I'm not here to take either side.I am an HID grower-that really wants these things to work.I've spent the last year testing every new unit thats come along-I've finally hung it up with this last run-with a 180w jumbo 5 band ufo.The first blueberry pic was 150w hps/52w cfl-the second 180w led.I sincerely hope the trailblazing souls, whom I've got nothing but respect for, nail this thing better than I have.But look at it this way-how many tries did it take before men could leave earth and travel in space?Mad props to led growers for putting their time, money, and meds on the line to advance horticultural science.peace
L.E.D. grow lights?
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odinfolk
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Greetings everybody!\nWell, after using these forums day after day for growing information, I finally decided to create an account and start threading/posting.\nAnyways, I would like to talk about LEDs as a reply to your post. First of all, I am very new at growing. The only previous experience I have to growing is when I was 13 years old, I simply put a schwagg seed in a pot of soil outside under a palm tree, and OHHH BOOOY...did it ever grow huge, bushy and healthy. Unfortunately, my mom ripped it out once fall came and little white pistils began showing. \nBack to the subject of LEDs. As of now I am doing my first \"real\" grow in my closed at my place (now that I finally have some room and away from the \'rents). Before I bought any clones or lights I researched, somewhat extensively, the best type of light--and many sources pointed towards LED. After hearing so many good things about LED lights for growing, I went ahead and spent $390 for the GrowUfo from sunshine systems. \nMy current set up is an area approx. 2 x 3 which is half of my closet. I have reflective material whever I was able to put it. In my case, I used an emergency blanket and I must say it\'s doing quite a good job. All this aside, I was anxious to get started and started at the end of summer, and with no AC unit my room gets pretty ugly during the day, so I\'m sure this has a great deal to do with why my clones weren\'t doing to good, initially. The LED is super super bright, almost blinding! But for whatever reason my plants still seemed a little on the \'sad\' side. When I filled my pots full of soil, I left about a 2.5 inch lip at the top, which turned out in my favor because I used this to line the inside of that area with foil which really helped out with giving the plants light to areas light wouldn\'t normally get to. Then I added a single fluorescent grow tube mounted high above the LED to add to the spectrum. After all this I must say, for vegging anyways, everything is going really really superb 
\nI plan on flowering my plants with the same set up and then see what happens. At first, I really regreted buying the LED but now I think it was actually a very wise investment. Too many haters on here to really get the scoop on how well these LEDs work. I\'ll post some pics of my set up upon request. We have some myth busting to do! And remember, we are all on here trying to find out how to optimize our growing techniques. Hating is too counter productive. Let\'s share what we know
\nI plan on flowering my plants with the same set up and then see what happens. At first, I really regreted buying the LED but now I think it was actually a very wise investment. Too many haters on here to really get the scoop on how well these LEDs work. I\'ll post some pics of my set up upon request. We have some myth busting to do! And remember, we are all on here trying to find out how to optimize our growing techniques. Hating is too counter productive. Let\'s share what we know project fuoro
Well-Known Member
That is the 250W Lumigrow? Have you seen the Upgraded version? ES?
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triconomics
Active Member
I have two tri=band 120 watt side by side with two 120 watt tri-band with UV. I started flowering the orange band lights about 2 weeks ahead of the UV lights. The buds on the UV lights larger and more firm after about 3-4 weeks in as opposed to the orange band which are about 6 weeks in. The UV lights are actually what I envisioned what LED growing should be. There isn't even many on the lights only 10 of the 120 or something.
triconomics
Active Member
This is Purple Bud, recently pollinated with Afghan Kush........probably got 4-5 more weeks!
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CSI Stickyicky
Well-Known Member
There are some beautiful plants grown under LED on this thread. I am about 6-7 weeks from finishing my grow. I use a 90w UFO triband, and some CFLs. I also got a UVB bulb on the way. (slowest shipping ever)
BTW, LEDs worked GREAT for veg! (or keeping a mother) Even if i dont like my flowering results, i will keep my UFO.
https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/223945-ufo-led-cfl-closet-tent.html
BTW, LEDs worked GREAT for veg! (or keeping a mother) Even if i dont like my flowering results, i will keep my UFO.
https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/223945-ufo-led-cfl-closet-tent.html
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LEDs have the right spectrum any where from 440nm-770nm.
I think you need to do a little bit more research. www.growitled.com
Went to CSU to talk with the professors that is Colorado State University. Went with the guy I bought my LED through. It is a bunch of factors involved. One of the things I asked was I talk with all these guys and they always say LED's do not have the penetration as the HPS and HID. The head of Agricultural said that this is just bunch of crap penetration has nothing to do with growing. The leaves do all of the light catching. That is why the plants has those big fan leaves to catch everything they can. What makes plants grow is something dealing with PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation ) Also I asked about UV because someone told me once that this plays a part in growing. The answer is nope. They are going to be testing one of the lights like I have. Yes I told them what I was growing and they said oh there are alot of people growing veggies in their basement. LOL Then they introduced a guy who actually grows the same veggie as me. He is keeping an I on my progress. So the old LED yeah I would say there was some issues but you cannot fix issues if nobody tries them out.
KenWood
KenWood
StlSoldier531
Active Member
$119?? Yeah right. You are forgetting that HPS lights need at least two inline fans just to keep the temps down and depending on the brand of fans you buy that could easily be an extra $400. The reflector needed to put the HPS in will cost at least $125 if it is air cooled ( which is probably what you need with the heat issues that come from HPS lighting). The ballast will run another $200 dollars at least.
So how do you figure running an HPS set up is cheaper than LEDs?? You will have to explain that one because you left out a lot of details from that $119 quote.
StlSoldier531
Active Member
What kind of LEDs were you using?? If you were using a 60 watt LED to grow 5 plants then of course they sucked, LoL..
I am pretty sure you did not use a quality LED light, such as the SuperNova (the best one on the Market). Most people that have tried to use LEDs, usually buy the cheapest one they can find on ebay and then complain about having bad results. If you want a quality LED that will produce some good results then you have to spend some good money.
StlSoldier531
Active Member
Again, such a biased opinion. How much money do you think you will have to spend just to keep the heat temp reasonable with 2 1000k Bulbs??such a waste of money for that,when 600 can get u 2 1000k convesion kits that will blow that shit out of the water.deff dissing that led as far as im concered it makes me
I can tell you...MORE THAN 600 Dollars...
The fans alone will be almost that much.
StlSoldier531
Active Member
So everyone who agrees that LEDs can be a good source of lighting is working for an LED company?? WoW!! You must have been really stoned when you made that post. What strain are you smoking on?? Cause I most definitely need some of that, LoL...
laserbrn
Well-Known Member
You're smoking rocks....You can run a 400w HPS light without "At least two inline fans". One fan will suffice. You'd be better off with a 400w HPS, magnetic ballast and Bat-Wing reflector than with the LED's I've seen thus far. Doesn't mean that LED's don't have their place, just that if you try to compare them to HPS your an idiot.
One is growing with LED's and one is growing with HPS. It's rather clear where the strengths and weaknesses of each are. Do we really need to try to pit them together in a head to head battle on every LED thread? I don't grow with LED's. I don't want to deal with all of it and I like bigger yeilds. Some people love the advantages it has to offer and it suits them well.
Which is better Basketball or Football? Bowling or Billiards? Tennis or Golf?
They aren't the same and the arguments could be endless for which is "better" and why. It's so trivial and a waste.
Where I do see the battle come up often is when LED light users try to convince newbs that have NO IDEA what they are talking about that LED's are completely viable and that they are common practice. Here in 2009 the universal wisdom is still to get HID lighting and/or floro's. LED's aren't mainstream yet and I do get a cringe when I see someone suggest an LED to first time grower that has zero knowledge and doesn't truly understand the tradeoff. Most of the time they just end up getting ripped off by china-man LED lights for WAYYYY too much money.
Treeth
Well-Known Member
... Does anyone actually have something to contribute?;
or are you all lost consumers demanding a product be created for you.
I really do want to help you! You can get waaay more impressive buds with an led setup similar to mine running 700 watts.
Dense as fuck. Top class smoke, great yields, and you don't need CO2,
and you don't need the direct intense heat of an HPS anymore because you my friend just bought...
Equivalent wattage!, in L E D s.
But this is hard to do at the inflated price-per-watt going rate of led fixtures... Everyone who is buying a current generation model is being taken.
I'm here to work with you.
(Really; none of the buds on the Jorge Cervante High Times sensimilla porn calender looked more appealing!)
or are you all lost consumers demanding a product be created for you.
I really do want to help you! You can get waaay more impressive buds with an led setup similar to mine running 700 watts.
Dense as fuck. Top class smoke, great yields, and you don't need CO2,
and you don't need the direct intense heat of an HPS anymore because you my friend just bought...
Equivalent wattage!, in L E D s.
But this is hard to do at the inflated price-per-watt going rate of led fixtures... Everyone who is buying a current generation model is being taken.
I'm here to work with you.
(Really; none of the buds on the Jorge Cervante High Times sensimilla porn calender looked more appealing!)
laserbrn
Well-Known Member
Equivalent wattage in LED is the new claim of the day. Okay, so I run 600w of LED's, setting me back what $1200.00??? $1000.00 if I buy the cheaper shit. And then what am I left with? A hope and a promise that these will outperform my HPS (which by the way performs great). But if I'm not saving any wattage where is the justification for the expense on the lights? Heat isn't a problem for me, a ventilation fan fixes that and it costs a lot less than a ridiculous LED setup requiring all kinds of adjusting on the lights and all sorts of headache. It's llike growing with CFL's all over again.
I'm actually going to run 2 600w tents and I have a 400w veg space. That's 1600w. Should I replace that all with LED's? At what cost? Are you kidding me?
indoorsavant
Active Member
finally someone with facts and not spitting bullshit biased opinions.ive uses led and hps and the led keeps up i give everyone my word.you also get the benefit of no heat,and less energy consumed.led grower is right anyone who disagrees do soe research google led grows and look at the images,thats what i did before i soent my money and im satisfied.now if some one is using led pannels they will not work as they use like 13w,but the 90w ufo and up kick ass.hightimes and skunk magazine bith did compariosons of a 90w ufo against a 400w hps,same clones ,same enviroment,the led harvest came in around 14% more than the hps in the first test and in the second about 10% less than the hps but the smoke was much more potent,it sounds good to me.go check the magazines out if you think im lying.
laserbrn
Well-Known Member
Does your bud look like my avatar? That's why no one's knocking down the doors to buy shitty LED's right now. If HT was full of pics of LED grows that looked like their other shit, it wouldn't even be a discussion.