Lighting Pete here, wanting to switch to LED. couple questions?

[JohnnyShake]

I have been thinking 2 to 3 400 w mars hydro 2s and doing one more grow in my 2x4 foot tent than adding one or two more and buying a 4 x 4 tent. Had some car issues so it cuts into my upgrade money :/. My last grow was with a 600w cheap hps and I got about 2000 grams wet, over a pound dry and had some big knots, but no where near as dense as id like. Ran 4 plants, should have only ran three. They were just a little too packed. I'd like more density and higher quality. So I'm switching from hps and fox farms nutes to led and advanced nutrients. Either way I have enough for the nutes I want and at least 2 400s. I feel like that's only going to b equivalent to my 600w though and would really need three in my 2x4 tent and 4 to 5 in a 4x4. I also have read so much on led I'm confused kinda on a lot. If i have to buy leds that equal up to the same actual watts as my hps in order to get the same size yield, how am I saving and how are leds better? Or am I misunderstanding that part? Says a 400 is better than a 250hps. So 2 400s is supposed to out do a 500. So running 3 400s from Mars would equal about 630w actual and b better than a 750w hps. So I'm gaining/saving at that point. But would that b over kill if leds are up to the hype people are making them?

I think you are being fastidious. Your first run came out great. Why you think you need more light is beyond my comprehension. 1lb dry isn't a bad yield at all, it's a great yield! AFN'ers would agree that you are being slightly hard on yourself. I use a Mars 900(450w) in each tent(4x4) and I have rock hard nugs all the way to the edge of the tent. That's 4 or 5 plants under each light...I will be upgrading to a Mars 1200 next week in one of my tents just to see the difference it makes. Multiple lights are great, but people have been growing multiple plants under single lights for years. The upgrade in nutrients may make a huge difference in bud density and yield. If you get plants dialed in you can yield more grams per watt with LED, it also adds less heat which saves cost on A/C and allows you to grow plants closer to the light (mine is 6" from tallest plant), and they last sooooooo much longer(save money on bulbs). It's cheaper overall if cost matters to you (i grow to sell).

 

[elsamurai]

Thanks guys, dunno how I missed my own thread lol. Well along the way of life my cheap 600w hps bulb AND ballast blew so I had to make a cheap quick fix and was able to get an xtrasun 1000w adjustable ballast, 2 1000w hps hortilux bulbs and 6 half gallon jars from my high up grower friend for the amazing price of 30 bucks, all used but the jars, plan on getting new bulb and raptor 6" reflector since this situation has occurred. BUT!!!!! Depending on how money looks, either this grow or after the harvest of this grow in just going to get two smaller LEDS to angle as side lights

why not use them all? hps AND the led's angled on the side. as long as the heats controlled you get the best of both worlds. just a thought

 

[Discretepete2676]

I think you are being fastidious. Your first run came out great. Why you think you need more light is beyond my comprehension. 1lb dry isn't a bad yield at all, it's a great yield! AFN'ers would agree that you are being slightly hard on yourself. I use a Mars 900(450w) in each tent(4x4) and I have rock hard nugs all the way to the edge of the tent. That's 4 or 5 plants under each light...I will be upgrading to a Mars 1200 next week in one of my tents just to see the difference it makes. Multiple lights are great, but people have been growing multiple plants under single lights for years. The upgrade in nutrients may make a huge difference in bud density and yield. If you get plants dialed in you can yield more grams per watt with LED, it also adds less heat which saves cost on A/C and allows you to grow plants closer to the light (mine is 6" from tallest plant), and they last sooooooo much longer(save money on bulbs). It's cheaper overall if cost matters to you (i grow to sell).

me as well lol but I liked the yield for my size tent so I don't want to lose that but I'd like more dense bud with more resin to them. My buds were nice but not how I want yet. If I had better lighting and fed better I would have had same size plant's but more dense bud hopefully, in theory wouldbmore weight. I guess im shooting to keep my yield close to the same but using one plant less because they were to packed in there and have better quality buds. I ran 4 plants and should have only ran three. I really lacked on light penatration because I lstd and my canopy was so thick and could bush out cause plants were touching other plants or walls on all sides lol. Had flat pants on some sides and had to fit the girls in like tetris lol. I want to run three and still get close to the same yield. I'll run 4 if I have to. @elsamurai I do a lot of lst and didn't have a plant get over two feet and got that yield, don't know if with my growing technique if o could benefit from side lighting as much as maybe angled lights hanging up top. Lots to learn yet I suppose lol