What is a good LED light for a beginner?

[Organique04]

After wrestling with cfl's on my first grow, Im looking into LED. What is a good one to start with? I am only doing a single plant, maybe two max. I was looking at a 135 UFO with 3 watt LED's for a grow/bloom combination?

 

[Bumping Spheda]

You didn't mention a price range so I'm just gonna start talking. ><

The Kessil H350 Magenta would probably mate well with your CFL's. The H350M is considered by the manufacturer as supplemental lighting for flowering, but if you do a search I think it can be used full cycle.
https://growershouse.com/kessil-h350-led-grow-light-350-magenta
Cheapest here. Can be found for around this price on eBay as well.

Or maybe:
2 x https://growershouse.com/kessil-h150-led-grow-light-red
+
http://www.shineretrofits.com/40-watt-self-ballasted-circular-induction-lamp-5000k-bulb-120v-e26-medium-base-50-000-hr-lamp-5-yr-warranty.html

Or maybe that UFO you were looking at. That would probably work, too.

Good luck!

 

[PetFlora]

You can replace your cfls with screw bulb leds View attachment 2453406

 

[Organique04]

You can replace your cfls with screw bulb leds View attachment 2453406

I just want one fixture, dont want to deal with screww in bulbs again, even led type.

 

[Organique04]

You didn't mention a price range so I'm just gonna start talking. ><

The Kessil H350 Magenta would probably mate well with your CFL's. The H350M is considered by the manufacturer as supplemental lighting for flowering, but if you do a search I think it can be used full cycle.
https://growershouse.com/kessil-h350-led-grow-light-350-magenta
Cheapest here. Can be found for around this price on eBay as well.

Or maybe:
2 x https://growershouse.com/kessil-h150-led-grow-light-red
+
http://www.shineretrofits.com/40-watt-self-ballasted-circular-induction-lamp-5000k-bulb-120v-e26-medium-base-50-000-hr-lamp-5-yr-warranty.html

Or maybe that UFO you were looking at. That would probably work, too.

Good luck!

Id say I dont want to spend more than a couple hundred bucks

 

[Bumping Spheda]

Check out Astir. Pre-built DIY panels with their own custom R/W/B ratio at $80 a pop. For a couple hundo you can get two of those which should make a single plant very happy.

That's about all I got. Maybe others will chime in with something I'm not thinking of.

 

[Endur0xX]

unless you wanna do something like a DIY panel, for 200$, I would suggest using a proven system (HIDs)... more people will be there to help you, cheap LED panels will make you want to quit.

 

[Scotch089]

Lol...^^^

It's funny because it's trueee!

 

[Organique04]

Lol...^^^

It's funny because it's trueee!

Well....for 125-200 dollars I was thinking of a 135 watt Led ufo with 3 watt leds?

 

[Ninjabowler]

Well....for 125-200 dollars I was thinking of a 135 watt Led ufo with 3 watt leds?

I spent 300 on a 240 watt led. Great for veg for small plants but i was way more happy with my hps sets. Way more happy. I thought the same way as you at first. Get a small hps if at all possible, thats my word.

 

[Ninjabowler]

Youd also need at least one at that price range per plant, they just dont have the penetration...giggedy...and coverage youll expect unless your willing to get a big one. Chaching! Smaller hps setups are cheap.

 

[hotrodharley]

I just want one fixture, dont want to deal with screww in bulbs again, even led type.

Good luck with that LED then. Reliability, or the lack thereof, keep them from being a trouble free option. Consider CMH or HPS.

 

[Bumping Spheda]

I've seen this said before. What do you mean reliability? Heat issues? Premature failure?

 

[Scotch089]

I think LED's are becoming the most reliable source out there, becoming.. less heat, much more efficient, conserves energy, narrows down the exact wavelengths, etc, etc.

Yea, they're a pain in the ass from the beginning; but you are the uncommon variable, ppl build these things to grow plants for a reason.

Adapt, learn, and grow. You may need a different feeding regime than under any HID's, or distance your light a little more; either way, we decide wether we succeed or fail- not the light.

Training's key; if you go LED, you need to train your plant. Idc how you want to do it, but im telling you that you'll want.

 

[djwimbo]

From everything I've looked into, LED is a large investment. The quality panels aren't cheap, and cheap aren't quality. That's not to say they haven't had a measurable amount of success, but it's a cost:benefit thing.

Look into the Blackstar 240's. Many members here have grow journals on those panels, some with mixed results, and some with failures.

For the $, I'd recommend a 250w HID, because it's tried and true. There isn't a huge power draw from that small of a light, and cooling shouldn't be an issue. NTM the full cycle grow will take less time (usually).

Edit: There's also a thread on the PAR100 Inda gro vs the Hans LED 65w panel. You might be impressed at what a 65w panel can pump out. As always though, there's a lot to be said about the grower, and not every light is created equal.

 

[jcmjrt]

Well....for 125-200 dollars I was thinking of a 135 watt Led ufo with 3 watt leds?

I doubt that you will be happy thru flower if you do that. I think that the cheapest you should go is the recommended Kessil H350...but even then I would keep a couple of small CFL bulbs in the box for side lighting. I think that you could probably grow a very nice plant with that set up.

I'm about to finish my first LED grow (KessilH350swith fluorescent side lighting) and the buds are rock hard and one of the main colas has a small hash tip. The only "trouble" that I really had was during veg I overwatered a couple of times; the reduced heat leads to less transpiration and so one uses less water and if using liquid nutrients, less nutrients.

 

[hyroot]

Best led in your range . More bang for buck

Hans led 65 watt panel for $250 - http://www.bonsaihero.com/ledgrow.html

https://www.rollitup.org/led-other-lighting/571674-hans-panel-56w-triband-led.html

Apollo cidly. You can get an apollo 4 - 144 watt - 3w x 60 for $125 plus shipping Or apollo 6 - 208 watt - 3w x 90 for $167 plus shipping


http://www.cidly.com/?page_id=61. You have to email from contact page for pricing and ordering.

 

[pauldavies9983]

While working first time with LED Lighting products everyone experienced that certain aspects of LED Lighting can be confusing. Without proper components you do not properly calculate your LED supplies and that time certain risk to occur damage in product. For Plant prospectus LED lighting is quite good and scientifically proven that it is beneficial for plant growth.

 

[gordobo]

Best led in your range . More bang for buck

Hans led 65 watt panel for $250 - http://www.bonsaihero.com/ledgrow.html

https://www.rollitup.org/led-other-lighting/571674-hans-panel-56w-triband-led.html

Apollo cidly. You can get an apollo 4 - 144 watt - 3w x 60 for $125 plus shipping Or apollo 6 - 208 watt - 3w x 90 for $167 plus shipping


http://www.cidly.com/?page_id=61. You have to email from contact page for pricing and ordering.

Would you recommend the HANS panel for a veg-flower on a 24 x 24 stealth grow, the indagrow or some combination? I'm setting up for a run of Blue Dream in 2-2 gal aeropots hoping to get to get a couple zips out of it. Any advice is appreciated