$1,000 CDN Light Suggestions? (was: SpiderFarmer SF-4000 suggested comparisons)

Hi All,

I'm having a bit of trouble with managing heat in my room and have no more cooling capacity, so I think scaling back and switching to LED will give me (and my plants) room to breathe.

I'm going to be decommissioning two 600 watt switchable MH/HPS lamps over a 4'x8' area in favor of LED over a 4' x 5' area (possibly 5'x5').
I am just about ready to pull the trigger on the Spider Farmer sf-4000.

Before I do, I am trying to research some other options that might save me some cash, or might be a better over all purchase.
I don't have tools or materials to fabricate anything, or even drill a straight hole for that matter, but would be handy enough with a DIY kit that just needs assembly.

I'd like to order something that could be here within the next few weeks (maybe not direct from China?)

I was looking at the HLG 650r which was too pricey, but is this the right model to compare as equivalent to the sf-4000?
I also heard about Meiju and Maxisun but am not sure how trusted these are, or where I should order from (Amazon?)

As an old school guy who used to just buy bulbs at the local grow store, I feel a little overwhelmed by the options.

Without sounding too lazy, could I ask for some help narrowing the field to a small handful of options available in Canada and ringing in around the $800 mark so I can read and make an educated decision without just relying on brand recognition?

I'd personally get the hlg or this from budgeted



Both use the new and better LM301H diods

SF seem fine for a budget knockoff for the $$$ but don't know any good growers that have used one so can't really comment on them

BobThe420Builder said:

I'd personally get the hlg or this from budgeted

Series 3+ Full Spec 500 Watt Dimmable Grow Light

Our Series 3+ Full Spec 500 Watt Indoor LED grow light is designed to be the ultimate full cycle unit to optimize growth in each stage. Each kit utilizes 4 of our custom designed & full spectrum LED boards with Samsung LM301H, UVA, Samsung LH351H Deep Red 660nm / Far Red 730nm, and Cree XPE2...

www.budgetgrowlights.com

Both use the new and better LM301H diods

SF seem fine for a budget knockoff for the $$$ but don't know any good growers that have used one so can't really comment on them

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Thanks! This creates new questions for me:

1) Knowing "Pro" level lights seem to start at $1,000ish if I am in that price range, are the HLG and the light you link from Budget the best two contenders?

2) Give your two options, is there one you would always pick over the other if I plan to veg and flower under it?

3) This puts me on a slippery slope. If I am now in the slightly above $1,000 do I open up even better options by say capping out absolutely around $1,250?

4) If I change my parameters to say:
I'd like to one day achieve "good grower" status in the eyes of other "good growers" using a LED replacement for a 600watt MH/HPS over a 4'x4' area that will perform as well or better when placed over a 5'x5' area with painted walls.

Does that allow for any LED lighting options that I would be happy with that stick around the $750 mark?

Thanks for your time!

Relic79 said:

Thanks! This creates new questions for me:

1) Knowing "Pro" level lights seem to start at $1,000ish if I am in that price range, are the HLG and the light you link from Budget the best two contenders?

2) Give your two options, is there one you would always pick over the other if I plan to veg and flower under it?

3) This puts me on a slippery slope. If I am now in the slightly above $1,000 do I open up even better options by say capping out absolutely around $1,250?

4) If I change my parameters to say:
I'd like to one day achieve "good grower" status in the eyes of other "good growers" using a LED replacement for a 600watt MH/HPS over a 4'x4' area that will perform as well or better when placed over a 5'x5' area with painted walls.

Does that allow for any LED lighting options that I would be happy with that stick around the $750 mark?

Thanks for your time!

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I would get the old hlg 550 it’s like 500 bucks now there’s no way you could lose

Your option , hlg, is more watts, thus the $ increase and covers a larger area. It is also designed for mainly flowering

My recommendation is full spectrum designed for veg with added blues and flower with added reds


Personally I run two tents,one veg,one flower


But starting out you'll be fin in one tent but will learn pretty fast it's better to have two tents for a perpetual grow style of growing

Dopesmoka said:

I would get the old hlg 550 it’s like 500 bucks now there’s no way you could lose

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Have you seen it in stock anywhere at that price lately (ships to Canada)? Thanks!

Dopesmoka said:

I would get the old hlg 550 it’s like 500 bucks now there’s no way you could lose

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That's a good $$

Ya don't see stock on it either

Relic79 said:

Have you seen it in stock anywhere at that price lately (ships to Canada)? Thanks!

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My bad I take it back the refurnished red spec is $599 with a 1 year warranty but the all around 550 evo is 650 with a 3 year warranty

Relic79 said:

Have you seen it in stock anywhere at that price lately (ships to Canada)? Thanks!

Click to expand...

It’s on there website I’m not sure if it still takes a month to get it tho

BobThe420Builder said:

Your option , hlg, is more watts, thus the $ increase and covers a larger area. It is also designed for mainly flowering

My recommendation is full spectrum designed for veg with added blues and flower with added reds


Personally I run two tents,one veg,one flower


But starting out you'll be fin in one tent but will learn pretty fast it's better to have two tents for a perpetual grow style of growing

Click to expand...

I'm actually growing in an 8'x8'x9' room where I have half of it as a 4'x8' flower area I grew out some clones for my very first run. I couldn't manage to keep heat and RH in range running two 600watt MH/HPS lamps, so am scaling back so I can make this enjoyable again instead of having constant problems.

I plan to divide the 4'x8'x9' area into two sections. 3'x4'x9' and 5'x4'x9'. I can even make it a it L-shaped and possibly have 5'x5'x9'.
I plan to further divide the "veg" side into 2 sections top and bottom, so I can keep a couple small mothers and have place to root and early veg.

Even with this setup, I should be throwing less heat than the two 600's with ballasts in the room, and with LED, I read that the room can be a bit warmer anyway.

If this works, I hope to become a better, more relaxed, more successful grower.

After some discussion, I am now working with a hard cap of $1,000 CDN before tax and shipping. This has put pretty much anything (in stock) at HLG off the table.

@BobThe420Builder suggested this https://www.budgetgrowlights.com/collections/lighting-for-large-sized-grow-spaces-4-x-4-or-larger/products/series-3-full-spec-500-watt-dimmable-grow-light-1

which is right on point. Would anyone have any other suggestions for consideration at or below $1,000 Canadian to flower a 4'x4' area?

Also, does anyone (@BobThe420Builder) know if these DIY kits just go together with a screw driver, or will i need actual skill?

Basically a 6yr old can assemble then


Biggest decision is if you want full spectrum in one light or a veg or flower only light

Buyer beware
If it were me I would be addressing my heat issues with that money
LED's still run hot they just let you grow in a hotter environment
As far as them saving you money , not so much ...You need almost equivalent wattages in actual watts
For me I run a room with 4 -600 HPS and if I switch again I'll probably go CMH

BobThe420Builder said:

Basically a 6yr old can assemble then


Biggest decision is if you want full spectrum in one light or a veg or flower only light

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At the risk of asking too many dumb questions,

Herb & Suds said:

Buyer beware
If it were me I would be addressing my heat issues with that money
LED's still run hot they just let you grow in a hotter environment
As far as them saving you money , not so much ...You need almost equivalent wattages in actual watts
For me I run a room with 4 -600 HPS and if I switch again I'll probably go CMH

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Can you comment on my logic here, then I will go back to the light hunt?

Right now in an 8'x8'x9' room with two air-cooled (indoor air from neighboring room) 600watt HIDs, ballasts, and a dehumidifier in the room, on hot summer days of 26c+ I will hit 30c maybe 31c in the room.

If I open the door, I can keep it down to 27c to 28c but need to keep an eye on te dehumidifier.

I have since harvested all but 2 plants, so have shut down one light, and the outside air is a lower RH so my dehu is running less often. This has my temps sitting 22c to 24c with an RH of around 40 to 42 all day.

To get within my capacity, I am cutting my flower space in almost half and growing less from now on, so I will only need one main light. To make up for this, I want to go perpetual-ish by having a small veg area, so I need to create even more head room.

Looking at that budget led light, it runs 500 actual watts. If I ran only this instead, I would now be at a 100watt deficit. I have read that plants can tolerate a higher room temp under LED due to lowered leaf temps. So with 100watts less, and the ability to run a little hotter, I think I will have created room to run a small amount of light in a veg/clone area and still be within my capacity.

In addition, the vent holes I am currently using to air-cool the lights will become additional passive air intake which should increase my freash air flow since I actually think I have it overly restricted/small right now, so this would more then double my intake capacity.

Thoughts? Major holes in my logic?

Oh, and the last question I have - these LED units, even if I went with an RSPEC HLG, the full spectrum Quantum Boards on them still put out enough blue for veg don't they? I could make due vegging a couple weeks under any of these lights before flip no?

That 500w led will way out perform the 600w hps

I started with hps, a 600w in my 4x4 tent

My 450w of QBs way outperform the hps by far
10f cooler easy
Much better light penetration
Way less power consumption

If you're in Canada, bcblondes should be on your short list.

BobThe420Builder said:

That 500w led will way out perform the 600w hps

I started with hps, a 600w in my 4x4 tent

My 450w of QBs way outperform the hps by far
10f cooler easy
Much better light penetration
Way less power consumption

Click to expand...

Just pulled the trigger on the BudgetLed Series 3+.

I found a discount code online and It is on sale.
With the protective coating add-on (am I a sucker, seemed logical being near moisture?), shipping, and discount, I just paid $747.23 USD which feels like a good deal.

PSUAGRO. said:

If your in Canada, bcblondes should be on your short list.

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Just took a look in case I wanted to cancel and switch. It looks like they have 2 options, the one within my budget is lower powered than I would like, and the step up is more then I can afford. I think I'm going to be happy though!

Relic79 said:

Just pulled the trigger on the BudgetLed Series 3+.

I found a discount code online and It is on sale.
With the protective coating add-on (am I a sucker, seemed logical being near moisture?), shipping, and discount, I just paid $747.23 USD which feels like a good deal.

Click to expand...

You'll be happy, congrats

PSUAGRO. said:

If you're in Canada, bcblondes should be on your short list.

Click to expand...

You beat me to it. They are good and used to be active here on the forum