Led, hps, cfl, abc, 123...

I have a joint in my hand. but that is neither here nor there..wait, the damn thing burnt out..k, there we go..um, oh yeah, lights! ok, i have 150W MH and 360W of cfl side lighting, 180W of cfl on each side..i want to grow 5 plants...i'm either going to get a 250W hps, a 90W led, or another 150W mh...

let the arguments begin :hump:
 
oh yeah and heat is beging to be an issue, but i think i can dill with that pickle, i want the best for my plants(b.f. LSD & white rhino)
and wallet(small).......anyone who has FIRSTHAND knowledge, show everyone just how intelligent you are in cannabis cultivation illumination!!
 

Pipe Dream

Well-Known Member
I say get another 150 and cut down on your cfls. That way you get equal light from each of your main lights so the growth will be more uniform.
 

AquafinaOrbit

Well-Known Member
I second the 250hps with sealed hood and electronic ballast. Would help on heat issue, and out of the options you gave is the most powerful option for flowering besides LED but I dont know anything on them so can't recommend one. MH would still help in flowering, but it'll lose some efficiency compared to the HPS.
 

Professor Puff.n.Tuff

Active Member
I agree with pinkjackyle.

Sell the 150 keep the fluorescents, as soon as you can put them under the MH (or HPS if budget only allows for one lamp) the better. Buy one 250 HPS and MH if you can. One 250 should get you by with 5 plants.

You can keep the side lighting also, the more light the better. Remember though, the plants absorb almost all of their light nutrients (photosynthesis) from the top of the leaves. Dont try to under light them just side lighting for under the canopy (if your garden gets big enough, no offense, but you will have a small canopy with 5 plants, not much will be shadowed).

I have done a lot, lot, of research in regards to LED lighting and how well it does with growing herb. I went to the extent of purchasing 300 LED's and wired up my own boards similar to the ones you can purchase for a ridiculous amount of money. I built a 250 watt LED board and put it on one test plant with one 1000 watt light to 24 plants. I put a second 1000 in about a month before harvest. Not surprisingly the plant with the board and the neighboring plants did very well, it especially, grew many more shoots faster than the other plants. I used a ratio of 4 red to 1 blue, worked well. I learned that you still have to have the HPS even though your LED's focus of the wave lengths the plant can most absorb red and blue, mostly red, especially when in flower.
 
I agree with pinkjackyle.

Sell the 150 keep the fluorescents, as soon as you can put them under the MH (or HPS if budget only allows for one lamp) the better. Buy one 250 HPS and MH if you can. One 250 should get you by with 5 plants.

You can keep the side lighting also, the more light the better. Remember though, the plants absorb almost all of their light nutrients (photosynthesis) from the top of the leaves. Dont try to under light them just side lighting for under the canopy (if your garden gets big enough, no offense, but you will have a small canopy with 5 plants, not much will be shadowed).

I have done a lot, lot, of research in regards to LED lighting and how well it does with growing herb. I went to the extent of purchasing 300 LED's and wired up my own boards similar to the ones you can purchase for a ridiculous amount of money. I built a 250 watt LED board and put it on one test plant with one 1000 watt light to 24 plants. I put a second 1000 in about a month before harvest. Not surprisingly the plant with the board and the neighboring plants did very well, it especially, grew many more shoots faster than the other plants. I used a ratio of 4 red to 1 blue, worked well. I learned that you still have to have the HPS even though your LED's focus of the wave lengths the plant can most absorb red and blue, mostly red, especially when in flower.

ok, why would i sell my mh? if anything i was going to buy the 250W hps and use them together with the side lighting..but that little 90w ufo thing looks mighty appealing, no heat, very small..etc...
 
Top