Looking for a little guidance

twistedvinesofbud

twistedvinesofbud

Well-Known Member
Hello everyone,

I am new to the growing scene 2nd time around. The last time was 20 plus years ago. I need a little assistance from the people who have already been where I am. :)

Here's the question. I am looking to spend about 300 to 400 for a cmh (air cooled) or led setup. I am going to build 3 quantum board rigs, in the meantime i need something to get me by.

What I currently have is a 600 watt MH/HPS setup with 2 viparspectra 450 reflector series (not a huge fan of them) and I need to add to it. The 2 vipars are going to be used as full spectrum wall mount lights. The tent the 600 is in is a 8x4x8 with a total grow footprint of 6x4x6. The 600 puts out a good footprint but it is not enough to produce heavy buds. I really need to be careful about the amount of heat that the new light will put out. because adding the 600 raised the temps quite a bit, never over 83 degrees.

Thank you in advance for your help and support.
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
A 600 should only cover a 4x4 area, any more and your growing with too little light, getting airy buds.

A 315cmh covers 3x3 at best and have heard it said better over a 2.5x2.5

A 260w quantum board kit will cover a 3x3 or a 2x4. Within your budget you could buy one and use your vipars to fill the other 2x4 space out, until your harvest is done, then buy another to replace your vipars. By that point you have a 600 covering half your tent and QBs covering the other half. Down the road if your happy you can swap out the 600 for two more 260w kits. Rough you will have the light of 2000w hps but only be running 1040-1140w. The depth of canopy is really good with the QBs

Ask HLG if they have them in stock, if they don't for a few extra quid they are available from growerslights.com

:bigjoint:
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Oh and a point on the heat. Providing your measuring air temps properly in the first place, watts = heat, no matter which light source you go with.
One bonus on the LEDs, you can dim them, you cant dim a CMH.
Not knocking CMH at all, great lights. I actually bought one for my 8x4 while I was waiting for QBs on that half of my tent, I use it in my veg tent in summer now. Its great.
 
MichiganMedGrower

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
coreywebster said:
Oh and a point on the heat. Providing your measuring air temps properly in the first place, watts = heat, no matter which light source you go with.
One bonus on the LEDs, you can dim them, you cant dim a CMH.
Not knocking CMH at all, great lights. I actually bought one for my 8x4 while I was waiting for QBs on that half of my tent, I use it in my veg tent in summer now. Its great.
Click to expand...

The Galaxy LEC ballast has a dimmer. Supposedly does not change the spectrum too much like hps too.
 
twistedvinesofbud

twistedvinesofbud

Well-Known Member
coreywebster said:
A 600 should only cover a 4x4 area, any more and your growing with too little light, getting airy buds.

A 315cmh covers 3x3 at best and have heard it said better over a 2.5x2.5

A 260w quantum board kit will cover a 3x3 or a 2x4. Within your budget you could buy one and use your vipars to fill the other 2x4 space out, until your harvest is done, then buy another to replace your vipars. By that point you have a 600 covering half your tent and QBs covering the other half. Down the road if your happy you can swap out the 600 for two more 260w kits. Rough you will have the light of 2000w hps but only be running 1040-1140w. The depth of canopy is really good with the QBs

Ask HLG if they have them in stock, if they don't for a few extra quid they are available from growerslights.com

:bigjoint:
Click to expand...
Which panel is a better one to go with? the QB288 or the QB304 and what is the difference? Do they have a warranty? These will burn better than the DE CMH's?
 
twistedvinesofbud

twistedvinesofbud

Well-Known Member
coreywebster said:
Oh and a point on the heat. Providing your measuring air temps properly in the first place, watts = heat, no matter which light source you go with.
One bonus on the LEDs, you can dim them, you cant dim a CMH.
Not knocking CMH at all, great lights. I actually bought one for my 8x4 while I was waiting for QBs on that half of my tent, I use it in my veg tent in summer now. Its great.
Click to expand...
Thank you for replying @coreywebster. I am actually going off the current temperatures in the tent my digital thermostat is out of the direct light.
 
MichiganMedGrower

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
twistedvinesofbud said:
You said to use a white sensor.
Click to expand...

Wow. Please tell me it is obvious that I mean a white colored plastic temp sensor. Rather than a black plastic one that attracts more heat and gives false readings.

Am I politically incorrect? Lol.

I was called a racist Nazi by Uncle Buck recently for messing with him. But I'm not really one. I didn't even see it in your joke. :-)
 
twistedvinesofbud

twistedvinesofbud

Well-Known Member
MichiganMedGrower said:
Wow. Please tell me it is obvious that I mean a white colored plastic temp sensor. Rather than a black plastic one that attracts more heat and gives false readings.

Am I politically incorrect? Lol.

I was called a racist Nazi by Uncle Buck recently for messing with him. But I'm not really one. I didn't even see it in your joke. :-)
Click to expand...
:) :):)
I gotcha man, I had to mess with ya a bit.
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
twistedvinesofbud said:
Which panel is a better one to go with? the QB288 or the QB304 and what is the difference? Do they have a warranty? These will burn better than the DE CMH's?
Click to expand...
The 304 gains a couple of percent extra efficiency I believe. (extra diodes)
I'm not sure what you mean though by burn better

They do have a warranty yes.
 
Last edited:
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
twistedvinesofbud said:
What I meant by burn better. Is generic for will they operate better than chm?
Click to expand...
That's hard to say, my experience with cmh is single ended 315s and limited, all I can say is Quantum boards grow really solid big buds with a great depth of canopy getting bigger harder buds further down than I do with my cobs or than I did for the years of 600hps growing.
They don't produce the radiant heat blasting down that HID does.
Ask @MichiganMedGrower what he thinks the pros and cons of cmh are, I know he knows because he's discussed it a few times in the CMH thread.
 
MichiganMedGrower

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
coreywebster said:
That's hard to say, my experience with cmh is single ended 315s and limited, all I can say is Quantum boards grow really solid big buds with a great depth of canopy getting bigger harder buds further down than I do with my cobs or than I did for the years of 600hps growing.
They don't produce the radiant heat blasting down that HID does.
Ask @MichiganMedGrower what he thinks the pros and cons of cmh are, I know he knows because he's discussed it a few times in the CMH thread.
Click to expand...

Lights are all just tools. If you use them as they were intended they should all do the job. Assuming they put out an adequate amount of usable plant light for the area.

I keep plants to 30" tall and in a 3.5' x 3.5' area under a 600 super hps. Great results. Try to stretch to 4.5' out or 3 feet or taller tall plants and the results suffer. I would need more light.

Cmh covered 2.5' x2.5' and 30" plants pretty well. But it would be better kept to 24" I think. So for my way of growing medium indoor bushes it was not ideal alone. But pretty awesome as a supplemental light with 2 600 hps.

Next I will veg in a 3x3 with the 315. Likely perfect for that.

Just my opinion and findings.

What was the question? Lol:-)
 
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