Looking to Buy my First LEDS

gardenfather · Dec 26, 2019

Hello everyone.

This is going to be my first time ever growing with LED.

I'm growing Medically. This way I know what I'm putting in my plants and can control it. I don't have to rely on government cannabis or other growers.

I Came across a few different brands/LEDs but I was wondering if any of you could help me choose and why those LEDs . Thanks

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9. 1470umol

DO IT · Dec 26, 2019

Give us a little more information and we will better informed to help you. Do you plan on growing 1 plant, a closet or a 10x10 room? Soil, hydro or aeroponic? CO2 injection, AC or are in a greenhouse?

gardenfather · Dec 27, 2019

DO IT said:
Give us a little more information and we will better informed to help you. Do you plan on growing 1 plant, a closet or a 10x10 room? Soil, hydro or aeroponic? CO2 injection, AC or are in a greenhouse?

So sorry yes that would have helped a lot.

1. Coco Medium and Soil too not mixed but different pots
2. hydro (Auto Pods) 4 XL - Might add 2 more not sure yet
3. 5xt5 Tent
6. CO2 Bag - (The Exhale 365 Homegrown Climate control and CO2 Bag)
7. For Nutrients - Nutri+

Even if I have to buy 2 lights to cover 5x5 its okay just want to know what the best option is.

Thanks

Aqua Man · Dec 27, 2019

gardenfather said:
So sorry yes that would have helped a lot.

1. Coco Medium and Soil too not mixed but different pots
2. hydro (Auto Pods) 4 XL - Might add 2 more not sure yet
3. 5xt5 Tent
6. CO2 Bag - (The Exhale 365 Homegrown Climate control and CO2 Bag)
7. For Nutrients - Nutri+

Even if I have to buy 2 lights to cover 5x5 its okay just want to know what the best option is.

Thanks

Ditch the CO2 bag it's useless

FourthCity · Dec 27, 2019

The lights that you provided model numbers for are of poor quality and will not last more than a couple years before leds start burning out. The specs they publish are dubious at best. In my opinion hlg and timber offer the best value for qbs and cobs.

DO IT · Dec 27, 2019

gardenfather said:
So sorry yes that would have helped a lot.

1. Coco Medium and Soil too not mixed but different pots
2. hydro (Auto Pods) 4 XL - Might add 2 more not sure yet
3. 5xt5 Tent
6. CO2 Bag - (The Exhale 365 Homegrown Climate control and CO2 Bag)
7. For Nutrients - Nutri+

Even if I have to buy 2 lights to cover 5x5 its okay just want to know what the best option is.

Thanks

You will need to find a 4x4 LED to cover the 5x5 tent as best as possible. If it was my show I would run 3 DLI315'S in that tent.

PhatNuggz · Dec 28, 2019

You only want to buy once

I have been using Amare Technology leds (3 currently) for ~ 6 years without issue. IMHO, they are the pinnacle of LED lights

Mr.jiujitsu · Dec 28, 2019

I just shared these

MIMedGrower · Dec 28, 2019

Mr.jiujitsu said:
I just shared these

View attachment 924850
View attachment 924849

Nice lamp but very expensive and has a stupider name than even Kind lighting. Lol.

Mr.jiujitsu · Dec 28, 2019

MIMedGrower said:
Nice lamp but very expensive and has a stupider name than even Kind lighting. Lol.

I haven’t run them. But I know some who are and they def slay, and they are way more than I would want to spend.

MIMedGrower · Dec 28, 2019

Mr.jiujitsu said:
I haven’t run them. But I know some who are and they def slay, and they are way more than I would want to spend.

I relaced my hid ballasts for half price and cleaned up my old reflectors for free and had the best yields ever. Im waiting for the led industry to stabilize and come down in price.

But i might try a board in my 3x3 veg tent when i have to replace the t-5’s again. Worried i wont have enough heat in winter in there though. I run 250 watts of t-5 now.

Mr.jiujitsu · Dec 28, 2019

MIMedGrower said:
I relaced my hid ballasts for half price and cleaned up my old reflectors for free and had the best yields ever. Im waiting for the led industry to stabilize and come down in price.

But i might try a board in my 3x3 veg tent when i have to replace the t-5’s again. Worried i wont have enough heat in winter in there though. I run 250 watts of t-5 now.

just run the boards heavy on power and they will heat up. I run my small tents (2x4’s) with three qb132. If I want more hear I just rock them
At 100% and higher in the tent. At max im pulling 225w. Or I can run them almost touching at 120w. All depends on what I’m doing and the plants stages. I def feel like I get better range of use with the leds. On that note I run t-5 prob same size as you in my seedling and clone Spaces. Prob never go away from that.

Anthem · Dec 28, 2019

MIMedGrower said:
I relaced my hid ballasts for half price and cleaned up my old reflectors for free and had the best yields ever. Im waiting for the led industry to stabilize and come down in price.

But i might try a board in my 3x3 veg tent when i have to replace the t-5’s again. Worried i wont have enough heat in winter in there though. I run 250 watts of t-5 now.

How often do you have to replace the ballast and bulb? also what is the replacement cost of each?

SkunkyDunk · Dec 28, 2019

I've used T5's for seedling and early veg for 11 years. My 6 bulb fixture is 324 watts on full.
Will be considering one of the Kingbrite 2 ft panels soon.

MIMedGrower · Dec 28, 2019

Anthem said:
How often do you have to replace the ballast and bulb? also what is the replacement cost of each?

Good question.

Well my galaxy 400/600/1000 was over 5 years in service perpetually on 12/12 and the galaxy 400/600 was over 4 years when I replaced them. Both still work fine. I got 2 solis tech 400/600 ballasts from growers house on clearance for $210 shipped after discounts. They cost almost that much each normally.

And i replace 2 hortilux 600 watt super hps bulbs every 9-10 months for 65 each shipped.

The flourescent 2 foot tubes in the veg tent cost about $65 shipped and go for about 18 months before replacement.

MIMedGrower · Dec 28, 2019

SkunkyDunk said:
I've used T5's for seedling and early veg for 11 years. My 6 bulb fixture is 324 watts on full.
Will be considering one of the Kingbrite 2 ft panels soon.

Young plants really seem to like t-5’s but i dont trust my old fixtures after 5 years.

I was looking at hlg boards. Or a small strip build. I dont trust kingbrite. I dont believe they are really the same components. All knockoff stuff.

I have never seen anyone recomend them that has owned one for any real amount of time. All recent purchases

And i think i would want cobs like the timber lighting set ups for flower. I grow bushes. these boards seem to do better with shallow canopies like with screens.

Dan789 · Dec 28, 2019

FourthCity said:
The lights that you provided model numbers for are of poor quality and will not last more than a couple years before leds start burning out. The specs they publish are dubious at best. In my opinion hlg and timber offer the best value for qbs and cobs.

I think Rapid Led should be added, along with the light kits they offer.

MIMedGrower · Dec 28, 2019

Dan789 said:
I think Rapid Led should be added, along with the light kits they offer.

I like timber cob set ups best for flower.

Many like the growmau pucks too. Lots of choices. All too expensive for what you get in my opinion.

Why would a plastic sheet of little lights and a compute driver cost more than my stamped and welded steel glass enclosed and powder coated fixture and a high power electronic hid ballast? Up to 4 times as much.

Shame the forum noobs and led hobbiests at riu started paying the shills at HLG and rapid if you ask me. Wasnt kind and cali lightworks and fluence already way overpriced for actual enclosed fictures?

FourthCity · Dec 28, 2019

Dan789 said:
I think Rapid Led should be added, along with the light kits they offer.

This and all the other lighting suggestions that have been made are good options. Timber and hlg may not offer the best lights in the business but most people agree they perform great and are fairly priced.

FourthCity · Dec 28, 2019

MIMedGrower said:
Why would a plastic sheet of little lights and a compute driver cost more than my stamped and welded steel glass enclosed and powder coated fixture and a high power electronic hid ballast? Up to 4 times as much.

I think the price difference comes to waste. I don't know the intricacies of led design or manufacturing but I have seen some some studies that suggest a ridiculous amount of materials and resources are consumed in the production of modern electronics. HID lighting is relatively old tech and I would imagine much of the manufacturing has been streamlined and the production equipment has been paid for, leaving room for profit at lower price points.

Looking to Buy my First LEDS

Looking to Buy my First LEDS

gardenfather

DO IT

gardenfather

Aqua Man

FourthCity

DO IT

PhatNuggz

Mr.jiujitsu

MIMedGrower

Mr.jiujitsu

MIMedGrower

Mr.jiujitsu

Anthem

SkunkyDunk

MIMedGrower

MIMedGrower

Dan789

MIMedGrower

FourthCity

FourthCity

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