Are you asking if I think LED will produce the same quality bud?
Interesting thoughts.
I think that's because you weren't using enough wattage, but it's not your fault if you were going by what hlg says. They say that with the quantum boards you only need 30 to 35 watts/sqft, whereas HPS needs a minimum of 50 watts/sqft. You were using 35 watts/sqft in the 3 x 3, with the 320 watt fixture. I don't remember where I saw this, but a few people have done ppfd readings, and in order to match HID, you really need 40 watts/sqft of quantum boards (39 to be exact). So, you should have been using a minimum of 360 watts in 9 sqft. I prefer 45 watts/sqft, so 400 watts for that space.
Should be just right for that size tent. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
Thanks! And the light is a little much for my space so I’ll be running it 50-75% my whole grow more than likely. These quantum boards are no joke.
Oh yeah, I need to brush up on my reading comprehension. I read that as a 2 x 4.
Apalachen - Did you end up selling your QBs? I just ordered a 315 CMH set up because its been well documented to cover a 3x3 footprint with great results... Light arrived, but now I'm reluctant to open it - I can do an Alibaba DIY QB build with 2 288 boards for roughly the same cost. Wondering if you ever dialled your QBs in, or if you still favour the CMH?
Just open it and stop second guessing yourself.
Haha - thanks man. This is light 3 for me tho. First root farm led was an uneducated mistake. Second light was a 1000 watt blurple that only drew 160. Just want to make sure. But the cmh is proven, and an Alibaba DIY project may be another gamble I suppose.
I wouldn't say the ali copy lights are a gamble, you don't know what you get exactly but you still get a light that will grow really well.
Thanks bud - good call.
I have decided to go all de hps for flower as soon as I can get my rooms done. My cmh will go to veg for now, I might try find some leds for veg as I wanna do a double layer of veg to save room. I love the cmh for a 3x3 but I’m limited on floor space and gonna do a lil bit taller plants and need the penetration of de hps. As far as my QB fixture goes I want to sell it but it’s a kit so my local shop won’t sell it for me (not ul listed) and I’m not sure I feel comfortable listing it myself or meeting someone to sell it. Again I don’t know of any other light that can touch a cmh in a 3x3 as far as quality goes. You might be able to pull better numbers from a QB if your really good at keeping plants healthy ( I can’t do it under the led, but I’m mixin water and controlling environment in multiple tents and only one was LED and I didn’t want to put the money into seperate environmental controls for one 3x3, also would have to use cal mag but I’m already using sensi coco a and b which has extra cal mag and that makes it hard to get the right amount when adding extra.) But I think the majority of people would have better numbers and quality under cmh. I want to like LED, I really do because I could use pallet racking for double layer grow and have way more sq ft of canopy. But the prices are too high and although some people and facilities have switched over and are doing good, I see quite a lot of people in commercial settings trying some LED fixtures and then going back to HID lighting and just vegging with LED. When large gardens known for high quality start making the switch( not just a sponsored run) I will consider it again if the prices are reasonable.