Need help choosing an LED Light

A

Ascended

Active Member
Ok so I've been looking around for a little while now and after a lot of thought (and more than a few conversations with my better half), I've got it narrowed down to two lights, one a Mars 2 700w Full Spectrum and the other a 192x3w Reflector by TopLED. Both seem to offer about the right sized footprint I need for my current 60"x48"x80" closet (but I am planing on getting a 48"x48"x80" grow tent soon). Basically what I am looking for is an idea of which light will be the best option for me to use for the full grow cycle as I don't have the money to spend on getting two, no matter how much I would like to. I will likely end up having between two and four plants (at most) under the light at any one time, as I am only starting out and don't really want to get to badly overwhelmed right off the hop. Thanks in advance for any help you guys (and gals) can offer.:peace:
 
Well my thought on your hard choice is Reflector can have bloom lights off in veg so save money for power use and less stress on light. Mars is stronger with more power,So cost more to run but should make better buds. Mars might let off a little more heat but nothing to worry about. Sorry I could not tell you witch is better.
 
if you only want one light. between mars II 700w and 192x3w, you'd better take 192x3w . actually your area I suggest you take a bigger mars II light. most customers use our mars II 1200w to cover 4x4feet area.
CO Finest said:
Well my thought on your hard choice is Reflector can have bloom lights off in veg so save money for power use and less stress on light. Mars is stronger with more power,So cost more to run but should make better buds. Mars might let off a little more heat but nothing to worry about. Sorry I could not tell you witch is better.
Click to expand...
 
CO Finest said:
Well my thought on your hard choice is Reflector can have bloom lights off in veg so save money for power use and less stress on light. Mars is stronger with more power,So cost more to run but should make better buds. Mars might let off a little more heat but nothing to worry about. Sorry I could not tell you witch is better.
Click to expand...
Hey thanks for replying, any help is appreciated no matter how big or small. You got me to thinking of something, which would be cheaper to run and according to the TopLED website oddly (or maybe not?) the 700W appears to draw *slightly* less power (350-400w - reflector vs. 300-380w - Mars 2 700w). Though that likely has to do with the amount of LEDs on the panel (192 vs. 140), but I'm not sure... so I guess the question is, will whatever blue and white are in the "full spectrum" effect my plants bloom cycle in any noticeable way? speed it up or slow it down or do nothing at all?
 
SmokeSara said:
if you only want one light. between mars II 700w and 192x3w, you'd better take 192x3w . actually your area I suggest you take a bigger mars II light. most customers use our mars II 1200w to cover 4x4feet area.
Click to expand...
Hey Sara thanks for replying I really appreciate your help. Honestly, I would love to get the Mars 2 1200W but I really can't afford to get that right now. no matter how much I might want to, I just have to try and tell myself no lol. Just curious as to why you say the 192x3w? I was sort of leaning this way, because of veg/bloom switch and the slightly larger footprint, but the increased brightness of the 700w drew my attention. So I am just curious why.
 
it has vege and bloom switch. another reason is this light is bigger , can cover your area better.
Ascended said:
Hey Sara thanks for replying I really appreciate your help. Honestly, I would love to get the Mars 2 1200W but I really can't afford to get that right now. no matter how much I might want to, I just have to try and tell myself no lol. Just curious as to why you say the 192x3w? I was sort of leaning this way, because of veg/bloom switch and the slightly larger footprint, but the increased brightness of the 700w drew my attention. So I am just curious why.
Click to expand...
 
My 2 cents worth.
My experience is with Advanced LED`s. Currently use 2 Diamond Series 300`s, to cover about a 3' x 6' area.
Have used these on 4 completed grows. They do a great job IMO.
These LED lights do have veg / flower switches.
Good luck with your garden.
Like i said, just my 2 cents worth.
 
Also, a lot of people recommend to use two smaller rather than one larger (as yooper does) to get better coverage. I have 2 of the 96x3 reflectors and they would nicely cover a 48x48 area IMO, better than the 192 (which is basically just two 96's).
 
yooper rex said:
My 2 cents worth.
My experience is with Advanced LED`s. Currently use 2 Diamond Series 300`s, to cover about a 3' x 6' area.
Have used these on 4 completed grows. They do a great job IMO.
These LED lights do have veg / flower switches.
Good luck with your garden.
Like i said, just my 2 cents worth.
Click to expand...
Hey yooper, thanks for stopping by. I had looked at the advanced LED lights n the past and while I like the looks and options it has, the price is just too much for me to be able to justify them... at least right now anyway, maybe in six months or so once I've seen how well the TopLED, and LED in general, do for me. Glad to hear that you have had such great luck with them though. Now since you have used LED for a couple grows, have you noticed anything (good or bad) that a first timer should watch out for?
 
Pantagruel said:
Also, a lot of people recommend to use two smaller rather than one larger (as yooper does) to get better coverage. I have 2 of the 96x3 reflectors and they would nicely cover a 48x48 area IMO, better than the 192 (which is basically just two 96's).
Click to expand...
Hey Pantagruel, how's your day going so far? Also glad to see you dropped by to check out this thread, I appreciate any help you can offer. I've been weighing the pros and cons to each style light for a while. I settled on the 192x3, honestly because it seemed to be the most cost effective. It offered me the same overall footprint for $40 less than buying 2 of the 96x3. I know this might be a stupid question, but what would the advantage of getting the two 96x3 vs the 192x3? they both say they cover the same amount of space. or is it because of the flexibility of being able to move the lights into better position for each plant? or what?
 
SmokeSara said:
it has vege and bloom switch. another reason is this light is bigger , can cover your area better.
Click to expand...
Just curious but what would the approximate shipping time be to Ontario Canada from where ever the lights would come from? I'm curious as to whether or not they would be here in time for my current plants in bloom (beginning of third week of bloom) or if I should plan on using it on the plants I currently have in veg.
 
you make a good point, about the light hitting plants at different angles. I hadn't thought much about that, just worrying about getting the most coverage for my money. Do you think it will make a big difference having two lights vs one light? I'm only planning on having two - four plants under which ever lights I get. Forgive my noobishness... is that a word, meh it is now :D... but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole process of growing and really don't want to screw up too badly along the way. Hmm now I gotta run this past the boss (read wife/better half) and see what she thinks of me buying those instead... should be an interesting conversation for sure lol. More so since, when I first started out I was only looking at buying those cheap $30 panels you get off of ebay to add for supplemental lighting and have since "grown" my want list (yeah her and I really should have seen that coming lol) to include one of the TopLED lights instead.
 
Pantagruel said:
From what I can see the sweet spot will be a lot bigger. From what I've seen, what you would do is hang them about a foot apart, angled slightly in towards each other..
Click to expand...

Interesting, I think you might have just convinced me to go with the 96x3w. I like the option of being able to move the lights around independently of each other as well as get more/different light to the sides of the plants.

SmokeSara said:
it has vege and bloom switch. another reason is this light is bigger , can cover your area better.
Click to expand...
Just curious but what would the approximate shipping time be to Ontario Canada, for two 96x3w reflectors, from where ever the lights would come from? I'm curious as to whether or not they would be here in time for my current plants in bloom (beginning of third week of bloom) or if I should plan on using it on the plants I currently have in veg. Thanks.
 
Ascended said:


Interesting, I think you might have just convinced me to go with the 96x3w. I like the option of being able to move the lights around independently of each other as well as get more/different light to the sides of the plants.

Just curious but what would the approximate shipping time be to Ontario Canada, for two 96x3w reflectors, from where ever the lights would come from? I'm curious as to whether or not they would be here in time for my current plants in bloom (beginning of third week of bloom) or if I should plan on using it on the plants I currently have in veg. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Why not just add one in Flower if you have room and put other in veg.?
 
I just picked up the 192x3 and its pretty nice, no ventilation yet and my tents runnin at about 77. I also picked up the 60x3 circular one for when i begin flowering to brighten up the room and get those babies the light thevneed. So far so good :)
 
CO Finest said:
Why not just add one in Flower if you have room and put other in veg.?
Click to expand...

That's what I did, except my veg area is actually veggies right now. :)

I think Ascended needs to cover a 4x4 area, which would take two of those lights.
 

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