First-time grower, need some LED advice

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DogterB

DogterB

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Hey all! I'm just getting started setting up a small indoor grow, 2'x2'-ish in an unused plastic stand-up shower. I've never grown before and need some help with choosing an LED light. I'm on a tight budget (med student living off student loans and savings) and have been looking into cheap LEDs. I originally thought of going with the Mars Hydro TS600, but there are so many other options. Especially now that someone pointed me in the direction of Alibaba! I've heard/seen good things about Kingbrite and Meijiu lights, but like I said, I'm on a very tight budget. I have been all over different sites and forums, but have very little grasp of what I would need. I usually just get told I'm an idiot for not dropping several hundred dollars on a light. I'm trying to get my hands dirty, get some experience and practice, and supplement my stash. Maybe in some years I can get some high-dollar lights.

Anyway, does anyone have any recommendations/advice? I'm hoping to keep it under $100. I know, I know, "you get what you pay for", but has anyone had good experiences with anything in that price range? Honestly I'm lost when it comes to the specs and stuff with these, although I have been trying to educate myself when I have time (again, med student). I'm just trying to get the best option that I can. Any help is appreciated!
 
LittleDabbie

LittleDabbie

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If your ona budget mars hydro is hard to pass up, There great lights I run 2 of their tsw-2000 (24"x24") in a 4x4 tent my only gripe is there fuckin brightness adjustment feature requires a screwdriver . . just get us nobs cmon!

Also i hate the way they mount but.. the lights are solid as far as my research and experience so far.

If you can bump your budget up a hair Spider farm makes some nicer lights with nobs !! and better mounting hardware. But go with what you can afford for real you'll be happy anyway you go im sure :D
 
DogterB

DogterB

42
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LittleDabbie said:
If your ona budget mars hydro is hard to pass up, There great lights I run 2 of their tsw-2000 (24"x24") in a 4x4 tent my only gripe is there fuckin brightness adjustment feature requires a screwdriver . . just get us nobs cmon!

Also i hate the way they mount but.. the lights are solid as far as my research and experience so far.

If you can bump your budget up a hair Spider farm makes some nicer lights with nobs !! and better mounting hardware. But go with what you can afford for real you'll be happy anyway you go im sure :D
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Appreciate the input LD! I have heard good things with SF, I'll definitely put it on the list of potentials.

I'm seeing some on Alibaba from a brand called Koray, have you (or anyone else) heard of them or have any experience with them?
 
Anthem

Anthem

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DogterB said:
Appreciate the input MIMed! I know, my budget sucks at the moment
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I have no experience with the companies products but I did look at the RX-G120. It is a Fluence Spider 2I knock off. I have found with some of the inexpensive LED grow lights the manufacture will not be truthful with the specifications. I have found issues with the average PPFD of the lights based on their average output. These guys are legit on their PPFD average. So they appear to be truthful in that regard. Not sure of the prices.
 
MIMedGrower

MIMedGrower

17,190
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Nkc1451 said:
But for that price he could get the spider farmer with a dimmer. I recently purchased one for my 2x2 and am very pleased with it
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But only in a veg spectrum. And with cheap epistar reds. and i dont like their dishonest business practice.

That said it should veg well and flower ok for the space.
 
DogterB

DogterB

42
18
Anthem said:
I have no experience with the companies products but I did look at the RX-G120. It is a Fluence Spider 2I knock off. I have found with some of the inexpensive LED grow lights the manufacture will not be truthful with the specifications. I have found issues with the average PPFD of the lights based on their average output. These guys are legit on their PPFD average. So they appear to be truthful in that regard. Not sure of the prices.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input! When you say these guys are legit, do you mean Fluence or Koray?
 
FourthCity

FourthCity

778
143
DogterB said:
Hey all! I'm just getting started setting up a small indoor grow, 2'x2'-ish in an unused plastic stand-up shower. I've never grown before and need some help with choosing an LED light. I'm on a tight budget (med student living off student loans and savings) and have been looking into cheap LEDs. I originally thought of going with the Mars Hydro TS600, but there are so many other options. Especially now that someone pointed me in the direction of Alibaba! I've heard/seen good things about Kingbrite and Meijiu lights, but like I said, I'm on a very tight budget. I have been all over different sites and forums, but have very little grasp of what I would need. I usually just get told I'm an idiot for not dropping several hundred dollars on a light. I'm trying to get my hands dirty, get some experience and practice, and supplement my stash. Maybe in some years I can get some high-dollar lights.

Anyway, does anyone have any recommendations/advice? I'm hoping to keep it under $100. I know, I know, "you get what you pay for", but has anyone had good experiences with anything in that price range? Honestly I'm lost when it comes to the specs and stuff with these, although I have been trying to educate myself when I have time (again, med student). I'm just trying to get the best option that I can. Any help is appreciated!
Click to expand...
DogterB said:
Anyone have any opinions on this light?

https://www.amazon.com/MAXSISUN-Sun...d53fc5a0b19fb40be3e33b04cf2142&language=en_US
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DogterB said:
Or this one?

https://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Eqi...s=qb-1000&qid=1593233093&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-4
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Buy the light mimedgrower recommended. It is the only high quality light that is close to your budget and you just wont save enough with the cheaper options to justify skimping out.
 
WeedStalkWonder

WeedStalkWonder

35
8
DogterB said:
Hey all! I'm just getting started setting up a small indoor grow, 2'x2'-ish in an unused plastic stand-up shower. I've never grown before and need some help with choosing an LED light. I'm on a tight budget (med student living off student loans and savings) and have been looking into cheap LEDs. I originally thought of going with the Mars Hydro TS600, but there are so many other options. Especially now that someone pointed me in the direction of Alibaba! I've heard/seen good things about Kingbrite and Meijiu lights, but like I said, I'm on a very tight budget. I have been all over different sites and forums, but have very little grasp of what I would need. I usually just get told I'm an idiot for not dropping several hundred dollars on a light. I'm trying to get my hands dirty, get some experience and practice, and supplement my stash. Maybe in some years I can get some high-dollar lights.

Anyway, does anyone have any recommendations/advice? I'm hoping to keep it under $100. I know, I know, "you get what you pay for", but has anyone had good experiences with anything in that price range? Honestly I'm lost when it comes to the specs and stuff with these, although I have been trying to educate myself when I have time (again, med student). I'm just trying to get the best option that I can. Any help is appreciated!
Click to expand...
Hey DogterB, what light setup did you end up going with? I'm in the same situation and want to start growing this winter.

Thanks!
 
LittleDabbie

LittleDabbie

Supporter
11,813
438
Heres some fuckin led advice.. don;'t buy mars hydros bullshit.
 
WeedStalkWonder

WeedStalkWonder

35
8
Anthem said:
If you take the advise of MiMedGrower up at post #4 you will be happy with the outcome.
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Thanks Anthem.
That one looks good but it comes to $225 all in which is out of my budget. I have a plant that started late so I'm looking for a minimalist solution to let it grow into late Oct-November. For a noob it's really hard to know what light brands to trust though so I'll keep that one in mind if I get a proper setup going.
 
Anthem

Anthem

4,155
263
WeedStalkWonder said:
Thanks Anthem.
That one looks good but it comes to $225 all in which is out of my budget. I have a plant that started late so I'm looking for a minimalist solution to let it grow into late Oct-November. For a noob it's really hard to know what light brands to trust though so I'll keep that one in mind if I get a proper setup going.
[/QUOT
I just looked it up at $ 149.00 is the 225 include shipping?
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Anthem

Anthem

4,155
263
WeedStalkWonder said:
Yep. Shipping is $75
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You will need a TRUE 30 Watts per square foot to product OK buds. So make sure what ever you choose draws at least 100 watts from the wall. If you see this in an add 600W or 500W or 100W or something in this manner read the fine print. Also some of the scammers will put up PPFD numbers that do not add up. Spider Farmer had their SF-1000 with like 860's of PPFD and now it is at like 480's. Do you homework otherwise you are just going to have to buy a new light.
 
DogterB

DogterB

42
18
WeedStalkWonder said:
Hey DogterB, what light setup did you end up going with? I'm in the same situation and want to start growing this winter.

Thanks!
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I went with @MIMedGrower advice and got the HLG 100 V2. I got it online through Home Depot. It was $150, free shipping, and came with a light timer and 2 ratchet hooks. It was the same price most places I looked, Home Depot just had more freebies with it. So far so good with it, as far as I can tell.
 
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