Lighting Need LED advice - crazy plan for grow #2!

[chuck3101]

Hey fellow AFN aficionados,

Just finished curing my first grow and already planning my 2nd trip to Greenland

I grow for personal use only and with a first harvest waaay above expectations (7.5oz dry weight growing one plant!), I have enough medication for a while. This allows me to experiment new growing techniques without the stress of running out of meds. First attempt was with an indica hybrid strain using a waterfarm and a mix of 180W LED and 150W HPS lighting. For my second project, I want to master LSTing so I had this crazy idea of growing a superauto sativa strain in a 5 gal air-pot using LED panels and some T5s. So, yeah, basically trying to contain a 8-10 footer in a 2x2x5 DR60 tent haha. I was thinking Stich's Muay Thai or Panama lime superauto... I haven't decided yet.

Anyway, here's where I need your advice: hot season is coming and I just don't feel like fighting everyday with temps in my tent so my HPS light is going back on the shelf for a few months.
Now that I have available space up there I thought of adding a 2nd LED panel to my summer arsenal. I will be using my BlackStar Chrome 180W FSF as a secondary light and would like to spice things up a little. Max size of new LED panel: 22'' x 12.5''.

My first thought was to buy a Blackstar Chrome 270W FSF so I could get a very uniform lighting across the board. It would make some kind of an L-shaped lighting, the filter using the rest of the available space (see pics attached). Concerns about that idea: how reliable are Blackstar panels? Is there a newer/better technology that would be a better bang for my $? If so, what is the best panel that would fit that space and not be too much of an overkill? So far, I've read good stuff about these lights: KIND LED K3 L450, Dorm Grow G8-450, Advanced LED Light DS XTE 300 and Pro Grow X5-300.

Since I just cannot wrap my head around and decide what to do, I call on to you faithful community of AFN... Share with me some of your unlimited knowledge and experience!

 

[MisterHarpy]

Can't wait to see your lst adventure, as for led, first thing is first do you have a budget and if so what is that budget

 

[chuck3101]

Hmmm I guess I should have mentioned budget right from the start!
I had planned not to spend more than $900. But am willing to wait a few weeks and stretch that budget a little if a more expensive light fits my needs.

 

[Papa Munch]

Have you taken a look at the MarsHydro LED's? Very good price and great lights!

 

[Magic]

Blackstars are reliable bro. Alot of memberss here uses there leds and you dont see alot of them going out. Robwars I believe has had his for 3-4 years no problem. I had one about 18 months and no problems same time ive had a very popular brand go out on me twice now.

I would question the strain before your lighting situation. Have you grown either strain? "Super" autos are one of the most unreliable strains when it comes to behavior of an autoflower, you treat most of them like photos. :Sharing One:

 

[Fishman]

+1 on Mars Hydro, check them out. I did quite a bit of research before purchasing my lights and decided they were the most bang for your buck.

 

[chuck3101]

Have you taken a look at the MarsHydro LED's? Very good price and great lights!

I've looked at their website and with the available space in my tent I believe the only 2 options would be the Sun Series 200W or the MarsII 400w. Haven't heard much about their efficency and since I'd like to cover the whole available space (22" x 12.5"), I have been mostly looking at rectangular-shaped panels. How would you say they compare with Advanced LED, KIND LED or even BlackStar Chrome?

 

[F.N.]

Out of all of those you mentioned the mars 400 watt is the best bang for your buck. Heavy internet presents built tough. The ones you are talking about are expensive. Kind IMO is a rebranded apollo the others are just to darn expensive. I got some apollos and a 1200 watt COB and a 300 watt generic the 1200 watt cob and the generic is off of ledlightschina on ebay well made equipment at fair prices they are holding up for me they claim they are the manufacture which I do not doubt. The apollo 6 by cidly is great light with lots of vendors on alibaba and aliexpress and ebay.

 

[GoAuto6]

You could go with 2 old style 300 for a total actual watts of360 watts? and there running about 80 bucks I think? I have 3 and they have been running non stop..

 

[chuck3101]

Blackstars are reliable bro. Alot of memberss here uses there leds and you dont see alot of them going out. Robwars I believe has had his for 3-4 years no problem. I had one about 18 months and no problems same time ive had a very popular brand go out on me twice now.

I would question the strain before your lighting situation. Have you grown either strain? "Super" autos are one of the most unreliable strains when it comes to behavior of an autoflower, you treat most of them like photos. :Sharing One:

Thanks for the reference Magic. I guess I'd be fine with a min 3-4 yr lifetime. I've read quite an alarming number of negative rewiews on BlackStar's long-term reliability, that's why I was asking.

As far as superautos, we've heard the same thing about them: they are large, unreliable and challenging. And it is exactly why I picked these strains: I am looking for a challenging situation to master my growing skills. Call it Mission Humboldtssible haha

Hey, worst thing that can happen is no yield at all and a few bills down the drain! There's so much to learn from failures, it can only make me a more experienced grower! :smoke: