[RootFarmer]

Light saturation Is key. At the leaf surface the light intensity of sunlight is about 20,000 lumens. The challenge with artificial lighting, not considering spectral output, has been to find a balance between saturation (.e., light penetration) and light intensity without the adverse effects of things ligh heat output and leaf bleaching. IMO 1000w bulbs are only suited to large indoor operations. They can position the lights higher because the sheer number of bulbs they are running provides good saturation. Conditions are vastly different in confined spaces like tents. Also 1000w bulbs are very intense but not very efficient. A 600w will give better results for most than 1000w for most people . They are more efficient. Or as was suggested multiple lower wattage bulbs. Remember saturation vs intensity.

 

[gazyabam]

Am I reading this right? Are you considering putting 2000 watts in a 3x2 tent?

I was asking if it is enough,bud!Not been doing this long so still learning!Im also fed up growing one at a time in my 2-1 tent using hps!It burns the tops even tho I use lst on it!

 

[gazyabam]

Light saturation Is key. At the leaf surface the light intensity of sunlight is about 20,000 lumens. The challenge with artificial lighting, not considering spectral output, has been to find a balance between saturation (.e., light penetration) and light intensity without the adverse effects of things ligh heat output and leaf bleaching. IMO 1000w bulbs are only suited to large indoor operations. They can position the lights higher because the sheer number of bulbs they are running provides good saturation. Conditions are vastly different in confined spaces like tents. Also 1000w bulbs are very intense but not very efficient. A 600w will give better results for most than 1000w for most people . They are more efficient. Or as was suggested multiple lower wattage bulbs. Remember saturation vs intensity.

Thanks buddy,that’s what I was looking for!How many for a 3-2 tent then?I know what kind I want now,of leds!

 

[gazyabam]

30 watts per square foot is still a good rule of thumb for LED lights. It's what I use for my tents. So, doing the conversion, 2x3 meters is 64.6 square feet. Multiplying that times 30 results in 1,938 watts. So, yes. 2,000 watts would be a good size for that space.

People are saying 600,s would be better as 1000 would be better for bigger crops!I only want around six plants!

 

[HerbalEdu]

People are saying 600,s would be better as 1000 would be better for bigger crops!I only want around six plants!

he was speaking of 2000W led for a 3mx2m not 2000W hps

 

[gazyabam]

he was speaking of 2000W led for a 3mx2m not 2000W hps

I know,buddy!2000 hps would burn you house down!Cheers!

 

[HerbalEdu]

People are saying 600,s would be better as 1000 would be better for bigger crops!I only want around six plants!

also you can grow a lot more plant in a 3mx2m tent than 6 depending the growing method.

 

[HerbalEdu]

I know,buddy!2000 hps would burn you house down!Cheers!

so more or less what i said for a 3mx2m 6x 300W to 500W led 1800W to 3000W with the lights available on the market and proper panels dimension to fit that tent ...

model with more watt for a said area will usually offer a more even light coverage and light dispersion near the border but you may not use them 100% close to the plants.

 

[RootFarmer]

LED technology is getting much better. Just be careful about cheap units. They often put out some unwanted UV and IR light. The big concern is UV-C. This type of light is used to sterilized hospitals, laboratories, even your personal items at home. Problem is that it will cause damage to DNA in people, pets and plants. Consider supplemental lighting on the sides of your tent. A couple of T5 type bulbs on each side positioned about 1/3 and 2/3 of the way up the plant canopy can help. They don't have to be super intense (i.e., more heat). You can get away with a lower wattage above that can be positioned closer. Find that balanced between intensity and saturation. Create a more efficient system. Higher efficiency requires less energy focused in one area.

Just some things to think about as you are planning your set up.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I was asking if it is enough, bud!

Sorry. It's early out here on the west coast and I hadn't had my coffee yet. I'm awake now.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

People are saying 600,s would be better as 1000 would be better for bigger crops!I only want around six plants!

I tend to believe the "more is better" thinking is often applied to lights. What I've noticed is that few tent growers run their lights at 100% power. I don't. I've never been able to run my lights at 100% without stressing or burning the plants. I have ViparSpectra and AC Infinity lights, and about the highest I've been able to run them is 60%. I have at least 30 watts per square foot. So, I wonder if I overspent on light power. There are, of course, other factors involved, such as distance from the lights to the plants, reflectivity from the walls of the grow space and how close the plants are to each other.

So... 2,000 watts is a lot for six plants--by an order of magnitude. I use about 4 square feet per plant. That's a total of 24 square feet for six plants. At 30 watts per square foot, those six plants would only need 720 watts. 2,000 watts for six plants would be more than 300 watts per plant.

 

[gazyabam]

Thanks guys,I know now what I neede to!Im thinking 3 600 LEDs with fans and a humidifier!Its only hot in summer here and used to toast my flowers until I got a humidifier!That thing worked wonders for me!I could also just get another 600hps setup and use the two of them!In fact,that’s what I’ll do!I’ll get the LEDs and try it,see if there any better!Then I’ll get another hps setup and see what two of them are like!I can always use my smaller tent for veg and stuff anyway!What do u guys think?It will be a while but I’ll fill you in as we go!Got a nice RS11 I’m flushing right now,got about nine days left till she’s down!I would send you a picture of this and my setup but I don’t know if this site lets u post pictures!Anyway,thanks guys,you’ve been a real help!Take it easy!!! shit,it does,I’ll send a photo if I can!

 

[Stokes]

Ive never done an hps grow but would like to. Everything ive ever seen looks like hps is better for flower. I love LEDS, much safer, but efficiency =/= performance. Best looking most dense buds ive seen have all been grown under hps, by growers who helped me alot. I take their word for it. Not saying everyone else does tho, LEDS are getting crazy

 

[gazyabam]

Thanks guys,I know now what I neede to!Im thinking 3 600 LEDs with fans and a humidifier!Its only hot in summer here and used to toast my flowers until I got a humidifier!That thing worked wonders for me!I could also just get another 600hps setup and use the two of them!In fact,that’s what I’ll do!I’ll get the LEDs and try it,see if there any better!Then I’ll get another hps setup and see what two of them are like!I can always use my smaller tent for veg and stuff anyway!What do u guys think?It will be a while but I’ll fill you in as we go!Got a nice RS11 I’m flushing right now,got about nine days left till she’s down!I would send you a picture of this and my setup but I don’t

know if this site lets u post pictures!Anyway,thanks guys,you’ve been a real help!Take it easy!!! shit,it does,I’ll send a photo if I can!

Ps,that little 25w led really brings the frost on when I started using it,it really helps,which is weird as it’s a different kind of light altogether!

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

Ive never done an hps grow but would like to. Everything ive ever seen looks like hps is better for flower. I love LEDS, much safer, but efficiency =/= performance. Best looking most dense buds ive seen have all been grown under hps, by growers who helped me alot. I take their word for it. Not saying everyone else does tho, LEDS are getting crazy

I'm with you on that. LEDs keep getting better, though, and I can't justify the cost for the type of growing I do. No one has been disappointed by the weed I've grown under LED lights.

One change I'll probably make for my flowering tent is to have a light over each plant. So, I'm looking at adding the ViparSpectra XS2500 to my 2x4 flowering tent. It has two XS1500 lights daisy chained. There's an XS2000 in there now.

 

[gazyabam]

I'm with you on that. LEDs keep getting better, though, and I can't justify the cost for the type of growing I do. No one has been disappointed by the weed I've grown under LED lights.

One change I'll probably make for my flowering tent is to have a light over each plant. So, I'm looking at adding the ViparSpectra XS2500 to my 2x4 flowering tent. It has two XS1500 lights daisy chained. There's an XS2000 in there now.

I want a 2-4 too so I will just copy you if they are fine!Would I be better with two xs 2000’s or do you have one plus the two1500’s?

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I want a 2-4 too so I will just copy you if they are fine!Would I be better with two xs 2000’s or do you have one plus the two1500’s?

I had two XS2000s in that tent a few grows ago. The plants liked it, but the lights barely fit in the tent. Now I'm thinking the XS2500 would be better. It also can be controlled using my AC Infinity Controller 69 Pro+ that I'm using with that tent. I haven't bought the XS2500 yet. The tent is about halfway through flowering two Bubblegum clones. If I do upgrade, I'll do it after those plants are done.

 

[Jmaes Mabley]

Id use either a MMS 1000w Halide, or a Hortilux Blue.

They are the closest spectrum to the sun, vs any other bulb.

MMS, MassMedic alStrains just came out with both a 1000w, and 600w Halide, and is 1/3 more powerful, than the Hortilux Blue, and is only $70, for the 1000w.


Both the MMS, and Hortilux Blue have a spectrum of 280nm-2000+. No LED, can come anywhere close to this. IMHO, Halide, brings out More Phenotypical Expressions, than either the HPS, or LED.

 

[GNick55]

yep MH/HPS,..
still the best,.

 

[gazyabam]

I want a 2-4 too so I will just copy you if they are fine!Would I be better with two xs 2000’s or do you have one plus the two1500’s?

Can’t find our last convo but found this thread!Gonna take her down this weekend as most of her trichomes are cloudy now!Not bad for a seed found in a pack of RS11!Nice and frosty too!