I am under the assumption that you too are a hydro grower? Your take on hydro leaves a "chemical taste"? lol
They're called A19 and A21. And the PAR38 spots/floods. There's also a BR19 but I never liked it much. Stay away from the less expensive/plastic Cree "Tri-Flow."
Reminds me of a guy at my work - always tooting his own horn about how he did this and did that but when it comes down to it . . . not a very bright individual on said subjects lmao
Of the ones you have personally tried, which are the best to sprout seeds under and not have stretch?
I've only used Cree 9.5w lightbulbs. Warm and cool, 1:1 ratio. They lean toward the blue.
I have about 10 sq ft of area and I am running 400w of the CXB3070 (200w each light). So yeah, I am right at 40w per sq ft. Previously, I was running a 1000w HPS over the canopy, about 14-18" above it. Amazing how much that PLED sucked. 287w and I only had it covering a 2'x2' area (whereas my CXB are covering 2'x2.5') and it was not as good as HPS even.I think what's meant by "spectrum" is that more umoles are reaching the canopy. Driving the plant's photosynthesis harder and creating a deficiency that didn't exist when there was enough mg to satisfy the photosynthesis occurring under lower umoles.
I think the difference between your COB and the Platinum is that the COB is more efficient, producing more umoles. I think the difference between LED and HPS is that you can get the LED closer and overdo the umoles compared to an HPS. I.e., it's just HPS's nature that you can't overdo the umules without burning the plants with radiant heat. It's a self-correcting problem.LED makes it easy to do the "more is better" mistake.
How many watts per sq. ft. do you run with your COBs? That's not as accurate as measuring actual umoles at the canopy. But, if you're doing something like 40w/sq ft with such an efficient light (or, have it too close) I think that would coincide with my theory.
It's likely that the blue from cool white (or something about the spectrum) causes more chlorophyll to be produced, and thus more N, Mg, and Fe, and S to be needed.. I honestly think the main issue is that most people's nutrient solutions are not perfectly balanced to begin with (in hydro) and that often Fe is on the lower side (iron's range varies from 1-5ppm in hoagland formula alone. I use 5ppm)
What do chemicals taste like?
Ya lots of strange thoughts and beliefs with no real science or studies behind it.
It depends what's easier/cheaper for you... You could either replace some calcium nitrate with nitric acid (a lot more expensive than calcium nitrate), or you could use RO and not need nitric acid. Both are a pain in the ass, but I think the nitric acid route is more straight forward.
A more direct route that can literally transmit viral disease and contaminants, sewage is processed (composted) and expelled into rivers. The next town takes it in, processes it and delivers as municipal water. Neither the sewage treatment or drinking water processing can remove all the contaminants I mentioned and municipalities do not test for all that stuff. Some do add fluoride though LOL.
It is a deep well but I don't doubt it is somewhat contaminated by man made chemicals by now.
I tried a PAR38 18w Cree in my 2.4 sq ft veg and just changed to a CXA3070 AD on 1500ma, it's like night and day, literally. Having tried the PAR38, I have to say, it puts off a lot more heat, less wattage and lumens than the COB. The fins on the PAR38 were averaging 119*F whereas the COB is on a fan/heatsink from an old Pentium comp and it stays about 1-3* above ambient. My PAR38 is going outside in the security light where it belongs. jm $0.02