Pantagruel's Durban Lights - Half-Pound or Bust

[Organic Weed]

Oh.. ok sorry... so it's a 3x96W = about 300W LED correct?
LED is the first next on my ebay wish list

 

[Mike Wright]

No worries, ask anytime. It's a pair of TopLED's and they have treated me right so far. The two of them together do warm up the room a bit, but no where near what the 400 watt HPS did.

 

[Organic Weed]

Ok cool... a lot of people (i would say the majority) still argue that LED don't deliver as much yield as HPS, considering equal wattage... what's your opinion and practical experience about it? You must have a good feeling by now coz you used the 2 options with the same set-up from what I understand.... I am confused about this point still coz I keep hearing very opposite ideas, but most criticisms come from people who don't grow with LED... you were on both sides so you must now better... I understand the heat issue -- it's a problem for me also -- but if heat were NOT a problem, would HPS still deliver better than LED on your opinion? In other terms, is LED better than HPS only because it keep the air cooler? I'm asking this coz those who use LED always put this at the center of the argument, so I am wondering if LED light is indeed as good as HPS with equal wattage or the fact that LED is good is mostly due to the temperature issue (keep the air not as hot as HPS)... not too sure I've been clear in my question..

 

[Mike Wright]

HPS is a solid technology and delivers great results. You really have to create a matrix of the importance you place on an entire spectrum of variables: cost, efficiency, heat, ease of use, stealthiness, and results. If you are talking only about results I would have to give the nod the LED, but BECAUSE it is easier and cooler, easier to get better results more of the time. Watt for watt I think LED has the edge, but most comparisons are 1:2 watts LED versus HPS, so a 200 watt LED would be equivalent to a 400 HPS. That has certainly been my experience coverage and quality wise.

 

[Light Addict]

The quality goes up quite a bit with LED, the trichome production is nuts!

 

[Mike Wright]

This guy would know. I am being conservative.

The quality goes up quite a bit with LED, the trichome production is nuts!

 

[Light Addict]

It could be my light being what it is?? Who knows lol. I'm just completely sold on LED over hps

 

[Mike Wright]

Could be

My camera sucks for closeups but I just took these, using the zoom seems to help!

Durban Lights 40 days

 

[Antics]

Oh.. ok sorry... so it's a 3x96W = about 300W LED correct?
LED is the first next on my ebay wish list

Why waste time on Ebay? If you are looking for a light like Pantagruel has, check out our sponsor: Led Grow Lights for indoor plants-Top Led
Their lights are being used in many other grows, and I am looking to test one out myself. VERY soon.

EDIT: I figured I should add more info so you don't think I'm talking out of my ass lol.
I was looking at LED grow lights for a while. I wanted to buy one for my second grow but couldn't find anything good on Ebay. The problem with those lights is they are not proven in grows (like you see here), I have found many that have VERY low wattage (Some have 14 watts only), and would be nice for an aquarium, but will not do well for your plants.
Another problem is I found most are missing some part of the spectrum that Cannabis needs to grow properly.

The few lights I found that would probably work Only give 30 days warranty or something. TopLED gives 3 years warranty. I would hate to see you spend your money on a light that might not work, or might break without a warranty to fix or replace it.

But ultimately, the decision is yours.

 

[Organic Weed]

convinced... i'm in my first grow right now and I asked the guy from the growshop what he though about LED and he told me it wasn't yet a fully proven technology for indoor grow and admitted he didn't know much. I've asked around in the other forums and the overall answer was something like "in the future everybody will use LED but now HPS is still the safest".. so after some questioning and looking around I didn't find the model and support and ended up with a 250 HPS... anyway, I live in a very warm place and it has been a NIGTHMARE to control T and never let them raise above 30°C/86F... and I'm taking about leaving the cabinet door slightly open or half open and wake up on saturday and sunday morning very early just to close it before lights switch off... it REALLY sucks, sorry but it's the truth.... and actually I would just need to go down 2 to 3 degree, 4 at most to be OK...

My next question... which type and model and size shall I buy? My cabinet is about 3ftx3ftx6ft. I was thinking a 300W but not too sure because I don't want to oversize and then have again the T issue... in terms of lumens the 300W is how much? 70000? 80000? The higher the Lumens the bigger the grow so I'd like to make a good and safe move... I don't have space to grow... this cabin unfortunately will be my only resort but with right LED set-up may go for a perpetual harvest. Please advice

 

[Mike Wright]

The light I have would be suitable for a 3x3 area and is pretty cool when using just one.

 

[Organic Weed]

Nice buds man... looking gnammy... feeling the smell from down here
thanx for all the advises you gave me today... i've learnt quiet a bit
will dig into led and will probably make the move soon

 

[Mike Wright]

If you get a good quality LED you won't be disappointed.

 

[Mike Wright]

Playing with my camera's zoom I'm starting to get some better close up pics now. One of my Durban Lights would have been a natural fluxer, her first two branches grew out dominant right from the start and I'm going to get a couple of nice colas from her.

On the downside, my Red Dragon is a really shitty pheno, all leaf, buds barely visible at all. I don't think I am going to make my half pound on the grow as a result.

6 weeks

Cola 5 weeks

 

[Antics]

Positive thoughts man. Just because one falls short, doesn't mean another can't exceed expectations.

Just continue taking good care of them and as long as you did your best, that's what counts.

 

[Mike Wright]

Thanks for the reassurance

A bad pheno falls outside of my control, so if I get within an ounce I'll still count it as an achievement.

 

[Organic Weed]

In your Durban poison cycle you harvested very early coz if the smell... Did you fix that problem? Are you still planning to harvest at 5% amber?
Nice colas!!

 

[Outdoorfrank]

Hey mate been watching tis thread for awhile now ive got one of your lights the 96x3 reflector so of course ive been following all the grows with my lights and im very glad i seen yours! , after all my research a want to grow about 4-6 plants and decided my one 300w "really 168w full bloom" light is not going to be enough for my needs so i am thinking about the 600w 192x3 reflector to add in to the mix and im pretty sure id be happy then but my question is if you bought one and had one 96x3 & one 192x3 instead of your two 96x3's do you think you 6 plants would be going any better now?

 

[lexblaze]

wow your girls are some real fast bloomers! esp the durban x strains who are they from id like to try them in the future

 

[Mike Wright]

In your Durban poison cycle you harvested very early coz if the smell... Did you fix that problem? Are you still planning to harvest at 5% amber?
Nice colas!!

Yeah, it's getting stinky now but we are drying herbs in the house so it's ok. As last grow, we have run out. I will probably be pulling the most mature plant pretty soon, at 8 weeks. I think the trichs are 5% amber right now.

The girl with the colas is just "one size" up from the others. For my current veg that's the goal, to get everybody to that size or greater. Funny thing in that veg, one of the 7 girls always shuts down about 3 hours before lights-out. I'm going to post a pic in my other grow thread shortly.