I am going to order supplemental lighting by getting an apollo 8 LED system, I am currently trying to figure out the spectrum to use but so far I think I am going with
x3 2700k
x3 6000k
x3 4000k (if they have them, or something else Neutral white)
x3 630nm
x3 660nm
This will add around 250 extra watts to my system which is what I am aiming at and for a good price too using epistar LED's. Total shipped is 334
allllright, what are you trying to do with the panel? Give FULL supplement or just your red/blue/white? three(x3, x3..) what- diodes of that peak? Are you just trying to balance the amount of spectra your getting? LED's have the divine beauty and ability to use the EXACT wavelengths you want in the most efficient way possible in today's technology...this shit is really the way of the future...
Coverage wise... what kind of hood are you running? Dimensions? I feel like having multiple sources of supplementing light would be the way to go with a primary HID light source.. having two lights, one led and one HID, will give you that definitive split and difference in quality, potency, density, and structure no matter how much you try to blend the light by angling the sources. (I am a HUGE believer and using rope ratchets or anything else to angle your light source to get the best coverage available.) I had just sent my 9th email back to Astir confirming some things about custom ratio's with their panels and wrapping up my first order from them... I am going to pay out of the nose for shipping, but those panels are IDEAL for supping- look for those qualities in sup led's- compact, efficient, the right nm's, passively cooled, etc.
1. What's your goals with your sup panel? Give more red, blue, or full sup?
2. Think about your total coverage, start drawing on some graph paper- a 400w covers 2.5x2.5, LED covers so on... (unless you are wanting to do more of a "comparison grow")
3. The apollo 6's are sweet... and a bit more efficient when it comes w/$, and would give you multiple sources..
4. Think about your ratios... I am someone that loves the original R/B diodes and ran with GLH Spectra's that bleach like a m'fer... but white led's are taking over.
5. Look further into what the data sheets of these diodes are, ask cidly for charts, specs. AND know what you are looking at. It will take some serious time, but educate yourself, its nothing beyond your spec.
I would personally jump into the LED specific forum and look at DIY threads, or type in DIY LED. And look for ratios of what spectra you are going to want. Then order that.
Think it's along the lines of 60% R, 30% W, 10% B (630nm, 37-4200k, 440nm)
Read up bub.. lol
EDIT: there's just too much... lol
You need to go through and count how many emitters are actually in each "junction" or "housing" of the Apollo panels, multiply it to figure how many to divvy up between each wavelength because they all have to be even in each junction..
Ask them for data and spread sheets of the diodes that they use, look at the graphs.. you want a good Red diode to mainly peak at 630 nm, maybe a secondary peak at 660 or like 410.
then figure out what you want to do with the panel... that'll tell you what white to use- use a majority of that white, then balance it with NW or CW, maybe 8:1, depending on what you are doing..