Led Users Unite!

Rocket Soul said:

I very much like the fotop format for openspace grows. Run them low at 150w and 8 inches and cover the entire crop.

I run lm561c v1 boards, great for the price. Epi reds i generally avoid them as they arent as efficient as the white diodes.

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Hi Rocket,

Thanks for your input (and your other comments on other threads)

Looks like you're the guy with the knowledge I need lol.

I just recieved the fotops for my growing space.
Still have to create the airflow (in/out take)and then I'm ready to start.

First I will explain my space.
Unfortunately it is a closed space with reflective walls (unfortunately due to your comment that the fotops are great for open space) and the space is 1m x 1.5 meter and the max height I can hang the lights is 1.70m.

Here comes my question: Do you know how much space is best to have inbetween the boards?

Also: Do you know what's best, lower the boards and dim them or keep them higher and on full power?

Thanks in advance for your input and knowledge!

Try for around 4-5" in between. No big deal if your in a closed space as long as you can reach into the far side for raising and lowering. Make the frame thinking of how to do this and youbshould be fine.

Dimming or raising: both works fine, raising will not change your watts in your space but keep temps and environment.

Edit: i realize i dont know how many boards you got. Maybe 4" isnt right unless you got 4 boards. Dont put your driver on the heatsink. I use these boards at 150w with no heatsink, 200w also works no heatsink.

Rocket Soul said:

Try for around 4-5" in between. No big deal if your in a closed space as long as you can reach into the far side for raising and lowering. Make the frame thinking of how to do this and youbshould be fine.

Dimming or raising: both works fine, raising will not change your watts in your space but keep temps and environment.

Edit: i realize i dont know how many boards you got. Maybe 4" isnt right unless you got 4 boards. Dont put your driver on the heatsink. I use these boards at 150w with no heatsink, 200w also works no heatsink.

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Thanks Rocket!

Will definitely not put the driver on top of the heatsink. Due to my zero knowledge with electricity I went for a plug and play board or better said 2 boards driven by 1 driver. Below you can find the link from the light I ordered.


Do you perhaps have an idea on how much watt I should drive these boards at a certain height to hit the sweet spot for seedling, veg and flower?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm a medical patient and have only grown outside in the past. Already busy for some months to find the knowledge on this forum, unfortunately I couldn't find to much about these Ali baba lights.

Some things I'm very good in though (rolling smoking and eating )

Hope growing will be added to the list

Thanks again!

Groenegroeier said:

Do you think my 600 watt is overkill for my 1,5m x 1m grow space?

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Hey there friend, not really experienced as I'm a new grower. But from what I read, the more light the better! As long as you find that sweet spot distance.

A tip I got was to put my hand at the level of the plants, if it feels too hot for your hand, it's too hot for your plants.

Hope my little advice helped! Happy growing brother!

Looking to change out my 8 bulb 2ft CFL fixture for a less heat LED... only company i constantly hear about is mars

Who else makes a 100-250 watt unit for a 2.5"x2.5" area, height is like 4 ft so lots options.

Area is ment for seeding and clones, so low moles

rustyshaclkferd said:

Looking to change out my 8 bulb 2ft CFL fixture for a less heat LED... only company i constantly hear about is mars

Who else makes a 100-250 watt unit for a 2.5"x2.5" area, height is like 4 ft so lots options.

Area is ment for seeding and clones, so low moles

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You can grab some 150 watt high bay leds for ~$100 that seem to work in my space. Let me find the link but should definitely cover your area and isn’t mars or some overpriced crap.

Just testing out this! Outside in bc!!! Wife says cant do it inside til spring when landlord takes all her shit outta there! Have the mars hydro tsl2000 ( 300 true watts)
Veg 4x4
Bloom 2x4
I feel 1x4 for best results! Why not! So far so good and im going to put a second one in for flower most likely. Have 3 pineapple express auto seeds on the way.from Barneys Farm. The seeds for test are a mix of nebula, wine gums and bubba kush! Not sure whats what.
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Stickylungs said:

Chem 4 under the 550's

View attachment 4429279View attachment 4429280

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How far above the canopy top are your 550s?

For you guys on a budget who are considering the HLG 550 or Spider Farmer SF4000, you might want to consider this one:


I bought two of them.

flashyy1 said:

how u get on with them. helios/bysen 420w
just got panel 420w

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I happened upon a Helious 1200 (420w) on marketplace and snagged it up for a steal. This thing is unreal... I'm a new grower and was trying to figure out why my plants were growing so compact! Turns out this is a decent LED! I'm gonna have to invest in a PAR meter!

novice grower here with only the basics down, new to led, and with my led setup i have a 4x4 vegitation tent with spectrum kings mothers little helper for strictly vegging plants, and i am setting up a 4x4 flower tent for strictly flower, i need help on a light for JUST flowering... ive heard these are 2 good options in my price range and would love help on what one to pull the trigger on, or if you have any others to suggest!
1. https://indoorgrowingcanada.com/collections/grow-lights/products/horticulture-lighting-group-hlg-550-v2-rspec-full-spectrum-white-deep-red-quantum-board-led-grow-light
2. https://timbergrowlights.com/redwood-vs/
the HLG is 1200$ and the timber 1000$ canadian and id like to stay around that price give or take a couple bucks, appreciate all help and advice on finding my flower tent light!

I put a little something together after clocking a few German websites distributing Lumitronix relatively low power 'Linearz Zhaga' strips with the Nichia Optisolis and Seoul Semiconductor Sunlike leds for a discounted 13eur per 1ft strip, and one had 10% off over new year.

2x 26 diode Nichia Optisolis 5k
2x 26 diode Seoul Semiconductor Sunlike 2.7k
Each pair running in parallel from their own Meanwell LPC-20-350
An old qb288 sized heatsink that was leftover after it's previous folux board had strings start dying on it.

The boards are advertised to come in around 38v. I left the slack from the meanwell drivers intact which, while messy, gives the option of dismounting them from the board as they get quite warm for 20w apiece.

The retailer had some 2ft clear plastic covers on so I got a couple which I ended up cutting in half. They're only attached with a bit more double sided thermal tape at each end. Disappointingly these led strips were a couple of mm too wide to fit the 'alumax' 2ft heatsinks advertised with the covers, despite the description saying they're a good match. Luckily I realised those strips would fit a quantum board footprint pretty well. However, that alumax heatsink is of no use now.

These 2x northern Afghanistan landrace seedlings were not directly under lights before so stretched a bit much under a propagator lid while I was away for a week after potting the seed starter blocks. Hopefully they acclimate well. I was given 5 of these seeds so wanted to show the 2 I tried a good time.

Buds N Brew said:

How far above the canopy top are your 550s?

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There about 12" from top of canopy. I had a ancient og as close as a inch from the 600's i used to rock. It got a little light bleach at that distance.
Hope it helps

evn_420 said:

novice grower here with only the basics down, new to led, and with my led setup i have a 4x4 vegitation tent with spectrum kings mothers little helper for strictly vegging plants, and i am setting up a 4x4 flower tent for strictly flower, i need help on a light for JUST flowering... ive heard these are 2 good options in my price range and would love help on what one to pull the trigger on, or if you have any others to suggest!
1. https://indoorgrowingcanada.com/collections/grow-lights/products/horticulture-lighting-group-hlg-550-v2-rspec-full-spectrum-white-deep-red-quantum-board-led-grow-light
2. https://timbergrowlights.com/redwood-vs/
the HLG is 1200$ and the timber 1000$ canadian and id like to stay around that price give or take a couple bucks, appreciate all help and advice on finding my flower tent light!

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The price on the hlg seems high. Have you looked into a 600 rspec diy kit? Im in the states and get the 550's for around 700 u.s.Check out ledgrowlights.com. he will help you out man

evn_420 said:

novice grower here with only the basics down, new to led, and with my led setup i have a 4x4 vegitation tent with spectrum kings mothers little helper for strictly vegging plants, and i am setting up a 4x4 flower tent for strictly flower, i need help on a light for JUST flowering... ive heard these are 2 good options in my price range and would love help on what one to pull the trigger on, or if you have any others to suggest!
1. https://indoorgrowingcanada.com/collections/grow-lights/products/horticulture-lighting-group-hlg-550-v2-rspec-full-spectrum-white-deep-red-quantum-board-led-grow-light
2. https://timbergrowlights.com/redwood-vs/
the HLG is 1200$ and the timber 1000$ canadian and id like to stay around that price give or take a couple bucks, appreciate all help and advice on finding my flower tent light!

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I would recommend chatting with Dan @RainDan at Timber. Very knowledgeable and helpful!. If you want some added flexibility, you could also run two of these. That would give you more flexibility with two dimmers and two different heights. Im in the process of replacing a 1000 watt HID with three of these. Best of luck with your search!

These are 4 different phenos of a recent bx of 24kt gold x citrus sap. Wild delicious phenos. Week 5 of flower. Smells of oranges and nasty skunk ass. Love it!! 300w LED. 2'x2' tent.

60 dollar led in the houseee lol

I used a 20$ LED for my very first grow, it worked but I think I stunted her so I cannot really give a good review but here is the light and the finished product. The picture with the lighter was the top cola, then I gave the rest another week before I chopped it.

2fast2vast auto

Hi I have just changed my light over from a generic Chinese ufo 360w equivalent 85w actually to a 800w equivalent 120w actually cob led I have 2 Afghan ryder in a 60x60 tent at about 3weeks from sprout my question is the colour difference between the lights are completely different there suppose to be both full spectrum but I'm not sure on the effect changing the light will have on the plants will it stunt them or worse I'm still a newbie to led growing and how different LEDs grow differently and changing intensity and spectrums throughout the grow effects plants the first three pics are the cob ant the last pic is the ufo led

Hi all, I'm currently using Samsung lm301b quantum boards and I was wondering if someone know which glasses are good to protect your eyes? I have the idea when googling that most glasses that I find are for the blurple lights and not for the full spectrum ones. Any input is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!