Qb96 5x5 tent

Hello! I am planning on growing 4 auto ultimates in a 1.5m x 1.5m x 2m grow tent using qb96 elite v2 ( basically those are the ones that after a lot of research i think are among the best lights giving their price but i am opened to other recommendations as i only grow for about 2 years and do a lot of learning). I was thinking for the best spread and light penetration to use 9 qb96 each on 50 cm x 50 cm grid. I want to achieve 1000 ppfd all over the tent even in corners so that's why i am willing to buy 9 of those mini suns. For drivers i will be using 3 hlg 480 54. I don't think i will be using all those watts of course but summers are very hot here so this kind of setup will help me with heat output too. If you can give me some advice or something you would do different i am all ears. Thanks!

Momwantbud said:

among the best lights giving their price

Click to expand...

This right here.
Pound for pound(pun intended) the QB96 Elite is difficult to beat. I own, and use several. I run each 96 on its own XLG-200-H-AB. Extremely versatile, and really pack a punch.
I've built with everything from COBs, to boards, to numerous brands/sizes of strips, in the end, the QB96 takes the cake.

I can't see any reason that you would regret your choice, in my extremely biased opinion.

9 sounds good. I bet you'd only need two 480-54s, or three 320s if that makes more sense.

I run 480watts through six qb96 in a 4x4 and its a fairly even 1000 ppfd @ 18"
I run it at 24" though ~850 ppfd personally.

I'm actually terrified of the day when I go to order more of them,(with nowhere to use them)and they are no longer available.

Chip Green said:

I'm actually terrified of the day when I go to order more of them,(with nowhere to use them)and they are no longer available.

Click to expand...

I bought 6 on Black Friday. I couldn't help it. They're still in the box. I was thinking the same thing. Now I'm tempted to get 3 more in case I ever do a 5x5, but I was thinking I could make 6 work, lol.

PadawanWarrior said:

I bought 6 on Black Friday. I couldn't help it. They're still in the box. I was thinking the same thing. Now I'm tempted to get 3 more in case I ever do a 5x5, but I was thinking I could make 6 work, lol.

Click to expand...

you def could with enough head room

You don't need 1000 ppfd or 3x480w to grow autos in that tent. They get at least 50% more total light due to longer day hours, you'll end up bleaching the shit out of your plants. You should be able to do autos on 1 of those drivers for that space, about 20w per foot.
Also a 2 m tent is not the best match for qb96 as they are light that need a fair bit of from canopy.

Thanks guys! Yes first i thought to buy 3 320s as it would be just enough for my space and maybe take the drivers outside the tent to help with heat in the summer. I plan on using 4 clip fans in the tent 2 diagonally to cool the lights and 2 diagonally for the plants. (sorry if i make mistakes i am from east europe) I spoke with HLG and they said they will restock UVA light this month so i am definitely taking this in consideration. From what i can see those qb96s have a little far red in the spectrum too, from your experience with those would i need to add more far red for emerson effect?

Rocket Soul said:

You don't need 1000 ppfd or 3x480w to grow autos in that tent. They get at least 50% more total light due to longer day hours, you'll end up bleaching the shit out of your plants. You should be able to do autos on 1 of those drivers for that space, about 20w per foot.
Also a 2 m tent is not the best match for qb96 as they are light that need a fair bit of from canopy.

Click to expand...

Yes i plan to run them 20/4 but i heard those monsters can take all the light thrown at them so to speak haha. So you are saying that 600 ppfd should be enough for those possible monsters? I know about the height those qbs need but that's why i chose 9 so that i can run them softer and closer to the canopy and with all the side light from the rest of the lights maybe i can achieve an even spread and still have good light penetration. But those are only ideas i am not sure but in my head this sounds right. If i am wrong maybe you guys can help me out.

I plan on using 20L airpots with coco only and advanced nutrients sensi grow A, B, sensi bloom A, B, big bud, overdrive and of course magne cal.

Momwantbud said:

Yes i plan to run them 20/4 but i heard those monsters can take all the light thrown at them so to speak haha. So you are saying that 600 ppfd should be enough for those possible monsters? I know about the height those qbs need but that's why i chose 9 so that i can run them softer and closer to the canopy and with all the side light from the rest of the lights maybe i can achieve an even spread and still have good light penetration. But those are only ideas i am not sure but in my head this sounds right. If i am wrong maybe you guys can help me out.

Click to expand...

its not so much about the intensity, more about the total light the plants receive during a day. The light i built my friend for autos: he seemed to have more than enough with about 150w in an area just over a quarter of your space. he was never able to give it a full 300 w, the max output of the light.
Remember its your plants are the ones who dictate how much they can take, not you.

Rocket Soul said:

its not so much about the intensity, more about the total light the plants receive during a day. The light i built my friend for autos: he seemed to have more than enough with about 150w in an area just over a quarter of your space. he was never able to give it a full 300 w, the max output of the light.
Remember its your plants are the ones who dictate how much they can take, not you.

Click to expand...

Thanks man! I will be careful not to overlight my space as i will slowly raise the power and if they show a little light stress i will dim them down. A DLI of 30 should be maximum right?

Somewhere around that but remember it depends on your plants, start by looking at them and understanding the signs of them being overly or unhappy. Is this your first grow with leds? Practically everybody ends up either over lighting or rushing with intensity on their first grow. Figure out how to dial in your environment, it's the most important part.

Chip Green said:

This right here.
Pound for pound(pun intended) the QB96 Elite is difficult to beat. I own, and use several. I run each 96 on its own XLG-200-H-AB. Extremely versatile, and really pack a punch.
I've built with everything from COBs, to boards, to numerous brands/sizes of strips, in the end, the QB96 takes the cake.

I can't see any reason that you would regret your choice, in my extremely biased opinion.

Click to expand...

Thanks! So in terms of vegging power, flowering power and yield(me and my family are heavy smokers) i can count on these to get both quality and quantity? Of course if i can dial everything up but with my previous grows besides a little nute burn i managed to give them good conditions. Would you recommend uva and far red for emerson effect for those?

Rocket Soul said:

Somewhere around that but remember it depends on your plants, start by looking at them and understanding the signs of them being overly or unhappy. Is this your first grow with leds? Practically everybody ends up either over lighting or rushing with intensity on their first grow. Figure out how to dial in your environment, it's the most important part.

Click to expand...

I had some grows with cobs, blurple and some phillips bulbs like migro did in a 2x2 lol that was a fair yield.
It will be my first grow with those bad boys yes. I would have used 3 drivers just for the heat output i wasn't even thinking of using all that of power only to make my tent an oven perhaps haha.

Momwantbud said:

I had some grows with cobs, blurple and some phillips bulbs like migro did in a 2x2 lol that was a fair yield.
It will be my first grow with those bad boys yes. I would have used 3 drivers just for the heat output i wasn't even thinking of using all that of power only to make my tent an oven perhaps haha.

Click to expand...

Take some of your $$ and have a look at the AC Infinity Cloudline extractors fans, they are high efficiency and you can get the controller for climate.

Rocket Soul said:

Take some of your $$ and have a look at the AC Infinity Cloudline extractors fans, they are high efficiency and you can get the controller for climate.

Click to expand...

I have an 8 inch extractor from them and an 6 inch for intake on my list too. The environment i had on all my grows was good as i had temps max at 28 C and at lights off 23 C with humidity 45-50% Ph was 6-6.2. With 4x50w chinese 3500k cobs from a friend i managed to get 210 grams from 3 plants in a 3x3. Airy buds from that shitty light but a good smoke. But now i have a good bugdet for a 5x5 i plan on using advanced nutrients, 4x 20L airpots with coco, 4 clip on fans on each corner. I have an AC in the room where the tent will be that i will be using during summers. All in all my environment is dialed in pretty good but those qb96s are some alien technology to me haha