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

Hello,
I have a question for Greengenes707. Ive been looking into ApacheTech lights for some time now.
Apache states that their "AT200 series lights are our new high output chip sets that increase PAR output by 90% over our AT120 series". Also, I have read elsewhere that the AT200 "unit is similar to the AT120, but instead, is powered by High-Output 3 watt chips and will replace a 600 watt HID".
So if the AT600 replaces a 1000 watt bulb, are 2 X AT200s better than 1 X AT600? Are the chips in the AT200 superior to the chips used in the AT600? Is the AT200 more efficient than the AT600 watt to watt?

The at600 is literally 4 at200's in one housing. No difference other than price(4 200's=4k, 1 600=2k) and ability to move/angle the 200's around.

Apache has par charts of all their lights if you talk with them.

yes, I am new to led. I just bought a CLW 220 fullcycle to cover a 2x2. If money was not an object, what is the best light to cover 2x2?

smowstack said:

yes, I am new to led. I just bought a CLW 220 fullcycle to cover a 2x2. If money was not an object, what is the best light to cover 2x2?

Click to expand...

The Sun.

But seriously, it's just too much of an ambiguous question. The best thing you can do is not fall for bullshit marketing, do plenty of research, realise most units are made in China, or make one yourself. All of the above would put you ahead of most purchasers of LED panels.

MoodyShoes said:

The Sun.

But seriously, it's just too much of an ambiguous question. The best thing you can do is not fall for bullshit marketing, do plenty of research, realise most units are made in China, or make one yourself. All of the above would put you ahead of most purchasers of LED panels.

Click to expand...

my CLW is made in America and as far as I can tell has exceptional quality. I bought it to replace a 200w cfl. The 200w cfl was great for one plant and kept me stoned perpetually, but I decided I wanted to grow 4 plants in a 2x2, and the cfl footprint was about 1x2 and was never designed to sit in one of those old hydrofarm reflectors for hid, and so one end hung about two inches lower than the base, and it just looked crappy and messed with my wa.

My new CLW hangs perfectly straight and level and has a perfectly square foot print. The man claims it covers 2x2 and is equivalent to 400w hid. We'll see.

smowstack said:

my CLW is made in America and as far as I can tell has exceptional quality. I bought it to replace a 200w cfl. The 200w cfl was great for one plant and kept me stoned perpetually, but I decided I wanted to grow 4 plants in a 2x2, and the cfl footprint was about 1x2 and was never designed to sit in one of those old hydrofarm reflectors for hid, and so one end hung about two inches lower than the base, and it just looked crappy and messed with my wa.

My new CLW hangs perfectly straight and level and has a perfectly square foot print. The man claims it covers 2x2 and is equivalent to 400w hid. We'll see.

Click to expand...

I had a 200w CLW bloom booster, it was a great light. seemed to have great penetration.

Hi I posted this in another thread but was told to try here as well.\\\

I'm thinking about investing in a blue LED light for a small grow tent about the size of a phone booth if you are old enough to remember what those were. So I have the following questoins:

1. Is it true that putting young plants under blue LED light 12/12 for 10 days will force them to show just a few flowers that can be used for IDing males and females? I read that in one of my how-to books and it sounds like a great idea if it actually works. Supposedly the plants revert back to vegging easily if you adjust the timer back to long daylight hours.

2. I have a bit of a problem with white light leaking from the grow tent at night and possibly slowing down flowering of plants that are nearby. If I switch to the blue light, will the flowering plants be able to "ignore" it and keep flowering? Will there be less light leakage because LED light doesn't spread out like light from conventional bulbs?

3. About what size of an LED would I have to buy to replace two 68-watt CFL bulbs that I am now using in the grow tent?

Thanks in advance for any helpful insights.

1...........when dealing with most flowering annuals(cannabis) , light schedule (phototropism) trumps light spectrum(phytochrome/cryptochrome)in forcing sex. Still would advise against using an ALL blue led panel for sexing though.....can you link this info? never heard of this before and doubt it's true..

2.....NO, plants will not "ignore" a light leak............fix it

3.......http://www.bonsaihero.com/index.php/ledgrow-led-panel-80-w will easily out perform 136w of cfls imo

do you maybe know any company from eu that sells quality led lights? i actualy wanted to buy the at600 but the tax prize would be probably too much....so i am trying to find a eu company...any advice?

Hans panels are both quality and from Europe.
http://bonsaihero.com/index.php/led-growlight-150-watt

would it be worth it for a aeroflo 40? since i've seen the panel isn't that big so i would need more of them? thought more of them the better it is right? as i saw 4 panels for about 1000€
or would they be more than enough? i tried to find some good journals but there aren't lots of them
i just can't make a decision..damn

I'm not sure how big Aeroflo40 is. You'd need at least 2 150W Hans panels per m^2 and preferably 3 of them.

aeroflo 40 is about 224x105x57 so i thought of getting that much of them so the area would be completely coverd...lets say about 6pcs...also i found a journal/grow in progress under the hans panel 150w so i'll be watching it to see how it'll turn out...the only difference is he is using soil so if it works out on soil it must work even better with aero an scrog

newbiegrothc said:

do you maybe know any company from eu that sells quality led lights? i actualy wanted to buy the at600 but the tax prize would be probably too much....so i am trying to find a eu company...any advice?

Click to expand...

There is a UK company using high end Osram chips in their top of the line panels, called BUDMASTER. They are very expensive.

There is another European company with a decent rep' in the forums, also using Osram chips, called PLANT PHOTONICS.

I'm not recommending either as I have no experience, but I plan on trying some Plant Photonics panels when I get going. They seem like a better deal price-wise to me.

Heavy Consumer said:

There is a UK company using high end Osram chips in their top of the line panels, called BUDMASTER. They are very expensive.

There is another European company with a decent rep' in the forums, also using Osram chips, called PLANT PHOTONICS.

I'm not recommending either as I have no experience, but I plan on trying some Plant Photonics panels when I get going. They seem like a better deal price-wise to me.

Click to expand...

Just wondering what metric you use to judge a better deal from Plant Photonics? Thanks.

Dloomis514 said:

Just wondering what metric you use to judge a better deal from Plant Photonics? Thanks.

Click to expand...

I'm not an expert, so I might be way off. My logic was that they claim to use Osram SSL 80 chips, but their panels, Watt for Watt are a lot cheaper than the Budmaster GOD range (their top of the line range), which also claims to use Osram SSL 80 chips. In terms of build quality or actual performance, I really have not come across enough documented grows with each to form an opinion, but in general terms, forumites that have written about both these brands, do appear pleased. In fact, now that I think of it, I don't think I've seen any grow journals with the GOD panels, but there are some around featuring others from the Budmaster II line-up. I haven't read anything negative about either firm so far, although in my experience, Budmaster reply to emails MUCH faster. I think Plant Photonics is a smaller organisation. But both seem to have decent warranty policies too. Pricing is the only major difference I can see. Hopefully I don't make a choice I later regret. But as I say, I haven't yet bought any lights and am in no rush to right now. I may end up going with something different when the time comes.

EDIT: I also like that the PP lights have different spectrum settings for different stages of plant development. I don't remember the Budmasters having this feature (I could be wrong though).

Here are some technical data sheets Budmaster emailed me (you will probably understand more of the information than I do):

It may well be worth looking at the Budmaster II OD range as a cheaper alternative to their GOD range too. They state "Superior mid-range" Osram diodes, as opposed to "Superior high end". Still a little more expensive than Plant Photonics.

What are the different options for 730nm light for 10 min after lights out?

4 days flipped. I like movin them around to maximize coverage. Good growth. 40 + days veg. Used the botanicare pure blend pro grow, liquid karma,hydroguard,silica blast,cal mag plus in veg . I added bloom for coco , sweet berry, and hydroplex. I run solution through the coco/perlite 2 times a day with plenty of runoff at 5.8 + or - little. The lights are great. although I will be buying apache tech AT 200 for the other side 4 of em! I say who cares about the cost of these quality units! There paid for after the 1st run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This site helped me out a lot! specifically this thread! I have never owned a L series Kind so I cant compare it to the K5, but I look inside and its seems to be well made and it runs cool! The A51 are bright ! 740 watts

coolbreez1 said:

What are the different options for 730nm light for 10 min after lights out?

Click to expand...

Best option is probably Cree XP-E far red - it has superior both efficiency and price. You can them mounted on stars at cutter.com.au.
The other options would be Ledengin far red (various sizes), Everlight diodes or some chinese LEDs.
I'd certainly go with Cree.