifespan of the bulb itself.