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I used to use dual arc bulbs because you can't beat the spectral coverage and the plants LOVE em. I had a lot of problems with bulbs not lasting and also found out that my Galaxy digital ballast would not run them well. The store was great and kept giving me new bulbs but it was such a pain the ass I just got regular HPS bulbs.
Due to the cost it took me this long to get it but I finally got it going! 3000 watts of perfect spectrum with ungodly lumens moving back and forth! WOOHOO!!
-------------------- When the power of love overcomes the love of power, only then will the world know peace.
That's a good question. I started growing 2 years ago and I just keep buying more equipment to try and get it perfect. That's great and all, but every time I get a new thing it changes how the whole room works and then it's like starting all over figuring out watering and nutrient requirements. To complicate matters I also have multi strains going and am always rotating one flavor out and a new one in, which makes it harder to dial each one in in the ever-changing room.
Then on top of that every 3 months I have to change how the rooms work due to seasonal fluctuations.
All that has made the learning curve very steep, but I think I'm running out of stuff to buy and have shot waaay up that curve in a relatively short time.
So to answer your question I'd say 2 years plus. It's like a neverending dance that always changes. I am getting closer to automation though with a 'lung room' and am looking into electric duct dampers to shift heat from outside to inside automatically.
-------------------- When the power of love overcomes the love of power, only then will the world know peace.
It's just a central room where the air can be cooled and smell controlled outside of the rooms. That way I can use powerful fans to intake and exhaust the right temp air very fast instead of trying to use an ac to cool the grow rooms themselves. Also allows one ac to cool several rooms if not over-taxed. Also don't need a dehumidifier any more because it is dry here so powerful fans work better anyway.
-------------------- When the power of love overcomes the love of power, only then will the world know peace.