Obviously, this will be my first build.
Plan as of right now is 3 Gen 7 Vero 29s@3000k, on an HLG-240H-C2100. So it'll run up to 245W, at which point it should (according to datasheets) still be pumping out 140 lm/w. With pin-fin heatsinks. Seems like best bang for the buck right now - up to ~1300 ppfd in a 60x60(2x2) tent for ~200$ (less if shipping is cheaper to where you live).
Also, it seems like there's not much talk about DLI (daily light input) around here, even though that seems like autoflowers' biggest advantage. Basically, it's ppfd over time. I actually thought about it this week before realizing that this measurement already exists - was arguing with a friend who said auto genetics are dumb. What makes autoflowers genuinely exciting and possibly straight up 'better' than photoperiods (with the same thc potential) is how much more light they can take over the same time. The 1000 ppfd minimum "rule" was written with 12hr photoperiod in mind; changing it to 18-24 is obviously a significant increase in amount of actual light synthesized by the plant.
Formula for DLI is (60minutes*60seconds*no. of light hours*ppfd)/1 million. Theoretically, a good DLI is ~65 (12 hours@1500 ppfd). You can get that with 750 PPFD@24hrs; a supposedly bottom end 1000 PPFD light at 20hrs will give you 72 DLI, or better than recommended. My planned light has a theoretical maximum of ~93@20hr.
Plan as of right now is 3 Gen 7 Vero 29s@3000k, on an HLG-240H-C2100. So it'll run up to 245W, at which point it should (according to datasheets) still be pumping out 140 lm/w. With pin-fin heatsinks. Seems like best bang for the buck right now - up to ~1300 ppfd in a 60x60(2x2) tent for ~200$ (less if shipping is cheaper to where you live).
Also, it seems like there's not much talk about DLI (daily light input) around here, even though that seems like autoflowers' biggest advantage. Basically, it's ppfd over time. I actually thought about it this week before realizing that this measurement already exists - was arguing with a friend who said auto genetics are dumb. What makes autoflowers genuinely exciting and possibly straight up 'better' than photoperiods (with the same thc potential) is how much more light they can take over the same time. The 1000 ppfd minimum "rule" was written with 12hr photoperiod in mind; changing it to 18-24 is obviously a significant increase in amount of actual light synthesized by the plant.
Formula for DLI is (60minutes*60seconds*no. of light hours*ppfd)/1 million. Theoretically, a good DLI is ~65 (12 hours@1500 ppfd). You can get that with 750 PPFD@24hrs; a supposedly bottom end 1000 PPFD light at 20hrs will give you 72 DLI, or better than recommended. My planned light has a theoretical maximum of ~93@20hr.