**ULTIMATE LED TEST** *GLH Spectra 290* VS *Blackstar 500* VS *Hydro Grow LED 336X*
- Thread starter WeJuana
- Start date
Yeah I agree with that also! I have been using Epsom salt, but I just ran out and got some Mag-Pro, so ill be using that to help keep mag levels balanced in replacement of the salt.
@coolj - Thanks! I'm glad your finding it interesting and I hope this grow gives you some basis to help make your final decision.
I'm not too sure about the validity of the stats but I think the results of this should speak for the lights capabilities. Keep in mind I am keeping all of these lights about twice the recommended distance from the canopy, meaning for those who purchase the lights themselves and adjust the height, the results could theoretically be better than those produced in this experiment.
RawBudzski
Well-Known Member
My two 600w lights are closer to my plants than thoes pannels. 
hoss12781
Well-Known Member
I keep mine 10 inches in veg 7-8 in flower anything closer bleaches like crazy.
My point exactly lolMy two 600w lights are closer to my plants than thoes pannels.
RawBudzski
Well-Known Member
They look good for being that far away though, nice & wide fans. Plus.. That Purple color beats HPS yellow and day. 
Thanks! The purple really does add some cool color, and since it throws off the color in the room anyways.. I figured F it and I added a green CFL.They look good for being that far away though, nice & wide fans. Plus.. That Purple color beats HPS yellow and day.
From my experience green light doesn't seem to disrupt the plant so now I have some light to work with if/when I would ever have to be in during the night cycle.
maxpesh
Active Member
May I make a humble observation about the Light height from the canopy, I don't know about the other model u are using but I do know that the penetrator uses all 60 degree lenses to concentrate all the emitted light into a small footprint therefore u would need to lift it higher in order to achieve coverage but the blackstar uses a combination of 60 and 90 degree lenses so you don't need to lift it as high otherwise you are gonna weaken the penetrating power of the blackstar through reflection of the tent walls. Just to keep all things even ?
I appreciate the observation its definitely noted. There are multiple ways I could have chosen to uniform the light variable to make this a fair test, but since the light companies were at liberty to choose the angles of LEDs, I figured keeping them all at one height would show the difference in their decisions.
The test is being ran an non-optimal height to begin on purpose to show the minimum results. Further on in testing I may start adjusting the height of the lights to factory recommended height, but for now I want to create conditions to come up with a control study. If I were to run everything optimally, I would also upgrade the 3gal pots these LA Cons currently sit in, but again we will only be changing a variable or 2 every time to see how the results differ with different control variables using these LED lights.
@PSAGUARO - Sure is! I didn't even notice how much was added yesterday! I have a few upgrades to introduce to the garden soon which should keep the pace moving nicely
Endur0xX
Well-Known Member
I think that as long as you keep the lights at the same heights in each tent, fair is fair! Also, I am looking forward to get my LEDs ... I should start getting them in about a week. I think that the main thing you are looking for now when buying LED is either a really good deal on 2W single chip unit or a 3W single chip unit... I wouldnt buy any LED with only 1W per diode. There is still so many for sale in the 400$+ range, be careful... it's not because you pay a lot that you get a lot!
example: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Pro-Hydroponic-300w-LED-Plant-Grow-Light-QUAD-Band-/220876509831?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336d441287#ht_4243wt_1139 might seems like a really nice LED but it is the old technology.
go for this instead if you are about to pay 400$ http://www.ebay.ca/itm/360W-LED-Grow-Light-120x3W-chip-7-Band-2-5-day-shipping-/140622307824?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item6673d32a29#ht_4638wt_1110
Like I said, I am new to this... but I think even a lot of the good LEDs company still have a lots of light with the old 1W technology for sale... just do a good research when it's time to buy.
EDIT: those were only examples... I am not sure that the 120x3w is a single chip per diode, which is what you are looking for now I think, some of them are 3W diode but they run on 3x1W chip... I THINK
here is one that I feel confident to buy: http://www.advancedledlights.com/3w-led-grow-lights/new-diamond-series-leds-extreme-3w-led-technology/ and I am currently waiting for the 100W of this line! 400$ shipped to Canada...
example: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Pro-Hydroponic-300w-LED-Plant-Grow-Light-QUAD-Band-/220876509831?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336d441287#ht_4243wt_1139 might seems like a really nice LED but it is the old technology.
go for this instead if you are about to pay 400$ http://www.ebay.ca/itm/360W-LED-Grow-Light-120x3W-chip-7-Band-2-5-day-shipping-/140622307824?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item6673d32a29#ht_4638wt_1110
Like I said, I am new to this... but I think even a lot of the good LEDs company still have a lots of light with the old 1W technology for sale... just do a good research when it's time to buy.
EDIT: those were only examples... I am not sure that the 120x3w is a single chip per diode, which is what you are looking for now I think, some of them are 3W diode but they run on 3x1W chip... I THINK
here is one that I feel confident to buy: http://www.advancedledlights.com/3w-led-grow-lights/new-diamond-series-leds-extreme-3w-led-technology/ and I am currently waiting for the 100W of this line! 400$ shipped to Canada...
jubiare
Active Member
I agree with all you say.. that guy on ebay deserves a try.. anybody experienced that? 1 thing I am not sure about the "true 3w diodes" or "3 x 1w" debate. Some companies are stubbornly using "3 x 1w" diodes. Why do they stick to that? (Magnums). is it really just a cost saving dirty move or something they really believe in?
maxpesh
Active Member
I think it's common knowledge now that if a light uses 3 watt diodes that it has to be 3w and not 3w3 (3 x 1watts). If that is true that the magnums use 3w3 then I wouldn't touch them, if anyone wants to understand the difference then I found a great link here. http://ledgrowlightsreview.org/
@Endur0 - Yessir! Keeping all the light @ 55" for the time being! Also thanks for the links!
@jubiare - My Ebay experience was not the best, but that was before I really knew about lights. As long as you know what you are looking for you should be able to find a great deal.
@maxpesh - Thanks for the link! I like how it approaches it from a familiar angle (forums giving tons of different info).
@jubiare - My Ebay experience was not the best, but that was before I really knew about lights. As long as you know what you are looking for you should be able to find a great deal.
@maxpesh - Thanks for the link! I like how it approaches it from a familiar angle (forums giving tons of different info).
organicbynature
Active Member
Your link seems to contradict your conclusion. Your link says:
This is from Lesson 4, "Finding a Good LED Grow Light".
My understanding regarding penetration is that the degree of angle of the LED (?) affects penetration vs spread, with 120 having a higher spread and less penetration, and 90 and 60 having increasingly better penetration and less coverage.
I recently got a Magnum Plus, but have not had it long enough to draw any meaningful conclusions. I chose a Magnum because it seemed like people were having success with the 357.
I hope you stick around and keep us updated with how you like the Magnum! I'm very curious to hear your feedback.
organicbynature
Active Member
Oh, I'm sticking around. This is a great grow! I'm subbed.
I'm hoping to scale up over time so I'm very interested in your comparison. I think my next lighting purchase, though, will be some T5 fixtures with select aquarium bulbs. Have you seen that thread? I'm very intrigued.