CMH or LED first time grow need opinions

H

Highflyer580

420 Member
what's up from smoklahoma! Jus starting my very first grow and I'm kind of stuck in between CMH lights or LED anybody got some good useful insider tips or opinions... Been trying to justify the price of cmh compared to led honestly
 
Hiya Highflyer580 I'd say it depends on where you are growing and what your budget is, heat being the main reason. CMH is hot, LED can be cool as a cucumber. Lots of variants of each of those type of light too, which definitely defines how efficiently they will grow. Cost of course has a factor too right? Lots and lots of considerations to make! Whats the rest of your setup like?
 
Pbass said:
Hiya Highflyer580 I'd say it depends on where you are growing and what your budget is, heat being the main reason. CMH is hot, LED can be cool as a cucumber. Lots of variants of each of those type of light too, which definitely defines how efficiently they will grow. Cost of course has a factor too right? Lots and lots of considerations to make! Whats the rest of your setup like?
Click to expand...
I've got a pretty stable enviro and I'm jus wanting the best bang for my buck I don't have an issue with spending money on something that is quality and tried and true..ya know what I mean..being that it is my first time I'm jus trying to get some opinions from folks that have been doing this for some time
 
If money is no issue, you can’t go wrong with quantum boards. Don’t go cheap on the LED or you might as well go CMH.

I have used LEDs, one from a sponsor here, and have done OK. But I also picked up a CMH that I will use this round as they are supposed to be pretty damn good.
 
Welcome Highflyer. I have a CMH and cob leds. Now a quantum setup I haven't used yet but have great expectations for.
The CMH has a footprint of 3 x 3 feet and throws a fair amount of heat, not too bad. All other forms of lights come in configurations to fit many size tents. The Quantums are full spectrum light and I think the CMH comes close. Cobs (mine) not so much but I wouldn't stop using them. They grow good.
My opinion is that I'd go QB. You can get them for any size tent you want and they are top grow lights.
 
Highflyer580 said:
I've got a pretty stable enviro and I'm jus wanting the best bang for my buck I don't have an issue with spending money on something that is quality and tried and true..ya know what I mean..being that it is my first time I'm jus trying to get some opinions from folks that have been doing this for some time
Click to expand...

:welcome: welcome Highflyer to the forum.

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Highflyer580 said:
Been trying to justify the price of cmh compared to led honestly
Click to expand...


If you're finding CMH priced higher than LED, you're looking at the wrong LED.

$150 for "1500watts" off amazon (or ebay, etc) isn't going to cut the mustard. They're not really a 1500watt light, nor a 1500watt equivalent. Doesn't matter how well the semi-broken english claims it to be true, it's not. (They have their uses, but not the uses they claim.)

How big of a growing space are you looking to cover? That is the big question to start with. You have to know your footprint or you cannot choose an appropriate light.

To figure out the amount of space you need as well as the type of setup, which isn't an exact science, you need to know how much you smoke in about a 6 month period. Why? Because a single crop will take about 4-6 months from seed popping to harvested, and then fully cured. Some really long flowering sativas can take 8 months, maybe more. (Also depends on veg time. 4-6 months would be a 2mo veg, 8 week flower, 6-8 week post-harvest dry and cure. Some cure their bud for 6 months or more, just sayin.)

For the sake of simple math, let's say you consume 2oz a month. That's 12oz in 6mo. With the right genetics, lighting, and a slightly above basic skill in growing anything, you should be able to pull 2-3oz per plant indoors to begin with. Maybe more. Not a guarantee, but this assumes you have some type of growing experience (tomatoes, vegetables, etc) and also have a good grow setup. With experience you can pull even more per plant with the right genetics (like 6-8oz, sometimes more. Depending on veg time, grow style, etc.) Way too many factors come into play for exact numbers. One thing is certain though, better lights means better/more bud.

For a light in general, you want to find one with a coverage of ~800-900 PPFD over it's flowering footprint. If it's higher and dimmable, fine. Lights like this are going to pull somewhere around 600-800 watts from the wall for a 4x4 area, give or take. (This is ballpark, so reading the details on lights is a must.) You also want to find lights with at least a PPF/Watt efficacy of 2 umol/j (micromoles per joule) for it to be worth it in terms of saving power over the long haul.


Lights which can do this and flower a 4x4 space aren't exactly cheap to start, and certainly not $150 on amazon. (Avoid amazon and the like for this part, or you'll waste your money overall.)

For a 4x4, look to start your budget around $500 on the low end. This will have you building kits and such. The top end can run you $2000-$2500 for the absolute top end. In reality, you can get a great light for a 4x4 flowering area for about $1k, maybe a little less, after tax/shipping/etc. Factors depending.

One of our wonderful forum sponsors, LED Grow Lights Depot, have an excellent article on LED lighting and how to wade through all the jargon. You can find it here: LED Grow Light Buyer's Guide - How to Choose the Best LED Grow Light for your Plants

Don't be in a hurry. Take the time to do it right, and put in the effort to research and find an optimal solution for your situation. You'll be much happier in the long term if you set yourself up for success from the beginning, vice getting discouraged because of a weak initial setup.

welcome, and good luck.
 
multiVortex said:
If you're finding CMH priced higher than LED, you're looking at the wrong LED.

$150 for "1500watts" off amazon (or ebay, etc) isn't going to cut the mustard. They're not really a 1500watt light, nor a 1500watt equivalent. Doesn't matter how well the semi-broken english claims it to be true, it's not. (They have their uses, but not the uses they claim.)

How big of a growing space are you looking to cover? That is the big question to start with. You have to know your footprint or you cannot choose an appropriate light.

To figure out the amount of space you need as well as the type of setup, which isn't an exact science, you need to know how much you smoke in about a 6 month period. Why? Because a single crop will take about 4-6 months from seed popping to harvested, and then fully cured. Some really long flowering sativas can take 8 months, maybe more. (Also depends on veg time. 4-6 months would be a 2mo veg, 8 week flower, 6-8 week post-harvest dry and cure. Some cure their bud for 6 months or more, just sayin.)

For the sake of simple math, let's say you consume 2oz a month. That's 12oz in 6mo. With the right genetics, lighting, and a slightly above basic skill in growing anything, you should be able to pull 2-3oz per plant indoors to begin with. Maybe more. Not a guarantee, but this assumes you have some type of growing experience (tomatoes, vegetables, etc) and also have a good grow setup. With experience you can pull even more per plant with the right genetics (like 6-8oz, sometimes more. Depending on veg time, grow style, etc.) Way too many factors come into play for exact numbers. One thing is certain though, better lights means better/more bud.

For a light in general, you want to find one with a coverage of ~800-900 PPFD over it's flowering footprint. If it's higher and dimmable, fine. Lights like this are going to pull somewhere around 600-800 watts from the wall for a 4x4 area, give or take. (This is ballpark, so reading the details on lights is a must.) You also want to find lights with at least a PPF/Watt efficacy of 2 umol/j (micromoles per joule) for it to be worth it in terms of saving power over the long haul.


Lights which can do this and flower a 4x4 space aren't exactly cheap to start, and certainly not $150 on amazon. (Avoid amazon and the like for this part, or you'll waste your money overall.)

For a 4x4, look to start your budget around $500 on the low end. This will have you building kits and such. The top end can run you $2000-$2500 for the absolute top end. In reality, you can get a great light for a 4x4 flowering area for about $1k, maybe a little less, after tax/shipping/etc. Factors depending.

One of our wonderful forum sponsors, LED Grow Lights Depot, have an excellent article on LED lighting and how to wade through all the jargon. You can find it here: LED Grow Light Buyer's Guide - How to Choose the Best LED Grow Light for your Plants

Don't be in a hurry. Take the time to do it right, and put in the effort to research and find an optimal solution for your situation. You'll be much happier in the long term if you set yourself up for success from the beginning, vice getting discouraged because of a weak initial setup.

welcome, and good luck.
Click to expand...

Do you have a link to your current journal?
I'd like to check out your grow. :thumb:
 
Highflyer, I think why everyone's saying is, buy the best light's that you can afford and don't do what a lot of us have already done, buy cheap light's.
Make your purchase a investment, because you have to put in the same amount of love and work into your plants.
Buying good lights is the difference between growing okay plants and great plants.
I wish I knew this before I bought my first light's, but I learned the hard way and I hope you don't make the same mistake.

Shop the best 2022 LED Grow Lights, Nutrients, & Supplies for Hemp

Elevated Lighting Company engineers and builds the highest yielding LED grow lights for hemp cannabis in the USA $ for $. Based out of Hemlock MI, We also offer a wide range of nutrients, soils / growing media, and gardening supplies at an affordable price. Fast Flat Rate Shipping - $14.99 -...
www.budgetgrowlights.com

American made with a 3 year warranty!
 
multiVortex said:
If you're finding CMH priced higher than LED, you're looking at the wrong LED.

$150 for "1500watts" off amazon (or ebay, etc) isn't going to cut the mustard. They're not really a 1500watt light, nor a 1500watt equivalent. Doesn't matter how well the semi-broken english claims it to be true, it's not. (They have their uses, but not the uses they claim.)

How big of a growing space are you looking to cover? That is the big question to start with. You have to know your footprint or you cannot choose an appropriate light.

To figure out the amount of space you need as well as the type of setup, which isn't an exact science, you need to know how much you smoke in about a 6 month period. Why? Because a single crop will take about 4-6 months from seed popping to harvested, and then fully cured. Some really long flowering sativas can take 8 months, maybe more. (Also depends on veg time. 4-6 months would be a 2mo veg, 8 week flower, 6-8 week post-harvest dry and cure. Some cure their bud for 6 months or more, just sayin.)

For the sake of simple math, let's say you consume 2oz a month. That's 12oz in 6mo. With the right genetics, lighting, and a slightly above basic skill in growing anything, you should be able to pull 2-3oz per plant indoors to begin with. Maybe more. Not a guarantee, but this assumes you have some type of growing experience (tomatoes, vegetables, etc) and also have a good grow setup. With experience you can pull even more per plant with the right genetics (like 6-8oz, sometimes more. Depending on veg time, grow style, etc.) Way too many factors come into play for exact numbers. One thing is certain though, better lights means better/more bud.

For a light in general, you want to find one with a coverage of ~800-900 PPFD over it's flowering footprint. If it's higher and dimmable, fine. Lights like this are going to pull somewhere around 600-800 watts from the wall for a 4x4 area, give or take. (This is ballpark, so reading the details on lights is a must.) You also want to find lights with at least a PPF/Watt efficacy of 2 umol/j (micromoles per joule) for it to be worth it in terms of saving power over the long haul.


Lights which can do this and flower a 4x4 space aren't exactly cheap to start, and certainly not $150 on amazon. (Avoid amazon and the like for this part, or you'll waste your money overall.)

For a 4x4, look to start your budget around $500 on the low end. This will have you building kits and such. The top end can run you $2000-$2500 for the absolute top end. In reality, you can get a great light for a 4x4 flowering area for about $1k, maybe a little less, after tax/shipping/etc. Factors depending.

One of our wonderful forum sponsors, LED Grow Lights Depot, have an excellent article on LED lighting and how to wade through all the jargon. You can find it here: LED Grow Light Buyer's Guide - How to Choose the Best LED Grow Light for your Plants

Don't be in a hurry. Take the time to do it right, and put in the effort to research and find an optimal solution for your situation. You'll be much happier in the long term if you set yourself up for success from the beginning, vice getting discouraged because of a weak initial setup.

welcome, and good luck.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the insight man jus boils down to continuous research and whatnot but I got my hands on a fairly nice cmh light for a good price..thinking bout running some nice cobs along side it now lol Soooo many options it's crazy but I appreciate the insight again man!
 
I find this topic is always a pissing match lol. Go with what you want. Your either an LED fan boy or a CMH fan boy.
I personally love CMH and wouldn't trade them for any other light... Hard to compare when it comes to spectrum. Closest spectrum to the sun money can buy.
Trying to compare CMH to LED is as apples to zucchini as it gets. CMH is what it is... Some bulbs vary slightly in performance but one fixture to another is basically identical.
LED on the other hand has complete garbage at one end of the scale and excellent quality and performance at the other end.
A quality LED fixture is not cheaper than CMH so if you are finding it hard to justify the extra cost of CMH vs some LED fixture you are looking at then you are looking at sub-par LED fixtures IMO.
 
Greenlizard said:
I find this topic is always a pissing match lol. Go with what you want. Your either an LED fan boy or a CMH fan boy.
I personally love CMH and wouldn't trade them for any other light... Hard to compare when it comes to spectrum. Closest spectrum to the sun money can buy.
Trying to compare CMH to LED is as apples to zucchini as it gets. CMH is what it is... Some bulbs vary slightly in performance but one fixture to another is basically identical.
LED on the other hand has complete garbage at one end of the scale and excellent quality and performance at the other end.
A quality LED fixture is not cheaper than CMH so if you are finding it hard to justify the extra cost of CMH vs some LED fixture you are looking at then you are looking at sub-par LED fixtures IMO.
Click to expand...
What bulb do you prefer to run
 
Highflyer580 said:
What bulb do you prefer to run
Click to expand...
I have been running iPower 3100K bulbs and I am very happy with them. I might try the Philips in two years time when my bulbs need to be changed due to some hype I have read, but iPower is the best bang for the buck IMO.
 
safeman said:
were can one get quality Quantum boards ? need to up grade but finding that QB's are/might be better than Vispar's or Mars, better spectrum
Click to expand...

I just sent you a pm.
 
John Wick said:
Do you have a link to your current journal?
I'd like to check out your grow. :thumb:
Click to expand...

Next grow starts somewhere around the beginning of next month. I'll make a note to tag you in it once I get it rolling.

(I've got some time away for a bit, then will be putting forth a new RDWC setup for it's maiden run. :))



Highflyer580 said:
Thanks for the insight man jus boils down to continuous research and whatnot but I got my hands on a fairly nice cmh light for a good price..thinking bout running some nice cobs along side it now lol Soooo many options it's crazy but I appreciate the insight again man!
Click to expand...


It definitely can get overwhelming, and fast. Looking for a new light a few months ago, my head was swimming like crazy. It took many, many nights of reading, reading, and more reading to finally narrow it down to a couple options. At that point I punted to the distributor for help. lol (Which they did, and were awesome. For the record and full disclosure, I got my light through forum sponsor: LED Grow Lights Depot. Erik is awesome, and I'm still smiling over the whole experience.)
 
Dr Fish said:
I've gotta stand by my 2 315 watt cmh/lec lights. My mixed hydro thread has good examples of 315 watt cmh, 430 hps lights, and a 185 watt led that I paid $500 for...
Click to expand...

That was an excellent comparison grow Dr Fish. Thanks for pointing it out.
 

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