3 XL Quantum Boards - How Would You...

combo801 · Sep 17, 2019

Hello everyone,

This is my first post so hang in there with me.

I have a 4x4 gorilla grow tent with an extension. And I also have three quantum boards.
2x XL 320watt boards in 3000k
1x XL 260watt board in 4000k

My question to those who have more experience with quantum boards is in a nutshell, what do you think about running the 3000k’s on the outside with the 4000k down the middle - even if I just use the one 4000k for veg and the two 3000k boards for flower?
Would you run them all during flowering or just the 4000k? Any feedback, pointers, tips, would be greatly appreciated.

Nizza · Sep 17, 2019

if i were you i would run the outer ones stronger than the 4k one. On top of that it is nice the way you have it set up, if you ever wanted to add in some far red initiators or UV supplement bulbs on timers that middle spot would be perfect.
I am thinking of doing this in my 5x5. but to save $ , just run 3x 260 XL's . two of them v2 rspec and 2 4k

combo801 · Sep 17, 2019

Nizza said:
if i were you i would run the outer ones stronger than the 4k one. On top of that it is nice the way you have it set up, if you ever wanted to add in some far red initiators or UV supplement bulbs on timers that middle spot would be perfect.
I am thinking of doing this in my 5x5. but to save $ , just run 3x 260 XL's . two of them v2 rspec and 2 4k

I should’ve mentioned. Both of the 3000k boards have the R Spec

coreywebster · Sep 18, 2019

Yeah run the 4k in the middle. If your going to run them all you can dim down some. 900w of boards is excessive.

I ran 2x 260w kits in 3k when I had a 4x4. It was plenty for good yield and solid buds, if I had more I maybe would of run 600-650 range, cant imagine going over that, though im sure some folks do.

In veg you wont even need half that.

PadawanWarrior · Sep 18, 2019

coreywebster said:
Yeah run the 4k in the middle. If your going to run them all you can dim down some. 900w of boards is excessive.

I ran 2x 260w kits in 3k when I had a 4x4. It was plenty for good yield and solid buds, if I had more I maybe would of run 600-650 range, cant imagine going over that, though im sure some folks do.

In veg you wont even need half that.

That's what I was just thinking. It's gonna be bright as fuck. I have 850 watts of the hlg boards, 3 of them Rspec's, in a 3x8 closet and it's crazy bright. I think it's actually a bit overkill.

coreywebster · Sep 18, 2019

PadawanWarrior said:
That's what I was just thinking. It's gonna be bright as fuck. I have 850 watts of the hlg boards, 3 of them Rspec's, in a 3x8 closet and it's crazy bright. I think it's actually a bit overkill.

Yeah its easy to get carried away I think with the wattage, im very cautious about it because I did see what high light levels could do to my plants when QBs first came out.
There's others on here who throw caution to the wind and seem to do very well though.

I haven't tried the Rspecs, What stage are you at with them?

PadawanWarrior · Sep 18, 2019

coreywebster said:
Yeah its easy to get carried away I think with the wattage, im very cautious about it because I did see what high light levels could do to my plants when QBs first came out.
There's others on here who throw caution to the wind and seem to do very well though.

I haven't tried the Rspecs, What stage are you at with them?

I'm at day 24 since flip. They had difficulty going from t5 to quantum boards, but I also had them a little to close when I first transferred them. I didn't realize how powerful these lights are, but I will get better.

combo801 · Sep 18, 2019

coreywebster said:
Yeah run the 4k in the middle. If your going to run them all you can dim down some. 900w of boards is excessive.

I ran 2x 260w kits in 3k when I had a 4x4. It was plenty for good yield and solid buds, if I had more I maybe would of run 600-650 range, cant imagine going over that, though im sure some folks do.

In veg you wont even need half that.

Thanks for the replies! Would you use the middle 4000k board alone through veg? Then turn off 4000k and turn on both the 3000k for flower? Or use all three boards dimmed down during flower?

Any other feedback, pointers, ideas, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

combo801 · Sep 18, 2019

coreywebster said:
Yeah run the 4k in the middle. If your going to run them all you can dim down some. 900w of boards is excessive.

I ran 2x 260w kits in 3k when I had a 4x4. It was plenty for good yield and solid buds, if I had more I maybe would of run 600-650 range, cant imagine going over that, though im sure some folks do.

In veg you wont even need half that.

Thanks for the replies! Would you use the middle 4000k board alone through veg? Then turn off 4000k and turn on both the 3000k for flower? Or use all three boards dimmed down during flower?

Any other feedback, pointers, ideas, etc. would be greatly appreciated!

Nizza · Sep 18, 2019

are you running all these in only one tent?
if so, run the 2 outer boards dimmed and the middle board higher during veg, and the opposite during flower

combo801 · Sep 18, 2019

Nizza said:
are you running all these in only one tent?
if so, run the 2 outer boards dimmed and the middle board higher during veg, and the opposite during flower

Yes all in one tent. I appreciate the pointers very much. When you say dimmed, how dimmed? Should I just listen to the plants or should I dim to specific watt levels? Each board has its own dimmer too.

Nizza · Sep 18, 2019

I have been looking into the specifics myself.. and I don't want to lead you wrong as i'm just learning with these lights right now.
but from a general rule of thumb, i would run the 4k at full blast whenever the plants were ready, with the other ones 25% of that respectively. and then the rspecs the opposite for flower

inDC4now · Sep 18, 2019

combo801 said:
Yes all in one tent. I appreciate the pointers very much. When you say dimmed, how dimmed? Should I just listen to the plants or should I dim to specific watt levels? Each board has its own dimmer too.

Hey @combo801 -- welcome to RIU. How are your temperatures?

In my 4 x 4 I'm using two 3x slates on the outside with two rspecs each. My inner slate is a 2x with two 288 V2. So basically six QBs total, As flower progressed I found myself raising the lights for lower temps down at plant level.

combo801 · Sep 18, 2019

inDC4now said:
Hey @combo801 -- welcome to RIU. How are your temperatures?

In my 4 x 4 I'm using two 3x slates on the outside with two rspecs each. My inner slate is a 2x with two 288 V2. So basically six QBs total, As flower progressed I found myself raising the lights for lower temps down at plant level.

Temperatures are fine as I run clip on fans directly face down or at a slight angle on the heatsink of the boards which I find spreads the air across the boards and cools them down well. And a box fan at plant level as well as a carbon filter that exhausts out a nearby window.

I was running viparspectras before and got my QBs at the end of the last grow so I don’t have much of any experience with them.

coreywebster · Sep 19, 2019

I would run them all in flower with the outer 3k running a bit more power than the inner 4k boards and the reverse in veg provided you can dim that much, depends on the type of driver and the dimmer, external pot will allow you to dim far more than internal dimmer will.

Just keep a eye out for light stress in both veg and flower.

Maybe download a lux meter app for your phone to get a rough idea on uniformity.

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