I’m getting ready to build a new 8x8 grow space and I’m looking for suggestions on a led light setup. I have $200ish to spend on lights, need 1 good one or 2 cheaper full spectrum led powerful enough for a 8x8 area for veg and flower, new or used. What Faldo you guys think I should get? I’m thinking about a spider farmer or a Mars hydro at the moment I’d like to stay led
When I started I figured 65 watts per square foot for hybrid, recommended by Ed RosenthalI, and bought a 1500 watt KingLed for my 5x5 tent, which was fine for vegging 7 plants, until they got too big and switched to flowering. Now I have 3 in that tent with 2 1500 watt KingLED on veg and bloom along with another 600 watt HPS. In my other tent I have 1 1000 HPS on a digital dimmable ballast set on 750 watts and its brighter by itself than the 1st tent.
If I was going to do it again I would have 2 1000 watt bulbs on a digital dimmable ballast. 1 MH and 1 HPS. I would start with 1 MH dimmed to 600 watts and as they grew I would add in the HPS for full spectrum and maybe turn them up to 750 watts. Then when it comes time to flower I would turn down the MH to 600 and turn up the HPS to 1000.
Your going to get way more lumens from MH and HPS. The ballasts are around $100 each and the bulbs around $50. You will also need two sockets. You will spend a little more up front but the bulbs are cheap, will last through 2 or 3 grows, and put out way more light. And as I indicated, you would be able to adjust the light output of the bulbs to mimic the sun.
If you do go LED, your going to want two Spiderfarmer 4000s.
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Thank you @Outdoorman the 4000s is exactly what I was looking into this morning, they have good ratings for the price
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I would go with the Spiderfarmer if choosing between those two, but I also like the Gavita but they’re pricey
Ok thank you. I’ll look into that one too