Upgrading my lighting system for my 5x5

[SoCalBudToker619]

Yup merlin34 uses them in a 50k sq ft indoor rec grow in CO.. Must be doing something right. You should see what they are doing with clones, roots climbing above rockwool, growing up the stem.

I'll be checking those out now. Now that my 5x5 is up and running with proper light I'm starting another room.

 

[doctor G]

You'll laugh but polypropylene shopping bags with 70%perlite30%soil, volcanic rock dust, worm castings.

The bags they sell you for about a dollar to use instead of plastic bags well they are made of polypropylene which is what smartpots are made of, I use them or I use if going smaller 10 litre buckets drilled drainage done by myself, bucket in bucket, but believe me the bags are way better and in the 70 /30 perlite and soil mix I can not overwater, in fact you can have the bags sitting in water e.g. if you need to go away for a week yes a whole week, even further the saucer you sit the bag in can be provided with an airstone it's failproof stuff no losing plants

 

[SoCalBudToker619]

You'll laugh but polypropylene shopping bags with 70%perlite30%soil, volcanic rock dust, worm castings.

The bags they sell you for about a dollar to use instead of plastic bags well they are made of polypropylene which is what smartpots are made of, I use them or I use if going smaller 10 litre buckets drilled drainage done by myself, bucket in bucket, but believe me the bags are way better and in the 70 /30 perlite and soil mix I can not overwater, in fact you can have the bags sitting in water e.g. if you need to go away for a week yes a whole week, even further the saucer you sit the bag in can be provided with an airstone it's failproof stuff no losing plants

That's nothing to laugh at because it's been working for you.

 

[SoCalBudToker619]

I ran a 1K in my 5x5. It was excellent with proper ventilation and air cooled hood. Worked great for me. Good luck with your decision.

How many watts were you running in your 5x5 for seedlings? I have the hood about 2' feet above them set to 600watts. Is it ok to turn in up to a 1k when they are only so big?

 

[St1kybudz]

I have a 5x5 tent with not enough light. Currently I'm in veg with 4 plants under 400watts MH. Will a 1000watt upgrade be enough light for a 5x5 tent? My last harvests (was my 1st time) of 12 plants was very minimal, a failure actually with only 5ozs. How much light is needed for a 5x5? Thanks in advance

I'd just get another 400 if funds ar limited

 

[St1kybudz]

Do you think 800 watts is enough of a 5x5 tent?

2 400 watt lights is better light coverage than 1 1000 unless u when woth 2 600s but then u have to combat heat 600 watt hid are supposed to be the most efficient hid if u got 2.5 k just get a spyder 1200

 

[indawindica]

How many watts were you running in your 5x5 for seedlings? I have the hood about 2' feet above them set to 600watts. Is it ok to turn in up to a 1k when they are only so big?

I started my seedlings in a separate room with a bunch of T-5's, that always worked great for me. 2' feet away is a little close for my comfort. I hope your using a air cooled hood?

 

[GemuGrows]

If you can afford it, I would look into running (2) 315w LEC CMH lights:

http://growershouse.com/sun-system-lec-315-light-emitting-ceramic-mh-fixture-120v

Unless you want to venture out into LED's I think that would be the best bang for your buck, aside of course, from maybe just adding another 400w light like the one you already have.

Budget will really play a role here and whether or not you want to just buy something or are interested in building it.

Just my newb $0.02 based on my own research. I'd have ended up with a CMH 315 if I had come across it before my COB's, but I do not regret my COB's in the least.

i actually have 2 LEC 315 and a 1000w in a 5x5 hah.

You could easily get away with just the 2x 315 tho.

If i dont change tent sizes im gonna run 3x 315 in my 5x5 when I start growing again in like a year

 

[St1kybudz]

If you got 2.5k to drop on a light get a spider 1200 youtube it vs a de 1k hps

 

[Nottabot420]

2 600w Hps vs 1kw in a 5x5?

 

[Evil-Mobo]

(2) 315 CMH LEC

 

[ThaMagnificent]

(2) 315 CMH LEC

What is the heat like from a LEC? I'm very interested. I have a 5x9 gorilla.

 

[Evil-Mobo]

What is the heat like from a LEC? I'm very interested. I have a 5x9 gorilla.

I just bought the same size gorilla. The heat from mine was no worse than the 4 COB Tasty LED I had before it. I sold mine because it was 120V and I'm switching to 240V, if the COB's don't work out I will be going back to these but with the ballast outside the grow area to help keep heat down even more.

 

[gardenhackle]

If you can afford it, I would look into running (2) 315w LEC CMH lights:

http://growershouse.com/sun-system-lec-315-light-emitting-ceramic-mh-fixture-120v

Unless you want to venture out into LED's I think that would be the best bang for your buck, aside of course, from maybe just adding another 400w light like the one you already have.

Budget will really play a role here and whether or not you want to just buy something or are interested in building it.

Just my newb $0.02 based on my own research. I'd have ended up with a CMH 315 if I had come across it before my COB's, but I do not regret my COB's in the least.

Preach on, brutha! Those CMH lights rock. I'll leave the DIY jobs to the COBHEADS. I don't see any way COBS are going to outperform
THE LEC-315 either.

The 5x5 is 25 square feet. I know the lec315fires up a 3x3 (9 square feet like a champ) so 2 coukd generate two plus pounds in that space. 3 would be on the verge of overkill but I'd love to try it. I just set up a 4x8 that will have to make do on two LEC 315's and a solar storm 440. I might throw another one in that room.

 

[gardenhackle]

What is the heat like from a LEC? I'm very interested. I have a 5x9 gorilla.

I had a 3x3 running in a room with ambient room temps at 71. The lighting was 18 hour and the heat inside during peak time was around 81 Fahrenheit using a six inch fan at 3/4 speed.

 

[Evil-Mobo]

Preach on, brutha! Those CMH lights rock. I'll leave the DIY jobs to the COBHEADS. I don't see any way COBS are going to outperform
THE LEC-315 either.

The 5x5 is 25 square feet. I know the lec315fires up a 3x3 (9 square feet like a champ) so 2 coukd generate two plus pounds in that space. 3 would be on the verge of overkill but I'd love to try it. I just set up a 4x8 that will have to make do on two LEC 315's and a solar storm 440. I might throw another one in that room.

I'm gonna try my hand at DIY as the pre built lights have disappointed me in one way or another, but if not it's back to HPS/MH/CMH. My first run ever I pulled half a pound off of a Northern Lights plant that had an 8 week veg and was trained. I only sold mine as I said before because I'm swapping from 120/240. If the COB's don't work out I will veg under CMH then use the 600w Blue MH first half of flower and finish off under the 1K HPS

 

[gardenhackle]

I'm gonna try my hand at DIY as the pre built lights have disappointed me in one way or another, but if not it's back to HPS/MH/CMH. My first run ever I pulled half a pound off of a Northern Lights plant that had an 8 week veg and was trained. I only sold mine as I said before because I'm swapping from 120/240. If the COB's don't work out I will veg under CMH then use the 600w Blue MH first half of flower and finish off under the 1K HPS

My first full grow with an LEC 315 under a 3x3 Apollo tent with four skysenberg autos yielded just over 16 ounces of bud in less than 65 days. May 31st to August 2nd.

That was a quarter pound per plant in 9 weeks altogether (probably about how long northern lights flowers).

I was impressed with both the light and the genetics.

 

[gardenhackle]

Not that there's anything wrong with COBS. I think that's what TaNg uses (great northern lighting) to kill his grows and he's got some Mephisto autos that topped ten ounces per plant. . He's got some mad skilz!