Led`s, The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

[yooper420]

What LED`s do you use to grow with ?
What are your thoughts and comments about them ?

I have Advanced Diamond Series 300`s (DS 300`s) x 3.
Grow room is 3' x 7'.
Getting ready to plant seeds for my 8th garden using LED`s.
Last 2 grows I used LED`s from sprout to harvest, yes it can be done and works great.
This is what I use after being chased inside by a visit from LEO.
What LED`s do you use ?
What are your likes and dislikes about them ?
I am not a technical guy, just a 68 year old hippie / freak of the 60`s who loves his weed and loves growing it.
Weed is not addictive, but the growing of it sure as hell is.
Time to burn a bowl and see what happens.

 

[akstoner]

im experimenting with LED with my current grow......galaxy hydro 600 w (3wx200pcs=600)

LED is making my seedlings look like little muscle bound midgets!

 

[Genesis]

Apache Tech AT600's. I have 4 and put them each over a plant in RDWC. They make one pound plants but with some more work I'm sure I can hit 1.5 like Tags420. Especially if I add CO2 this run.

 

[yooper420]

You rockin` it.

 

[Genesis]

You rockin` it.

Thanks I really like the Apache Tech stuff. I also use a AT200 (all white) for veg. Expensive but sooooo dope. They only get like 90 degrees and they weigh 65 pounds with a whopping heatsink.

I believe chip on board is the future but the AT600 is a legit 1000w replacement.

AT600, Area 51, Pacific Light Concepts and BML seem to be where it is at aside from DIY COBS

 

[yooper420]

The Apache Tech LED`s look to be legit.
The BML`s just look weird, but seem to work well enough.
My DS 300`s are the only LED`s that I have any growing experience with.
Thanks for your first hand input.

 

[Genesis]

I don't like pink/purple LED's. The sun ain't pink and it is not fun being in a grow room where you can't really see how your plants look and then you get out and see green everywhere. Enough wattage and the correct spectrum and it works but I like white LED or white/red. It is a much more natural thing for our eyes to be looking at and we can get a good idea where are plants are along without having to turn off the pink stuff and then use some natural overhead light like a CFL or overhead tubes that we would use in a normal room. I've been using LED's from the start when I started growing 6 years ago. I originally was using the cheap Chinese units and got burnt from folks who were importing them from China and making ridiculous claims on yields and such, overcharging and lying. After getting burnt a few times from some snake oil salesmen I started importing some of the more quality units from China myself and selling them to hydroponic shops. The person who taught me damn near everything I know about LED's is @tags420. My man started his own company called Pacific Light Concepts and is very transparent in his grows and business. He is to be applauded for his dedication, transparency and going above and beyond when it comes to educating folks about the LED game. Thanks again @tags420 much love bro.

Looks like your DS300 pulls 260 watts from the wall. I really like talking with old heads about herb/life and love soaking up knowledge from hippies. Your generation got to see some really cool stuff so it's always a pleasure talking with someone who has wisdom. If I went to a regular grad program with folks my age, i'd be sitting with a bunch of young whippersnappers who think they know about the world but haven't even been out in the work force doing real work... I get along with most everyone. I went to graduate school with a lot of working professionals as my program was geared toward working professionals(most people had been in the real world working for a couple decades). It was a shitload of work and I was pretty miserable doing a shitty entry level 9-5 at a tech company and then spending my whole Saturdays (7 hours of class) for nearly two years. However I made the most of it and would always do my group projects with the oldest folks in the class 60-70 year olds. I am a tech nerd, so I really appreciated the ability to glean wisdom from old heads, while helping them with the computer/tech stuff us young bucks grew up with.

At any rate @yooper420 if I was you and had some spare dough I'd begin to phase in 3 Pacific Light Concepts. The CX300 pulls 340w from the wall @120v, in a nutshell it provides the "The CX300 is the most efficient production panel made. Designed for indoor growth chambers, The CX300 generates the highest output possible with lowest energy input."

Check out what my buddy is doing with these and 315w CDL CMH from Boulderlamp. The two are very similar but the CX300 seems to be more effective in veg, spitting out the shorter internode spacing and from the looks of it, appears to be the victor in terms of yield vs the 315 CDL CMH from Boulderlamp. Not to mention the advantages such as 50,000 hour lifespan. When we crunch numbers if you are utilizing these in a 12/12 flower cycle. 12 hours times 365 days in a year equals 4380 hours. When we multiply this by 10 we get 43,800 hours. So these lights should last 10 FREAKING years. I'm sure by then better tech will come out, but this fact alone makes LEDs awesome.

Anyway check out what these things are capable of, got some vertical HPS in the mix for raw light power and diversification of spectrum. There is no doubt that throwing some HPS vertical or horizontal in the mix with the ceramic metal halide or LED is gonna beef up yields big time. Both these grows are MMP grows way below legal plant count. Sometimes less is more.

NOTE - So in a nutshell you can daisy chain 3 of these together 340x3=1020 watts from the wall @120v. If you daisy chain 3 @240v it is 960 watts from the wall. They run cool and are the most efficient panels out right now. In a setup when there are multiple lights and crossover lights these things are pretty much like 600w HPS. So at its essence if you are running at 240v these things can yield like 3 600w HPS would or 1800 watts while running pretty freaking cool. In a couple weeks we will have the final numbers for yield and all plants are the same cut of HSO Blue Dream so it is a fair contest (except one Ox from Rare Dankness in the back). Can't wait to try the Ox which is a pre-98 bubba kush and ultra resinous, but Blue Dream compared to The Ox is like night and day when it comes to vigor and yield. I'm just pumped to have some indica on board though. I fucking love pure indica.

Oh one more thing... My MMP buddy running this grow is his first grow ever. Like no shit. He is very intelligent and I taught him the ropes. He researched the rest. I am very proud of him. Obviously he had dough to buy the best of everything but for a first grow... Nothing short of amazing. Also note CO2 was used as well, definitely makes a difference when all variables are on point.

 

[IronLeaf]

Oh one more thing... My MMP buddy running this grow is his first grow ever. Like no shit. He is very intelligent and I taught him the ropes. He researched the rest. I am very proud of him. Obviously he had dough to buy the best of everything but for a first grow... Nothing short of amazing. Also note CO2 was used as well, definitely makes a difference when all variables are on point.

My setup, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Brand new here. @Genesis is my boy! A great mentor and friend.

 

[yooper420]

Thanks for posting your thoughts and insights here. Have checked out the Boulderlamp site before, but the Pacific Light Concepts I have not, but will now. Sure wish money was no object, but here it is. Your little grow looks great, keep the thumbs green. Peace and great growin`.

 

[Genesis]

Thanks for posting your thoughts and insights here. Have checked out the Boulderlamp site before, but the Pacific Light Concepts I have not, but will now. Sure wish money was no object, but here it is. Your little grow looks great, keep the thumbs green. Peace and great growin`.

You seem like a real cool guy yooper, someone like my uncle who is an old head and a kind soul. I had a question not really weed related but I've seen the term a bunch of times. I am not quite 30 yet but i've heard the term 'freak' used alongside of hippy. These days when I hear 'freak' it is usually related to a female who is wild in bed, lol.

Is a hippy the same thing as a freak or is there a difference? When I think hippy I think, free loving, kind, earth conscious, rock n roll, purveyor of soft drugs like herb, mushroom, lsd. Is a freak the same thing?

Thanks for the education bro. Just like I was saying I love kicking it with people from your generation and often when I hang with my uncle I have to ask him about certain vernacular lol.

 

[yooper420]

Hippie is the spelling I always used and freak was a slightly more modern term for us stoners, all in the same as far as I know. Hippie / Freak / Stoner, who cares, just don`t bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over here, again. Puff, puff, cough, pass.
On another note, you and your uncle sound like people I like to associate with. I live in the U.P. of Michigan, you guys ?

 

[yooper420]

@Genesis, try the Method 7 sunglasses for LED`s, your eyes will luv ya for it cause they do work.

 

[PhatNuggz]

I have a BML SPYDR 600, but I chose the spectrums; 85% white, 5% 450 10% 625 reds. Works great, but I find the Amare Tech much better. Probably because he is a cannabis grower and designs his lights accordingly. Finished my first grow using his CoB hybrid. Very impressive for 220w. Also finished a grow using a Transcend Lighting D200 (230w led). Remote Phosphor. Very nice.

Now starting a grow from seed using Transcend Lighting 4ft @ 30w LED hot5s

 

[seaslug]

I've seen the phrase "remote phosphor" but didn't know what that meant.
http://www.futurelightingsolutions.com/en/technologies/Pages/remote_phosphor.aspx

I'm building my own stuff but I think tastyled.com is my favorite ready-made brand right now. I don't own one, though--I just have a bunch of Lumigrows.

 

[Genesis]

Hippie is the spelling I always used and freak was a slightly more modern term for us stoners, all in the same as far as I know. Hippie / Freak / Stoner, who cares, just don`t bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over here, again. Puff, puff, cough, pass.
On another note, you and your uncle sound like people I like to associate with. I live in the U.P. of Michigan, you guys ?

Thanks for the clarification... Freak = Stoner :) I'm from a small CT shore town and bought a small house last year in RI where the MMP laws are so much better and cost of living is a hell of a lot cheaper. Not much of a city guy here, I enjoy the woods and nature. I got an awesome pit who keeps me company and is a very friendly beast. He sleeps with me at night and is a wonderful companion and guard dog so it's great to be able to be in nature with my boy.

My uncle is from Maryland and has a house on the water in the Chesapeake then a condo on the water in Florida. He's made an excellent living for himself doing what he loves which is film. He is super accomplished and so down to earth. Truly one of the kindest souls I know and I feel blessed to have him as an uncle. He is retired now but in his day won multiple Emmy's and even an Oscar. So yeah he has done it all and is just the most mellow guy, when you are in his presence you can just feel your body unwind and a blissful smile is on your face. He is a big motivation for me to do what I love.

 

[yooper420]

Thanks for the clarification... Freak = Stoner :) I'm from a small CT shore town and bought a small house last year in RI where the MMP laws are so much better and cost of living is a hell of a lot cheaper. Not much of a city guy here, I enjoy the woods and nature. I got an awesome pit who keeps me company and is a very friendly beast. He sleeps with me at night and is a wonderful companion and guard dog so it's great to be able to be in nature with my boy.

My uncle is from Maryland and has a house on the water in the Chesapeake then a condo on the water in Florida. He's made an excellent living for himself doing what he loves which is film. He is super accomplished and so down to earth. Truly one of the kindest souls I know and I feel blessed to have him as an uncle. He is retired now but in his day won multiple Emmy's and even an Oscar. So yeah he has done it all and is just the most mellow guy, when you are in his presence you can just feel your body unwind and a blissful smile is on your face. He is a big motivation for me to do what I love.

East coast stoners, luv it guys. Don`t believe I have any other friends from that coast, this be great. Now in Florida there are other friends from there. The woods ? Got lotsa woods here, luv the big woods myself. Lost my companion of 14 1/2 years on Thanksgiving Eve. Off the leash, he was the best minding dog that I`ve ever had and I`ve had them 4 legged creatures all of my life, at times, more then one. Your uncle sounds like one helluva an accomplished guy. Would be great to set and burn a couple of bowls with you guys. Me ? I spent 2 years in Vietnam and almost 28 as a firefighter in Flint, Michigan. I`ve seen a thing or two in my life. Never thought that I would see cannabis legal in my lifetime. Our day of complete legalization is in sight, but gotta hurry up and get here. I be 68 years old, damn I`m that old ? Time fly`s when you`re having fun. Must`ve had alotta fun, cause I don`t know where all those years went. Anyway, would love to burn a couple of bowls with you and your uncle sometime. Peace, Love and Great Growin`

 

[yooper420]

@Genesis, Those Method 7 sunglasses are awful expensive were my thoughts when I checked `em out. Did not feel like spending the $70 or $80 dollars for `em. A peep on another forum posted some pictures looking thru them. What a difference it looked like they made. Anyway, my cheapskate ass got off the bucks and ordered a pair. When they came my first thought was that I got ripped off cause they looked like a cheap pair of sunglasses. Put `em to the test and the results are that I would pay double or triple for `em. They amazed me with the difference they made. I am in no way connected to this company, just think they have a great product.

 

[Genesis]

I may have to check out those sunglasses @yooper420 - i'm prolly ditching my vert, but if I keep it or add some I'm going to want protection cuz those things are bright as fuck vertically suspended. Thanks for your service in 'nam and being a firefighter - i'm sure you've seen your fair share of shit. My uncle did service too but luckily he was stationed in Germany so he didn't have to see combat. My girls dad served in 'nam and now he has got Parkinson's. I bet it's from that Agent Orange spray man...

Oh well, I support soldiers but don't always support political regimes and bankers backing wars. Everyone has a dharma and some people are gonna grow, some people are gonna fight, some people are gonna cook, some people are gonna write etc. I just googled the U.P of Michigan and man that area looks absolutely beautiful brother. I bet it gets cold in the winter but summers must rock there.

@PhatNuggz that is good to hear that Amare is better than BML. I like Cree and the COB movement and I like cannabis growers that make their own lights. Looks like their flagship the SE250 only has 4 Cree CXB3070 and pulls 250w but it costs $750. The SE450UV pulls 450w and is $1145 but I'm not really into UV, at least it's got the 6 CXB3070's though. Once I learned of these Cree CXB's I expected a lotta folks to come out with their own lights.

I dig the Pacific Light Concepts CX300 and I especially like the fact that our boy @tags420 has mad CXB3070 COBs and parts if folks want to build their own LED. That is very cool. I'm an LED nerd but I've built enough computers and such in my youth that I'm willing to pay the premium for a solid pre-built unit. Probably why I switched from building my own PC's to paying a premium for Apple stuff. I like pretty tech that just works. With the CX300 we get about 330w with 6 CXB3070's, which is ideal for a 1 square meter plant.

The AT600's are fucking beasts at 65 pounds and pulling 750w from the wall. I remember speaking with the owner a couple years back and they said at a light show their 8x8 tent with 4 AT600's was hitting higher par values than the Gavita 8x8 tent with 4 1000w DE. That was enough for me so I pulled the trigger and gradually got 4 of these puppies. If that wasn't enough, I probably watched the GreenGenes AT600 vs 1000w Eye Horti Blue Dream battle on YouTube like 100 times lol.

This weekend I'm upgrading to a UC813XL with 30" spacing. Each site will have a AT600 or Gavita 600/750 flex running at 750 watt per site. That is what the AT600 pulls as well, so we will have a battle of the lights and see who comes out the victor! With these Gavita's I grabbed a Pioneer 24k mini split ultra high efficiency SEER 19 on Amazon for $1600 with free prime delivery. Gotta love prime. Can't wait to see what a closed room can do with these lights that will be pulling 6k but should be equivalent to a 10k setup. Super pumped and I'll make a thread once I have the gals in there transplanted and rocking and rolling. Should be week or so :)

 

[PhatNuggz]

@Genesis, try the Method 7 sunglasses for LED`s, your eyes will luv ya for it cause they do work.

Glasses are unnecessary when using white leds. The BS sales pitch regarding plants not needing the green spectrum (which creates the white light has long been since proven FALSE.

 

[yooper420]

@PhatNuggz, sorry bro, but can`t find your T5LED grow, where it be hiding at ?
PS, thanks for your input.