LED Noob/Tent Noob

Weedman1108

Weedman1108

Member
alright guys, so im looking to buy something like this to start it up https://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Horti...UTF8&qid=1465949936&sr=8-9&keywords=grow+tent I want to get an led light so I can avoid temperature issues down the road as far as excessive heat, but I'm not really sure what the best choice would be for something like this, I've also heard of building your own led's but like I said I'm pretty new to led's and indoor growing so any pointers/advice would help a lot, thanks guys.
 
Last edited:
Weedman1108

Weedman1108

Member
I've seen threads of other people doing a good job with the red/blue lights, any particular reason you don't like them?
 
GroErr

GroErr

Well-Known Member
They're trying to tell you to stay away from those cheap blurple LED's, any of them, they're all the same and suck for flowering. The suggestions above are solid if you're looking to go LED. If you can't or don't want to spend the money to do it right with COB LED's, then buy a cheap hps and set it up properly to deal with the associated heat. Anything else is simply a waste of money.

I've seen many blurple LED grows. What you don't see in those grows is final tally's of weight, and there's good reason, they produce about 1/2 to 1/3rd of what the lights being suggested produce. I still use them for vegging, but that's all I'd recommend any of the cheap/blurple LED's. My recommendation would be COBs, CMH, or hps for flowering in that order. In your small space LED's are really the only viable option due to heat issues with any other techs.

I documented my tests/trials of those blurple LED's over 2 years ago. Read through these threads and then decide...
https://www.rollitup.org/t/chinese-led-grow-75-actual-draw-watts-per-plant-veg-100w-per-plant-flower.800122/
 
Weedman1108

Weedman1108

Member
Say I did buy this light.. because I'm really concidering it now, what am I going to need to power it? I understand most of the basic concepts but Im still having trouble figuring out what intake fan and exhaust fan to use, I'm just assuming Im going to need something to power it other then just a wall outlet, I really do try to seek info out but its so damn hard when theres so many different variables, I try to piece together what I can
 
Last edited:
GroErr

GroErr

Well-Known Member
Weedman1108 said:
Say I did buy this light.. because I'm really concidering it now, what am I going to need to power it? I understand most of the basic concepts but Im still having trouble figuring out what intake fan and exhaust fan to use, I'm just assuming Im going to need something to power it other then just a wall outlet, I really do try to seek info out but its so damn hard when theres so many different variables, I try to piece together what I can
Click to expand...
The beauty of the COB LED option is simplicity, you could run your intake/exhaust fans (referred to as inline fans 4" will be plenty, buy them with variable controllers so you can adjust how much air goes in/out as needed), your LED COBs, and a circulation fan to keep the air moving inside the tent, all of one standard 110/120v plug in your house. Ideally a plug/circuit not being used by anything else. That's all you need. In fact, with the COB option you can just buy 1x 4" inline fan to use for your exhaust (add a 4" carbon filter for smell), no need for an inline fan for incoming air, fresh air will come in on it's own through your floor level vent in the tent "passively". I run a small 2x2 tent with COBs on the side mainly for breeding and making seeds and use that exact setup with no issues.
 
Weedman1108

Weedman1108

Member
So just to clarify your saying I could run as this stuff not needing anything but my wall outlet? and your saying I dont need anything but an exhaust fan? just kinda confused cause in the beginning you said I did, but if I did need the fans wouldn't they need to be 3" in diameter or do you typically want them a little big?
 
Last edited:
GroErr

GroErr

Well-Known Member
Weedman1108 said:
So just to clarify your saying I could run as this stuff not needing anything but my wall outlet? and your saying I dont need anything but an exhaust fan? just kinda confused cause in the beginning you said I did, but if I did need the fans wouldn't they need to be 3" in diameter or do you typically want them a little big?
Click to expand...
I realized you're in a 2x2 tent and IF you go with LED COBs you'd only need one inline fan for the exhaust and charcoal filter (charcoal filter attaches to the fan) to maintain smell. Same fan exhausts hot air out and sucks fresh air in through the bottom tent vent, no need for an additional inline fan on the intake filter. You will need a circulation fan to keep air moving inside the tent, I'd suggest a little bigger than 3", a 6" circulation fan is good enough in my 2x2 tent to keep air moving effectively. If the 3" fans you're referring to are for exhaust the smallest inline fans available and most effective for a small setup like that are 4". here's what I'm talking about... I'd suggest a 4" with "speed controller" which is typically called a variable speed controller. I typically run mine at it's lowest speed but sometimes have to increase it if I have the tent full to reduce humidity more than heat.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/4-6-8-Inch-Inline-Duct-Fan-Carbon-Filter-Speed-Controller-Ducting-w-Clamp-/281512476358?var=&hash=item418b737ec6:m:mo1ulVd-YyxbLpK9BSBlydw
 
GroErr

GroErr

Well-Known Member
GroErr said:
I realized you're in a 2x2 tent and IF you go with LED COBs you'd only need one inline fan for the exhaust and charcoal filter (charcoal filter attaches to the fan) to maintain smell. Same fan exhausts hot air out and sucks fresh air in through the bottom tent vent, no need for an additional inline fan on the intake filter. You will need a circulation fan to keep air moving inside the tent, I'd suggest a little bigger than 3", a 6" circulation fan is good enough in my 2x2 tent to keep air moving effectively. If the 3" fans you're referring to are for exhaust the smallest inline fans available and most effective for a small setup like that are 4". here's what I'm talking about... I'd suggest a 4" with "speed controller" which is typically called a variable speed controller. I typically run mine at it's lowest speed but sometimes have to increase it if I have the tent full to reduce humidity more than heat.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/4-6-8-Inch-Inline-Duct-Fan-Carbon-Filter-Speed-Controller-Ducting-w-Clamp-/281512476358?var=&hash=item418b737ec6:m:mo1ulVd-YyxbLpK9BSBlydw
Click to expand...
And yes, if you're running COBs in there one inline fan, the LED light, plus circulation fan will only use up about 5 AMPs of a 15AMP circuit, 8-10 is about the most you want to use so as long as you don't have that circuit/plug overloaded with other things you'd be fine.
 
Weedman1108

Weedman1108

Member
In the diagram it has 3" for the bottom and top holes I was just wandering if you meant I could put a 4" fan in a 3" hole and your saying I want the exhaust at the bottom?
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
He is saying you will need a 4" inline fan and a filter to match to extract hot air. This goes at the top of the tent where the heat is and extracts out of one of the top holes. You want a small fan inside to blow across your plants to move air and strengthen the plants.
The intake is done passively through all of the lower vents. In the diagram the 3" holes are for wires like power supply or cable from fans.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top