For sure you can ask us here. Your cool and we like cool people. People who DON'T buy government weed.
600w is a lot in a 32 x 32 tent. How hot was it in there? That's more useful in a 4x4 tent or even a 5x5. But having extra is nice at certain times. Getting a wide spectrum will enable you to go from veg to flower easily. A dimming feature will allow you to turn it down some during early veg and then ramp it up as they get bigger. LED also allows a bit of forgiveness if your plants get to close. They won't burn as badly. And it happens at times that they get too big and poof.
So with the LED market you can get pretty fancy now. Optional controllers to operate and control the timing off and on........room heat sensor....high temp ramp down....high temp shut off.....sunrise/sunset ramp up and down. These are very nice features as they take care of extra heat if a fan breaks or whatever. They will dim the light to reduce the heat load. VERY VERY nice stuff. But of course you gotta free up your wallet. You only get what you pay for as they say. I'm NOT a believer in cheaping out. That's just me though. Some guys enjoy doing this as inexpensively as possible. To them that is the challenge and fun of it. Personally I like big and overkill products. I don't want cheap equipment ruining valuable weed.
Now here's another reason to consider getting what you really want and will get you the best result. These lights nowadays last up to 7 or 8 years. So why not buy correct the first time. As you are finding out. Personally i hate buying something twice. I figure why was i so stupid the first go...lol. Anyway, live and learn right?
The guys here will show you some options on lights and my advice is don't cheap out and get a good one. Listen a lot here. Some of the guys here are near experts in what is what and where it is cheapest to grab it.
After all unless you're into failure after failure it pays to get what works. I've seen plenty of folks not really have what is required and get endless garbage weed in return.
Let me tell you the grow tent/light kits they sell to newbies is only have of what is needed. My 2 cents anyway.
You need a decent environment around them as well.
This isn't easy, but it can be if you equipped correctly.
Thanks. Wholeheartedly agree, but 'starving artist' and all.... decisions had to be made. Since I can't grow anything living under a bridge, I figured 'something' is better than nothing. Despite all the cold weather, late decisions, a broken stem - and a ninja cat who is always trying to break in and eat the leaves - my free seeds are in flower and have some thick buds growing. Colour me surprised! There was a time my poor girls could've joined the #MeToo movement, lol.
But us girls stick together, and got each other through the healing process
Lots of Love.
I am a voracious reader, so this site has been a wealth of info and help. All searches kept leading here, so I figured wth? Might as well join. A bit embarrassing to post journal pics of my poor babies, but I've got nothing to prove, so whatevs. Besides, they just make all you guys' plants look really, really good, lol... (I thought I was doing pretty good until I saw plants on here, within the same time-frame as mine.
ROFL!) I'll get there.
It didn't get hot in the tent at all. In fact, I would've appreciated a warmer light during -30+ During the day it runs around 21-22 C. I got a good tent from GrowLights.ca (good ppl there) and finally splurged on a good pH pen from Apera. Would've preferred Blue Lab, so I could support my home country of NZ - but again, it was cost. Mine came with a kit and holder for all the pH for calibration, etc. It's very cute & I love feeling like a scientist. Plus, I think that was where my problems were coming from. Instead of chasing down deficiency this or that, I just waited for the pH pen - and "Voila!" They seem much happier now. Big difference in leaf & stem colours & formation.
There's so much on initial outlay - and I still need another fan, a loupy-thing, and some scissors soon. I think the curing is going to be the most stressful! And then there's the inline exhaust - but no smell yet, so I'm waiting on that. I have a journal here, more for my own records really - but it kind of explains the train-wreck and how it all started. It's more funny than technical, because it really was 'a time'. Ohhh boy...
I was looking at Cob lights too. Darnitall... Just didn't know enough at the time. No biggie though. I'm putting the seller through hell, and they are to the point where they're like, "Keep it. We'll refund the money. Just go away." LOL!
Nope. This is not easy. And some people just think you throw in a seed, and away you go! Yeah, I got news for them! Mad props to good growers. Your advice is awesome. Will try to make a better decision when time rolls around for that. I'm waiting this one out with the LED I've got. I mean, it's not like it doesn't work... it's a loud fan and dust seems to gather on the glass inside. I'll take it apart to clean but, you know, I want something to back it up if things go sideways.
Anyways, taken up a lot of time here. So, thanks again.
What about ones we have just lying around from days gone by? They are mine, and I paid for them. They came with the weed! lolol... What a joke.
Why on earth would anyone allow that to happen? Good grief. Thanks for making it even harder to pay those bills, lol. Yeah, I'm estimating an extra $100/month for electric - just by knowing what it usually was - and I'm only running a 600w - which 'says' equivalent 450w. Which I took with a grain of salt, btw. It's a cheapy.
You're right. It's a long read - esp. w/ all those links! So far, pretty amazing research in there. Impressive, yet frustrating, what with all the evidence of misinformation & notions. Thanks for passing this along 
For now, anyways.
Poor things.
