Mars-Hydro LED Grow Light Discussion

[DarkSidofMike]

more grams is not all for sure ... this is clearly more simple and less work with a scrog and long vegging time with 1 plant.

really really didnt want to putting down your great work denise. your buds are amazing!

 

[Robert Celt]

Mike mate, I believe you need to do some more research to have a better understanding of the way plants use light.

Lumins, wall watts etc have little to do with how plants absorb light. You say people like CO Finest are giving bad advice but you are comparing apples to oranges comparing watts HPS to watts LED.

Because HPS produces a lot of waste heat and light outside of the needs of plants, that means wasted wattage. LEDs on the other hand, when designed for plant growth, produce only the spectrums needed by plants with less waste heat. As such, LEDs require less wattage per sqft to replace HPS.

Before you call out someone for giving "bad advice", especially someone who has much experience in both HPS and LED lights, do your research so you know the facts and can compare accordingly.

And as CO said, keep it growing green

 

[DarkSidofMike]

he was using a 600W HPS for his area .... and to replace a 600W HPS you need a mars2 1200W .... i have nothing more to say

 

[Camelion]

Also "new" here, reading a couple of weeks already but finally the registration and the first question.
Wich one would be the best option in a 1m x 1m x 2m tent.
2x 98x5w reflector or 1x 900w Mars II?
I"am leaning towards the 2 x reflector because they are also 5w now...

 

[DarkSidofMike]

minimum mars2 900W .... mars2 1200W is better

yes 2X 98X5W relfector will be good too and better than 900W ... but mars2 1200W will be better

Also "new" here, reading a couple of weeks already but finally the registration and the first question.
Wich one would be the best option in a 1m x 1m x 2m tent.
2x 98x5w reflector or 1x 900w Mars II?
I"am leaning towards the 2 x reflector because they are also 5w now...

 

[Gnarl E Green]

They say you can't argue with success, but some people still try.

 

[ColoradoGriz]

TBH I have never understood the watts per square foot argument @DarksideofMike.

Not mentioning names of other products but as an example I know of one grow light that does 130000 LUX @ 440 Wall Watts for a 4x4 at 24"
The Mars 2 1600 draws @ 780 Wall Watts with @ 19000 LUX at < 31" with a 4.5 x 4.5 coverage

With the watts per sq foot theory, the Mars 2 would be the better light but the other lamp puts out way more light with a better spectrum (at 4 times the price). That light would be @27.5w/sq ft, a low power light by the standards you explain. LEDs use about 55-65% of their rated power so they last longer. If LED companies went with the watt theory wouldn't they just boost the LEDs to use more wall watts?

I'm choosing Mars Hydro for the customer service, great price, and the great recommendations backed with proof of results. Mars does the job and I think the results say more than the watts. Mars is providing a product at a far lower price which is great for a majority of those growers that want to get into LED growing at an affordable price.

 

[DarkSidofMike]

forget about lux ... if mars hydro panels have more lux maybe this is cause they use a lot of white leds .... lux or lumens mean nothing when talking about leds grow panels

 

[ColoradoGriz]

forget about lux ... if mars hydro panels have more lux maybe this is cause they use a lot of white leds .... lux or lumens mean nothing when talking about leds grow panels

You read incorrectly. In my example, Mars had only 19,000 LUX compared to the other brand with 130,000 LUX. I had also mentioned a "better" spectrum in the other brand. My example was not that LUX is even a determining factor, my example is that watts per square foot is really nothing more than power consumption. If a POS light had a draw of 100w/sq foot it would not make it a better light, it just means a higher electric bill. Any LED can be wired to draw more wall watts. How many of those watts are even for the lights as some of those watts run the fans, the computer chips etc.

 

[DarkSidofMike]

using power consuption of grow lights to know the area for each is a simple way to go yes, but simple dont mean it is bad. thats a simple, usefull and reliable way to give advices to growers. specially if you know well the product.

 

[ganjazz]

so frosty

 

[randy355]

using power consuption of grow lights to know the area for each is a simple way to go yes, but simple dont mean it is bad. thats a simple, usefull and reliable way to give advices to growers. specially if you know well the product.

If you look at the original chart it was intended as a comparison of the different types of light used not as a absolute answer for how much light you need just a level playing field for all lights and each has their own range of wall watts. Then there are so many different aspects to take into consideration one main point is how much of the area is to be used just because you have thirty square feet if your only going to grow one plant do you need 1500 watts?
There are many successful growers here who with their styles have shown grows that even with mid thirty wpsf are readily done and they prove it with pictures and results showing they use the equipment that is recommended. Many of these growers have been here since the beginning and have well into the twenty Mars Hydro light range and have used other manufactures products but still come back so there must be something good going on here.
Then we get the people who show up tell everyone what they need and how to do it. That the lights are not right and they can grow a huge amount in a short time from seed and everyone needs the largest lights and max output but oddly we know that some of the cheaper smaller lights have been purchased but have yet to see a grow picture of even a sprout.
Personally telling someone just starting to go the max route is a quick way to failure there is a lot more to this than add light pick bud and it needs to be understood and developed at a sane rate I also believe many small lights are better than one large, I mean do I start seeds with a 1600 watt panel or use it to veg two plants?
I don't think so, myself aprox 25 wpsf sprout or clone, 30 - 35 wpsf veg to mid flower, 45 + wpsf mid flower to harvest (last 4 wks) this works best for me and gives a balance between power used, heat and output. During my last grow to establish a Mother plant for future grows from 4 strains the winner averaged 600 grams per plant and buds were near the same size, density,and resin development whether under a 900 watt Mars 2 or a 96 x 3 reflector and when the much criticized 60 x 5 was added they stretched to get under it and got larger.
The only real benefit I see with higher light output is finishing the plant it seems that with moderate light intensity some plants will just go on and on never really finishing which for a lot of people is not a bad thing resin color and effect takes awhile to understand

 

[Dennise]

Beautifully said Randy.......

 

[oldsalt]

I don't know where everyone gets there information, but I grow with 2 90W LEDS in a 2X4 tent. My plants grow fine and the light is currently six inches away. Sure I could get more grams from higher wattage, but when you pull seven quart jars from a single plant, I am satisfied. Maybe you guys should experiment, no telling what you may find.

 

[Robert Celt]

As Dennise said, well put Randy

 

[santb]

I think DSOMike is trying to help but his english makes it sound (read) like he's being overly critical sometimes... DSOMike, you sound very enthusiastic and passionate to me! Going to the max you can afford given space/$$ makes sense; if you can nail down the environment/genetics then all mistakes would have to be the growers fault..
That being said; for myself, with zero indoor experience, with the literally 100's of hours of reading and questions about LED, soil, etc., I personally think it will come down to space usage.. Trying to put too many plants under ANY given light (the sun not included) will give lower-than-wanted results.. Even with environment dialed in...
Get the biggest/best light you can afford, and go from there... I got a 144x3 mars cos that was the easiest, best quality for me for the moment, but I'm not gonna try and cram 10 plants under it. Max 2 plants directly under it, and cross my fingers for 2-3OZ each; that's the plan (hope!) at least... I only want to veg for a short time also, but will go up to 8 weeks or more if necessary so we'll see what happens and adjust if needed...
K.I.S.S!

 

[Dennise]

KISS is the best advice I could give or have ever received........

 

[santb]

KISS is the best advice I could give or have ever received........

For sure! And I'm a guy who thinks WAY TOO MUCH about all the small things...!
I think I've got my soil sorted, I got my light, now I'll build the cabinet around the light, not the other way around, and go from there. It seems like some people are getting their cab first, thinking about huge SOG/SCROGS or 8ft plants, then realizing that they need to spend too much on lights or heat control etc. for coverage.....
Get the best light you can afford; HPS, LED, whatever, and go from there. Grow; practice, adjust; save up for more lights while learning to grow.....

 

[Dennise]

....

 

[Evo-Rat-93]

I believe the better advice to take and consider would be from seasoned growers who are speaking from many experiences not just whats been read from the internet.Even then you still need to find your own way to a satisfying grow.