Best LED for 3x3 flowering

Hey guys, I'm getting myself a second tent setup. Currently using a Mars II 900 for my first tent. It works well enough, and I think it will do just fine for veg, but I'd really like to get an ideal bloom light for denser buds. A few I am considering are the G8LED 450 and the Platinum LED P4-XML2. Looking to spend in the $500 range. If I had to purchase right this minute, I'd probably go with G8LED just because they offer light specifically for blooming, but I'd love to hear your opinions on the subject. Thanks.

Please remember that opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and they all stink. That being said, don't go with either of those. Check out COBs, quantum boards, or even Samsung based strips. Any of those will outperform your choices. Ask @CobKits, @raindan,@robincnn or any other quality led advertisers on this site. Best of luck in your search.

Of course, but hearing more opinions doesn't hurt. I would rather buy a premade light though over building something custom though, unless you could explain why that route is better.

With any of the kits that are on offer, I am not sure that they are so much DIY as assemble yourself. If you cannot use a screwdriver and or a drill then by all means buy preassembled. It wasn't about the diy so much as the quality. The lights that you are suggesting are better utilized for their component parts than they are as a unit. Timbergrowlights, Tastyled, Horticulture Lighting Group are a few that offer preassembled finished products and are all miles ahead of the ones that you listed. Reviews on amazon and eBay are manipulated to make their products appear better than they really are.

@QuarksRSmall is spot on! take his advice

I wouldn't mind some assembly, but it seems like deciding what to buy gets much more complex with this route. The options on Timbergrowlights are reading like a foreign language heh. Not that I'm opposed to doing some research, but perhaps you could point me in the right direction? Which types of LED lights are best for flowering? Any good guides that cover the entire process? Thanks.

Thanks @lukio. I, like many others, appreciate all of your bud porn. @SchweeDubz should check of lukios garden with super sexy quantum boards. Those are results that prove the effectiveness of quantum boards from HLG. And pictures are better than words.

What size is the area you want to cover?

3x3

SchweeDubz said:

I wouldn't mind some assembly, but it seems like deciding what to buy gets much more complex with this route. The options on Timbergrowlights are reading like a foreign language heh. Not that I'm opposed to doing some research, but perhaps you could point me in the right direction? Which types of LED lights are best for flowering? Any good guides that cover the entire process? Thanks.

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This is fully built, and would be great for a 3x3:
http://timbergrowlights.com/250-watt-citizen-clu048-square-framework/

Also fully built and would crush a 3x3:
http://timbergrowlights.com/400-watt-vero29-v7-square-framework/

If you want to save a little bit, you could build your own Frame with angled aluminum from home depot and buy this to mount to the frame:
http://timbergrowlights.com/250-watt-citizen-clu048-5-cob-grow-light-kit/

If you only want it for flowering get 3000k or 2700k, if you want to do full cycle go for 3500k or 4000k

Cool thanks. Which color temp is best for blooming? Is mixing/matching ideal? I consider myself a smart person but there is a ton to learn here it seems, still not exactly sure what a cob light is, or what a framework means. and I'm not getting any real answers from google so far.

SchweeDubz said:

Cool thanks. Which color temp is best for blooming? Is mixing/matching ideal? I consider myself a smart person but there is a ton to learn here it seems, still not exactly sure what a cob light is, or what a framework means. and I'm not getting any real answers from google so far.

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Your best source of info if you want to learn about cobs is to go to youtube and look up growmau5. Hes got older videos that explain everything someone new to the scene wants to know.

For blooming with only 1 temp I'd go 3000k. If you want to use it the whole cycle, get 3500k. You can mix if you want. I have a COB unit that's only for flower and I mixed 2700k and 3000k and I have a veg only unit that is 4000k.

A 265W QB kit would be just the job in your sized space I think. $325 but out of stock at present - theyre's a reason why - 'cos they're damn good! With a lot of other units you pay for stuff you don't actually need, like a shiny case/frame etc. With QB's all your money is going on what you actually do need - LED's and a driver + hanging kit.
Look at the results achieved in this forum. IMO it's a no-brainer. Obvs tho' that's just my opinion.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

SchweeDubz said:

Which color temp is best for blooming

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i would personally go for Quantum Boards over cobs as they are incredibly easy to put together - like ten minutes. You wont have to worry about a frame either

i have a mixed 3k and 2700k flower tent and they rock. you could use one or the other just fine

Thanks @QuarksRSmall hopefu;ly much more to come.

@Moflow your question about size was answered in the thread title lololollol

So, why is it that these DIY setups are so much better than anything premade? It seems a bit silly that you'd have to go through this whole process just to get a solid grow light. You'd think there'd be more companies just delivering a quality product at a reasonable price....what am I missing here?

Shipping costs. A preassembled light is much larger than the component and with the frame included it significantly adds to shipping costs.

Ok...but that's it? A lot of these places offer free shipping, and I would probably rather pay for shipping cost to have a company w customer service etc than have to learn how to build my own light and all that. If there is a difference in quality though, that is another story. I still find it hard to believe that building a custom light would be that much better. I am watching these growmau5 video right now so I am learning a bit either way...but what exactly makes the DIY lights better quality wise?

you can buy a pre made, it'll just cost you more. HLG do a pre made 550w panel that would do very nicely in a 3x3.

When you say premade, are you talking about a customizable light? Or something like a fixed light structure? I don't know the proper terminology, but something like the brands I originally posted. Could you maybe explain the difference here? Is it just cost? Or do brands like Platinum LED not use efficient components? Or they are just charging more or?

lukio said:

i would personally go for Quantum Boards over cobs as they are incredibly easy to put together - like ten minutes. You wont have to worry about a frame either

i have a mixed 3k and 2700k flower tent and they rock. you could use one or the other just fine

Thanks @QuarksRSmall hopefu;ly much more to come.

@Moflow your question about size was answered in the thread title lololollol

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Just testing, just testing..... Lol lol