Would appreciate LED advice for a small SOG tent

kazz

kazz

Well-Known Member
I have an older 32"x32"x60" grow tent that I would like to use for SOG grows. I hope to grow sativa strains straight from cloning in 2 liter bottles for containers. Zamaldelica will be my first run.
,
I'd like to find a LED light that would illuminate the entire tent, and have heard good reports on Mars Hydro lights. I went to their website and had picked out the Mars II 700, but have been informed that they no longer make that light. If I stay with this company, it appears as if I have two choices:

1) Mars Pro II Epistar 120 LED Grow Lighting
It draws 260 watts, but its flowering foot print is 2'x3'. So, I would have less light along two of the edges. This light is about $250

2) Mars II 900 Full Spectrum LED Grow Light
This light draws 364 watts, and its footprint is listed as 3.5'x3.5'. So, this one would cover to the edges easily. But, is it too much light for this small of a space? This light is around $300.


So, I would appreciate any feedback you might be able to offer on these choices. Or, I would consider another brand w/ similar specs and prices. But, I'm pretty ignorant and easily confused about COB, Cree, quantum boards, etc. I would have no clue at all about building a light.

Thank you!
 
I used to use 4 of the old style Mars 300's in my 32"x32". I don't believe there is a thing as too much light. I just recently moved on to a homemade LED strip build and am liking it so far but you say you don't feel comfortable with that.
 
Thanks for your reply. Regarding building a light - yes, uncomfortable in the way that I would have absolutely NO idea of what parts to get, how to make an enclosure, etc. From past experience I can tell you that I absolutely suck when it comes to soldering.

So, while I could probably research and learn the steps, for right now I'm going to look for a finished light.

Thanks again for your response!
 
If I'm not mistaken, at least one of our sponsors offers "kits" that are about as simple as "plugging the round plug into the round port, the square plug into the square port, et cetera." Not quite that kindergartenish, but comparable. I think they even do that for $25 or something like that.

I'd post the name of company I'm thinking of, but I'm not 100% certain I'm thinking of the right one, lol (real early and I got about three hours sleep), and don't want to post that company A is the one when it's actually company B. But I think it's the one that provided SweetSue with all her new lighting goodies for her current grow journal thread.
 
I've been following her cob thread. (Actually the reason I chose zamaldelica) I'll look at her journal and see what I can find.

I've seen you post on different threads. Do you have any thoughts as to whether the Mars II 900 would be too much light for this size scrog?

Thanks!
 
My gut says, "No," in general and, "NO!" when growing a high-percentage sativa strain (that you might end up flowering at 11 hours of light per day?). But I have not used any of the company's products, so it's possible that they are more powerful than I'm thinking they are.
 
TorturedSoul said:
My gut says, "No," in general and, "NO!" when growing a high-percentage sativa strain (that you might end up flowering at 11 hours of light per day?). But I have not used any of the company's products, so it's possible that they are more powerful than I'm thinking they are.
Click to expand...


Thanks for your input!
 
kazz said:
Thanks for your reply. Regarding building a light - yes, uncomfortable in the way that I would have absolutely NO idea of what parts to get, how to make an enclosure, etc. From past experience I can tell you that I absolutely suck when it comes to soldering.

So, while I could probably research and learn the steps, for right now I'm going to look for a finished light.

Thanks again for your response!
Click to expand...

I am on the handier side but also didn't know what parts I was going to need and used a preconfigured build for a 3x3 tent (the fixture is 24"x24") that I found elsewhere on the web. I also absolutely suck at soldering but none of that is required. You use Wago connectors instead. Push in the wire and snap down a little clamp. Some of my build and shopping list is in the Super Secret Weed Feed journal in my signature, on the last couple pages of that thread. I did mess up and bought the wrong style wire and had to run to the hardware and get something different in order to complete the project. The wire I bought the first time was too flexible. Overall I was at about $375ish in my build.

I don't think the Mars 900 is too much. It's better to "over light" than go under.
 
TorturedSoul said:
If I'm not mistaken, at least one of our sponsors offers "kits" that are about as simple as "plugging the round plug into the round port, the square plug into the square port, et cetera." Not quite that kindergartenish, but comparable. I think they even do that for $25 or something like that.

I'd post the name of company I'm thinking of, but I'm not 100% certain I'm thinking of the right one, lol (real early and I got about three hours sleep), and don't want to post that company A is the one when it's actually company B. But I think it's the one that provided SweetSue with all her new lighting goodies for her current grow journal thread.
Click to expand...
@TimberGrowLights
 
You can get Quantum Boards for I think $200 with assembly if you get the ''old'' QB V1, a bit more if you go for the new V2.

A single QB 135w kit could do OK in that space if you move your plants around, but 2 kits would rock it.
When you grow SoG (or any other style) it's a very good idea to have several lamps so you're not forced to keep all the light above the tallest plant in the tent ;)
You get at least 30% more light for your watts used than you do with the ancient mono diodes :)

Also, if you ever hooked up a HID light you're over qualified for QB assembly, it's litterally 10 bolts/nuts and connecting 3 wires, a child could do it in an hour or less :)

Don't buy into old ass tech, it is what it is, you get what you pay for etc.... You wouldn't buy a laptop from 2014, so don't buy a LED grow light from that year :p
 
PurpleGunRack said:
You can get Quantum Boards for I think $200 with assembly if you get the ''old'' QB V1, a bit more if you go for the new V2.

A single QB 135w kit could do OK in that space if you move your plants around, but 2 kits would rock it.
When you grow SoG (or any other style) it's a very good idea to have several lamps so you're not forced to keep all the light above the tallest plant in the tent ;)
You get at least 30% more light for your watts used than you do with the ancient mono diodes :)

Also, if you ever hooked up a HID light you're over qualified for QB assembly, it's litterally 10 bolts/nuts and connecting 3 wires, a child could do it in an hour or less :)

Don't buy into old ass tech, it is what it is, you get what you pay for etc.... You wouldn't buy a laptop from 2014, so don't buy a LED grow light from that year :p
Click to expand...

LOL, I have set up HID lights - so I guess that excuse is shot. Where does one purchase these QB 135w kits? I went to the timbergrow site and looked at kits. But, I have no idea which kit I would need. Also, is the power supply that they include in the kit the same thing that I see called a "Driver?"

Thanks for your feedback!
 
farside05 said:
Some of my build and shopping list is in the Super Secret Weed Feed journal in my signature, on the last couple pages of that thread.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I read your journal and found your parts list. I appreciate your taking the time to help with my education.
 
Blew Hiller said:
@TimberGrowLights has a pull down tab for "coverage area"...you have just under 3x3'...easy peasy.
:goodluck:
Click to expand...

And as previously discussed, there is no disadvantage to over lighting. 3x3 may be a bit bigger but that's all well and good. My light build was for a 3x3 also and I have the same tent as you. Plus most if the newer better lights have a dimmer switch. You can always dial it back a bit if needed (mainly during veg, I've never heard of anyone not running full out during bloom).
 
OK, you've convinced me. I've spent a good part of the morning researching how to build lights and different kits available. They don't seem to come much simpler that the quantum boards from HLG.

I believe that I will get the 260W QB V1 LED kit

To be honest, I'm not sure what the difference between V1 and V2 is. I mean, I know they use different LED chips, but have no idea what that means in real life growing. Is it worth the $25 dollar difference?
 
V2 is a bit more efficient, a tad more light for the power you are consuming.

V1
Lamp Efficacy with QB 288 V1 2.33 µmol/J , 157Lm/W
Board Level Efficacy with QB 288 V1 2.48 µmol/J , 167.3Lm/W

V2
Lamp Efficacy with QB 288 V2 2.47 µmol/J , 170Lm/W
Board Level Efficacy with QB 288 V2 2.63 µmol/J , 181Lm/W

In theory V1, 157 lumens per watt, times the 260 watts = 40,820 lumens. V2, 170 lumens per watt 44,200. So there is about a 10% increase between the 2 models.

V1 comes in 3500k or 4000k spectrum (i'd lean towards 3500k). 3000k is sold out.

v2 comes in 3000k or 4000k (i'd lean towards 3000k)

In the grand scheme of things i'd up the ante and spend the extra $25 for the V2 lights. It's not that much more and I'd want to get the most bang for my buck for what I'm spending on electricity. Think of the difference of V1 vs V2 kinda like computer chips. When Intel introduces a new line of processors, each time there is a bump up in performance. You're paying $25 to get the latest, fastest processor rather than last years model.
 
Color temp is one reason I leaned toward the V1. I've read that the redder light causes a bigger stretch. And I want to SOG sativas, so I figured the 3500k would be better for my situation. But, to be honest, I'm not really sure. Hard to know what to believe on the Internet.

You have a good point with the computer processor, though...
 
I don't have any info on wavelength vs stretch 1st hand. I will say that lack of light will cause more stretch than anything else. I haven't done a true Sea of Green grow, but I do know that four 5 gallon pots in our size tent, with topping and some LST training, will have that tent busting at the seams if done properly.

These were autos with older less efficient lights.
Day 61

Day 61

 

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