Replace my light???

I'm running a Gavita PRO 1000e and although I think this is a bad ass light its just not for me. Its more of a commercial light, its way to hot and requires a lot to keep tent in decent temp range. I'm growing in a 5x5 and will never be a commercial grower.

Whats my best bet for this tent, (Links please) Eventually I'd like to have 1 for veg and 1 for flower in side by side tents using same fans and ac. I'd like to use same light from seed to harvest if that's at all possible, I do own 8 lamp t-5s if I wanted to veg with those.

I'd like to get into an LED. lol space cadet!!!??? I think

Thank you

Can I safely switch lights in mid grow? I've got pics of set up along with 1000 other questions in newbie section.

315CMH. Yes you can switch.

hotrodharley said:

315CMH. Yes you can switch.

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Isnt that hot as well? the quick google search recommended 3x3 area. I'll be reading a bunch more shortly. Do you recommend a brand?

Thanks a lot.

WaterDog said:

Isnt that hot as well?
Thanks a lot.

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All lights are hot dude. Including LED. The advantage of LED is you can use less wattage so less heat.

Check out timber grow lights or Horticultural lighting group if you want to go LED

LED is probably your best bet then for veg and flower both using a single light.

Nah you got a badass light, like you said. instead of reinvesting in a light, do a badass vent system. Its not gonna get much better than that light in that space, you can make some really really good bud with that light.

hotrodharley said:

LED is probably your best bet then for veg and flower both using a single light.

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Which one would be best for a 5x5.

reallybigjesusfreak said:

Nah you got a badass light, like you said. instead of reinvesting in a light, do a badass vent system. Its not gonna get much better than that light in that space, you can make some really really good bud with that light.

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That's probably the biggest reason I don't like this light I don't have an effective way to vent to the outside, I'm venting the ac out the window but very sketched out about doing so. The light really in a hood that can be effectively vented as of now I'm just pulling air off of it and out of tent into the bedroom its in. so basically it just circulates in room ac blows into tent and is vented outside.

I'm in a brand new house and don't wanna vent into attic either so I figured new light may be best long term.

I'm reading and learning more and more which is sometimes overwhelming but really appreciate the advise and feedback. Thanks alot

I'm a bit concerned I'm gonna run outta room using this light as well, I'd light to veg another month once I get them healthy again

Platinum or Mars Hydro. Neighbor uses the Platinum and had decent results. Not as much as with HPS but nice bud.

Plenty of options available-from turn-key fixtures to DIY. If you're trying to fill a complete 5x5, even using top-shelf diodes will need at least 750w of consumed power. I have fabbed up a few fixtures with cobs and light strips and most have been in the $1/watt cost but they don't need any upkeep(bulbs/ballast) like an HID rig. I grow my meds in a 5x5 closet and have the same temp control issues. Switched from 550w of old 'blurple' panels to 650w of vero's with fewer heat problems. I also only grow annually over the winter to help keep temps down. Leds are only beneficial if they are more efficient at converting electricity into light. Most diodes used in brands like Mars and the like are at best even with the efficiency of your Gavita. If you want to reduce the heat load but maintain PPFD, higher efficacy diodes are the only way.
So the real choice seems to be this-either invest in dedicated climate control for the space to exhaust the heat from the HID rig or use technology to get more photons from each watt of power.

WaterDog said:

Isnt that hot as well? the quick google search recommended 3x3 area. I'll be reading a bunch more shortly. Do you recommend a brand?

Thanks a lot.

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Go to the Growers Choice website and check out the different spectrums of their 630 watt de cmh. Any one would be a good choice for a single full term (veg/flower) light.

The major difference being that one is going to have a little extra red which will boost the yield and the others will have more blue and uv. The extra blue could actually make for better growth in veg leading to more bud sites from shorter internodes that could make the yield comparable to the more red bulb and the extra uv will also accelerate and improve veg growth on top of improving quality.

Covering a 5x5 with it might be a bit if a stretch but in a tent with reflective textured mylar walls it might actually be just about perfect. As far as heat goes all lights put off a lot of heat. The biggest difference is that hps produce a lot of unnecessary IR that generates a lot of extra heat when it hits a surface. Even with highly reflective surfaces everywhere like in a tent it's just reflecting all of the IR back and when it hits the plant and is absorbed it turns into heat in the plants tissues.

well damn, lets address one issue at a time. have you found a a way to take that 180 degree kink out of your vent? thats kicking your ass right there, every time there's a 90 degree bend you're losing efficiency. Try that before taking the whole light out, if thats the route you end up going.

reallybigjesusfreak said:

well damn, lets address one issue at a time. have you found a a way to take that 180 degree kink out of your vent? thats kicking your ass right there, every time there's a 90 degree bend you're losing efficiency. Try that before taking the whole light out, if thats the route you end up going.

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Yes sir easy fix. Done. I may switch to a 6 inch fan as well. Im actually starting to worry about stretch and if tent will have enough room to go all the way. I really like the light but the ac and venting issue suck

WaterDog said:

Yes sir easy fix. Done. I may switch to a 6 inch fan as well. Im actually starting to worry about stretch and if tent will have enough room to go all the way. I really like the light but the ac and venting issue suck

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what are you currently using for a fan? how many cfm?

the fan sucking off the light is a 4 inch high velocity inline fan say 170 cfm sucking from light out of tent into small carbon filter.

oh yeah that's not nearly enough. Are you sure its not a booster fan? I had a 6'' inline fan like that, and it was only 160 but said all over the box that it was 250, then in asterics that 250 was what it boosts to, so its less powerful than it seems. I'd invest 60-80 into something that can move 4-500 CFM. That will still be cheaper than switching lights, and you just wont get a yeild with anywhitn else like you will with what you got.

vivosun, for example, makes one I got for 65 bucks on amazon. Im sure its just their name slapped on the same one 20 other companies got, but it works for now and was cheap, cools my 1000w no problem, temps never over 85

If I was growing in a 5x5 and had a DE running, I'd probably keep using it. Upgrading to LED would be fun, it will take 2-3 years to pay itself off. Maybe you'd be able to sell the DE to get back some of the money.