Best bang for your Buck$ for new growers wanting to find the best cheap lights lol

[freddyyola]

yeah dankwing i been checking used stuff on ebay and craigslist but i dont think i have any hydro shops around here. im out in the country area so people just farm outside... and growing inside isnt to big around here since you gotta put up money and set up a room/rooms and so on to start, when we could just grow outside. im in Florida and its plenty sunny and good weather so outside grow is alot cheaper for farmers around here... and the folks around here arent so new age type they are really country folk lol

[DankwingDuck]

My hydro store had a used cmh for 200 with the ballast so you just got to look around maybe find one used . Check Facebook market place and craigslist.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Just remember, whatever light you get, some people are going to say it is no good, but don't let that bother you, just keep on growing and don't read all that supposedly scientific sh_t, some people throw out there. Sounding professional like. Sounding professional, ain't never grown a bud, it's the light that grows the bud, And all the lights mentioned here will work fine ,for a plant or two.
Good Luck whatever you decide.
You might want to try BigSmos Cob lights that he makes on Autoflower. Net.
But still, some one will say that they don't work well, when the problem, is more likely their growing, and not the light.
Expect all kinds of answers about lights, the only ones that are any good are the ones that they use , that complain. They will all work. Cfls,work fine too, and are real cheap price.. But whatever kind of light you get, you can count on someone. , that thinks they know everything, will still say that they don't work good. When the problem is their growing, not the light.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Good luck, buying a used ballast, that's still good and not making noises, if I was you ,I'd get an Led and forget about it.
Been plenty of nice plants grown with a Vipar450, for a little over a hundred bucks, that's even got a warranty of some type.
Good Luck with whatever you decide, my 315 cost 300bucks, with a few bulbs thrown in ,and a 3year warranty.
And I really like the dimmable feature, especially for young plants.I could care less about spectrum change ,with young plants.All they want is light, and not too bright a light,

[freddyyola]

my temps here are high 80's nd sometimes 90 degrees high low 70'sso im thinking i will have lights on mostly at night since power is cheaper as well at night other wise ill have to get ac in my grow area..

[freddyyola]

yea this is why i dont want to get a cmh specific set up they are expensive and i cant find any used but maybe later i will but if heat will be a problem with my hps ima try to air cool them depending on how cool i can keep my room is what my next lights to compliment the hps's ill have.. im hoping to get these 3 600 watt ipower kits thats plenty to start with and im sure its gonna be hot since my outside temps are super hot and this room will not be ac'd im hoping i can use a room inside instead of the garage... but maybe enough fans and venting i can make something happen..

[freddyyola]

@isliandcolas yeah im trying to get that exact set up times 3 from a guy here in my area off craigslist he wants 125 but they go for 110 on amazon your link is for 140 but if you check there are more for less same exact kit and ima talk him down from new 110 to used for 75 each thats 225 for 3 id give him 250 if i have to! but if all fails ima buy em new for 110!

[freddyyola]

i looked in to cmh and right now i cant afford it only way i can go with cmh is if i can get a used ballast for or reflector for cheap or later on in a future grow when i have more money and can afford an upgrade.. til then my first choice will be regular ol hps probably without intake and exhuast tubes cause used or new its the only thing i can afford right now im hoping to get a steal on this 3 x's ipower 600 watt hps/mh kit for 250ish..

[Cronk]

this week so far ambient temps in my grow area are about 78 F. lights on in the tent it has been 83-85F. when temps are 8F lights on tent is 85-86.

[DrPhoton]

Be careful using dimming features with halide technology. They significatly reduce their efficiency with even the smallest reduction in power. I would definitely recommend CMH as D.A.A.S.69 suggested. I also recommended this to freddyyola in another thread. CMH however does throw out heat, which is equivalent watt for watt with sodium discharge. This has been tested repeatedly at research facilities using sophisticated light metric systems.

[DrPhoton]

All my research for bang for buck leads me back to 315 LEC. you can get a pound with one of these. they cost under $200. THC and terpenes are higher, buds fatter, growth faster, more resin and bigger than anything else in the price range.

I've only grown with this light so my OPINION only comes from reading massive amounts of info and watching uncountable videos. I wanted to set up another small case in the house. Nothing made sense. if 200 buck is too much then I guess I'd grow 1 plant with a cheap LED but would expect it to break down within a short time frame. High quality LEDS are not cheap.

I would most definitely would recommend CMH for anyone. But they do not perform better than sodium discharge technology. Light spectrum has less impact on plant morphology than people think. Especially with multispectrum light. During flowering, there is practically no morphology response to light quality. CMH also practically emit no UV that many manufactures tried to advertise. This is because of the ceramic arc tube used, filters this naturally emissive product extensively.

[DrPhoton]

Ceramic halide bulbs cannot operate properly on standard gas discharge ballasts. They require a low frequency square wave rather than the typical high frequency square wave. It is best to purchase ballasts made specically for ceramic halide or better yet get one complete kit. Also i would recommend using only the philips elite agro 3100k.

[IslandColas]

Cmh most definitely puts off some heat. Do your research and choose whichever you think is best for your specific grow. Both styles are tried and true. Much more dependable than LEDs because everyone and their brother sells a shitty led.

[IslandColas]

My gut says no but I’m interested what DrPhoton can say about that. He’s the light guru

[IslandColas]

What is your room temperature with that tent? A non air cooled 600w HPS in my climate would run 85-95 tent temperature. Maybe just maybe down to 85 with tent exhaust.