Help with LED Grow Light

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vinny2times

Active Member
Hi everyone. After doing hours and hours of research, this is my first grow and first post. I ordered 4 feminized seeds from overseas. They have all germinated and just went into the solo cups.

I'm doing a 2x4x6 grow tent with 4 plants. Depending on how things progress, I might upgrade mid-grow to a 4x4x7 grow tent. So far so good, but my only current concern is lighting. A friend gave me his Roleadro 400w COB that I thought would do the job, but now I'm having second thoughts. My options are:

keep the Roleadro 400w
Mars 600w
advanced platinum p150
hps? some other led?

The most I'd like to spend is $200 or so. Currently, I'm leaning towards the mars 600w, but that's why I'm here. For some advice. Thanks in advanced!
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
400watt will grow 4 plants just fine. I grow up to eight plants about 30" tall. I'm running a 300watt generic LED.

LED's are more powerful then you think.
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
vinny2times said:
Really? Hm ok. How far away did you keep it from your seedlings? I have it 24" away right now.
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Sprouts that are 2" high are 45" from the light. 3 week old veg, they get an average of 36". Flower around 18-24". Measured from the surface of the light to the tip top of the plant.

24" is way too close. It's a tanning bed. That's late flowering close. I don't lower the light. The plants grow up to it.
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
You can tell how much light they need by seeing how much the sprout stretches. If the light is too far away. The sprout will go past 3" tall. Too low and it burns them. Safe range is 38"-48". Measured from surface to top of soil.

I personally aim for a sprout height of 2". They stay low after that point. 45" away with a 300watt LED and I get that height. From there, they grow into the light. Flip to flower at around 8-11" high.


Trust me on this. I've killed lots of plants with an LED.
 
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vinny2times

Active Member
Wow, ok. The seeds germinated 2 days ago and I just planted them yesterday. They are still under the soil, which is good because maybe if they weren't they would have been burned. Appreciate it.
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
vinny2times said:
Wow, ok. The seeds germinated 2 days ago and I just planted them yesterday. They are still under the soil, which is good because maybe if they weren't they would have been burned. Appreciate it.
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When I first started using an LED. I had read something about about 15-20" away. That was total bullshit.

I cooked eight plants. Back tracking to various manufacturer websites. They recommend an LED height at a huge 56" from the sprout. No closer then 36" in flower or some shit.
 
visajoe1

visajoe1

Well-Known Member
SouthCross said:
You can tell how much light they need by seeing how much the sprout stretches. If the light is too far away. The sprout will go past 3" tall. Too low and it burns them. Safe range is 38"-48". Measured from surface to top of soil.

I personally aim for a sprout height of 2". They stay low after that point. 45" away with a 300watt LED and I get that height. From there, they grow into the light. Flip to flower at around 8-11" high.


Trust me on this. I've killed lots of plants with an LED.
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how tall do those get when flipping at 8-11"? SOG? what led's are you running; amperage? I have a single 1212 4000k 80cri at 1200mah at 24" above 4 little ones about 4-5" tall
 
visajoe1

visajoe1

Well-Known Member
SouthCross said:
When I first started using an LED. I had read something about about 15-20". I cooked eight plants. Back tracking to various manufacturer websites. They recommend an LED be at a huge 56" from the sprout. No closer then 36" in flower or some shit. LEDs are badass.
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ditto on the fried plant...
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
visajoe1 said:
how tall do those get when flipping at 8-11"? SOG? what led's are you running; amperage? I have a single 1212 4000k 80cri at 1200mah at 24" above 4 little ones about 4-5" tall
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You just blew me away. Lol

I use a hydro galaxy brand off Amazon. I have no idea of the spectrum. The light is pink. I call it SOG but it's just 4 to 8 plants stuck together and grown to the same height. I don't trim leaves or anything. Bubblegum flipped at around 11" tall gives me in the range of a 30" tall finished plant.

Girl Scout cookie flipped at the same height. 8-11" get around 33-35" tall.


Any taller then 12" and they explode. Ungainly mess of a grow.
 
Yodaweed

Yodaweed

Well-Known Member
My advice is to get some growing experience under your belt with that rolandro first, then when you think you are doing well, upgrade your lights.
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
Vinny,


Bubblegum stays low until flower. They're not flipped until at least 4 internodes are present. Regardless of age. If flipped after the sixth internode, it's going to be BIG plant.
 
visajoe1

visajoe1

Well-Known Member
Yodaweed said:
My advice is to get some growing experience under your belt with that rolandro first, then when you think you are doing well, upgrade your lights.
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i would just switch those roleadro cobs out for citi, cree, or vero 36v chips, then its a great light.

FYI, that roleadro has (4) 36v 1200mah drivers in it

If could do my build over, I would've bought a 3 pack of them off ebay for $185 and upgraded the chips. Then I could daisy chain..
 
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vinny2times

Active Member
I see Cree on eBay, but not the other 2. I only paid $70 to my friend for this light. He said if I didn't like it for some reason I could return it. Do you think it's worth getting the mars 600w for $135 on eBay? Or something else? Like I've said before, I'm not looking to grow more than a 4x4 at the max.
 
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