Lights for highest yield??

Egr23

New Member
What type of lights are best to use for highest yield? In other words so I can grow fewer of them. I've read so much that I'm really confused. I would like to try LEDs the most but have read mixed reviews. Thanks
 

kinddiesel

Well-Known Member
highest yield . hands down is the hps. for flower. that's why every pro or commercial grower uses them . leds are for the technology geeks . that spend thousands of dollars to save some money on electric and it will take 15 years to get your money back from the initial investments , cfl or t5 high out put give a ok yield as well. 30 to 50 % less then hps depending on how its set up number of plants so on . led I compare to t5 florescent this is my opinion only. what I have seen in the past , I will choose the t5 over an led any time . if I had to pay for the price cost of led. but I use hps and combination on mh and t5 for veg. to save electric.
 
Okay honestly and realistically depends on how much you are willing to invest.
Upfront cost or month to month cost?
Led will get the job done but to compare to hps you will have spend $1,000s.
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
Plasma at this time has a huge hole in the spectrum and will need supplement red even though a couple companies are boasting full spectrum .
I was about to buy a LEP and still may but will supplement with a hps more than likely.
 

Egr23

New Member
As for HPS which one can I use for the vegging and flowering? Thanks and sorry I am new with this
 

TDawgKush

Member
Hey man,

Personally i would say that HPS (High pressure sodium) or MH (Metal Halide) Would be the best and dont worry about investing around 1000 dollars on that stuff, ebay actually has a great range of HPS and MH lights you can choose from around 80 dollars or so which isnt at all bad
And also 5570k Veg and 2700k Flower if thats what you mean

I dont know about LED's

But CFLS is also a cheap way to go but not the best obviously:)

For HPS and Metal Halide , You could buy this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/400-watt-400w-Dimmable-HPS-MH-Grow-Light-System-Set-Kit-/150656047425?pt=US_Hydroponics&var=&hash=item2313ccd941
Or this one which has more choces but is a bit expensive
http://www.ebay.com/itm/iPower-1000w-1000-watt-HPS-MH-Grow-Light-Digital-Dimm-System-Indoor-Garden-Set-/150960088148?pt=US_Hydroponics&var=&hash=item2325ec2454
 

BeastGrow

Well-Known Member
I'm with everybody else... HPS is the way to go.. you should easily get .25 to .5 grams of dried bud per watt of electricity used in HPS. Some experienced growers are getting around 1 gram per watt.
 

m4s73r

Well-Known Member
Depends on how your growing. HPS has the best light penetration, but its not always feasible for stealth/micro growing.
 

hyroot

Well-Known Member
highest yield . hands down is the hps. for flower. that's why every pro or commercial grower uses them . leds are for the technology geeks . that spend thousands of dollars to save some money on electric and it will take 15 years to get your money back from the initial investments , cfl or t5 high out put give a ok yield as well. 30 to 50 % less then hps depending on how its set up number of plants so on . led I compare to t5 florescent this is my opinion only. what I have seen in the past , I will choose the t5 over an led any time . if I had to pay for the price cost of led. but I use hps and combination on mh and t5 for veg. to save electric.
none of that is true. 3-4 area 51 led panels or 1 apache tech at600 will match a 1000w in yield and beat a 1000w in quality. 3 inda gro 420 inductions will match 2 1000's in yield and beat led and hps in quality. I have 3 inda gro's with 2 pfr led add on pontoons. I paid around $3500 with a 10 year warranty. I won't have to buy another light or bulb for 10 years. recooping in savings is very fast. take into account cost of hps 2 1000's plus fan and ducting $950 plus replacement bulbs and ballasts over 10 years $2400 plus 700 watts of extra electricity costs on average is $720 a year. so over a span of 10 years 2 1000's would cost over $6,000 more than running my IG lights. hps will produce lower qulaity and lower thc percentage. t5 with aquarium bulbs will out perform any hps. 1 8 bulb will pull twice the gpw of a 1000w.
 

AimAim

Well-Known Member
Look @ what legal commercial growers use, pretty much HID systems all around. Bare bulb if you can swing it and manage temperatures.
 

SensiSponge

Member
I'd say before you go into deciding what kind of light to use, first ask yourself what you expect at end result. Shooting for ounces or pounds? How much are you willing to invest? How much space do you have? My best suggestion for a complete new grower is start small, then upgrade as you gain experience. Try T5 with mutiple fixture bulbs. If you're ready for bigger and better then go with Metal Halide for vegetation and High Pressure Sodium for flowering.
 

crispypb840

Active Member
I use 600w HPS w/ Hortilux bulb and it works amazing. Actually can be too much for some strains. I use this in 3x6x6' grow room.
What type of lights are best to use for highest yield? In other words so I can grow fewer of them. I've read so much that I'm really confused. I would like to try LEDs the most but have read mixed reviews. Thanks
 

Dr. Skunk Bud

Active Member
I would like to try a L.E.D. like the area 51 lights but its just too expensive right now. Logic tells me that in a few years these type of lights will go down in price and then maybe I can get one. It would not surprise me one bit if with in 5-6 years if this is the new standard of growing and hps a thing of the past.
 

Alienwidow

Well-Known Member
I have led and hid. Led stays in the veg tent and hid stays in the flower room. Both are flower spectrum. Theres no way in hell that led would ever go in my flower room, i dont care how much it cost me its an inferior product to my hps.
 

m4s73r

Well-Known Member
I'd say before you go into deciding what kind of light to use, first ask yourself what you expect at end result. Shooting for ounces or pounds? How much are you willing to invest? How much space do you have? My best suggestion for a complete new grower is start small, then upgrade as you gain experience. Try T5 with mutiple fixture bulbs. If you're ready for bigger and better then go with Metal Halide for vegetation and High Pressure Sodium for flowering.
THIS! IMO this is the first question you should ask yourself. A hid light system is overkill for a person wanting to just grow for themselves. With a 8 bulb t5 I could grow more then I could smoke. But not enough to support 3-4 people. With 2 of those fixtures I could but it would be a pita with scrog, and trimming, and screw that noise. So now I'm moving up to 600 watt barebulb. So there can be a upgrade path.
 
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