He ordered from "Thunder Lighting." In another post you said you bought a "kit" from a different company:
I can understand that you had a bad experience with a Cidly Apollo sold by a reseller. But, please don't slander all resellers nor all Cidlys. Like TopLED, they're not the best light. But, for $150 and free custom spectrum, it's a good option.
"Company I got it from," meant (to me) that it was the brand name. You are correct, It did come in a kit. In your opinion you stated: " for a 150 and free spectrum its a good option." IMHO any time you spend months and months doing something that could have been done better, simpler, and at close to the same costs, and with much more beneficial results, then that's the "best option." With this thinking, the Apollo is a terrible option.
Slander is a very intense word. It means you are saying something bad that stops sales of products when what you are saying is not true. I am stating the truth when I say I put the light up and all the plants grew in a circle to the light. I am stating the truth when I say that plants that try to group into a tiny bunch due to the light is a bad thing. I am stating the truth when I say this is NOT good to raise plants in, and because it does this, it is NOT a good light. If you believe that plants growing into a tiny bunch is what you are seeking for your plants, then you and I are never going to agree, because I believe light, air, airflow and water are essential to making plants grow well. If I have all my plants bunching into a circle of light when they are a scant 10 days old, thats nothing to what will happen when they are 80 days old.
If I said that Apollo was a bad light and I had never used it, and in turn caused Apollo to loose sales, then you are correct, I would be slandering the company.
If you spend a $150 for a light that grows things in a 2x2, or closer to a 1.5 x 1.5 space and have all your plants trying to bunch under the light, when you could have spent 50 more and gotten your plants to grow UP instead of all to the middle, then you have to get a bigger yield, as well as less chances of a problem because your plants are not all trying to bunch in a tiny space.
I replaced that light with a T5. My plants are growing UP now, not into a circle under one tiny light. Maybe your choice of color spectrum is better, who knows. But unless the reflector is bigger and puts out a much better light foot print, I can never agree it is a good option.
It may be... that you ARE growing in a 2x2 foot tent, or a 2x4 foot tent, and in that case, for you.. it might be. But that is not my size of space. For me, I am in a 9.5 x 12 foot grow space. The light isnt the best choice at all. I'd have to install at least 12 of them to get the coverage. 12 at a cost of $150 each is 1800. Four 1,000 watt bulbs and ballast is going to run 1200. Its a no-brainer. Yes, my power bill is going to go up, but at least I will have a harvest that has a good yield.
The ironic thing is.. I WANT to have LED lights. I will find one that doesnt have this same issue the Apollo does. *shrug* But for now, for me, the Apollo is crapola!