Need advice please - I have $500 for lighting - What's better LED or T8?

[rock49911]

How should I invest for lighting? I have $500 I want to spend. LED or T8 grow? For 12 plants in a closet. Nu Bee old man. Want to grow the best genetics I am able to. Recommended brands for lights? What do you think of DIY for LED lights? Thank you for your input.

 

[Stunned]

12 plants in a closet......
What, is it a seedling closet?
Or just a big ass closet?
If you want to do justice to 12 plants
500 bucks simply won't cut it
well... unless you're spouting beans or seedlings
wtf is nu bee old man?

 

[gbauto]

Welcome, Rock.
Yeah, unless you have a bedroom sized closet 12 plants are going to be a waste.
When it comes to choosing a light I'd also look at the environmentals I have to deal with in that closet. Ventilation and temp control are vital-I also grow in my walk-in closet and keeping temps under control is always a struggle. Having said that, led's can help reduce the thermal load compared to T8's-they can produce more usable photons of light per watt of electricity than a flourescent tube. Need more info to give more specific suggestions.

 

[rock49911]

I am just an old man, new to wanting to grow my own. It is a small closet attached to a bedroom about three feet wide, six feet long. How many plants should I think about growing there?

 

[PurpleGunRack]

DIY is the best way to go, and $500 will go a long way here.

How big is your space?

And yes, 12 plants in a closet is either a SoG grow, or Narnia



Edit, just saw the 3 feet wide and 6 feet high, what's the depth?

For $300-$400 you can build a mean DIY light with the linear light strips from Samsung or Bridgelux. DIY LED Strip Build Designs for Samsung H-Series, F-Series, Q-Series, and Bridgelux EB Gen.2 - LED Gardener

 

[Berulakide]

500 isn't quite enoughost unless you go hid and then ventilation and temp controller 2ould be hard. For diy led you could come close but it won't work really well. I have a 4x6 tent and about 600 or 700 in lights and still not quite enough.
There is alot here to read, I mean you could do cheap Chinese cobs or something but they won't perform like good ones.

 

[Tnt7800]

I believe most you are over reacting when it comes to pricing.

You can by a 500w led light on Amazon for around a 100 us dollars And a 1000 watt for about 200$ with cooling fans built in great for closet and pretty much all grow tents.

Most of reduce the heating a bring enough linens depending on your reflective material. I recommend by some thermal Mylar blankets.
For the are graenteed to reflect up to 90% of lighting. Hope you find what your looking fo rock.

 

[MrFortwenty]

I believe most you are over reacting when it comes to pricing.

You can by a 500w led light on Amazon for around a 100 us dollars And a 1000 watt for about 200$ with cooling fans built in great for closet and pretty much all grow tents.

Most of reduce the heating a bring enough linens depending on your reflective material. I recommend by some thermal Mylar blankets.
For the are graenteed to reflect up to 90% of lighting. Hope you find what your looking fo rock.

Those led's are no where near 500 or 1000 watt's. FYI

 

[gr865]

How should I invest for lighting? I have $500 I want to spend. LED or T8 grow? For 12 plants in a closet. Nu Bee old man. Want to grow the best genetics I am able to. Recommended brands for lights? What do you think of DIY for LED lights? Thank you for your input.

You should check out 315W CMH lights, I run two in a 4 x 4 tent and love them.