So I decided to buy another tent for just vegging since they were on sale today. Currently I have a 4 x 4 x 80”, running a 2x4 Rapid COB rail 5 COBs and then a MH 250, but that will be moving to the veg tent. So I’m thinking of buying another COB rail. I know these aren’t cheap and can be quite heavy. I do have the single rail UV piece to put in between. Is there a decent COB that comparable to the Rapid unit? I chose and have had good success with using the 3000k/90 and would most likely get the same for consistency. I know QBs are a less expensive but I love that the COB lays a lot of PAR down and penetrates very well into the thick green layers. While happy with the COBs they aren’t cheap, they are hard to lower and raise, unless you forgo the cables on the sides and change to a regular ratcheting system. I’m just a bit worried that my tent support tubes will be very taxed with weight. Luckily I have my exhaust can and fan outside the tent. I do have the 100W driver on the first COB which added $65 to cost. I just don’t really know the COB market well so I thought I would ask for you bout from the people using COBs as well. I have no complaints with Rapid, so far, but are there better options? This is the Meanwell driver. So if I get the same rail, should I not pay for the driver upgrade? The original is a lower wattage meanwell. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Have u tried QB96s? There's some newer qb144s too. CB cobs like the ones you mention are available at KingBrite on AliE.
I have 2 tents going, one with COBs, and the other with a QB. In the COB tent, each plant gets the light distance it wants. In the QB tent, one plant (same reservoir) is getting too much light, and the other not enough. I'm considering retiring my QB (an excellent HLG Rspec), and going exclusively with COBs. I got my five 60 watt COBs from cobshop.net, but RapidLED looks good too. I use rubber bands to gather up and tie in-the-way cords, and have a multiple plug-in outlet nailed to the ceiling. I haven't looked in to potential alibaba COBs, and that might be a way to go.
Thanks for these first replies. They build the Rapid stuff out of Millbrae, CA right next to South San Francisco. They are extremely easy to work with. I know that I can buy of Alibaba and such but I don’t mind having it all assembled in the Bay Area. I almost went with units using ChilLed pucks but while QBs and ChiLED might have great efficiency the COB rails give me a bit of flexibility. They don’t sit so close to the plants. I too have had a surprise plant that is about 12” higher than the others, but it’s a different strain even though it was supposed to be almost all indica. It must be that wee bit of Sour Diesel that is actually coming out in this pheno. My plants under the COB rail have been fantastic and uniform. When I replace the Mars-250 I’ll definitely get a HLG QB or 2. For now I have the CREE 3590 chips with the long pin heat sinks. The rail system is very sturdy. When newer chips come out over time, I may consider swapping them out but the 3000K fits in well with the few that preach green light. I’m hoping the exotic strip proves to be useful. I do appreciate the help. My 5 plants will be exactly 5 weeks since the sprouting seeds went into the CoCo. They look very good and are quite stacked and thick. Minus the tall one. I’ve had my learning experiences, but luckily I’ve been growing berries, grapes, cherries and other flowering and fruit bearing plants for decades. I am loving growing indoors. Zero pesky weeds, rodents and birds to deal with. Not to mention munching beetles, cicadas and hungry animals that eat whatever, despite chili powders and other deterrents. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So just to be in line with other first timers I thought I would post these pictures. Okay the tall guy is an IGLM Big Bud (Sensiseeds). As stated it’s supposed to be almost all That Indica but it does have 20% Northern Lights in the genetics. It was germinated the same, but we landed and transplanted the same and watered/fed the same as the White Sunshine plants. If the others are all girls I may just chop the Bb down. I have been stretching out the plants but need to set up SOG. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sounds like you are set with a good local light provider and current system. You may want to increase color temp to control stretch. cheers bro!
Here is my experience with having the rapid led 2x4 bar 315 watt kit and a 320 watt qb board with ir and uv from Alibaba. I love the rapid bar cobb aspect of being able to run 6500k cobbs for veg then switching them out in flower for three 3000k 90 cri and two 3500k cobbs. With that said when i went with a second tent last year i bought a 320 watt qb board from Alibaba shipped to my door for $260 which was half the cost of the rapid led 2x4 kit. I did add two 6500k florescent tubes to the qb board to add more blue spectrum to veg with seemed to work out very well. The qb board has performed the same with terms of light penetration, growth, and coverage compared the rapid led kit even after using specific cobbs for times of the grow. They both put out incredible frost during flower. The qb board also runs cooler than my rapid led light. They both have the same efficiency, but the qb board runs cooler, and cost less.
The 4 other plants are just stacked with growth and new growth between the splits. I did some reading on Big Bud strain, and it does grow up fast and with very few leaves compared to the rest of the cannabis world. I have since acquired several desired strains from Bodhi via JBCseeds. Love working with them. I probably should have avoided ILGM, as it markets a bit more to younger recreational growers. I need the medicine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk