Bestva LED... any good?

[Fishmiser]

Someone offered me a bestva 3000 LED for cheap and I was wondering if anyone has any experience using one and if it is any good or not.

[gbauto]

Typical blurple fixture.
I think it specs at around 450 watts of old-tech diodes, so I wouldn't expect it to flower a space larger than a 3x3.

[JDU]

If the price is right I'd grab it. I have 2 150w generic blurples who do nicely to extend the footprint of my "good" lights.

[Fishmiser]

So ok for supplemental but not so much for primary?

[Fishmiser]

What is a good primary LED lighting? A brand that actually works with no additional lighting? Does one exist?

[JDU]

Some like one big light that covers their tent. I have enjoyed having several small satellite lights surrounding my big'n so I can raise/lower them independently as each plant grows at it's own speed.

[PLreef]

They do exist. I own one, proudly at that. I love my light. Yes is was a little expensive but it's a full spectrum unit with a 120° reflector. Can veg a 6x6 and flower a 4x4. I have in my 3x3 gorilla. Its amazing. Spectrum King SK402

[JDU]

Any light can be supplemental or main really.
T5s grew good weed. The next gen blurples did even better. I'm using the nxt step up QB- Mars Hydro mostly- & there are now several that make my Mars Hydro obsolete.

What counts most is actual watts from the wall. If you're using the older fixtures you're gonna want about 50watts per square ft of canopy. The newer ones are doin the job at about 30w.

So your space has a lot more to do with what lighting you need than what brand you should buy.

[FunkyButtLovin]

How cheap is cheap? How big of an area are you trying to light up?

[Fishmiser]

100 bucks barely used for the 3000 Bestva.

I understand light coverage and what not, but not all lights are created equal. Some of these LEDs I see on Amazon are dirt cheap and whatever the wattage, if the spectrum ain't right your plants won't be either. I was hoping to cut out the trial and error and jump straight to a LED (even 4 smaller ones) that can produce atleast a pound per 4x4 area. Also one that doesn't have to be 5 ft away or else it bleaches your bud. Even if only for flowering. For veg high output T5s work pretty awesome. I like em. 🍄

[UndergroundFarmer]

I've had lots of success with my Platinums but they ain't cheap. I bought them because I plan to grow until I can no longer do so.

[Fishmiser]

Sounds like you're in "the zone". How are your yields /timelines? I know this can vary depending on strain. With a heavy producer you think the advanced platinum p4 could pump out 1 lb minimum in a 4x4x7? Oh and how's the acupulco doing. I too have some seeds from Barney's farms and am a bit excited about starting them. I know it won't be the same as I remember smoking years ago, but even if it is slightly similar that would be rad! I'm really aging myself now , geez. 🦕

[UndergroundFarmer]

I don't ever weigh harvests - I just go by how many mason jars get filled. Last harvest it took nine jars to contain all the untrimmed bud. Two of those jars didn't even get 1/4 filled but I had to keep varieties separate! After running the best of the bud through my new bud trimmer, volume is greatly reduced so after I marry up jars of the same type of trimmed bud, I'll probably end up with six jars. I'm guessing about 1.5 ounces is in each jar of trimmed bud, so that would be about nine ounces. I probably could have grown a pound with bigger producers. GDP didn't produce very heavily but still made some good bud. I did have a pH pen problem through most of flower so I probably could have done much better. If I'd grown all Bruce Banner, I'm sure I could have gotten a pound out of it. It took them about nine or ten weeks from flowers showing to mature. This grow I am switching back to the dawn to dusk option of my light timer to see if all the varieties finish about the same time again. It might have helped Bruce out in the last grow; I chopped them before they were really ready because everything else was ripe and the new clones were getting too big to leave in solo cups for another week or two.

Acapulco Gold is doing OK despite a thrip invasion. It is just starting week 3 of flower and is finally showing white stigmas. Its tentmates are doing fine too with one Purple Haze suddenly the tallest in the tent now that the stretch is on. It's also time to install a second scrog net to keep the buds from falling over. Last grow, I needed every yo-yo I had to try and keep branches from breaking. I'm limiting feedings to 800 TDS (1.6 EC) and haven't seen any nute burn. I might try feeding heavier once buds start swelling.