So I'm 5 weeks into my first grow. Just one plant black widow auto. I know the led I'm using is underpowered. So my question is what is the best led that can do it all for a single plant? I obviously don't need 1000watts or to spend a grand.
What size is your LED???It all depends on what you wanna pay ,LED s are great same with Hps.What are you growing in ??Theres a ton of options here , If your just trying to add extra lights you can grab some cfl s and hang them over the plants on different sides of your LED .If you answer some of the questions I asked it be alot easier to try to point you in the right direction.
This is what I have right now. I'd like to find a single led that is stronger (I assume this isn't enough). But I know I don't need something crazy ass expensive. I would like to stick to led though. Growing in a pot of happy frog and perlite. I'd keep this one as a supplement, but would like a new "main" light.
I'm growing a single Indica under an inexpensive 600 'watt' LED. Third grow with only the single light (King LED, Chinese made in their own factory, using "double 5 watt Epileds") Yields and quality excellent, (Master Kush from seed) plants love 'em, and under $100. I'm very happy with them. Each grow was a single non-autos... Best of luck friend. PS, using a cheap tent, under $80, 3ftx20"x62", perfect for SHORT plants, under 30" at harvest. Brand VivoSun. Works for me. Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk
A single 50 watt COB would prolly do it. something like these, or DIY Single Led Grow Light, Single Led Grow Light direct from Shenzhen KingBrite Electronics Co., Ltd. in China (Mainland)
I know that this reply is a bit late, but I'd recommend the Advanced Platinum Series P600 which you can see reviewed here. Hope this helps. I've had that Led grow light for years, and it's been doing very well for me with my small setup.
I'm linking a post you may want to look at. It is about quantum boards that are for sale pretty damned cheap. If you are handy and not opposed to building a light, these are some real cutting edge, high quality components at a good price. I'm building and 8 panel light that will probably cost me 400 when all is said and done. A comparable light for me to purchase, would probably push a grand easy. A couple of these panels and a driver will probably cost around 100 and will most likely outperform any other led that you could buy for that price. Check them out. It's an option. This company sells out quick, but routinely gets boards in quite frequently. Rumor has it that they will be selling 4 packs of these boards on Amazon soon. HLG QB120 boards in 3k in stock for $29. If you have any questions on these, @Tbone Shuffle and @Budmiser are my go to guys on quantum boards.
You can get a mars300 or another model with a knock off chinese driver of who knows what brand hiding in the shiny case. What leds are they? Either they won't tell you or they're epistar Chinese leds as well. Is it going to work in 2 years? Maybe. If you want to get a quality led for your $100 you can buy an HLG 65 which is a single qb120 kit with all the stuff you need to plug it in. Of course these are $29 boards and hangers and drivers for 24v range boards are easy and cheap to find. I've build my fixtures for as low as $55 for a single board working fixture if you have some DIY skills. It doesn't take much. I'm talking striping and splicing a few wires and hanging a board with trout leaders. $55 Board. QB120 Quantum Board Driver. https://www.arrow.com/en/products/mdr-60-24/mean-well-enterprises If you want to buy two boards you can run them in series with this driver and still be under $100. https://www.arrow.com/en/products/ndr-120-48/mean-well-enterprises Two qb120's would stomp the crap out of any 300w led panel.
4 boards and two of those $26 120 watt 48 volt drivers for each two boards in series. That would bloom a 3x3.
4 boards. I like the idea of 2 in 4k and 2 in 3k. 2 meanwell ndr 120-48 drivers. These drivers won't give you real dimming capability but they run amazingly cool and wall mount to dim strips of metal or you can just use what you have like me. I love the wall mount and the screw terminals on these drivers. Makes splicing on a cord so easy.