Bulbs + Lamps

A metal halide grow light bulb drives tight veg growth, while HPS and CMH lamps carry plants through flower. Run 6000K MH or 4200K CMH in veg and 2000K HPS or 3100K CMH in bloom. T5 tubes cover clones and seedlings.

28 products

Bulbs + Lamps

Grow Light Bulbs: Metal Halide, HPS, CMH and T5 Lamps

A metal halide grow light bulb runs a cool blue spectrum for veg, while HPS lamps push red for flower and CMH sits between them. This collection gathers replacement lamps for all three, plus T5 tubes and a green work light. Brands include Ushio, Philips, Growers Choice, Eye Hortilux, Iluminar and SunPulse. Compare the two main families in our guide to HID vs HPS grow lights....

Metal halide grow light infographic: MH, HPS, CMH and T5 lamps, color temperature by stage, wattage and base types

For the HID lamps alone, see HID grow light bulbs. T5 fixtures are under T5 fluorescent grow lights, and everything sits in grow lights.

Types of Grow Lamps

Metal Halide Lamps

The Growers Choice 6K 1000W DE and Ushio HiLUX GRO 600W DE (5500K) are veg lamps. Growers Choice also makes a 600W DE 4K transitional lamp at 800 µmol/s and a 10K finishing lamp with UV-B. The Eye Hortilux 250W runs 4250K on electronic ballasts.

HPS Lamps

Double ended 1000W HPS lamps include the Philips GreenPower Xtra at 2100 µmol/s and the Iluminar at 2050 µmol/s, plus Ushio, Interlux, GrowLite and Matrix. Matrix and Growers Choice also make 400W and 600W DE lamps.

CMH, T5 and Specialty Bulbs

Ceramic metal halide lamps come in 150W, 315W and 630W from Ushio, Growers Choice, SunPulse, GrowLite and Iluminar. Interlux 54W T5 tubes come in 6500K or 3000K. The Grow1 9W green LED lets you work during dark periods.

How Growers Pick a Lamp

Match the wattage, base and single or double ended format to your fixture and ballast. Run blue MH or 4200K CMH in veg and red HPS or 3000K CMH in flower. Swap any lamp once PPFD at the same height reads about 20% below its starting value. Replace T5 tubes as a set so the canopy stays even.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is metal halide good for growing?

Yes, mostly for veg. A metal halide grow light runs a cool blue spectrum that keeps node spacing tight, such as 6000K on the Growers Choice 6K. Warmer 4000K lamps suit the transition into flower, and the 10K lamp is built for the last 7 to 14 days of bloom.

3100K or 4200K for flower?

For flower, pick the warmer lamp. A 3000K to 3200K CMH puts more energy in red, which suits flowering, while 4200K leans blue for veg. SunPulse rates its 150W lamp at 3200K for flowering with transitional growth. Many growers run 4200K in veg and swap to 3100K at flip.

What is a T5 bulb?

A T5 is a slim high-output fluorescent tube. The Interlux 4 ft T5 draws 54W on a G5 bi-pin base and comes in 6500K for veg or 3000K for flower. T5 tubes run cool, so growers hang them 6 to 12 inches over clones and seedlings.