Lighting advice and input for autos

[StoneOtter]

@Mtn0nfire7 ​

 

[StoneOtter]

Well I can say I love my @NextLight Mega! It's a commercial light and when I ran it for the first time the bud quality blew my mind! I can vouch for that light and will every time! It would light your space perfectly.

Now another sponsor here Bestva contacted me to try a pro 4000W model of theirs but @GrowTina hasn't gotten back to me so I can't report if their light is of any quality. Wish I could refer you to bestva, they look like a good light on paper but you never know with a new product.

I also run Mars Hydro in my smaller tent. They're making good lights better all the time it seems and they seem to be a fixture in the world.

 

[Graytail]

Heheh, I can tell by the names that you've been around for awhile!

I guess I don't have much to add to what Ice said. I got pretty deeply into the hardware and specs, when the full spectrum leds came on board when Horticulture Lighting Group came out with their panels, and I got (cheaper) knockoff boards from China and built my own rigs.

Now, everyone is producing them and you can get a lot of frills and extras. I can see the wisdom of near and far reds, and it's nice to be able to mount the hot drivers outside the space, but otherwise, it's a matter of dollars per watt, and how "nice" you want it to be.

You'll want roughly 30 watts per sqft in bloom. I have 40 and it's almost always too much light. You have to have everything else dialed in or you'll get light fatigue and slower growth. So you won't need more than 30. If you want to buy more and turn it down with a dimmer, that works too.

Otherwise it's much simpler than it was. Everyone uses basically the same grade of diodes - it's not like anyone has crap, or anyone is the best. It's more a matter of features and design.

A bunch of smaller rigs is always better than a couple big ones, 'cause you have more flexibility in placement. I use 4000K in veg and I like the color and performance. For bloom I use 3000K but I also don't have any far red supplementation. 3500K seems to suit well for both/either.

I've always liked Mars-Hydro, and we have a few more sponsors - Atreum, Bestva, BudgetLED, Nextlight, Perfect Sun, PhotonTek, Weegrow, etc, that produce good lines. Too many choices.

I pulled 32 ounces from my 4x4 using 660 watts of basic full-spectrum whites. The switch from old-style lighting to the new stuff is the biggest difference, not so much the particular brand. Everyone likes what they have, as far as I've seen.

 

[Mtn0nfire7]

Well.
I have myself pretty sold on either the photon tek - x600 pro
Phantom - photo bio 680w
Primarily because I can aquire them locally and quite a bit easier

I am still quite interested in the
forever green indoors - uniformity pro
Medic grow- spectrum Y


They are all "sponsored and/or reputable"
Most of them have roots leading quite a few years back
They are all 1000w replacement that I can control the intensity
They all boast a uniform canopy with their ppfd spreadsheet
Their all above 1200 micromole with a very nice efficacy number

Some of them even qualify for rebates
And have great warranties

 

[Mtn0nfire7]

Removable driver's
Decent cooling system capabilities

I am most likely going to use Ac Infinity grow tent along with their cloudline fan and I will supplement hot or cold, humidity, and Co2, ethylene gas and such when I think it's a beneficial idea

Remember I'm all about connoisseur quality. I want as much terpene and anthocyanin as possible.


So I want control of all aspects at any point for the plants benefit.

 

[Mtn0nfire7]

I will tag people as I remember them from my (biblical) readings over the years

@Hash Hound
@InTheShed

 

[InTheShed]

Thanks for the tag Mtn, but I got nothing on lighting that @Graytail didn't mention. He's my LED-build guide.