The skinny on LED's please

Apoligies ahead of time as im sure this is a topic that gets beat to death...

I use to run tent scrogs under HPS lights and fared pretty well. LED's were garbage at the time, but that has obviously changed. Lol.

I see a hellacious price spread on them. I am sure there is a quality spread as well.

Could someone give me suggestions on LEDs that are good or give me a good resource i could study over to learn the ins and outs on LED lights. I'm in process of building a room and can't decide whether to go with the old tech or go with LEDs.

I always veg'd under t5's. Are these still the best bang for buck or nah? Does one LED light work for both veg and flower now?

Thanks in advance to you all.

BullPower said:

Apoligies ahead of time as im sure this is a topic that gets beat to death...

I use to run tent scrogs under HPS lights and fared pretty well. LED's were garbage at the time, but that has obviously changed. Lol.

I see a hellacious price spread on them. I am sure there is a quality spread as well.

Could someone give me suggestions on LEDs that are good or give me a good resource i could study over to learn the ins and outs on LED lights. I'm in process of building a room and can't decide whether to go with the old tech or go with LEDs.

I always veg'd under t5's. Are these still the best bang for buck or nah? Does one LED light work for both veg and flower now?

Thanks in advance to you all.

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Technology marches on, LEDs have plummeted in price and increased dramatically in quality in the past few years.
They've improved to the point that the difference between the premium brands and bargain brands is minimal.

Check out Migro or cocoforcannabis for objective light reviews to make an informed opinion.

Billy the Mountain said:

Technology marches on, LEDs have plummeted in price and increased dramatically in quality in the past few years.
They've improved to the point that the difference between the premium brands and bargain brands is minimal.

Checkout Migro or cocoforcannabis for objective light reviews to make an informed opinion.

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I appreciate that. Have a good one!

Thoughts about a strong LED on a mover? Pro/Con?

Looking at doing a couple 4x8 or 5x10 spaces.

BullPower said:

Thoughts about a strong LED on a mover?

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It does not create more light, just spread it. But thats something you can already do by using a bar light or similar. Marginal gains at most.

I did this same type of research a few months ago when getting ready to purchase my entire grow setup. I selected a 600watt HLG for my 4X4 grow. Doing an awesome job. 82 days in so far. Hope you don't mind the pic to show proof of light working great?

Rocket Soul said:

It does not create more light, just spread it. But thats something you can already do by using a bar light or similar. Marginal gains at most.

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I understand that. Tried a mover back in the day w an hps. I wondered though if it could negate the need for two lights in a given space and allow 1 light to achieve what two, or 1.5 could. Being that LED have improved to the degree it seems they have.

Outdoor my plants aren't in full sun all day long and seem to do well. So wondered if the same could be achieved in a room.

If it increased usable foot print of one light by 50% it'd be huge for power consumption purposes. Im just trying to understand where we are at.

I probably think too much.

OldDude420 said:

I did this same type of research a few months ago when getting ready to purchase my entire grow setup. I selected a 600watt HLG for my 4X4 grow. Doing an awesome job. 82 days in so far. Hope you don't mind the pic to show proof of light working great?

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Shiiiit. Share those pictures, I say! That's how I learn. They look fantastic!

Would that 600w LED be comparable to a 600 hps from years past? Or more comparable to a 1000w hps?

Do you think it's providing all the light the 4x4 could possibly need?

BullPower said:

Shiiiit. Share those pictures, I say! That's how I learn. They look fantastic!

Would that 600w LED be comparable to a 600 hps from years past? Or more comparable to a 1000w hps?

Do you think it's providing all the light the 4x4 could possibly need?

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I think it is providing way more than I can use. It would take two lights for the size grow you have in mind, but, they would both be turned down so the cost would be like having 1 light cranked all the way up. I'm running at about 65%. Kicking out some nice looking buds and colas.

BullPower said:

I understand that. Tried a mover back in the day w an hps. I wondered though if it could negate the need for two lights in a given space and allow 1 light to achieve what two could. Being that LED have improved to the degree it seems they have.

Outdoor my plants aren't in full sun all day long and seem to do well. So wondered if the same could be achieved in a room.

If it increased usable foot print of one light by 50% it'd be huge for power consumption purposes. Im just trying to understand where we are at.

I probably think too much.

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I'd choose to go with two lights, slightly "overpowered".
For example: if you need 1000 watt equivalent, I would get two, 600+ watt lights You can adjust the intensity and run 75%-80% or crank it up, if you want to.

OldDude420 said:

I think it is providing way more than I can use. It would take two lights for the size grow you have in mind, but, they would both be turned down so the cost would be like having 1 light cranked all the way up. I'm running at about 65%. Kicking out some nice looking buds and colas. View attachment 5426675View attachment 5426676View attachment 5426677View attachment 5426678View attachment 5426679View attachment 5426680View attachment 5426681View attachment 5426682View attachment 5426683View attachment 5426684

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Very nice crop, my friend!

Appreciate your thinking out loud with me. It's helping. The power % dial is pretty neat. I assume they are turned down in veg and increase power in flower?

What flavor do ya have there?

MeOhMyOhio said:

I'd choose to go with two lights, slightly "overpowered".
For example: if you need 1000 watt equivalent, I would get two, 600+ watt lights You can adjust the intensity and run 75%-80% or crank it up, if you want to.

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That makes sense. Thanks.

The terminology and concepts are throwing me for a loop. Lol. Are the 600w leds equivalent to the 1000w hps lights we used way back when?

Can't go wrong with HLG. They seem to be one of the few, remaining, American companies that actually make their lights. There are a lot of good lights out there, now....but not all companies have great customer service. HLG has performed well for me. I use a few of their lights. The main one I use is their 300 Red Spec in my 3 X 3 tent.

@BullPower thanks. I am running 3 different strains. Had 4 plants but one popped out nanners and now sleeps with the fishes. I have one Jamaican Lion X Maui Wowie, 1 Acai-Berry X Gelato, and 1 Mango X Kush. The Mango kush is the farthest along, the Jamaican Lion is the tallest, and the Acai-berry is close to as tall. The last 2 about tripled in size during the stretch.
I really do swear by this light, but I'm new. My last grow was outdoors in the early 80's before drug testing hit hard.

Mars hydro and ACI made my best nugs. Loading up my after market light results next post. These are just better while my aftermarket struggled one round, did better the next.

While my better lights did better and better too so Id say I saw a difference running clones. Clones help test things. I was told something about that though I cant recall but you make youre opinion looking at these.

Viparspectra Im about to buy right now. I was told theyre less known to have funny/scary incidents. Im switching all to them if its all the same. Idk much about lights but can say my aftermarket is epistar and my good ones are samsung.

The VS is for my 3x3 one plant 12” hang distance 900ppfd in every inch of tent pretty much. Im stoked. I never used hps really but it would be half the cost and I noticed plants like a lot of light all flower long for best growth.

But its interesting idea I heard of that being done, a moving hps. Vert growing is nice too. Hps cmh great for heat if you have cold seasons. I use my after market I flowered with for veg to answer that.

Its just I wouldnt use a fancy flower light for veg unless its at end of its life. While after market lights Id still buy them for veg. Cheap and low watts. My cool temp basement probably why I can get away with low watts and intensity.

OldDude420 said:

@BullPower thanks. I am running 3 different strains. Had 4 plants but one popped out nanners and now sleeps with the fishes. I have one Jamaican Lion X Maui Wowie, 1 Acai-Berry X Gelato, and 1 Mango X Kush. The Mango kush is the farthest along, the Jamaican Lion is the tallest, and the Acai-berry is close to as tall. The last 2 about tripled in size during the stretch.
I really do swear by this light, but I'm new. My last grow was outdoors in the early 80's before drug testing hit hard.

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You've done very nice work with them. They look super happy.

I wasn't even in my dad's nut sack yet when you were growing outside. . (Ive always wsnted to say that!) I hear some interesting stories of the herb genetics from back then. I have some older seed a family member gave me I'd like to pop soon.

I sure hope we are closing in on the end of prohibition. My state will be one of the last I'm sure.

After market called fecida its epistar led chips. Just not the same yield and growth. All same clone same strain side by side. My clones with samsung leds are just always killer.

I will say they did pretty good but just looking close at sauce production and pistol count per bud site. Great for veg, Id like the light further away, I thought t5’s have to be like inches away?

I think the leds are more efficient for veg too if its anything like cfls.

@medidedicated very nice!

You make some good points that I hadn't considered. Sound like it's still practical to veg under t5's. Which I like.

You mention light ncidences... what kind of issues do people run into?

Thanks for the brand names. There's so many it's confusing.

BullPower said:

You've done very nice work with them. They look super happy.

I wasn't even in my dad's nut sack yet when you were growing outside. I hear interesting stories of the herb genetics from back then.

I sure hope we are closing in on the end of prohibition. My state will be one of the last I'm sure.

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@BullPower Thanks. Man I hope your state gets with the program. I thought the same of my state until they passed Medical, Then a few years later Recreational passed second try. Still I couldn't smoke because of my employer following Federal guidelines on testing. Finally got close enough to retirement for me to roll the dice. Like finding an old girlfriend.
I couldn't be happier with my grow. Still have a long way to go to the finish line, but colas getting fatter by the day. I think I'm gonna turn the light up a little more. I'll quit posting pics on your page. Not trying to hijack your thread at all, it's just fun sharing pics with someone who likes seeing them.
Later,

Mars hydro quite known for fire hazard incidents. Lots of reviews about it but I say funny in case some of those people just thought it almost started a fire. Idk much about how that goes.

I was told something interesting that all these light companies just stole a lot of ideas from diy people. Basically you can diy a really nice light better than what you can buy.

Anyways though, I was told Mars is improving with that in their new designs but its still a thing. However hps growing I would be even more worried about, digital ballast is a given.

Well I guess not if its well secured but if it falls and touched something like tent fabric at 1300F.. Idk Il say though my fears of fire have gone away. Just gonna switch to viparapectra soon.