Which LED's to buy

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Palindrome

Palindrome

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OK I am wanting to upgrade my lighting to LED's for flowering. I'll most likely still use my HPS Vertical Cooltube in the winter because it keeps the room warm and heats the basement. But I really want to use the LED's to help cut my electric bill in the Spring through the fall.

I've narrowed the options to these

Fluence SPYDER series
not sure which one though: I'm not running Co2.
Spyder X
Spyder XPlus
Spyder 2p
Spyder 2i

not sure which Spyder at all. The X and the P are much less expensive and looks like the X is for home hobbyists and for veg in commercial ops. It has a price tag of $844. The X plus is for commercial apps and says they recommend CO2 supplementation. But, is any of y'all using this without CO2 and getting good results? The 2P runs around $1200 and states it's for commercial apps and CO2. The 2i seems to be the big boy and runs $1428.

in the running is the Gavita pro 1700e, although i have a seething hatred for anything that comes from Hawthorne group. They have single handed completely screwed every hydro store around here with very poor service and replenishment and they really do not seem to give a shit. I have heard their customer service is total crap and since Hawthorne is Scotts?monsanto, I really do not want to go with this option, unless someone can convince me otherwise.


anyway, if anyone can offer good advice on flowering with LED's I'd appreciate it.
It's five months since this e-mail. I'm shopping for a 5x5 tent light too. I've got it down to the new HLG 650 Diablo and the new G8-C3 - both game changers but quite different. I favour the G8 model myself because it has a vedge and flower setting (different wattage). The HLG has unreal efficacy. Price is not a consideration for me - this is about best light for my purposes. My 5x5 is a female tent for breeding so I'm sparing no expense.
 
guymandude

guymandude

605
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ok, for y'all wanting cheap as hell LED's, keep in mind yo get what you pay for. I bought a Mars Hydro light for the veg room about 6 months ago. Before this I had an Apollo 8 from china. The Mars Hydro does not come anywhere close to the Apollo 8 light. The Mars Hydro was about $150, The Apollo 8 runs about 300 each. When i was running the Apollo 8, which lasted about 5 years, btw and you can easily get replacement Led panels for them when they burn out, I got amazing plant growth and even better root growth. Don't be so damn cheap, unless you really have to. Take some pride in your plants. I am ready to toss my mars hydro fixture and order another one or 2 of the Apollo 8's.

Here's the Apollo 8. It's full spectrum, including IR and UV. Spider Farmer can't touch this light......

 
Palindrome

Palindrome

26
3
It's five months since this e-mail. I'm shopping for a 5x5 tent light too. I've got it down to the new HLG 650 Diablo and the new G8-C3 - both game changers but quite different. I favour the G8 model myself because it has a vedge and flower setting (different wattage). The HLG has unreal efficacy. Price is not a consideration for me - this is about best light for my purposes. My 5x5 is a female tent for breeding so I'm sparing no expense.
update: went with the G8-C3 for my 5x5 - it's awesome - blindingly so!
 
Glassdub

Glassdub

1,293
163
update: went with the G8-C3 for my 5x5 - it's awesome - blindingly so!
Can't afford the price but I really would like to up to a 5x5 I got 6 plants packet in a 3X4 and is too much if you do any decent topping.
 
Palindrome

Palindrome

26
3
Can't afford the price but I really would like to up to a 5x5 I got 6 plants packet in a 3X4 and is too much if you do any decent topping.
I also went with the Autopot XL system...just before they came out with their much more space-efficient trays. So I've got six individual large pots with aeration domes, pumped in air at the roots and a 100litre gravity-fed reservoir. I had to build a support stand to elevate the resevoir. The 6 XL pots are evenly spaced in the centre ⅔ of the tent - nice set-up but there is no extra room for a 6'1" guy to move around in it. Still, huge step up from my little 3x3 (now a male tent).
 
guymandude

guymandude

605
143
i picked up this light from BC Blondes. It was a discontinued model and uses COB LED's. Got this light just just under a grand.
 
Blueberry Yum Yum midflower 2
Blueberry Yum Yum midflower 3 plants
BBYY ready at 6 weeks 1 private
BBYY ready 6 weeks 2 private
Lights1 private
guymandude

guymandude

605
143
i pilled the trigger and picked up the 6 Bar Mammoth commercial grade LED for the veg room. It gets wa too hot down there in the summer.

temp difference is hugely noticeable.

New mammoth light 1 private
New mammoth light 2 private
New mammoth light 3 private
 
Redwater

Redwater

5
3
Didnt know what I was doing and bought an agromax afs 1830 for $1200. Two months later the price is $699. Now I'm not even sure if it's a quality light, there aren't many or any reviews, anyone else own one?
 
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