Hi guys,
After a long break in growing and forums due to my work and moving outside, I'm back in full effect. I want to give props and say thanks as well to all the growers and DIYers that have been contributing with tons of great information on Led growing in this forum. I think it's still the best resource for anyone looking to improve his Led skills and DIY advice. Been coming here for years and each time I'm still getting excited with all the skills and resources featured here!
I want to start growing soon but I want to make my own DIY led lights for a 1-1.2 sq m. grow-tent. I was going to get back to HID sodium lights because when I started experimenting with leds years ago, they were still super expensive for higher wattages and surfaces. But it seems that things have changed lately with all this white COBs. I understand that nowadays, most people have changed their approach towards all white spectrum with more potency and efficiency rather than using different deep red, reds, royal blue and bit of white. It makes sense to me, after all, HID spectrums aren't that good either but the plants seem to love the big amount of light they deliver. Without really caring of the possible lack of red and blue in the spectrum.
Shame that I still have lots of old nice Cree, Oslon and Luxeon leds at home that I planned to use in other DIY projects for a smaller tent. I may use them or try to sell them, as I've spent a big budget on highest bins available and I don't want to throw them into the bin. But it's discouraging to see how easy this COBs are for mounting and also how nice they seem to work.
So it's really possible to flower nicely with Warm White COBs only? Or combination of white and red/blue is still better to add weight and buds like it was in the past the combiation of HID and color leds? Do they lack penetration like the old 700mA and 1A leds used to do? Thus forcing the grower to adapt the techniques to get an even canopy and very close distances to make the most of this led lights.
How many watts could be nice for 1 or 1,2 sq meter tent? Something equivalent or better than 400-600W HID may work I guess. I will use just the same pannel both for vegetative and flowering probably but what really matters is that the spectrum and leds work like a charm for making nice and tight buds!
I'm wondering if the sativas I will grow will miss some more red and blue light. Especially the blue as I've read many times that it was great for delivering terpenes. Initially I was looking for the best sativa spectrum, one that may reduce the stretch and will have the best full spectrum for having a good cannabinoid and terpene development, over the production. But flowering in such bit tent seems unlikely and very messy with single color leds. Plus now I will be growing for seed production and medical stash for a local club so good production become also important somehow.
Anyway, thanks for the advice.
P.S: By the way, I still have at home a few unpackaged nice bins of this leds, but if white COBs are a better option nowadays (less hassle to mount them for someone not super skilled with electronics like me), I will try to sell them and get some cash back to start making my new lamps (they are all brand new and still in they MPCB metal blisters), as I will need higher potency this time for bigger space:
-660nm Oslon SSL
-625nm Red Cree XP-E2
-425nm Blue Luxeon ES
-2700k Cree XT-E
-3000k Oslon SSL
-4000K Cree XT-E
After a long break in growing and forums due to my work and moving outside, I'm back in full effect. I want to give props and say thanks as well to all the growers and DIYers that have been contributing with tons of great information on Led growing in this forum. I think it's still the best resource for anyone looking to improve his Led skills and DIY advice. Been coming here for years and each time I'm still getting excited with all the skills and resources featured here!
I want to start growing soon but I want to make my own DIY led lights for a 1-1.2 sq m. grow-tent. I was going to get back to HID sodium lights because when I started experimenting with leds years ago, they were still super expensive for higher wattages and surfaces. But it seems that things have changed lately with all this white COBs. I understand that nowadays, most people have changed their approach towards all white spectrum with more potency and efficiency rather than using different deep red, reds, royal blue and bit of white. It makes sense to me, after all, HID spectrums aren't that good either but the plants seem to love the big amount of light they deliver. Without really caring of the possible lack of red and blue in the spectrum.
Shame that I still have lots of old nice Cree, Oslon and Luxeon leds at home that I planned to use in other DIY projects for a smaller tent. I may use them or try to sell them, as I've spent a big budget on highest bins available and I don't want to throw them into the bin. But it's discouraging to see how easy this COBs are for mounting and also how nice they seem to work.
So it's really possible to flower nicely with Warm White COBs only? Or combination of white and red/blue is still better to add weight and buds like it was in the past the combiation of HID and color leds? Do they lack penetration like the old 700mA and 1A leds used to do? Thus forcing the grower to adapt the techniques to get an even canopy and very close distances to make the most of this led lights.
How many watts could be nice for 1 or 1,2 sq meter tent? Something equivalent or better than 400-600W HID may work I guess. I will use just the same pannel both for vegetative and flowering probably but what really matters is that the spectrum and leds work like a charm for making nice and tight buds!
I'm wondering if the sativas I will grow will miss some more red and blue light. Especially the blue as I've read many times that it was great for delivering terpenes. Initially I was looking for the best sativa spectrum, one that may reduce the stretch and will have the best full spectrum for having a good cannabinoid and terpene development, over the production. But flowering in such bit tent seems unlikely and very messy with single color leds. Plus now I will be growing for seed production and medical stash for a local club so good production become also important somehow.
Anyway, thanks for the advice.
P.S: By the way, I still have at home a few unpackaged nice bins of this leds, but if white COBs are a better option nowadays (less hassle to mount them for someone not super skilled with electronics like me), I will try to sell them and get some cash back to start making my new lamps (they are all brand new and still in they MPCB metal blisters), as I will need higher potency this time for bigger space:
-660nm Oslon SSL
-625nm Red Cree XP-E2
-425nm Blue Luxeon ES
-2700k Cree XT-E
-3000k Oslon SSL
-4000K Cree XT-E
