Transplanting LED lights into the AG

[TheInsider]

Has anybody done this before?

I'm reaching the harvest stage of my first AG Deluxe grow (or any grow, for that matter), and I'd like to do things properly from now on.

I've no experience at all with LED, so I'm kinda just looking for decent hydro/lights dealers online, whilst resisting the cheap - yet perhaps crappy? - eBay offers from Chinese sellers. 300w for $400? Sounds a bit suspect!

Do UFO lights spread wide enough to cover the AG grow area, or will I need an elongated panel? Will 120w LED be sufficient for growing 7 auto-flowering plants at once?

I'm thinking the panel will provide the widest lighting for the plants, and hopefully I can easily transplant that into the hood of the AG.

 

[HSA]

Has anybody done this before?

I'm reaching the harvest stage of my first AG Deluxe grow (or any grow, for that matter), and I'd like to do things properly from now on.

I've no experience at all with LED, so I'm kinda just looking for decent hydro/lights dealers online, whilst resisting the cheap - yet perhaps crappy? - eBay offers from Chinese sellers. 300w for $400? Sounds a bit suspect!

Do UFO lights spread wide enough to cover the AG grow area, or will I need an elongated panel? Will 120w LED be sufficient for growing 7 auto-flowering plants at once?

I'm thinking the panel will provide the widest lighting for the plants, and hopefully I can easily transplant that into the hood of the AG.

I've seen people hang an array of lights on the sides to accomplish what you can do with three cheap mirrors mirrors from home depot or Lowe's. A frugal friend bought his from a second hand store for half of what I paid and they work just as well. Prop them at about a 110 to 120 degrees angle so they'll reflect the light back up and they'll light up the bottom of your plants with the same electricity you already paid for. That measurement is approximate since I don't have a protractor to check it with but you can do it visually. If you have a hood with three high intensity CFL's you have enough light and you won't have cords running all over the place like a snake pit.

 

[TheInsider]

I've seen people hang an array of lights on the sides to accomplish what you can do with three cheap mirrors mirrors from home depot or Lowe's. A frugal friend bought his from a second hand store for half of what I paid and they work just as well. Prop them at about a 110 to 120 degrees angle so they'll reflect the light back up and they'll light up the bottom of your plants with the same electricity you already paid for. That measurement is approximate since I don't have a protractor to check it with but you can do it visually. If you have a hood with three high intensity CFL's you have enough light and you won't have cords running all over the place like a snake pit.

Interesting. I am using mylar on the surface of the AG, so I think a fair portion of light is reflected already. I just have the CFL bulbs which came with it - are they "high intensity"? Sorry - I'm a total n00b when it comes to such things.

I'm surprised if those lights are considered substantial... I assumed they were pretty poor.

 

[Knickers]

Yes it's been done, no it's not worth it, and the mirrors are just silly so stick with the Mylar.

Your best bet is to remove the hood from the AG and use CFLs in a home made fixture, or just invest in a HID lamp even if it's only 250W. You can also fit a 3rd CFL in the middle of the standard hood and add side lighting. However as soon as you add light you'll realize the AG res is entirely too small for more than 2 small plants and you're better off whipping up your own DWC system for a fraction of the price of the AG, and able to be custom fitted to the space you have without stupid plastic aesthetics.

- From an AG owner

 

[TheInsider]

Thanks for the info. It's "not worth it" as in the multiple bulb option is more efficient, or just that the improvement isn't worth the cash? I'd rather have one really good LED main light than have other bulbs all over the place, tbh. I'm trying my best to keep it as one unit, and not have to start affixing additional items. The LED I could pretty much put in place of the current CFL (I already have 3, as it's a Deluxe).

At the very least, even a cheapish 90w UFO should be much better than my current lights, no?

 

[Knickers]

Yes it would.

A 250W HPS would be cheaper. Both are more light than needed to utilize the full res capacity of the AG. You will need to add an air pump unless you want root rot, and you will need to turn the AG pump off and add water daily when the plants roots have practically filled the res.

When I say it's not worth it, I mean it is a waste of $$.

 

[krozone]

Grab a Quad Band LED (Suppliment with CFL lighting for Flowering) not the AG Hood

There's no need to re-furb the hood to use LED lights as the LED lights that you buy are housed already.