Hello RIU! Im going to be building my first cab real soon and was wondering what would be the best light for my set up. The dimensions will be 2' x 2' x 3' tall. I will be using many ideas from the NGB style cabs such as shallow water culture bubbleponics. However I can't decide between a 250 watt HPS and around a 180w actual draw LED set up. For LED choices I came down to two the A51-90 or a Fero LED model with the 6 light modules. Both of these pull between 180 - 200 actual watts and are proven grow lights as far as I've seen. However I've heard mixed thigh about either light in tight spaces. Some say go HID with cool tube to get close to the buds and some say LED with its much lower heat output can be put right up to the buds. Then again even the manufacturers recommend a healthy amount of space between LED light and plant (I guess so color spectrums fully mix?) So now I'm wondering if my budget is around $400 and I am trying to be as electrically efficient as possible.. but yield > energy use so which route should I go for tight vertical space? 250 watt HPS which will run hotter and draw more power, or 180 watt LED which have supposed minimum distances between light and plant. All comes down to which will yield more. Also please don't just say HID cause LED sucks. The Fero LED has been proven to out grow 250 watt HPS. So now that everything is out there and fair.. which light type can produce more up close and personal? Thanks!
best type of light to use with 3' height in cab?
- Thread starter budballer
- Start date
cues
Well-Known Member
250w hid will be pushing it in that space. Bear in mind space for filter, fan and electrics.
Check this out.
https://www.rollitup.org/stealth-micro-cab-growing/543348-250w-cab-36-tall-stealth.html
Check this out.
https://www.rollitup.org/stealth-micro-cab-growing/543348-250w-cab-36-tall-stealth.html
cues
Well-Known Member
Good move if you can keep it out of the main box. I didn't have that option but it would have helped keep temps down. Don't forget to keep all electrics off the floor in case of spillages. The actual screen in mine is only just over 2x2.
All in all though, I think you don't have an option other than HID with a budget of just $400.
You need to sit down and add everything up. Include things like timers, soil, nutes, extraction fans, circulayion fans, ph test. You will be surprised how much it all adds up. My first 'proper grow' cost me about £800 ($1200) to set up. Mind you, I got it back in weed and then some, first harvest.
One thing I will say is don't skimp on extraction. I know the theory of measuring room by lxwxd and then working out cfm but I honestly don't think it applies on small grows. I'm running a 425cfm 6" in-line on that grow and struggling. at the moment it's 9 degrees F above ambient.
The one you linked to cost me £30. It was all stuff I had from before. Even a brand new, un-used HPS bulb! Just needed to buy some veg nutes and seeds. I'm expecting 4 oz.
All in all though, I think you don't have an option other than HID with a budget of just $400.
You need to sit down and add everything up. Include things like timers, soil, nutes, extraction fans, circulayion fans, ph test. You will be surprised how much it all adds up. My first 'proper grow' cost me about £800 ($1200) to set up. Mind you, I got it back in weed and then some, first harvest.
One thing I will say is don't skimp on extraction. I know the theory of measuring room by lxwxd and then working out cfm but I honestly don't think it applies on small grows. I'm running a 425cfm 6" in-line on that grow and struggling. at the moment it's 9 degrees F above ambient.
The one you linked to cost me £30. It was all stuff I had from before. Even a brand new, un-used HPS bulb! Just needed to buy some veg nutes and seeds. I'm expecting 4 oz.
turbocobaltss420
Member
150w hps is what i run for flower in my box, which is close to your size. i veg with a 135w 7band LED ufo with 3v per LED, dose a great job for veg (i only veg for about two weeks then go 12/12) not so much for flower 150w works better for flower.
DO3SHA
Well-Known Member
check otu what im using in my cab with a filter same mine is [h=3]Kobalt 38-in H x 30-in W x 20-in D [/h]
Oops, sorry I need to clarify I have a $400 light budget. I was going to get a s&p 5" silent series fan and such but thats out of the main budget. 150 HPS only comes to 37.5 watts pet sqr. Foot in a 2x2 set up. New ganja boy pulled off close to 4 oz. Though with a 150 watt light in his 2x2 flower box however. Maybe when its that low wattage the 60 watt/sqr. Ft rule diminishes because a 150 watt HPS does not give off that much heat allowing the lamp to get real close to the canopy? Or am I completely wrong and LED let's you get closer with the right nutrient dosing. (Extra cal/mag, and mainly iron)
turbocobaltss420
Member
Yeah LED's put out no heat so of couse you can get it very close to the canopy, I just found the buds to be fluffy and light. The 150w hps put out less heat then when i use 5 CFL's.
which LED's though? im currently in contact with a reputable grow light manufacturer who says if the LED has a 2nd lens (most of the big names do) then you really cant get the light closer than 12" from the canopy. Otherwise the light is just too concentrated/intense 
any good single lens LED's? if not looks like im stuck going HID
any good single lens LED's? if not looks like im stuck going HID
cues
Well-Known Member
Tell him I sent you.
Matchbox
Well-Known Member
The 'recommended' distance is there because LED's can potentially bleach the shit out of your plants, especially the 3w and 5w diodes if they are too close but a 180 (I'm assuming advertised as 240w) should be fine up to the point of touching the plant, don't hold me to that but my 90w UFO is fine up to and beyond touching!
Have you not just answered your own question and your next question about who to get them from
Most secondary lenses focus the LED's to 60* which is very bright so yeah 12" would be about right... Personally I go for a 90-120* spread for maximum coverage and the ability to have the lights really close without loss of intensity. I'm buying from a UK based company called GrowNorthern as I have a bit of money to try a new company and product, they have a 'modular' series with interchangeable parts, removable focus lenses etc. They don't however ship outside of the UK.which LED's though? im currently in contact with a reputable grow light manufacturer who says if the LED has a 2nd lens (most of the big names do) then you really cant get the light closer than 12" from the canopy. Otherwise the light is just too concentrated/intense
Blackstars have a good rep and if your sticking to a 240w one you'll be ace, they have a decent 60* - 90* - 120* mixed spread per light for the best coverage and intensity without being too intense
For your grow space, if that's all you have I would definitely go with the LED's especially seeing as you can afford them! because a 250w HPS will be a lot of heat to control (check my grow and cab in my sig and trust me, it's pretty similar to Cues : ) Don't however think, oh LED's don't put off any heat it's fine, you will still need a decent extractor fan as the temp slowly builds up with LED's rather than HPS insta-heat
AND, if you do it right I reckon the 240w LED's will outperform a 250w HPS any day! also I've grown solely with LED's before and never had any cal-mag or whatever else deficiencies... which seems odd seeing as everyone else seems to. Maybe add a supplemental blue veg CFL or 45w Fluoro tube or summin', maybe that'll help (it's the only thing different I do to most other LED grows)
If there's anything I've missed this thread should be in my recent posts and I keep an eye on them so I'll be in and out!
Stay Frosty!
We're quits now!
420greendream
Well-Known Member
180w 7 band led panel from htg supply. AWESOME light and exactly what u need my man. Good luck with ur endeavors
Hey wow thanks MB! I was actually considering a light without secondary lenses now to not accidentally bleach the plants! I plan on running a fan that can do 100 cfm to about 150 depending on high/low settng. Fero grow actually just discontinued their 10 band lights from that grow against the 250w HPS.... Soo back to the drawing board on which led to get. From what I see Apollo led seems pretty solid as I can choose lens types etc. I think the area-51's are much too focused for ky grow space now. I try to avoid blackstar because they seem sub par compared to others for the price. I've recently discovered tibors lights from ledgrowlightpro. But he seems kinda sketchy... prices are too good and English is too poor lol
Matchbox
Well-Known Member
if anything you want one with less bandwidths 10 is kinda unnecessary, if you can get a good 5 or 7 band one it might knock your price down a fair bit and still perform just as well, there's just too much debate as to whether IR and UV light actually makes any difference to final product.
Blackstars are the best budget grow lights out there, as far as I've read up, so many people use them so at least they are proven to give good results, yes they could do with improvements but hey, you get what you pay for and you get a decent product that will last you a good few grows and beyond if you treat it well.
Blackstars are the best budget grow lights out there, as far as I've read up, so many people use them so at least they are proven to give good results, yes they could do with improvements but hey, you get what you pay for and you get a decent product that will last you a good few grows and beyond if you treat it well.
MisterMan32
Member
Saying LED's put out no heat is false. LED's put out a lot of heat. The main reason they run cooler and can be placed closer is that the heat actually goes in the reverse direction of the light. So, the heat goes up while the light is pointing down. This coupled with the fact that LED's are small, and generally attached to a chunk of aluminum to work as a heat sink, with extra heat sinks mounted on the LED's star, makes them run cool.