HPS, MH, or LED

You really are asking about HID vs LED. MH and HPS both have the same advantages (and disadvantages) when compared to LED.

It really boils down to 2 things. Price and heat. If you are able to vent the heat from air cooled hoods easily, then just use HID lighting.

If you can't vent that heat anywhere, and you have a lot of money to spend, then you can go with LED or Plasma grow lights.

 

High intensity discharge. Use MH during veg and HPS during flower. LEDs are okay, but only if you buy the most expensive ones, and they still aren't as good as MH/HPS as far as yield goes. Are you growing in an enclosed space? How much of an issue will it be to ventilate your grow? LEDs don't get nearly as hot, but what you save in temps, you lose in yield.

 

Here's a great thread where you can see alot of the differences between HID lighting, (mh and/or hps), vs. LEDs.

http://forum.grasscity.com/hydroponic-grow-journals/485301-rumples-led-challenge.html

 

I've recently switched LED..90w UFO, 2 28w Side panels. I am quite pleased.

It boils down though price and heat. LEDs have dramatically improved and each new generation gets better. Def the future.

On the price some will say you will save energy...this is kind of like buying a hybrid car. Honda Civic Ex cost me 19500...I get 38mpg. Honda Civic Hybrid was 24k on the lot but gets like 42. How much gas and how many years would I have to pay to justify the increase in price. Most likely I would not save any money through the gas savings of a hybrid....Same with HPS vs LED. 400w HPS tube can cost 150 bucks. 90w UFO cost me 300. I will most likely see no savings for quite some time money wise.

If money is not a concern though I would go LED..makes things simple. No cooling to worry about..I just have a carbon filter with a low power fan attached. No noise, no heat.

 

i suggest hid. if you can't use it for some reason, go the t-5 route. imo, led's are a huge waste of money! i think plasma lights are the light of the future, but i don't think they're quite ready.

 

I doubt that. LED is ramping up big time not just for MJ growing. Each generation gets better and cheaper. You can not beat factory produced items and factories are pumping LEDs out by the boat load along with major investments in improving them.

Consider that HPS has had no improvements in over 20 years and in the last 5 years LEDs have made substantial improvements and continue. There development resembles the computer industry actually. Moores Law states doubling of CPU power halfing of price every 2 years. LEDs are getting close to doing that.

 

very true. but, led's are not even close to being able to match hid in the yield department. they're not even close!!!

 

As far as small grows go, can LED's produce a good yield, or does it scale with the size? I have a 3' high box right now with a 150w HPS - VERY happy with the results (grow journal link in my sig).
Anyway, I might have to downsize my grow area (maybe even a PC Case... *sigh* - but maybe not) - so my question is: will LED lighting yield better or similar results at a micro grow size compared to low watt HPS bulbs? As opposed to using a ton of LEDs compared to a 600w HPS.
I guess what I'm trying to figure out is, if it's worth it (money aside) to use LEDs at micro grow size rather than larger grows, or if the comparison just scales with size - does that make sense?

 

For myself I had to downgrade my grow tent recently. I live in a one bedroom apartment now. I have a 2x2x4 grow tent which is pretty dam small. Its big enough for 2, 3 plants max. I use a 90w UFO LED, and 2 28w LED Grow Panels which are on the sides. I have had no issues as of yet. I replaced my 400w HPS with that.

HPS was adding 40 dollars per month to my bill, my LED set up is now adding 15.

Heat generation is virtually zero. It adds 2 degrees to my tent actually. For cooling my carbon scrubber with attached fan which is quite and low volume does the job very well.

Another side effect is it has extended my watering period since no intense light that heats everything up.

Everyone says don't go LED you won't get the yield well plenty of people do not get good yields from other lights...alot of other things impact that. Look around on this forum and see the fails of grows.

Also I believe that the bashers of LED do not own any. I talk from experience since I've owned HPS, done 100% CFL grows, and now 100% LED grow.

 

Thanks dude. Yeah I'm looking at possibly getting 1, maybe 2 of those 90w UFOs (Illuminator from prosource) - as for yield, I'm not even really in it for getting huge amounts. This current grow I'm doing with a 150w HPS is gonna yield me 2, maybe 3 ounces, which will last me a very long time. I don't smoke a lot. But one other thing I also hear is that the bud isn't as dense as with HPS.
Still doing my research but we'll see...

 

Glad to see that there are others who use LEDs and not bash on them because of something they read. I would bet you 90% of the LED bashers on here do not even own one.

 

Im using 2 18w white light,and 1 26w warm light there all retrofit led bulbs I got them from home depot so far they seem to be doing the job but it is my first time growing

 

regardless of what wattage you use, watt versus watt, hid will produce more than led's.......

 

^^^got a link? i'd like to see that, thanks.^^^