I'm looking in to setting up a 3x3 (or 2x4, haven't decided) grow tent and have been doing a lot of reading about LED's. I know that generally HID's are considered better for startups but I am very space restricted, so heat is more of an issue for me, so I think I want to stick with LED's, although I am open to arguments the other way. If what I have been reading is correct, then 1 LED watt is equal in output to 2 HID watts, so if I were to have originally wanted a 600 watt HPS setup, with LED's I would want to be in the neighborhood of 300 actual watts. Now I have done a lot of shopping around, but the only thing that has become clear is that every single manufacturer seems to be lying, and that nothing is as it is advertised when it comes to LED's. So my actual question is, what LED manufacturers do you actually trust to grow a decent plant? I have been looking in to MarsHydro, maybe something like the mars-II 900 or 1200, but have heard very mixed reviews and would like to hear from some people that have actually used them if possible. I also am thinking about supplementing it with a smaller light from galaxyhydro that supposedly puts out light on the UV spectrum that the Mars light lacks, but again, I'd love to hear from some more experienced people! Also, I know Black dog, for example, is a highly reputable brand, but I'd like to keep my lighting budget under 500 (which is already pushing it tbh) PS: I plan to grow 3-4 plants in a SCROG and am hoping for yields of a pound, but would be really happy with anything over 10 ounces. Big bud x Northern Lights seeds. Any advice at all would be helpful Thanks in advanced for the help! Been reading along for a few years, and hope to be a lot more active in the future!
I have a Marshydro 600 LED with 5 watt diodes X 120. My plants love it, but you can buy a Finder for $1200 to $4000 there's only a few companies in the USA that make LEDs and all are pretty expensive!!! The Marshydro isn't build that badly, for something built in China. Look at there reviews and feedback and there Sales! There pretty popular. Good Luck with your Grow Sent from my iPad using Grasscity Forum mobile app
I use both. The HID heats my tent to my exact temp, so I lucked the hell out. But I picked up a cheap galaxyhydro 300 to increase my coverage. 1 each. Win-win. Be kind. Perfect your craft. Give more than you take. We are family.
If what I have been reading is correct, then 1 LED watt is equal in output to 2 HID watts... NOT TRUE! Every comparison I have ever read is full of it. If you want to waste your time comparing what is the best lighting, that's fine, but only when you grow a certain strain with both technologies using the same nutrients and lighting schedules will you see that watt per watt, HID is superior, and you will see it, every time. Screw par, screw lumen, watt per watt, hid rules, period!
I have a 40x40. 400w HID to go with the 300 led. If I knew now what I knew when I bought everything I would have just got the 600 from the start. The Galaxy Hydro was cheap because it was an older model. I just didn't have the money for the 600 at the time. In that space I just do a 4 Plant dirt grow. But all in all it has been very effective. this will be my first time counting yield, but I can tell just from looking that the plants are Fuller and the buds are larger. Now that I think about it with a 40 by 40 I could have had heat issues with the 600 watt. So all in all I'm glad it worked out the way it did. Be kind. Perfect your craft. Give more than you take. We are family.
Thanks a lot for the feedback, I'm definitely reconsidering a HID. What kind of yields did you get in the grow with mixed light?
21 days til first harvest with both lights, so I won't know for awhile. It will be at least 1.5x ones with my single HId, but to be fair I'm also getting a little better at growing. Be kind. Perfect your craft. Give more than you take. We are family.