Gavitas Or Epaps

[jumpincactus]

Title says it all. I'm seeing lots of good stuff concerning the Gavita DE setups. I currently run XXXL reflectors with standard magnetic ballasts 1000 w x 2 MH/HPS in a 10' x 10' x 10'/100sf on the floor space with a sealed room with room dialed to the 9's. The actual usable area is closer to 8 x 8 or 64 sf to allow for movement and husbandry about the room. Strain dependent of course I average 13 zips per light.

Am looking at upgrading to a better light system. I cannot decide whether to go with the gavita's or Epaps.

Any suggestions on how to decide between the 2 brands. I definitely want to increase my par values over traditional MH/HPS setups. I would like to hear from both camps from those using either system. I am inclined to think gavitas are the way to go due to the claimed par ratings as compared to the epaps.

Any insight is welcome.

Peace

 

[3G Labs]

Gavita's- plants reach, but light penetration to the under canopy is Deep! and it gets really hot under neath.

 

[jumpincactus]

View attachment 455256

Gavita's- plants reach, but light penetration to the under canopy is Deep! and it gets really hot under neath.

@3Glabs thanks for stopping by.
That's the kind of info I need also. Another of my concerns is heat control also. I struggle in the summer months and I dont want to have to spend a lot of time and $$$ having to beef up my ventilation or have to buy a chiller/AC to keep temps in the sweet spot. My ceiling height is 10' max.

Hard to tell from your pic, you say that the gurls tend to reach but how is the node spacing? Is it so much you are sacrificing yield due to the stretch???

Nice setup you got there BTW :)

 

[3G Labs]

And i shouldn't say reach....it's not that they're really stretching, it's just they keep growing taller toward the light. node spacing is good and we average over a lb per light. The most notable thing is the canopy penetration, all the flowers are dense even those popcorn nugs on the bottom of the plant.

 

[soserthc1]

In the same situation with almost the same size room and I'm gonna go gravitas unless someone can convince otherwise ....

 

[fishwhistle]

Title says it all. I'm seeing lots of good stuff concerning the Gavita DE setups. I currently run XXXL reflectors with standard magnetic ballasts 1000 w x 2 MH/HPS in a 10' x 10' x 10'/100sf on the floor space with a sealed room with room dialed to the 9's. The actual usable area is closer to 8 x 8 or 64 sf to allow for movement and husbandry about the room. Strain dependent of course I average 13 zips per light.

Am looking at upgrading to a better light system. I cannot decide whether to go with the gavita's or Epaps.

Any suggestions on how to decide between the 2 brands. I definitely want to increase my par values over traditional MH/HPS setups. I would like to hear from both camps from those using either system. I am inclined to think gavitas are the way to go due to the claimed par ratings as compared to the epaps.

Any insight is welcome.

Peace

Id say gavita because you will have less light loss to the walls,it throws the light straight down harder,they both use the same bulb so there is no better only different.If you just have a couple lights in that big of a room you will lose alot of light if its more dispersed like the epap reflector.Gavita would tell you 6 1ks to do it right,their credo is light the whole room not just an area of it and im sure their right in the long run but thats not always feasible.

 

[GR33NL3AF]

lol, another Gavita/Epap thread?

There isn't an end-all answer here, each fixture serves its own purpose and it all hinders on your style of growing.

-Gavitas for larger plants that need penetration to develop lower flower sites.
-Epaps for an emphasis on tops and a Sea of Green type approach because this reflector will not penetrate very well.

Whatever decision you make I always advise people to consider ending each row with Gavitas, to avoid unnecessary loss of light.

 

[fishwhistle]

Curious green how your running your gavitas?

 

[GR33NL3AF]

Curious green how your running your gavitas?

I wont make that move...

Just a combination of testing, customer feedback and room visits/builds. 8' ceilings arn't worth the headache of keeping them so short. These fixtures are meant for commercial use.

 

[fishwhistle]

I wont make that move...

Just a combination of testing, customer feedback and room visits/builds. 8' ceilings arn't worth the headache of keeping them so short. These fixtures are meant for commercial use.

I understand,been there done that with the 1ks already,trying 750's next.Imo everything we use is meant for commercial use,ive never in 30+ years growing just used a household type bulb to grow(excluding fluorescents in veg) with so it becomes a matter of efficiency.I beleive the gavitas are more efficient thats why i dont put my solistek/awing combos back up,look at what @Capulator is doing replacing vert 1000's with gavita 600's and no loss of yield or @midwestdensies stellar 600 rooms yielding in the 2+ a light area,you just have to figure out and apply the technology appropriately.If you try to use the tech the same way we always have you will fail but if you adapt and overcome you will be rewarded.

 

[sixstring]

just checked my distance from lamp to buds is 24 inches right under the light set at 800w so i was off by a lil :) i have not seen any bleaching at this distance and im getting good coverage if you compare to the 8 to 12 inch i run my 600w in cool tubes its about double the sq ft. but i think this was an answer for a dif gavita thread now that i think about it lmao,im getting confused on all these dif threads haha

 

[jumpincactus]

And i shouldn't say reach....it's not that they're really stretching, it's just they keep growing taller toward the light. node spacing is good and we average over a lb per light. The most notable thing is the canopy penetration, all the flowers are dense even those popcorn nugs on the bottom of the plant.

@3Glabs thanks for that clarification.

 

[jumpincactus]

I am looking at deleting 2 - 1000 w MH/HPS air cooled fixtures and going with 4 600 w gavitas. As I said I live in the desert and summers are brutal.

How can I determine the heat factor between the 2 ea 1000 w halides/HPS and the heat that would be generated by 4 ea 600 w gavitas? Is there a formula I can use to determine what creates more BTUs 2/ 1000 w MH/HPS or 4 ea 600 w gavitas. I understand that the gavitas aren't set up for air-cooling like a conventional air cooled halide correct??

Can anyone help me with this?

 

[sixstring]

there is lots of threads on these setups but heres one with 8 pages of info.imo the 750de is not much hotter than a standard aircooled fixture like a radiant 8 when you consider how well the heat is distributed.most the ac hoods i have used or installed radiate heat from all around the hood. i would use 5000btu per 1000w gavita with tall ceilings.heres that thread. https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/gavita.64085/

 

[jumpincactus]

there is lots of threads on these setups but heres one with 8 pages of info.imo the 750de is not much hotter than a standard aircooled fixture like a radiant 8 when you consider how well the heat is distributed.most the ac hoods i have used or installed radiate heat from all around the hood. i would use 5000btu per 1000w gavita with tall ceilings.heres that thread. https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/gavita.64085/

@sixstring Thank you man I appreciate your reply. Be well

 

[fishwhistle]

Jumpin,Ceiling height is a critical factor for gavitas,9' and under go with 600s or 750s for sure.Heat will be a little more with 4-600s vs 2 1ks(2400watts vs 2000 watts).I use cannabis johns figures for cooling @6000 btus per 1000 so 2-1ks would be 12000 btus and 4 600s would be slightly more at 14400.I like johns figures,they are a little overkill but i live in the desert too so 100s+ in summer along with 30s in winter.

 

[jumpincactus]

@FW I have 10' clg ht and actually have decoded to go with the above mentioned model of Gavitas. the 600/750 flex should work I'm assuming. I just cant seem to find anywhere that they arent on back order.

 

[fishwhistle]

I just got 1 750e from growershouse w/no back order,they also had el controllers in stock as of wednesday which no one else seems to have available,stoked with service and PRICE.
Edit to add i just got another 3 from MG like 10 days ago and they had 750s in stock too.

 

[fishwhistle]

Check your PMs jumpin...

 

[Medusa]

Am I understanding you cannot cool the gavita? and would u have to change your whole room out to them?