Best lights, lighting for a 4x4?
- Thread starter Feisty1UR
- Start date
widowmaker31
Well-Known Member
Not 4x4 - but close enough to count 
Fluence check them out -
Fluence check them out -
I've heard waaay too many controversial topics on people saying CMH, or Gavita are better than HPS, MH lighting setups. They never come to a final conclusion..
Apparently you can get away with 315w of light from a CMH, and still pull the same numbers from a 600w Air-cooled HPS. According to statistics the CMH has 4x PAR but I don't know if that's a myth or true..
I was going to buy an Air-cooled Hooded 600w MH, and then possibly switch that out for a 1000w HPS during flower,
Can somebody offer me advice on what I should buy for the area I have?
Cheers
this is what I just set up. Led kits I got online. I'm guesstimating equivalent to about 800w hid. maybe a little less. Ran it full blast lastnight for a couple hrs and only reached a high of about 90° 6" from the lights and it went down to 80 at the floor. That's with no ventilation. Might be an option for you.If I have a 4 x 4 grow tent but only have two plants one white widow and one Jack Herer does that mean I can get by with less wattage / lumens. I am a first-time grower with my plants having nodes about a half inch to 1 inch apart and I'm getting ready to flower I have a 2 by 4 4 Lamp T8 6500 k above with each plant having one 14.5 watt 5000 K LED directly above I'm currently going to have 4 9.5 Watt 5000k LEDs around the sides of my plants I need to purchase a light for flowering to hang above any ideas with my configuration I appreciate it first time poster love every minute of it. Would like to stick with LEDs that will do my whole grow tent
loudog1983
Member
I've heard waaay too many controversial topics on people saying CMH, or Gavita are better than HPS, MH lighting setups. They never come to a final conclusion..
Apparently you can get away with 315w of light from a CMH, and still pull the same numbers from a 600w Air-cooled HPS. According to statistics the CMH has 4x PAR but I don't know if that's a myth or true..
I was going to buy an Air-cooled Hooded 600w MH, and then possibly switch that out for a 1000w HPS during flower,
Can somebody offer me advice on what I should buy for the area I have?
Cheers
loudog1983
Member
yes you can but you have to be a expert grower because you have to know how to use the spectrum of cmh light i had 2 315w and all i could pull is 12oz so i got a 600w hpsI've heard waaay too many controversial topics on people saying CMH, or Gavita are better than HPS, MH lighting setups. They never come to a final conclusion..
Apparently you can get away with 315w of light from a CMH, and still pull the same numbers from a 600w Air-cooled HPS. According to statistics the CMH has 4x PAR but I don't know if that's a myth or true..
I was going to buy an Air-cooled Hooded 600w MH, and then possibly switch that out for a 1000w HPS during flower,
Can somebody offer me advice on what I should buy for the area I have?
Cheers
Tas devil
Well-Known Member
Great info dude.You have pretty much sold me on cmh with your posts..my friend that has bout the same experience as you with hps wants to go 1000hps over a 5x5 ,but i want to put my stamp on it,and i havnt even one grow under my belt.2 cmh seems very economical in power usage compared to the 1000.he wants just 4 plants with a 6 week flower period .but ive been picking strains to use between 45 days to 55 etc.all indica dominant ,femmed seeds.i think he wants to veg for about 6 weeks but that seems waay to long to go with the 6 weeks flower to produce 22 oz from the 4 which to me seems a little low for 1000watt light thats a little over .6 gr/watt.by what ive read i should get that with 2 315s..should i do what i think .
RippedCittee
Member
Hey hydro I know this is a bit of a throwback but in relation to this debate of less large plants vs. more small plants, does the end yield/ quality differ between the two or can you expect fairly similar outcome either way?
Blue back
Well-Known Member
I give another vote for 315s. You can pack them in and run cooler and more efficien then HP'S. But this is the reason everyone is switched to CMH around me, the resin they pack on. High end bulbs have ridiculous UV's and that's great for resin output but very bad for your skin. I'm sold as well as many others on them right now. Things change fast in the lighting industry.
Blue back
Well-Known Member
My rule of thumb is 3x3 for coverage from 315s and dropped down to 15 inches from canopy. They can go much tighter in coverage but not much in highth. And buy the high end bulbs from start Phillips or Hortilux. Big difference. Throw away the stock bulbs... LED's came a long ways but for sure got a ways to go. I believe they will rock someday. But not now.
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Blue back
Well-Known Member
LOL
Blue back
Well-Known Member
Very true
I will say the potential of LED is endless. Like I said to begin with in my opinion there not there yet.
RippedCittee
Member
Anybody know of a reputable 315 cmh hood/reflector (I think that's what they are called) with a ballast? Found a couple but the price variance is large and there isn't much good info as far as the quality of them. Thanks in advance
PrometheanLeaf
Well-Known Member
https://hydrobuilder.com/grow-light-bulbs-ballasts-hoods/lec-grow-lights-541/growers-choice-grower-s-choice-315w-cmh-all-in-one-fixture-with-bulb.html
4k bulb = veg
3k bulb = full cycle
3k-r = flower
4k bulb = veg
3k bulb = full cycle
3k-r = flower
Blue back
Well-Known Member
A good unit will run about $300. Unless it's one on sale cheap ones are just that cheap. I run 2 infinite spectrums for every 4'x4'.Don't buy discontinued models. There are a lot of good ones out there. Like I already mentioned if it comes with a bulb buy a new one anyways. Most come with cheap bulbs. I believe it's Sun Systems that has a Phillips with it new, which would be a good choice. Just not there discontinued models. I run Hortilux bulbs.