IF you are new to LED and want help choosing what to buy, POST HERE!

Status
Not open for further replies.

Abiqua

Well-Known Member
Yeah? Please show me that link to the 7 a bulb, I am about to get some for side lighting. These are a perfect replacement for CFLs, and I am going to set up a bunch around the bottom perimeter...no lesser bottoms for me :)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Cree-60W-Equivalent-Soft-White-2700K-A19-Dimmable-LED-Light-Bulb-BA19-08027OMF-12DE26-2U100/204592770?N=5yc1vZbm79

If you aren't in the states, you may be out of luck, my apologies. And they are the 2700k's only, the 5k's are bit more, so I was partially right :) :peace:
 

Maphyr

Active Member
I just picked up a RW-75. First impression was, wow this thing is tiny and the light is not that bright at all... I will be very impressed if this little panel can produce me some nice nugs.

I have it on a seedling right now in a solo cup, 12 inches away and the seedling has seemed to grow diagonally towards one side of the light (there's 2 panels of light, one on each side and in the middle there's no light at all, so it's growing diagonally towards one side of the light)... I dunon man, shit seems wack.

Hopefully turns out alright.
 

spazatak

Well-Known Member
I just picked up a RW-75. First impression was, wow this thing is tiny and the light is not that bright at all... I will be very impressed if this little panel can produce me some nice nugs.

I have it on a seedling right now in a solo cup, 12 inches away and the seedling has seemed to grow diagonally towards one side of the light (there's 2 panels of light, one on each side and in the middle there's no light at all, so it's growing diagonally towards one side of the light)... I dunon man, shit seems wack.

Hopefully turns out alright.
pics?
 

Abiqua

Well-Known Member
I just picked up a RW-75. First impression was, wow this thing is tiny and the light is not that bright at all... I will be very impressed if this little panel can produce me some nice nugs.

I have it on a seedling right now in a solo cup, 12 inches away and the seedling has seemed to grow diagonally towards one side of the light (there's 2 panels of light, one on each side and in the middle there's no light at all, so it's growing diagonally towards one side of the light)... I dunon man, shit seems wack.

Hopefully turns out alright.
Raise the light a bit.
 

Fiveleafsleft

Well-Known Member
I don't know if this is the right thread.. But can anyone vouch for this company? http://www.ledgroupbuy.com/

I'm looking for leds for my DIY cob/3 watt project. I need to buy high binned 630- 660 and possibly 440-450 nm 3 watters.

watts matters most is that leds are as high binned as claimed, but shipping time and price is also important. suggestions of other shops is also welcome!
 

JazzyLady

Well-Known Member
Just placed an order for:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Promotion-DHL-Free-shipping-200w-Apollo-6-LED-Grow-light-indoor-plant-grow-lamp/559266390.html

I'll fill by paying next week. Like $60 off right now, pretty good deal. I went with 1pc Infrared 725nm, 7pcs Deep Red 660nm, 3 pcs Red 630nm, 2 pcs Blue 460nm, 2pc Pure White 5700k. Thanks a ton Abiqua and az2000, super primed for this next grow now.
That is the company that I got mine from. It was terrible. all the plants strained to grow under the light in a tiny square.
 

AirAnt

Well-Known Member
That is the company that I got mine from. It was terrible. all the plants strained to grow under the light in a tiny square.
Isn't essentially the same model that Groblu and Kind use? There isn't that much info available on youtube, but from what's there, the Apollo is a clear out-performer of similar models, putting out roughly twice the umols. I've seen it in side-by-side grows with lights that cost twice as much and hold it's own.

Did you get it with a custom spectrum? I'm pretty sure I chose the best thing available for that price, with a warranty and customized to my specs. The only thing I might be interested in as an alternative at this point is:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I2VLMJ2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=NEN3MMK0EBYG&coliid=I2X13BPPHSOUS3

But I'd be worried about part failure from shady amazon retailers. Apollo doesn't have anything like that on their site on aliexpress, so I'm not sure they're even the manufacturer.
Whatever I buy is just going to hold me over while I learn enough about LEDs to design and build my own unit, probably about a month. If you've got a better suggestion as to what I should spend my cash on I'm all asses... ears, I meant ears.
 

airmarkes

Member
I just ordered 4x 75rw.. gonna test aside hans 65watts and see what happens..
By the way, about the sex thing.. I don't know about plants, but repitiles I sure do..
If their eggs are too hot they are more likely to get males.. and the other way around..
Might be a common evolution thing..
 

az2000

Well-Known Member
That is the company that I got mine from. It was terrible. all the plants strained to grow under the light in a tiny square.
He ordered from "Thunder Lighting." In another post you said you bought a "kit" from a different company:

I got it as part of my "kit" from hydroponics group! ...
So Hydroponics Group is not using USA LED's, they are using crap and selling it for a lot more money. HG isnt giving you any of the specs on the light...
-- https://www.rollitup.org/t/if-you-are-new-to-led-and-want-help-choosing-what-to-buy-post-here.633304/page-170#post-10635810
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.
 

JazzyLady

Well-Known Member
Isn't essentially the same model that Groblu and Kind use? There isn't that much info available on youtube, but from what's there, the Apollo is a clear out-performer of similar models, putting out roughly twice the umols. I've seen it in side-by-side grows with lights that cost twice as much and hold it's own.

Did you get it with a custom spectrum? I'm pretty sure I chose the best thing available for that price, with a warranty and customized to my specs. The only thing I might be interested in as an alternative at this point is:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I2VLMJ2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=NEN3MMK0EBYG&coliid=I2X13BPPHSOUS3

But I'd be worried about part failure from shady amazon retailers. Apollo doesn't have anything like that on their site on aliexpress, so I'm not sure they're even the manufacturer.
Whatever I buy is just going to hold me over while I learn enough about LEDs to design and build my own unit, probably about a month. If you've got a better suggestion as to what I should spend my cash on I'm all asses... ears, I meant ears.
I didn't get it with a custom spectrum. I did not buy it from them directly. It was part of a kit that was sold by Hydroponicsgroup.com. Hydroponicsgroup bought them from Cidly. Here is their website.
http://www.cidly.com/Products.html

In order to buy directly from Cidly, you simply need to send them an email. They will sell you everything they have on their site. The light made every plant strain to be in a 2x2 foot area. Yes, they grew well, but hydroponicsgroup sold that light IN a 4x4 foot tent. It was stupid. If you have a 4x4 foot tent, you should have the light sized for that size tent. They didnt. The light would be great for one or two plants, but not trying to grow in a 4x4 tent.

The light is now in my "worthless crap" pile, along with my tent, and the "self watering" buckets they sent for soil. They list that they will send "grow medium" for your grow, and then come back and say "Oh, its a mistake, its too expensive to send grow medium." When I pointed out it was on their website, they sent about 4 lbs of clay pebbles. There were no instructions to set up anything, no paperwork, nothing. They said "Oh.. go to online videos." Once they have your money.. you are on your own.
 

az2000

Well-Known Member
I didn't get it with a custom spectrum. I did not buy it from them directly. It was part of a kit that was sold by Hydroponicsgroup.com.
I asked previously and it didn't sound like you knew what spectrum Hydroponicsgroup.com used.

Anyone can order any spectrum they wish from Cidly. This is evidenced by all the resellers on Aliexpress with different spectrums for the same Apollo units.

I understand you weren't happy with your kit (or light). But, painting all Cidlys (Apollos) as being the same as yours isn't helpful. Especially when you don't know whether they are the same as yours. There are plenty of people who have had very good grows with Apollos. Especially when custom spectrum is used. That's what the OP is doing. So, comparing it to your light isn't accurate.

As has been said, Chinese lights are far from the best. But, many of the expensive lights are little more than Chinese lights rebranded. If someone's going to get one, they can do it much less expensive directly, and choose their own spectrum. It's not a bad deal for $150.
 

HockeyBeard

Well-Known Member
I'm going a slightly different route with the LED lighting and not using them as my primary light, but as a secondary supplementation to a couple EFDL 400W lights wich will cover ~4x4. Now, I'm aware that even though it claims to replace the 1kW HPS, it will never produce the same, even SCROG'd. I'm not under any delusions like that. I believe EFDL can be a very viable light source, but not alone. So, I'd like to hang 2 panels at 45deg on the outer reaches of the area, to attempt to help with penetration. I've seen the Hans do well in a small 2x2, and says it's rated for 2.5x2.5... I was considering putting them on DIY movers to cover the extra 1.5...

So, what light would fill in the gaps left by a full spectrum EFDL bulb, that would compliment that type of design? With LED, do more Watts = more yield? Would I get a huge difference in yield if I were to use an A51 vs a Hans on each side, considering that's approx 300W difference? Logic says yes, but I've heard it go both ways, and I haven't spoken with anyone personally who is able to tell me otherwise...
Still looking for some input. Bueller?
 

JazzyLady

Well-Known Member
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!
 

az2000

Well-Known Member
You are correct, It did come in a kit. ...
And, you don't know the spectrum Hydroponicsgroup.com used. And, they don't seem to use the word "Apollo" anywhere on their page, which may indicate they differentiated themselves by using their own custom spectrum.

For everything you don't know, you're painting with a very broad brush. Which is unfair to those who might benefit from considering the light (based upon the many users of Apollo and it's rebranded varieties with custom spectrum).
 

JazzyLady

Well-Known Member
I asked previously and it didn't sound like you knew what spectrum Hydroponicsgroup.com used.

Anyone can order any spectrum they wish from Cidly. This is evidenced by all the resellers on Aliexpress with different spectrums for the same Apollo units.

I understand you weren't happy with your kit (or light). But, painting all Cidlys (Apollos) as being the same as yours isn't helpful. Especially when you don't know whether they are the same as yours. There are plenty of people who have had very good grows with Apollos. Especially when custom spectrum is used. That's what the OP is doing. So, comparing it to your light isn't accurate.

As has been said, Chinese lights are far from the best. But, many of the expensive lights are little more than Chinese lights rebranded. If someone's going to get one, they can do it much less expensive directly, and choose their own spectrum. It's not a bad deal for $150.

"Anyone can order any spectrum they wish from Cidly." This is False. What is true is.. "Anyone can order any spectrum they wish from Cidly IF they are told that spectrum choices are available, and if they are told that Cidly makes Apollo lights."

Newbies DO NOT know that lights can be ordered in different spectrums. Newbies are told "Go with LED, they are great!" False. They are only "great" if they work for the application you need them to work in.

Correct. I do not know what spectrum Hydroponicsgroup.com ordered their light in. However, as a purveyor of items to grow MMJ, one would think the company would order correct spectrums. HG don't even make you aware that the light CAN have different spectrum's. At the time I made the original post, I had no idea Apollos could be ordered in different spectrums. I know that now... but it doesn't stop the problem of having all the plants grow into a circle. I believe that is because the light goes straight down.

I'm sorry, but I read the title of this thread that starts out with "If you are new to LED and want help... etc" I am new to growing MMJ. I am not new to agriculture. How is it "not helpful" to write about the experiences one has in growing if the experiences have not been productive? Are posters only supposed to write about the things that work? Do we only write about things that work so that other newbies, like myself, can spend money for items that don't work in their situation? I wrote about what happened to me. And the only way that other newbies wont get ripped off is if they write about their experiences.

What works for some will not work for others, due to the application of how they are using the product. I have a problem with heat. Its the reason I want to go to LED. Its the reason I talked to them for hours. I didnt know about rollitup.org when I got my equipment. Had I known about this site, chances are, I wouldn't be nearly 4,000k into this grow. I am going to grow far less plants than I have space for due to heat. The moment I find a light that is cooler, will not cause plants to grow into the center, and will produce the yields I am seeking, I will continue to grow with HPS and T5's.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top