travisivart190
Member
You mentioned that they were still too pricy to get what you wanted, but what type of price would that be? What features and wattage would you basically target?
Why I should try LED's on my next grow.
- Thread starter travisivart190
- Start date
Well, I can get a 1000w HID for 300-$400. The commercial LED systems that have seemed decent to me are usually 1000-$2000+ (up to 600w). The DIY setups are still going to run 600-$1000 once you buy all the materials and spend time putting it together. If I had the budget to go LED I probably would, they do have a number of benefits, for me it simply comes down to my budget. I can get more light for the money with HID. I personally think that most people who have had bad experiences with LED's thought that they could spend roughly what they do on HID (maybe 20% more) and have an equivalent light. Like most new technology, it has its benefits, but they will cost a major premium till the technology becomes more mainstream.
On that note, I personally think that solid state plasma is going to revolutionize indoor horticulture. It's just a matter of time before quality and price become commercially viable (they are already available, but expensive, and IMO need more testing). I'm not sure now is the best time to be betting LED's for the long term... Again, this is all just my personal speculation, I could be 100% wrong
travisivart190
Member
Solid state plasma, really? I was thinking about how much light our Plasma TV pumped out last night... I'll have to look into it, sounds cool. I was looking around and it looks like I'd be spending a good 4 times more to get technology that is equivalent to HPS lighting. Hard amount of money to swallow at this point.
yeah, now is not the time to be investing in plasma, still too young, and last I heard the companies developing them are still working on spectrum and bringing the price down. Look promising for the future though.
travisivart190
Member
So, at this point, would you invest in 1000w's, or should I keep growing on 600's in a setup like that, and just get better bulbs and air cooled hoods.
it all kinda depends on your circumstances. If you can afford the LED's, then that's not a bad way to go, especially if you are limited on height. HID are proven technology, and will cost less. Of course, if you can't keep the area cool with more wattage (and can't increase ventilation) then LED's might be your only real upgrade options. For me, the question would come down to cost. If the cost isn't as much of an issue for you then the LED's can have some advantages, you just need to do your research to find the best setup you can afford.
