best led lights for my growing space?

[thebombhaha]

hi guys. space is a 5' by 5' by 2m long tent. Previously, I had used a t5 fluorescent for early veg. 1x1000w MH/HPS for late veg/flowering.

I'm trying to upgrade my lights. I heard LEDs are good but expensive. What would you recommend?

 

[automan2]

There's a bunch of good lights available that will do a good job. 1000w hps is a strong light and will take a very good light to compete.
I recently upgraded from hps by first buying an el cheapo led as I have to be convinced to change. Well, the cheap proved to do ok so I bought more expensive leds and cobs...more expensive did not justify their increased cost although all did ok but nothing to brag about.
I've ended up with 2 auto cobs, 2 cheap "600w" leds and a mars hydro ts1000...I grow several strains at one time and the various lights are adjusted per plants needs. The ts1000 has shown itself to be the best of the lot and makes me wish I'd bought the ts2000.
So while getting away from the heat of the mh/hps, equaling the results may be expensive.

 

[Death The Cultivator]

hi guys. space is a 5' by 5' by 2m long tent. Previously, I had used a t5 fluorescent for early veg. 1x1000w MH/HPS for late veg/flowering.

I'm trying to upgrade my lights. I heard LEDs are good but expensive. What would you recommend?

What is your budget? Comfortable with DIY?

 

[thebombhaha]

What is your budget? Comfortable with DIY?

DTW is what I wanna do. Budget is max a rack for it, but I'm not opposed to good deals for a lesser price.

 

[thebombhaha]

There's a bunch of good lights available that will do a good job. 1000w hps is a strong light and will take a very good light to compete.
I recently upgraded from hps by first buying an el cheapo led as I have to be convinced to change. Well, the cheap proved to do ok so I bought more expensive leds and cobs...more expensive did not justify their increased cost although all did ok but nothing to brag about.
I've ended up with 2 auto cobs, 2 cheap "600w" leds and a mars hydro ts1000...I grow several strains at one time and the various lights are adjusted per plants needs. The ts1000 has shown itself to be the best of the lot and makes me wish I'd bought the ts2000.
So while getting away from the heat of the mh/hps, equaling the results may be expensive.

Great perspective thanks for sharing. Yeah my 1x1000w gets pretty hot. Heat issues are prevalent with it.

 

[Olderfart]

hi guys. space is a 5' by 5' by 2m long tent. Previously, I had used a t5 fluorescent for early veg. 1x1000w MH/HPS for late veg/flowering.

I'm trying to upgrade my lights. I heard LEDs are good but expensive. What would you recommend?

If you are comfortable with a bit of wiring, have a look at the ones I built - they are photoed and described in beginning of my current grow. If you put ~30 watts/sq. ft of these together for your 5x5, they should work very well. If I were to do it for a 5x5, I would break the bulbs into four square panels of 12 bulbs each to allow for differing height adjustment in the four quadrants of the space. Others have made similar panels from strip LED's. My impression is that any of the recent white LED's are likely to do reasonably well, the high end LED grow lights may be a bit better in yield, but for most people doing personal grows, not a big enough difference to chase. Panels like mine can be put together for <$1/actual watt excluding the aluminum and wire if you build them the way I did. They are "dimmable" by unscrewing bulbs, and the spectrum can be adjusted by choosing a mix of Kelvin ratings. In my current grow, they worked very well, producing good yield in spite of my screwups.

If you are not interested in DIY, the TS Mars Hydro lights are an excellent option, I nearly bought one myself before deciding to build.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Death The Cultivator]

DTW is what I wanna do. Budget is max a rack for it, but I'm not opposed to good deals for a lesser price.

So ideally 30 watts per square foot of high quality, 2.3+ umols, full spectrum light is a great place to start. I think the Mars offerings are great if you're on a strict budget but for $1000 this is easy.

750 watts is the minimum you need in that space. The best place imo is going to be Alibaba to actually get a cost efficient amount of coverage.

People don't really make 5x5 footprints but this light in going to link had enough PPFD at 200 lumens per watt to do your tent right. Also they provide an HLG 600 and a 320 watt driver. May seem like 920 watts but meanwell underrates their power. I know the 320 actually does about 350 watts while the 600 is probably going to do around 630w.

So the light below, at max, is 980 watts which exceeds the 30 watts per sqft miminum.

This product is no longer available.

This product is no longer available.

m.alibaba.com

Otherwise your best option is bridgelux eb gen 3 slim strips but that is a Do It Yourself project.

 

[MrOldBoy]

For a 5x5 space I would go with individual COB lights - individual lights will give you freedom to place different color lights in different areas and you can add customize as you grow ..... also consider different plants have different light needs, with individual COB lights you adjust each to their own ....

One website that reviews other lights and sells their own is MIGRO https://www.migrolight.com/ .... Shane the owner is Flippin honest and gives excellent reviews, his knowledge base is for sure worth exploring....

Another manufacture with very high efficiency lights is Optic https://opticledgrowlights.com/ ..... Some knock because they are built in China which is true but so is the iPhone - but both products are engineered in the US

And finally, especially if wanting DYI HLG is very highly rated .... https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/

Three choices - good luck with your new lights!

 

[thebombhaha]

For a 5x5 space I would go with individual COB lights - individual lights will give you freedom to place different color lights in different areas and you can add customize as you grow ..... also consider different plants have different light needs, with individual COB lights you adjust each to their own ....

One website that reviews other lights and sells their own is MIGRO https://www.migrolight.com/ .... Shane the owner is Flippin honest and gives excellent reviews, his knowledge base is for sure worth exploring....

Another manufacture with very high efficiency lights is Optic https://opticledgrowlights.com/ ..... Some knock because they are built in China which is true but so is the iPhone - but both products are engineered in the US

And finally, especially if wanting DYI HLG is very highly rated .... https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/

Three choices - good luck with your new lights!

Was told about this Horticulture one ledgrowlightsdepot.com/collections/led-grow-lights/products/horticulture-lighting-group-hlg-600h-quantum-board-v2-diy-kit-620-watt-with-samsung-lm301b-diodes

 

[thebombhaha]

So ideally 30 watts per square foot of high quality, 2.3+ umols, full spectrum light is a great place to start. I think the Mars offerings are great if you're on a strict budget but for $1000 this is easy.

750 watts is the minimum you need in that space. The best place imo is going to be Alibaba to actually get a cost efficient amount of coverage.

People don't really make 5x5 footprints but this light in going to link had enough PPFD at 200 lumens per watt to do your tent right. Also they provide an HLG 600 and a 320 watt driver. May seem like 920 watts but meanwell underrates their power. I know the 320 actually does about 350 watts while the 600 is probably going to do around 630w.

So the light below, at max, is 980 watts which exceeds the 30 watts per sqft miminum.

This product is no longer available.

This product is no longer available.

m.alibaba.com

Otherwise your best option is bridgelux eb gen 3 slim strips but that is a Do It Yourself project.

If I buy the "Meijiu dimmable 1000w 3000k led light strip use samsung 301b 660nm hydroponic kit fit" Will I need anything else? It's a full spectrum right so this is good for veg+flower?