Switching LED panels - better to stick to one spectrum?

I have a 180w switching LED panel which has the function to turn off half the bulbs; giving either a white/blue/UV array, a red/orange set, or both at once.

Obviously blue/white/UV is preferable for vegetative growth, but does the red/orange spectrum actually work against the plant? I ask as I can just as easy flick on the red/orange bulbs and add them to the white/blue. It would seem that an extra 90w of that colour range can't hurt, can it? Same goes for flowering - shall I keep the former spectrum and then add the red/orange, rather than replacing one with the other?

If it makes no difference, clearly I'd like to save on 1/2 the power use.
 
Maybe it's easier to rephrase. ;-)

Would it be better to have 90w each of red/orange and the blue/white, or isolate each of those for flowering/veg states? I'm guessing an additional 90w of lights would be better, but then I've read that you don't want red to make them grow too tall etc.
 

tendran

Active Member
Really it's just meant to have the blue/white on during veg and then ADD the additional spectrums during flowering. I don't think you'd want to take away any wattage when you flower. The plant does still use the light. :)
 
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