ALL EXSPENSES PAID ... WHAT LIGHTS DO YOU PUT IN YOUR 5x5 TENT ?

Buy a tasty led.

raymont said:

2 700 watt MARS II. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2PCS-Mars-II-700-LED-Grow-Light-Lamp-Hydroponic-Best-For-Indoor-Plants-True-321W-/191670098465?hash=item2ca06d9a21:g:vkQAAOSwvt1WRrFe I have no problem with getting tight sticky icky buds with the less costly Mars. A lot of people talk smack but Im using it and getting first hand results.. And minimal heat.

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I've seen them in action they suck and run hot.. That's outdated technology. Like a walkman.

HPS & LED on top (LED heavy for veg, HPS heavy for bloom; but use both throughout the grow) and LED for side lighting.

I think side lighting is where you could get very creative... and I recommend LED because you can use some pretty focused lenses if you build your own.

HPS is an excellent light and even people who rip on LED's tend to rave about their performance in veg. I believe a mix of the two (Bridgelux 93-97 CRI & HPS) would be wonderful.

I'm doing pretty damn well right now with 600 w HPS supplemented with T5 aquarium/reptile bulbs.
Using WavePoint Blue Plus 460nm (Blue) and Reef Wave 420nm (violet).
HPS is not really a great spectrum alone. However, if you add a bit of blue and violet they are damn good.
Also, in the final 2 wks I switch out the WavePoints for some 10k + UVA bulbs.. increases potency.. that has been shown time and again in legit lab tests..


Another option is go for some CMH lamps.. Like the Phillips 315s or those 800 something watt CDM bulbs. OR, the Hortilux Blue MH.

I believe that flowering under more blue than an HPS offers gives your plant the ability to use nutrients more effectively. It is not the most popular idea on MJ forums.. but it is very popular amongst experienced indoor and greenhouse horticulturists..

I know you said "all expenses paid".. but, I refuse to buy LED lights as those selling LEDs to gardeners are selling the same technology to gardeners at 2-3x the price they would sell that technology to residential or industrial customers.. for no reason other than they are assuming what plant you are growing and they know that plant is profitable.. bullshit.

If you must LED.. DIY. Don't support those manufacturing and selling LEDs.. I've talked to 2 different LED manufacturers just recently and they LAUGH at MJ growers and the prices they are willing to pay. I know I didn't talk to the only 2 out there that are POS fly by salesman looking to get a piece of your pie.. Many of them are spending the exact same money to produce lighting for other industries but selling them for a fraction of the cost. Until that ends.. I will not buy them. They just are NOT worth anywhere near what they are selling them for. Doesn't matter what they produce.. the technology is NOT worth that money.

It is just like the MJ fert industry.. you pay a premium because they know what you are using them for. If you were using them for something else you wouldn't be buying them.

I am in with the leds esp in a tent. No/to little heat,better penetration, Frosty as a mofo. I don't grow anymore but from what I see with led is the way for sure. The cmh are nice and look like great producers.

Go diy cobs. There is so many people that will help you build and get what you need. The led sec peeps are on top of the info. We prob have the best led peeps out..

LED scene is changing daily. But I prefer them for several reasons (heat, efficiency, penetration). I went with a Kind LED for my first cabinet, loved it. Decided to take a gamble on the LED for my 5x5 tent, went with http://www.amazon.com/Double-Specturm-Greenhouse-Flowering-Growing/dp/B01321JS38/ref=pd_sim_86_12?ie=UTF8&dpID=51WvwS4r4JL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=1MNRAK1J2SW2F5J3JJG3. They are CHEAP!!! Upside there is you can order two or three for the price of one and have a spare hanging around in case something happens. Every component will fail, planning for failure is a good idea. Being without a light while you wait for an RMA would not be a good thing.

Bottom line, every time I look there is a new player in the market and price per watt is down significantly. IMO, go inexpensive, buy spares, upgrade in a year when the tech is that much better. I think price per watt is still too high, tech is early stage, but should be reasonable within a year or two. At that time I will invest in a mature solution.

I am an amateur grower, this is my opinion based on my limited real world experience.

Best,
Enigma

mr sunshine said:

I've seen them in action they suck and run hot.. That's outdated technology. Like a walkman.

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BS. You don't run one. You only have an opinion. I use it and I grow dank. Just as good as those street light HPS.

Do your own research .Everyone has an opinion. Talk to people who use them to grow, not the"my brother-in laws sisters cousin said"...yafda yada yada...ive done a side by side. My 700 watt mars II drawing around 315 watts beats my 600 HPS . Ive proved it out to myself. If you don't grow led you don't know shit. grow led and then critique it for me. Then you'll have an opinion based on facts I will listen to. This photo is with no fans. It is a 3x3x8 tent. Thats not hot. Lower left is with lights on after 4 hours, no fan.

I CALL BULLSHIT. Led works.

kfos said:

That's the light I am currently using

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me too and is working out nice for a first grow

Don't go for LEDs, don't waste your time and money. I have done enough research to be able to say that you will NOT get bigger yields out of your space.
LEDs claim to have better g/w rate and it is true, the problem is that they pull WAAAAY less watts at the wall. If you are looking to maximize yield in a specific area like yours a combination of MH/HPS(or just HPS) would be greater in terms of yield.

you have 5x5 space. that's 25square feet. 25x50watts/foot= 1000 watts light would be more than enough

Go with a 1000W Hortilux HPS I am sure many of the old school growers would agree with me here that they are the shit, you won't regret it.
If you are concerned about heat, then a ventilated hood reflector like the new Raptor (choose appropriate size online) would do just great.
The rest is in your hands, ventilation and your grow style
Good luck

raymont said:

BS. You don't run one. You only have an opinion. I use it and I grow dank. Just as good as those street light HPS.

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My cousin ran a 1600.. I go to his house all the time I helped him cut them down. Complete garbage.. your led is as efficient as an actual street light.


Nobody that grows dank backs up mars.

raymont said:

Do your own research .Everyone has an opinion. Talk to people who use them to grow, not the"my brother-in laws sisters cousin said"...yafda yada yada...ive done a side by side. My 700 watt mars II drawing around 315 watts beats my 600 HPS . Ive proved it out to myself. If you don't grow led you don't know shit. grow led and then critique it for me. Then you'll have an opinion based on facts I will listen to. This photo is with no fans. It is a 3x3x8 tent. Thats not hot. Lower left is with lights on after 4 hours, no fan.View attachment 3573137

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My 1000 watt HPS.

Maximum effect 25 led "cob" cxb3590 3500k in 1 led / sq ft setup. With 1.4A driver, each led will draw 50W. This way you will avoid heat problems of hps and have perfect light distribution over the canopy.

personally if I could do any lights for a 5x5 area I would:

- 4 x 315w Ceramic Metal Halide
- 4 x 400w CMH if I could find them

well if money wasnt a thing I'd run 6 of either CMH and maybe led lower and side supplemental lighting.

BML are really great if you get by the smoke of ads and put experience into the equation. Wave lengths should be your focus in education. Then you'll find that you need a supplier that can supply all wavelenghts between 190 and 800 and appropriate drivers, lens, housing, etc. Then you could theoretically make a billion dollars by invigorating the market for a cost effective solution to building a LED w/o waste with 100% utilization.

avoidattitude said:

BML are really great if you get by the smoke of ads and put experience into the equation. Wave lengths should be your focus in education. Then you'll find that you need a supplier that can supply all wavelenghts between 190 and 800 and appropriate drivers, lens, housing, etc. Then you could theoretically make a billion dollars by invigorating the market for a cost effective solution to building a LED w/o waste with 100% utilization.

Click to expand...

BML are really great if you get by the smoke of ads and put experience into the equation. Wave lengths should be your focus in education. Then you'll find that you need a supplier that can supply all wavelenghts between 190 and 800 and appropriate drivers, lens, housing, etc. Then you could theoretically make a billion dollars by invigorating the market for a cost effective solution to building a LED array w/o waste with 100% utilization.

avoidattitude said:

BML are really great if you get by the smoke of ads and put experience into the equation. Wave lengths should be your focus in education. Then you'll find that you need a supplier that can supply all wavelenghts between 190 and 800 and appropriate drivers, lens, housing, etc. Then you could theoretically make a billion dollars by invigorating the market for a cost effective solution to building a LED array w/o waste with 100% utilization.

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BML Spyder 1200

5x5.. Run a Horti MH Blue! Super red spectrums are over rated. I've been adding more blue and my plants are loving it.

I think some LEDs out there are running on the idea of only using the red and blue that delivers high PAR numbers.. I think plants are more complex than that and like a balanced light similar to the sun with violet, blue, yellow, green, and red. Not LOTS of blue and LOTS of red and no violet, green or yellow.
The whole "pure par" idea.. I don't like it. Perhaps they are great supplemental light but not the only light source.


I think those that are having bad experiences with LEDs might be using the type of light I have described above.. which is lots of blue, lots of red, but not violet, green or yellow.
I'm just speculating.. Idk shit.

Morbid Angel said:

personally if I could do any lights for a 5x5 area I would:

- 4 x 315w Ceramic Metal Halide
- 4 x 400w CMH if I could find them

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I like this idea.. with full environmental control.

ive ran some ballasts that are "400-1050watts" and i like that plus some have cool features now days.

thats what i run

400, 600 and 1000 watt digital ballasts.
400, 600 and 1000 watt MH bulbs.
600 and 1000 watt HPS bulbs.

400 MH (veg) -> 600 MH (veg) -> 1000 MH (veg) -> 1000 HPS (flower) -> 600 HPS (very end of flower)