Pllllease help me with these lights!!!

[Southerngirlj]

Hello all!
This would be our first grow and I am having trouble with the lights. I've read and read and I just end up back where I started, confused. Please forgive me ahead of time for any dumb questions. I had just about decided on a blurple LED but decided to read some more and ended up coming back around to the quantum boards and deciding those may be the better option. We don't have a huge budget. It's a 3'1"x2'1"x6'10" total area. I don't plan on packing it full, 2 larger or maybe 3 smaller plants in 5 gal pots? Or just 1 larger one if that's what my area would accommodate better. I'm open to any suggestions. I found 3 lights I'm interested in:

Hlg 100 rspec
Hlg 65 v2
Viparspectra xs1500

The whole area is 6.42sqft so going by the 40-50 watts per sqft I'd need 257-321 watts but I figure I'll probably use 4sqft of actual grow space so 160-200 watts?
The hlg 100 is only 95 actual watts. The ppfd seems in range, just low. Would this light be sufficient on its own for a good grow in my size area?
I thought I could maybe use one each of the HLGs at the same time to help boost the watts and color specs.
This is where I start getting myself all confused and wondering, Is this a dumb idea? Using both would make the wattage 160. They're different sizes so the coverage area isn't the same and since ones more red and ones more blue the plants wouldn't be getting equal coverage with the same lighting so it's a bad idea right?
Someone suggested using 2 of the hlg 65s and a separate red spectrum for flowering. That's only 135 watts for the 2 hlgs, not even the min 40 watts per sqft for 4sqft area. And the ppfd map readings seem low... 480center@12" and 290center @18". I know this is the cheapest model so we're not going to get maximum numbers. The chart i found says min/max umoles req for each stage are: S 200-300, V 306-617, F 463-925. Based on 18/6 HR days for S&V and 12/12 HR days Flow. With these readings would we get anything decent?
For adding the separate red spectrum can someone please give me some suggestions? I don't know where I would hang it if I already had the other two boards in there. When I was considering the LEDs I had read about supplemental side lighting. I started to look into red bulbs a little but couldn't figure out which of them would be better or if they were even strong enough to do anything at all.
ABI True 25w deep red 660nm
ABI True 26w red 620-630nm
Higrow 36w deep red 660nm
Both these companies also make 450-460nm blue bulbs which I thought may be useful if I ended up with a light that's higher in reds.
I'd love to do 2 of the hlg100s if that would work but I just don't think we can afford it right now.
Which is where I ended up considering the Viparspectra XS1500. It is slightly more expensive than the hlg100, has 150w actual power, ppfd readings are higher, the coverage is similar (I think), it has IR and the others don't, it does look to be higher in reds than blue. I worry about heat put off from it because I did see that complaint a couple of times but I also read the same thing a few times about the hlgs.
It seems like a lot of ppl favor hlg over Viparspectra but for the difference in specs and our budget I wonder if it would be worth it.
Someone plllllease help me!! I just want to start already! Lol I am sorry for the rambling in this post. I am learning and know I have a long way to go still. Lol Thank y'all for any advice you can give me!!

 

[Allegedly]

Hello all!
This would be our first grow and I am having trouble with the lights. I've read and read and I just end up back where I started, confused. Please forgive me ahead of time for any dumb questions. I had just about decided on a blurple LED but decided to read some more and ended up coming back around to the quantum boards and deciding those may be the better option. We don't have a huge budget. It's a 3'1"x2'1"x6'10" total area. I don't plan on packing it full, 2 larger or maybe 3 smaller plants in 5 gal pots? Or just 1 larger one if that's what my area would accommodate better. I'm open to any suggestions. I found 3 lights I'm interested in:

Hlg 100 rspec
Hlg 65 v2
Viparspectra xs1500

The whole area is 6.42sqft so going by the 40-50 watts per sqft I'd need 257-321 watts but I figure I'll probably use 4sqft of actual grow space so 160-200 watts?
The hlg 100 is only 95 actual watts. The ppfd seems in range, just low. Would this light be sufficient on its own for a good grow in my size area?
I thought I could maybe use one each of the HLGs at the same time to help boost the watts and color specs.
This is where I start getting myself all confused and wondering, Is this a dumb idea? Using both would make the wattage 160. They're different sizes so the coverage area isn't the same and since ones more red and ones more blue the plants wouldn't be getting equal coverage with the same lighting so it's a bad idea right?
Someone suggested using 2 of the hlg 65s and a separate red spectrum for flowering. That's only 135 watts for the 2 hlgs, not even the min 40 watts per sqft for 4sqft area. And the ppfd map readings seem low... 480center@12" and 290center @18". I know this is the cheapest model so we're not going to get maximum numbers. The chart i found says min/max umoles req for each stage are: S 200-300, V 306-617, F 463-925. Based on 18/6 HR days for S&V and 12/12 HR days Flow. With these readings would we get anything decent?
For adding the separate red spectrum can someone please give me some suggestions? I don't know where I would hang it if I already had the other two boards in there. When I was considering the LEDs I had read about supplemental side lighting. I started to look into red bulbs a little but couldn't figure out which of them would be better or if they were even strong enough to do anything at all.
ABI True 25w deep red 660nm
ABI True 26w red 620-630nm
Higrow 36w deep red 660nm
Both these companies also make 450-460nm blue bulbs which I thought may be useful if I ended up with a light that's higher in reds.
I'd love to do 2 of the hlg100s if that would work but I just don't think we can afford it right now.
Which is where I ended up considering the Viparspectra XS1500. It is slightly more expensive than the hlg100, has 150w actual power, ppfd readings are higher, the coverage is similar (I think), it has IR and the others don't, it does look to be higher in reds than blue. I worry about heat put off from it because I did see that complaint a couple of times but I also read the same thing a few times about the hlgs.
It seems like a lot of ppl favor hlg over Viparspectra but for the difference in specs and our budget I wonder if it would be worth it.
Someone plllllease help me!! I just want to start already! Lol I am sorry for the rambling in this post. I am learning and know I have a long way to go still. Lol Thank y'all for any advice you can give me!!

I really recommend you save for a more powerful option. i understand budget constraints so maybe get something mid range from spider farmer or mars hydro, a lot of people recommend kingbrite also and i believe theres a thread for that here.
as far as the blues and reds dont over think it, most lamps have enough blue and reds in them to get you through veg and flower just fine, you dont need to see it with your eye, and please god dont get a blurple or let someone convince you to.

 

[TSD]

I can only speak for what I have, wich is a Mars hydro 600. I only use it to start my plants before they go outside, so I can't say how they do in flower, but I was very happy with how it worked for my veg stage. It was only 80 bucks on Amazon, you might need 2 of that size, not sure. I would definitely invest in something decent or it's not worth the time and effort to grow.

 

[Jakecan]

Okay so personally I have a spider farmer sf1000. Great light but I wish I had saved up a little bit more and got a HLG 300L Rspec or even a spider farmer sf2000. My space is just a bit big where the sf1000 doesn't fully cover the tent. I know you say you won't fill the tent but I promise you your plant are going to want to fill that tent whether you like it or not Have you considered spider farmer? A sf2000 will run ya probably $100 more than the HLG 100 but I think the extra cost may be worth it in the end :). I know this isn't really the question you asked but from personal experience this is what I wish I would have done and now I have a light that I am already wanting to upgrade! Also, I know spider farmer has discounts they always put out on THC Farmer and HLG has a discount using the code "dude" (I think that's the code I could be wrong) so maybe that can help with your decision :)!

 

[Allegedly]

Okay so personally I have a spider farmer sf1000. Great light but I wish I had saved up a little bit more and got a HLG 300L Rspec or even a spider farmer sf2000. My space is just a bit big where the sf1000 doesn't fully cover the tent. I know you say you won't fill the tent but I promise you your plant are going to want to fill that tent whether you like it or not Have you considered spider farmer? A sf2000 will run ya probably $100 more than the HLG 100 but I think the extra cost may be worth it in the end :). I know this isn't really the question you asked but from personal experience this is what I wish I would have done and now I have a light that I am already wanting to upgrade! Also, I know spider farmer has discounts they always put out on THC Farmer and HLG has a discount using the code "dude" (I think that's the code I could be wrong) so maybe that can help with your decision :)!

same. i saw in there they are trying to grow in a few 5 gal pots, gonna need a bigger coverage area than a couple small veg lights

 

[weedshoes]

Scrape another $18 together and get the HLG 135 kit. The dimmer and extra 50 watts over the 100 are worth it.

 

[frogyrogy]

Your light will be your biggest and most important initial investment . . . stretch the budget or save a bit more and go with HLG 300L Rspec or other top quality light. Too much light and a dimmer sure beats needing another light when you just finished hanging a new light. Avoid the amazon/budget light trap of buying, then replacing with what you want/need to begin with . . . done that and it sucks. One of the most common statements I read about lights in these forums is "I have the Spider/Mars/Vipar/BestVA/etc. . . . I wish I had spent more and got the ---- ".

 

[2Bad]

Just shoot for 30 watts per sq ft your yield will still be great

 

[Phill]

I swear by hlg I run 100v per plant in veg and 600rspec per plant flower

 

[MagicNative1]

Hello all!
This would be our first grow and I am having trouble with the lights. I've read and read and I just end up back where I started, confused. Please forgive me ahead of time for any dumb questions. I had just about decided on a blurple LED but decided to read some more and ended up coming back around to the quantum boards and deciding those may be the better option. We don't have a huge budget. It's a 3'1"x2'1"x6'10" total area. I don't plan on packing it full, 2 larger or maybe 3 smaller plants in 5 gal pots? Or just 1 larger one if that's what my area would accommodate better. I'm open to any suggestions. I found 3 lights I'm interested in:

Hlg 100 rspec
Hlg 65 v2
Viparspectra xs1500

The whole area is 6.42sqft so going by the 40-50 watts per sqft I'd need 257-321 watts but I figure I'll probably use 4sqft of actual grow space so 160-200 watts?
The hlg 100 is only 95 actual watts. The ppfd seems in range, just low. Would this light be sufficient on its own for a good grow in my size area?
I thought I could maybe use one each of the HLGs at the same time to help boost the watts and color specs.
This is where I start getting myself all confused and wondering, Is this a dumb idea? Using both would make the wattage 160. They're different sizes so the coverage area isn't the same and since ones more red and ones more blue the plants wouldn't be getting equal coverage with the same lighting so it's a bad idea right?
Someone suggested using 2 of the hlg 65s and a separate red spectrum for flowering. That's only 135 watts for the 2 hlgs, not even the min 40 watts per sqft for 4sqft area. And the ppfd map readings seem low... 480center@12" and 290center @18". I know this is the cheapest model so we're not going to get maximum numbers. The chart i found says min/max umoles req for each stage are: S 200-300, V 306-617, F 463-925. Based on 18/6 HR days for S&V and 12/12 HR days Flow. With these readings would we get anything decent?
For adding the separate red spectrum can someone please give me some suggestions? I don't know where I would hang it if I already had the other two boards in there. When I was considering the LEDs I had read about supplemental side lighting. I started to look into red bulbs a little but couldn't figure out which of them would be better or if they were even strong enough to do anything at all.
ABI True 25w deep red 660nm
ABI True 26w red 620-630nm
Higrow 36w deep red 660nm
Both these companies also make 450-460nm blue bulbs which I thought may be useful if I ended up with a light that's higher in reds.
I'd love to do 2 of the hlg100s if that would work but I just don't think we can afford it right now.
Which is where I ended up considering the Viparspectra XS1500. It is slightly more expensive than the hlg100, has 150w actual power, ppfd readings are higher, the coverage is similar (I think), it has IR and the others don't, it does look to be higher in reds than blue. I worry about heat put off from it because I did see that complaint a couple of times but I also read the same thing a few times about the hlgs.
It seems like a lot of ppl favor hlg over Viparspectra but for the difference in specs and our budget I wonder if it would be worth it.
Someone plllllease help me!! I just want to start already! Lol I am sorry for the rambling in this post. I am learning and know I have a long way to go still. Lol Thank y'all for any advice you can give me!!

When asking most growers they're probably going to just tell you that blurple lights aren't good... They're definitely goin to stear you away, lol...
Me personally Ive bought a cheap 25w single fluorescent "" full spectrum"" light, they probably aren't just a popular selling point they want you to believe, probably like from Walmart Lowes or home Depot or somethin... And then turned around and bought two little 10" blurple lights and tie them together and that set up allowed me to grow all my plants under just enough light to be good for them and have positive growth without having to immediately spend twice that amount on a light even up to3x that amount... Then I bought a Viparspectra 2500 not to long before flower.. so now I have lights ( the expensive one ) I only have to use when I have stuff in my flowering tent and I have the cheap stuff doing all the prep work and building.... Plus when the Walmart light burnt out I can just change the bulb and the blurples go out no big loss just spend another $40 for another yrs worth of cheaper lighting.. your almost always going to have something in veg and work up to what you want to flower when ready in photos anyways n can pick any point to flower them...
Want way better than crappy blurples then I'd definitely check out Viparspectra, and then definitely check out the spider farmer lights too... Anything from the cheaper stuff to lights runnin over a grand a piece..

 

[MagicNative1]

I swear by hlg I run 100v per plant in veg and 600rspec per plant flower

Beautiful girls

 

[Running_tank313]

All I can recommend is Don't go cheap and do your research. I did the same thing and went cheap and didn't get close to the yield that I wanted so have gone back to hps as IV been using them for as long as I can remember untill I can understand how leds work a bit better.

 

[MagicNative1]

All I can recommend is Don't go cheap and do your research. I did the same thing and went cheap and didn't get close to the yield that I wanted so have gone back to hps as IV been using them for as long as I can remember untill I can understand how leds work a bit better.

LED's do have a few cons to go with the pros... But it's usually something like needing to supplement things like a lil more cal-mag n such.. definitely need to learn distances and light power as far as percentages increasing as the plant get bigger.. but the pros usually outway the cons 100 to one with them... Next to no heat output for one...

But the older LEDs back when they were first becoming popular were complete trash compared to what they've become these days.. older ones were the usual blurple types and tho they do grow your plants they don't grow them near as well as a up to date newer model would... Heck an older LED couldn't even compete with hps n metal halide in a landslide comparison.. but if your not looking for stronger growth and faster growth you can definitely use something like a blurple.. or even seedlings and younger plants... Definitely will have to make a switch and get your plants used to the stronger lighting n such for a few days before either cranking your big boy up or flipping to flower... But yeah Your definitely definitely correct, if your not using one of those blurples for a purpose it's not really worth it like you'd said.. especially in flower they just don't support your plant well enough to bring any type of decent yeilds..

 

[Running_tank313]

LED's do have a few cons to go with the pros... But it's usually something like needing to supplement things like a lil more cal-mag n such.. definitely need to learn distances and light power as far as percentages increasing as the plant get bigger.. but the pros usually outway the cons 100 to one with them... Next to no heat output for one...

But the older LEDs back when they were first becoming popular were complete trash compared to what they've become these days.. older ones were the usual blurple types and tho they do grow your plants they don't grow them near as well as a up to date newer model would... Heck an older LED couldn't even compete with hps n metal halide in a landslide comparison.. but if your not looking for stronger growth and faster growth you can definitely use something like a blurple.. or even seedlings and younger plants... Definitely will have to make a switch and get your plants used to the stronger lighting n such for a few days before either cranking your big boy up or flipping to flower... But yeah Your definitely definitely correct, if your not using one of those blurples for a purpose it's not really worth it like you'd said.. especially in flower they just don't support your plant well enough to bring any type of decent yeilds..

Yea I did a full cycle with these cheaper ones I brought used 5 lights over 16 plants and didn't even get a pound on a 15 week cycle so stopped using them and went back to hps were I garented to get 4.5 pound to 4 digital hps,s using medium shades over a 12 week cycle not including clone time. Deffently doing my research and would love to go back to leds though for the heat factor as it's so hard to control humidity and temps through HP's.

 

[Observationist]

3+ year old blurple

 

[erickvelez5]

At first I bought those Walmart flood grow lights and after buying ten of them I realized that I’ll never have enough light to get a decent yield so I ended up buying the vivosun vs4000 and I’m happy with it. Being cheap cost me much more in the end.