Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Deciding on LED Light for 1st Grow - Pls help a Noob!

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Deciding on LED Light for 1st Grow - Pls help a Noob!

    Tent size is 3x3x6’. It’s for personal and love of the plant growing - so yields don’t worry me, looking for high quality and different strains without overwhelming amounts.

    From what I read on GWE, mostly decided on HLG lights, the 300L Rspec 270w ($400) seems ideal but I have to pay for international shipping by weight so this heavy light adds +~$160, so not sure if It’s wise to spend that much ($560) on my first setup/grow.
    So another idea is I could start with two HLG100 Rspec 95w because one would not be enough for 3x3. These are $150 and very light at 3.8lbs so +25 shipping each for $350 total... And later if I want these are easy to sell and upgrade to the 300L.
    [Do I need a higher powered light for quality or is that more important for yield?]

    Another option I like is Spider Farmer (looking at the SF-2000) but the total at ~$440 is closer to the 300L so would just go for the HLG.
    Let me know your thoughts and advice. Thanks!

    #2
    I think for a 3x3 the Mars hydro tsw 2000 it's a 300w led with a square footprint fitting your need and I've seen some nice plants growing under the Mars lights. I'm a spider farmer fan but the 2000 has a 2x4 footprint so I think the Mars would be better. As for hlg I'm just not a fan but it's personal not that I think their lights suck

    TENT 1 4x4 SF7000
    s silver haze... strawberry haze...
    .. gg4 and cheese berry auto thrown from the auto hut
    TENT 2 2X4 SF2000
    2x Thundersuck... og Jimmy... flo.... blue cheese
    TENT 3 2X4 SF2000 + 2 113w blurples
    3 gallon pots all autos
    Weddingcake..2 red Gorilla girl..2 cinderella jack

    All growing in living soil using Earth Dust
    👇my one n only journal👇
    https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum...oh-and-journal

    Comment


    • MeEasy
      MeEasy commented
      Editing a comment
      Yeah I forgot about the vipar I don't know if it is still going on but Amazon had a really good sale on them

    • MrPNW
      MrPNW commented
      Editing a comment
      Aren’t the vipars also on sale?

    • RobC
      RobC commented
      Editing a comment
      @growchyoldman looks like the Vipar XS2000 is for 2x4’ and wouldn’t be the best fit though?

    #3
    My opinion, if you can afford the HLG get it. They’re excellent lights and you won’t be unhappy. The other lights mentioned produce great results as well. As far as yield and quality, your light will affect both.

    Comment


      #4
      I second bboy HLG are far superior to the other lights. That small HLG is not enough for the 3x3.

      Comment


      • RobC
        RobC commented
        Editing a comment
        Two of them would be enough?

      #5
      Another good light that has just come out is Sonofarmer they're a newer company but built with the same parts as the big boys with a better warranty you can find them on Amazon at a much lower price than the others using same parts built in the US and the ppfd is damn near identical which is what matters to your plants
      TENT 1 4x4 SF7000
      s silver haze... strawberry haze...
      .. gg4 and cheese berry auto thrown from the auto hut
      TENT 2 2X4 SF2000
      2x Thundersuck... og Jimmy... flo.... blue cheese
      TENT 3 2X4 SF2000 + 2 113w blurples
      3 gallon pots all autos
      Weddingcake..2 red Gorilla girl..2 cinderella jack

      All growing in living soil using Earth Dust
      👇my one n only journal👇
      https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum...oh-and-journal

      Comment


        #6
        I would definitely go with HLG, check out the 135w v2 rspec, puts out as much light as a 250 HPS and when dimmed down the whole way to 60 w it has as much power as a 150 hps, I use two in my 2x4 (same amount of space as yours) but if your not going to have plants wall to wall you may only need one light rather then two, in my experience just one 135w will flower 3 2ft plants in 5 gal pots. I also rotate (turning) my pots a little every day to help ensure all leaves a buds get light especially plants next to the wall of my tent
        Last edited by TheGoodFarmer; 02-25-2021, 12:27 PM.

        Comment


        • RobC
          RobC commented
          Editing a comment
          I can’t find a 135w HLG on their website or amazon, goes from the 100 (95w) to a 225w and the 300 (270w)

        • TheGoodFarmer
          TheGoodFarmer commented
          Editing a comment
          sorry I forgot to mention the light is actually sold as a DIY kit. I know sounds unusual but basically, you get a QB board, a slate heat sink that you mount the board to, and a driver you don’t need thermal paste or other adhesive everything is screwed together. But I will say this I got mine at a hydro shop and the guy there put it together for me I just watched there is a little bit of wiring to die but if you have ever spliced wires together it’s a simple as that. But again I didn’t put it together but I def looked easy he did it in like 20 mins. Anyway if you look on HLGs site it is under section "QB kits" not under LED lamps. I did find a couple of videos on youtube on putting them together cause I was prepared to do it myself. I know it sounds like a lot of extra work but that's one thing that helps keep the cost down its a very high quality light and runs cool before this I used HPS and battled heat and low humidity issues all the time couldn't even close my tent with lights on. I would have to be by to shut it every day during flower it was a nightmare. but now I get to focuses on other things with my plants and hardly ever stress about the environment in fact I have had to add heat in during veg stage during the winter months. but in the end what ever you chose to go with DO NOT GET A RED/ BLUE LED (blurple). Plants need more then just two colors of light to grow correctly. Hope this helps happy growing
          Last edited by TheGoodFarmer; 02-25-2021, 10:13 PM.

        • RobC
          RobC commented
          Editing a comment
          That’s cool, I don’t have the knowledge or tools to do that... especially the wiring 😕.

        #7
        For budget wise I would go with the Vipar XS series I've got two Pro series and I'm happy with it.

        Light: Viparspectra P2000, Viparspectra P1500, Viparspectra XS2000, KingLed 1500
        Medium: organic, Fafard perlite, Fafard Urban Garden organic mix, Organic compost shrimps.
        Nutrients: Alaskan Fish, Advanced Nutrients Big Bud, Advanced Nutrients Ancient Earth, Advanced Nutrients Sensi Cal Mag Xtra
        Full auto grow
        Grow room : 8X12X10, 2 industrial fans, 1 dehumidifier, 1 Vivosun carbon filter & controller
        12 Wild Thailand Ryder from WOS

        Comment


          #8
          If there's one thing not to cheap out on in this hobby is lights. Get the best light you can afford. Otherwise you'll have shitty results and smaller yields. And if you plan on staying in this hobby and buy a cheap light you'll just want to upgrade anyway.
          5x5 Gorilla tent
          Spectrum King SK402 - 2× Optic XL1
          Infinity T8 exhaust fan
          Technaflora nutes
          Nectar of the Gods soil

          Comment


          • gbauto
            gbauto commented
            Editing a comment
            Pretty much...
            I have 3 old fixtures collecting dust in the closet.
            Lighting is probably the most important aspect of your indoor grow.
            A 3x3 will have at least an average 750ppfd across the canopy when you have approx. 300 watts of top-bin diodes.
            Most commercial led drivers will output 320 watts in that power range, so that's what I would try to use.

          • RobC
            RobC commented
            Editing a comment
            Thing is I’m not sure I will stay in this hobby. Maybe it’s too much work for my chronic fatigue. Maybe cannabis doesn’t feel good anymore for me but I’ve been getting pure trash bud - partly why I want to grow.
            So I hesitate to spend

          #9
          HLG300 V2 Rspec is good for your space.
          3' x 6' Grow Closet for Veg w/HLG 300 V2 Bspec
          New 5' x 9' x 7'11" Gorilla Tent for flowering with new Optic Slim 600H
          Flora Trio w/Cali and Hydro guard
          5 gallon Bucket DWC and bucket scrog set up

          Comment


            #10
            Again, regardless of who's light looks better or cheaper or whatever, as far as I know the only manufacturer who has safety certified lights are from Viparspectra and even then only a few models. Unfortunately the industry is rushing to meet demand as growing weed is now becoming legal in more places around the world so they pump out whatever light they can in order to make a buck.

            For an electrical item that generates heat and is on at least 12 hours a day for several months, do you really want a light that hasn't passed government level safety standards? Look for ones that are certified UL, CSA or ETL.

            Most of them are "CE" certified which is a sort of "in house" certification and is not as strict or compliant as the others. Even the CE certification is faked in a lot of cases so it's buyer beware IMHO
            I hope there is an afterlife...there are a lot of friends and family I'd like to see again, one day.

            Comment


              #11
              Working on it.
              This vote is for BOUGHT only, as in paid for. This is a list of PANEL type lights only. I do not distinguish between commercial and non-commercial. You can select more than one brand should you OWN more than one, or you may choose just your favorite one that you PURCHASED.


              You should really try Pennywise, a 1:1 strain that works both day and night. My favorite, reminds me of the pot from the 70s, not the super pot of today. I can actually get relief and work done.
              A few years ago, it would have been difficult to find "50/50" flower. Here, we bring you the best 1:1 THC-to-CBD marijuana strains on the market.

              Equipment
              5x5x8 Gorilla Grow TentSpider Farmer SF4000AC Infinity 8” TS Fan/Carbon Filter
              ———————————————————————————————————-
              1st Grow
              Started 01 Oct 2020 • Flipped 12/12, 01 Jan 2021 • Harvested 08 Mar 2021
              Black Gold organic potting soilNature’s Living SoilCompost Tea using NLS
              Pennywise (Harlequin/Jack the Ripper) 1:1 ratio, Indica dominant, medium size plant

              Comment


                #12
                I averaged 1.23 grams per watt with the mars hydro tsw1000 in my 3x3 and...

                1.32 gram per watt in my 4x4 with the tsw2000.

                just upgraded to the tsw3000 in the 4x4 and put the tsw2000 in the 3x3. For the price, I'm happy with the Mars hydro ts series.

                Comment


                  #13
                  I'd say for personal/medical use, a 3x3 is enough footprint to grow well over a pound.
                  If I was trying to utilize that space, a 300-watt fixture using top-tier diodes will do a great job.
                  I started in hydro and still use that in my main grow, but I've also had great success with coco/perlite.
                  WHAT???
                  5x5 grow space
                  900w of Vero's and F-strips
                  4-17gal totes self-made UC system.

                  Comment


                  • Drekthar
                    Drekthar commented
                    Editing a comment
                    What inspired you to switch to coco/perlite?
                    I grow strictly in hydro myself and have dabble with soil a few times with poor results (likely due to poor soil).

                  • gbauto
                    gbauto commented
                    Editing a comment
                    I use 3-gal fabric bags in my 4x4 pheno tent.
                    If I was going to attempt a dedicated cycle, I would like to incorporate some automation for watering/feeding.
                    Other than that, it almost matches the growth I get in my UC system.

                  #14
                  Here's where motivation is lacking.........it takes some effort in the beginning and some planting knowledge like growing garden or houseplants. Sounds like you don't have the patience nor $$ nothing is free. Gotta put the work in.
                  Smoke Ganja create Peace Respect Nature don't trash the Planet

                  Soil grower with coco/perlite mixed in
                  indoor/outdoor grower
                  1 36"x36"x66" tent- Viparspectra P2500
                  1 3x3x6 tent- used in late spring for seedlings both veggies & weed. I have 2 viparspectar 450r for that tent.
                  I use a t-5 & 54watt CFL for seedlings
                  Sometimes i use plastic sometimes i use fabric grow containers
                  Currently using fish/guano during veg growth & FF Grow Big 6-4-4 teens to bloom. Once i see pre-flower i switch to
                  Age Old Organics Bloom 5-10-5

                  Comment


                  • RobC
                    RobC commented
                    Editing a comment
                    ??? Wrong thread

                Check out our new growing community forum! (still in beta)

                Subscribe to Weekly Newsletter!

                Working...
                X