Is there a decent inexpensive dedicated flowering light

[Damien102]

Hi folks
I'm on the home stretch of my of my first grow (2x2x4 tent, growing 2 autos) with a Q board, 110 true watt, somewhat off brand light. Specs are: Consists of white 3000K, blue 5000K, red 660nm and IR 730nm, ((total chip Qty 255) . I did tie down LST and light defoliation during veg, but still got out of hand with towering colas and veg/leaf blocking light penetration. Now the buds below the canopy seem to not be maturing at all or very very slowly (last pic is after I cut 2 big colas that had been over them them) and the cola's and buds that are exposed have been in flower 9 weeks but look like 5 weeks (pistils browning but slower than they should) (pictures are 9 weeks into flower). This light was great during seedling through veg, but flowering, not so much.
So now that I've given back ground, The question! I want to continue using this light for seedling and veg in future grows, BUT is there a relatively inexpensive ($100ish Q board preferably) light I could switch to during flower? I tried googling cannabis dedicated flowering light, but it just cane back with lighting cycles. Anyone have any recommendations for a dedicated flowering light for the price and tent size I mentioned?

 

[farside05]

The problem most likely isn't about spectrum as much as it is intensity. You could bump up to 150w with a @Mars Hydro TS1000 in your budget, which would help. If you could spring for a TSW 2000 you'd definitely have enough light. That's the route I'd go. Good lighting does more for yield than any other aspect of your equipment. In the long run it's money well spent. You can recoup your extra cash spent in as little as 1 grow. It's cheaper to buy right once than to keep chasing the dragon and slowly upgrading. If you later decide to get a bigger tent (ie a 3x3) the TSW 2000 would grow with you as it would still be adequate for that size tent.

 

[Damien102]

The problem most likely isn't about spectrum as much as it is intensity. You could bump up to 150w with a @Mars Hydro TS1000 in your budget, which would help. If you could spring for a TSW 2000 you'd definitely have enough light. That's the route I'd go. Good lighting does more for yield than any other aspect of your equipment. In the long run it's money well spent. You can recoup your extra cash spent in as little as 1 grow. It's cheaper to buy right once than to keep chasing the dragon and slowly upgrading. If you later decide to get a bigger tent (ie a 3x3) the TSW 2000 would grow with you as it would still be adequate for that size tent.

If you later decide to get a bigger tent (ie a 3x3)... LOL I'd love to get a couple 2x4's but the old lady was looking to divorce lawyers when I got the 2x2. Mars-hydo and spider farmer have good 150w and I may go that route, But the brand I got (FAMURS) has a 210w ver for $185 shipped free. Besides the old lady bitching about the tent size she's on me about every penny I spend. I'd like to get a comparable Mars-Hydo or Spider Farmer for their reputation and to support forum sponsors, But bang for buck (which I don't have a lot of), this may be the way to go.
TF2000 specs

Actual Wattage- -OH (110V)	210
Dimmable (Yes/No)	YES
LED Chip Type	SMD3030
Chips Supplier	SANAN
LED Total Chip Qty	453
Color Rendering Index (CRI)	> 80
Lumen Maintenance (lm)	30300
PPF (umol/s)	585
PPE (umol/J)	2.8
PPFD(umol/J/m2) 18"	925
PPFD(umol/J/m2) 12”	1651
PPFD(umol/J/m2) 6”	2455
Input Voltage (V)	100-240VAC
Input Current (mA)	50/60
Power Factor (PF)	890-2100
Cover Temperature (°C)	55
IP Rating	IP65

 

[Damien102]

The problem most likely isn't about spectrum as much as it is intensity.

BTW, the top pic with the white haired cola's are only about 3 inches from the light and 9 wks into flower. As far as intensity goes shouldn't that negate intensity from being a problem? I'm not disputing your answer, but like I said... first grow and I like to understand what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. Seems that close to a 100w light intensity should be almost to much, no?

 

[1ne eye]

Whats your temp in that tent, also do you have air flow?

 

[Damien102]

Temp kept between 70-80 degrees, humidity kept between 45%-55%. Two AC Infinity, 55 cmf AXIAL 1225, Muffin Fans (intake bottom exhaust top). Tower oscillating fan in partially open door (seals the opening pretty well), 6 inch oscillating clip on opposite corner. Fans flutter all the leaves in the tent but don't move branches larger than fan leaf stems

 

[Roy Growin]

Hi - 120w (60w + 60w) IR/UV/5600k (120° lens) switchable grow/bloom (or both for finishing)
Versatile, there's a few half decent ones around which aren't expensive
I bought mine as starters, but I'm still using them

 

[farside05]

BTW, the top pic with the white haired cola's are only about 3 inches from the light and 9 wks into flower. As far as intensity goes shouldn't that negate intensity from being a problem? I'm not disputing your answer, but like I said... first grow and I like to understand what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. Seems that close to a 100w light intensity should be almost to much, no?

The only true way to know the intensity is to measure it with a light meter. A cheap lux meter ($30 on Amazon) will work. Shoot for 50-60k lux in flower. If you have an iPhone, you could download the Photone app. It's accurate to about 5%. The same app for Android is highly unreliable and I'd recommend the lux meter in that case.

 

[Thsnuts777]

Hi folks
I'm on the home stretch of my of my first grow (2x2x4 tent, growing 2 autos) with a Q board, 110 true watt, somewhat off brand light. Specs are: Consists of white 3000K, blue 5000K, red 660nm and IR 730nm, ((total chip Qty 255) . I did tie down LST and light defoliation during veg, but still got out of hand with towering colas and veg/leaf blocking light penetration. Now the buds below the canopy seem to not be maturing at all or very very slowly (last pic is after I cut 2 big colas that had been over them them) and the cola's and buds that are exposed have been in flower 9 weeks but look like 5 weeks (pistils browning but slower than they should) (pictures are 9 weeks into flower). This light was great during seedling through veg, but flowering, not so much.
So now that I've given back ground, The question! I want to continue using this light for seedling and veg in future grows, BUT is there a relatively inexpensive ($100ish Q board preferably) light I could switch to during flower? I tried googling cannabis dedicated flowering light, but it just cane back with lighting cycles. Anyone have any recommendations for a dedicated flowering light for the price and tent size I mentioned?

You need nutrients big time …. Your buds are so small and light looking . I would use this for edibles not smoking.

 

[CrimsonEcho]

that oscillating fan is enough by its own imo get the tower fan out and fill that space with buds.

you should also defoliate a bit imo, you should have a full canopy of leaves but lowers can go. a single layer or 2 layers of leaves covering the tent from wall to wall is more than enough. most of the light doesnt make it through the first layer of leaves.

as for lights i’d look into 150-200w true draw fixture with decent umol/j. i got lumatek attis 200w in one of my 2x2. running it dimmed at 40-60%. got another diy fixture with 4 cree cxb1830s running at about 150w. basically a heatsink with 4 cob leds and 4 fans on the other side. if you’re gonna keep using the cfls keep them very close.

also heard good things about opticled you might wanna check them out never used them personally but specs seem solid.

 

[Damien102]

You need nutrients big time …. Your buds are so small and light looking . I would use this for edibles not smoking.

I been giving them 1/2 recommended GH Flora Trio, and 100% recommended Cal Mag Plus in ph 6.3-6.8 water through out its life.
The pic is after I cut a few big cola's, the small airy buds your seeing were being block from light

 

[Damien102]

that oscillating fan is enough by its own imo get the tower fan out and fill that space with buds.

you should also defoliate a bit imo, you should have a full canopy of leaves but lowers can go. a single layer or 2 layers of leaves covering the tent from wall to wall is more than enough. most of the light doesnt make it through the first layer of leaves.

as for lights i’d look into 150-200w true draw fixture with decent umol/j. i got lumatek attis 200w in one of my 2x2. running it dimmed at 40-60%. got another diy fixture with 4 cree cxb1830s running at about 150w. basically a heatsink with 4 cob leds and 4 fans on the other side. if you’re gonna keep using the cfls keep them very close.

also heard good things about opticled you might wanna check them out never used them personally but specs seem solid.

The tower fan isn't taking up any tent space really. Its outside the tent with the flap sealed to it (see photo)
I know I should have defoliated more aggressively during veg and early flower. Everything I've read says you'll hurt the plant more than help it defoliating in mid/later flower. Is this not true?
I'm planning on getting another light (200 true watt) before my next grow goes into flower. This one was awesome up till then. Its a 100w full spectrum Q board. The same light 200w version goes for about $180 on amazon. Cant see needing any more than that in a 2x2 tent.
The pics are 6 days old and she's coming along since then. On the cola's all the trichomes are milky, but only a scattered couple ambers.
The plan at this point is give the cola's another 2 weeks, then chop them ambers or not. Then I think I'm going to see what I can do defoliating and dropping the light height and salvage the lower buds where I can and trashing the rest.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Used electronic HID ballast, new 250-watt HPS bulb, any reflector (or bare bulb vertical, but space might be a little tight). Dedicated flowering light, lol. With luck, the ballast will be dimmable. If not, well, grow sativas and get lifted .

 

[Damien102]

OK so now a little off topic with the OP but.... My trichomes are all milky now. I'm 10 weeks into flower and no amber. I read on another forum, some strains never get amber, they just stay milky. This prompts me to ask two questions. One is this true? Two, if so, I'm growing gorilla glue autos. Is this one of those "no amber turning strains?

I just took theses scope pics and actually do see a few ambers. Like I said. Theses are GG Auto's. Do they look ready to cut?

 

[bluter]

Hi folks
I'm on the home stretch of my of my first grow (2x2x4 tent, growing 2 autos) with a Q board, 110 true watt, somewhat off brand light. Specs are: Consists of white 3000K, blue 5000K, red 660nm and IR 730nm, ((total chip Qty 255) . I did tie down LST and light defoliation during veg, but still got out of hand with towering colas and veg/leaf blocking light penetration. Now the buds below the canopy seem to not be maturing at all or very very slowly (last pic is after I cut 2 big colas that had been over them them) and the cola's and buds that are exposed have been in flower 9 weeks but look like 5 weeks (pistils browning but slower than they should) (pictures are 9 weeks into flower).

you're actually doing fantastic with what you have to work with. lighting aside, it's hard to get a pile of production out of a space that size. cannabis hates being bottled up. it develops better when it has room to move.

This light was great during seedling through veg, but flowering, not so much.
So now that I've given back ground, The question! I want to continue using this light for seedling and veg in future grows, BUT is there a relatively inexpensive ($100ish Q board preferably) light I could switch to during flower?

you could use a bit bigger light overall, as has been noted by others. you can stuff up to 250w in there, but the space is going to limit your rig options. i built 5 pot 250w led cob rigs that were aimed direct at 2 x 2, but they were for 6 - 8 ft high areas. commercially available is also going to be a tough slog to find.

the real answer is you need a jump in both space and lighting from veg to flower.

i grow a micro plant style called hempy, so i keep my plants a bit smaller on purpose, but they will produce. other than the grow style i follow a very old school method. the seedling / veg space is touch over 2 x 2 and uses a 200w rig. the flower space is a little under 4 x 4 and has a 600w rig.

the jump in both space and wattage lets them produce. the veg space uses a 4 pot cob rig and i have a 12 pot rig in the flower room. it's the bump in both that makes it happen. achieving decent size colas is no big deal that way. there's no way it would happen if i was stuck with the veg space only.

I tried googling cannabis dedicated flowering light, but it just cane back with lighting cycles. Anyone have any recommendations for a dedicated flowering light for the price and tent size I mentioned?

no one really builds a dedicated veg or flowering light anymore. that was kind of the norm in the old hid days with the difference in kelvin between metal halide veg lights and high pressure sodium flowering lights. back then the majority of growers would choose to run a flower or veg light all the way through to avoid having to spend the cash on two rigs.


that changed with the onset of led. led allows for a mix of emitters - a mix of kelvin - leading to the 'full spec' lights we have today. the idea behind modern led rigs is a one light for all approach, with several emitters appropriate for differing stages. higher blue k spectrum for veg, and lower red k spectrum for flower both in one rig.

both mfgrs and growers love it as they can reduce costs and cut back on the amount of gear needed. whether it is the best approach is debatable. i run cob rigs which have less flexibility in kelvin, much like the old hid fixtures. i went with a definite flower bias in my choice of kelvin. so you can build a led rig with a flower bias if you want. it's pretty simple.



bit worried about this ..

that's a load of cords looking for a fire to participate in. look in to cleaning it up. try to find out what your wall draw for everything is, and what else aside from the grow space is on the circuit you are pulling from.


also

that's crazy good for that size space.
it won't help jamming them up under the light unless you have no headroom left at all. your first issue is space.

 

[Damien102]

you're actually doing fantastic with what you have to work with. lighting aside, it's hard to get a pile of production out of a space that size. cannabis hates being bottled up. it develops better when it has room to move.






you could use a bit bigger light overall, as has been noted by others. you can stuff up to 250w in there, but the space is going to limit your rig options. i built 5 pot 250w led cob rigs that were aimed direct at 2 x 2, but they were for 6 - 8 ft high areas. commercially available is also going to be a tough slog to find.

the real answer is you need a jump in both space and lighting from veg to flower.

i grow a micro plant style called hempy, so i keep my plants a bit smaller on purpose, but they will produce. other than the grow style i follow a very old school method. the seedling / veg space is touch over 2 x 2 and uses a 200w rig. the flower space is a little under 4 x 4 and has a 600w rig.

the jump in both space and wattage lets them produce. the veg space uses a 4 pot cob rig and i have a 12 pot rig in the flower room. it's the bump in both that makes it happen. achieving decent size colas is no big deal that way. there's no way it would happen if i was stuck with the veg space only.






no one really builds a dedicated veg or flowering light anymore. that was kind of the norm in the old hid days with the difference in kelvin between metal halide veg lights and high pressure sodium flowering lights. back then the majority of growers would choose to run a flower or veg light all the way through to avoid having to spend the cash on two rigs.


that changed with the onset of led. led allows for a mix of emitters - a mix of kelvin - leading to the 'full spec' lights we have today. the idea behind modern led rigs is a one light for all approach, with several emitters appropriate for differing stages. higher blue k spectrum for veg, and lower red k spectrum for flower both in one rig.

both mfgrs and growers love it as they can reduce costs and cut back on the amount of gear needed. whether it is the best approach is debatable. i run cob rigs which have less flexibility in kelvin, much like the old hid fixtures. i went with a definite flower bias in my choice of kelvin. so you can build a led rig with a flower bias if you want. it's pretty simple.



bit worried about this ..

that's a load of cords looking for a fire to participate in. look in to cleaning it up. try to find out what your wall draw for everything is, and what else aside from the grow space is on the circuit you are pulling from.


also

that's crazy good for that size space.
it won't help jamming them up under the light unless you have no headroom left at all. your first issue is space.

I pretty much agree with everything you say. This is my first grow and I have a few domestic restraints. The wife didn't want any part of this from the start. She bitched about the space and the $$ before I even started. Hence a bigger tent is a no go. I like the light I have but intend to bump it up to the 200w version next grow. Those cola's you mentioned being so close to the light are that close in fact because, even tied down, that's how tall they are with the light at max height.
Last but not least, what you said about those cords. Yeah... I noticed that too. Actually, I'm a retired electrician. Like I said.... first time doing this. It started with one or two cords and piecemealed into what you see. At this point I'd have to remove the plants, organize/rewire everything. With the plants being as big and over crowded in the tent as they are, that kind of impossible. But lesson learned, next grow in my 2x2 tent= 200w light, ONE plant, SCROG at 12" and defoliate everything below the net. And most importantly, electronics placement and wire management BEFORE the pot even goes in!!! Can't harvest pot from a plant thats been in a fire. Plus the wife would be really PISSED!!!! if I burned the house down

 

[bluter]

I pretty much agree with everything you say. This is my first grow and I have a few domestic restraints. The wife didn't want any part of this from the start. She bitched about the space and the $$ before I even started. Hence a bigger tent is a no go.

if she doesn't smoke you need to make her some topicals and delicious tinctures. it's a good way to get the wife / girlfriend on side. expansion will happen organically from there.

I like the light I have but intend to bump it up to the 200w version next grow. Those cola's you mentioned being so close to the light are that close in fact because, even tied down, that's how tall they are with the light at max height.

i kinda figured. if you can get a taller 2 x 2 or 3 x 3 that would help. shoot for the 3 x 3, it'll free up the shorter one. you could justify using the short one as a veg tent ... " gee i have it already honey" ... then you get to set the larger one up

Last but not least, what you said about those cords. Yeah... I noticed that too. Actually, I'm a retired electrician. Like I said.... first time doing this. It started with one or two cords and piecemealed into what you see. At this point I'd have to remove the plants, organize/rewire everything.

be a good idea to clean it up at some point. a larger well thought out dedicated space with proper ventilation to outdoor is far better, safer, and more stealth than your current set up. you already have 2/3 of the skills needed and the rest isn't hard.


if you have a basement you can do it. my pops and i built this dedicated space in his house from an unfinished shower area.

it has it's own circuit wired in and is exhausted direct to outdoor. no none know or cares unless we show them. it's a little under 4x4 and it's all you'd ever need. it's way safer than trying to jam it up in that little 2x2.

there's a fan and scrubber tucked up above the light, so there's no odour. behind the silver reflectix there's insulation for sound deadening. other than that it's a big plywood box.

i've built other spaces as well. i usually got help from someone with your skills.

With the plants being as big and over crowded in the tent as they are, that kind of impossible. But lesson learned, next grow in my 2x2 tent= 200w light, ONE plant, SCROG at 12" and defoliate everything below the net. And most importantly, electronics placement and wire management BEFORE the pot even goes in!!! Can't harvest pot from a plant thats been in a fire.

let's ask @Bill284 in for a chat

if restricted to the 2x2x4 or 2 x 2 anything then a scrog is a great idea.

Plus the wife would be really PISSED!!!! if I burned the house down

another reasonable argument for a proper space

 

[Damien102]

I think your arguments for more and bigger stuff are quite valid, but don't think the wife would agree..... I can't say fire to her or she would have me take it all down instead of letting me invest more.
She's very adverse to me drinking (her dad was a big time alcie), but she don't care if I smoke till my eyes fall out. Can/have tell her its $50ish an oz. vs $480 dispensary or $300 street, NJ pot prices are criminal. That's how I got what I have. But I must say with what I got I can still grow more than I can smoke, so right now I'm looking to improve quality more than quantity.
The wife got COPD so she can't smoke. I did get her gummies just the other day and she got so stoned off just 1 she was a zombie LOL. But she's the kind that just likes to get high for special occasions (bitches be crazy). Actually I'm the same way, although I think anytime one is awake is one of those special occasions.
FYI... I thought of the basement set-up, but my basement is cold in the winter (only heat comes from hot water pipes running through it), and there's no access through the living space... have to walk around back and enter through Bilco doors, Not fun doing it once or twice a day when there's 12 inches of snow on the ground and its 20 degree's F outside. And like I said.... I did consider it, but when I mentioned it first thing the old lady thought of was unattended electronics fire.
BTW, Very nice grow room. Wish I could do something like that, but like said.... As bitchy as the wife is at times, I'd still like to keep her around

 

[TorturedSoul]

behind the silver reflectix there's insulation for sound deadening. other than that it's a big plywood box.

Reflectix makes for a pretty sh!tty (light) reflector, IMHO. You'd probably have been better off putting that on the outside of your cabinet (or around HVAC duct, with standoffs to provide the nice air gap between the wrap and the duct so as to actually attain the R value the manufacturer states the product has). Prep, prime, and paint those inner walls with the brightest white paint you can find (Behr Ultra has a decent one, although I forget the number). Flat, for maximum light diffusion, or something with a bit of a finish on it for convenience (easier to clean than to repaint), eggshell maybe. Or, if you have more money than time and want the maximum light reflectivity, get some Orca Film. But a good white paint (and job prep) can get you into at least the lower 90s, maybe even 93% to 94%. Either way, should be substantially better than Reflectix. The "reflect" in the product name - and the "reflective" in 'The product consists of one 96% reflective layer of film bonded to two internal layers of...' are in regards to reflecting heat, not light.

EDIT for thread relevance: Proper attention to wall surface LIGHT reflectivity can be like adding extra light to one's garden - except that it's light that the gardener is already paying for each month, via their electricity bill.

 

[bluter]

Reflectix makes for a pretty sh!tty (light) reflector, IMHO.

actually it works amazingly well. i've used it in a few applications. the preference is flat white paint, next is pebbled silver. the reflectix pops in just under that. it comes in ahead of mylar, and is not a fire issue like panda film.

i ran with it in this space as i didn't feel like drywalling.. there's a lot of thought put in to the space from a dedicated circuit to exterior exhaust ducts, sound insulation, vapor barrier etc ...