My first LED micro grow,

I used to be pretty big time with 2x 1000w hps for my 12/12 room, and one 600w MH in my veg room, and a 8 & 4 bank T5's, co2, the works...


Now im in a 2ftx2ft tent that is just under 5ft tall , using LEDs and some CFL if needed. Im sick of the energy bills, and heat issues, ESPECIALLY heat from the boys in blue, even though im legal i was too big for my britches!!!!


I sold all my stuff and decided to take a break for the summer... that lasted about 3weeks. so im back!!!! Smaller then ever!!!


I had a really sweet pheno of Fruity Chronic Juice that i was working with for a while, well its gone so I'm starting from seed again... Fruity Chronic Juice


I was thinking of documenting my every move as this is my first time with LED in a verrrrry small space and im sure some of you would like to see LED grow from start to finish. So if enough ppl are interested ill keep posting.


The lil girl you see in there is a White Berry clone that i received in less then poor condition, she is coming around, and im using her as a test dummy before i through $100 worth of new Genetics in there as this is my first LED grow..


Ill post some picks of my old F.C.J. pheno from my old opp here in a bit when i get them on my PC


Grow room : HOMEBOX XS
LIGHT : Lighthouse Blackstar 135W
Ventilation : 4inx8in Phresh filter w/ a 4in Active Air inline fan on a speedster.
temps stay at 75f, and humidity 27-0% (THIS LED PUTS OFF -NO- HEAT) (RED : 660nm, 630nm, Blue : 425nm, infrared 730nm, ultraviolet 380nm, white 12000kv)

I'm down to see this grow! Been wanting to try LED for some time but keep hearing it is not there yet.....even though I have seen some pretty good grows on here!

rwbrock said:

I'm down to see this grow! Been wanting to try LED for some time but keep hearing it is not there yet.....even though I have seen some pretty good grows on here!

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THANK YOU!!!! I want my experience with a LED/ micro grow to give you all experience through observation. I am always up for good advise and constructive criticism.
+ rep to all who have experience, or want to learn the benefits of LED, mine is a Lighthouse Blackstar 135w, perfect for a 2x2 space and my tent is just that

Here is an update on the lil lady in there I revived, and her first LST experiance ( WhiteBerry ) ----->

This is her after just 3hr of the 1st LST tie down showing exceptional POSITIVE PHOTO-TROPISM--->

POSITIVE PHOTO-TROPISM IS: Growth or movement toward or away from a source of light.
So the plant had a positive reaction the LED source!!!! GOOD NEWS FOR US LED GROWERS OR PEOPLE LOOKING INTO IT.

I truly believe that with this LED that runs 135w, with some supplemental CFLs if needed will produce just as well as HID lighting in the given canopy space of 2x2. With a huge number of benefits! The light creates -NO- heat, even WAY less then a CFL!!!! Has the exact nano-meters (nm) of light that marijuana absorbs, and cost NOTHING TO RUN as opposed to HID.

It only cost $77.16 a YEAR to run at a 18/6 light cycle with the average cost of 8.7 cents per KWh!!!!
----A 250w HPS cost $180.68 a YEAR to run and that is what my LED is equal to. Not a huge savings but I don't have to pay for A/C!!!!!
^^^^^^^^^(thats hundreds in savings a year!!!!!)^^^^^^^^^

----My 600w HPS cost $433.62 a YEAR to run at 11 cents per KWh, ( its 11 cents/KWh here where I live)

I don't know why my pics turned into links and not visible ones...sorry pleas do check them out or tell me if you cant see them and i will re-post this...

edit 2: i fixed it

Like you I am moving from 1000w HID setup to LED lighting (Lumigrow325). I tried your links but got a mssg saying the links are invalid.

Any particular reason you went with a blackstar?

Chronikool said:

Any particular reason you went with a blackstar?

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Yes, check out this thread : http://www.growweedeasy.com/LED-grow-lights-marijuana

I don't read much into that site ^^^^ "growweedeasy.com" its just the first article i came across that seamed like the poster legitimately had experience with the light.

With saying that if I were to get a bigger one i might try the "ProGrow 400" like the article advises.

This LED light is also a good one, and there are diff sizes... http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-Agromax-Pro-Series-150-LED-Grow-Light.asp

I have done A LOT of research before I dumped that type of money into a light that might just be a novelty! Those are the three brands that stand out against the rest of them out there.

Stay away from the bull sh!t ones made in CHINA and the peace of sh!t ones on ebay!!!!!!

To be more direct I chose this particular light because it only cost me $179 and is highly spoke of. It also perfectly covers a 2x2 area and can be used from seedling/clone to finish w/ maybe a little supplemental CFL. My goal was to keep the energy bill as low as possible, and to create NO heat. My energy bill used to be around $250 a month!!! Now I'm down to $110 or less.

So far this light is doing awsome!!!! 10-15in from the canopy is the sweet spot, it has -- not-- given me 1 heat issue and my lil lady is fucking soaking it up!!


Here is a couple pics of her in normal light......

Mr John said:

Like you I am moving from 1000w HID setup to LED lighting (Lumigrow325). I tried your links but got a mssg saying the links are invalid.

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I believe they are fixed thanks to sunni......

I think you are going to find that fixture dissatisfying. I'm not putting down LED - love it myself - but blackstars are not know for their build quality - often hear of people trying to repair them - and it's NOT going to flower over a 2 x 2 area. Most manufacturers absolutely lie about coverage. You can veg very nicely with that fixture and then add some other light in when it comes time to switch to flowering. Rule of thumb is that LED grows well what is directly under and a few inches (2 - 6 inches to each side of the fixture) and that's it. Fluorescent lighting is fairly inexpensive, fairly cool and the spectrums can be quite complimentary so you can supplement your LED with that...or buy another LED fixture.

jcmjrt said:

I think you are going to find that fixture dissatisfying. I'm not putting down LED - love it myself - but blackstars are not know for their build quality - often hear of people trying to repair them - and it's NOT going to flower over a 2 x 2 area. Most manufacturers absolutely lie about coverage. You can veg very nicely with that fixture and then add some other light in when it comes time to switch to flowering. Rule of thumb is that LED grows well what is directly under and a few inches (2 - 6 inches to each side of the fixture) and that's it. Fluorescent lighting is fairly inexpensive, fairly cool and the spectrums can be quite complimentary so you can supplement your LED with that...or buy another LED fixture.

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Ya... like i said in the OP i will be supplementing with some CFL if and when i need it. I know the manufacture will lie about the coverage but im going off of what someone said who has actually grown start to finish with this light in a 2x2.5ft area. They had great results, its seems your missing the whole point here:

To grow start to finish with ONE light, a LED one, that creates -NO- heat and doesn't cost anything on my power bill. Im not looking to cash crop here obviously! I would break out my 600's if i wanted that. I measure weight by the square foot, with a HPS im getting about 75g/ sqft. That's about a pound under one 600w HPS on my 2x3ft ebb&flo table. So if this light allows me to get any where from 6-8oz then it WOULD mean it is completely comparable with HID.

As you can see up there ^^^ My 600w HPS cost $433.62 a YEAR to run at 11 cents per KWh, ( its 11 cents/KWh here where I live), this little light would be $77!! So with monthly savings like that its OKAY if i dont get as much as I was, i will take up to a 30% weight loss for the energy savings, and -NO- heat issues!!!!!!

See this is an experiment, if it goes well im selling my MH & HPSs out for some bigger, better LEDs. This lil LED just happens to be the best one you can buy for under $170. Bought it off newegg.com lol

I hate to say it, but I must agree with jcmjrt on most

your not going to flower a 2x2 ft area with that ufo alone

I have a hard time covering 2,5x2 with my fixture



tho a few CFLs in the corners can fix that easily and cheap



also help with the spectrum and give some side lighting as LEDs is pretty one directed and don't spread out much, I checked




just a few inch`s out to the side/ends of the fixture the light intensity drops dramatically (more then half) and a few more and there is next to no light

it do also depend on lenses and how high you hang it, 15-20" is where you want it, but the more footprint you get the less intensity you get as you have to move it away so its about finding a sweet spot and try to keep the BUD site`s with in the light

Slipon said:

I hate to say it, but I must agree with jcmjrt on most

your not going to flower a 2x2 ft area with that ufo alone

I have a hard time covering 2,5x2 with my fixture

View attachment 2661976View attachment 2661977

tho a few CFLs in the corners can fix that easily and cheap

View attachment 2661984

also help with the spectrum and give some side lighting as LEDs is pretty one directed and don't spread out much, I checked

View attachment 2661993


just a few inch`s out to the side/ends of the fixture the light intensity drops dramatically (more then half) and a few more and there is next to no light

it do also depend on lenses and how high you hang it, 15-20" is where you want it, but the more footprint you get the less intensity you get as you have to move it away so its about finding a sweet spot and try to keep the BUD site`s with in the light

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Dude i really appreciate the time you put in your post, i think i was just reading a HUGE post of yours on another thread in another forum... your pics look the same... could be wrong... in any rate thanks bro!, I am planning on hanging 4 CFLs in each corner, either that or i was going to strap T5 strips to each corner bar in my tent, a 3500k, in two opposite corners then two 6500k ones the the other two. Then i will be turning each plant 25%-50% each time i water as to get an even coat of all the fucken light spectrum's going on in there!!!! lol Gota love it!! I went from multiple HPS to this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe i will buy myself a nifty light meter?!?.... yes i believe i will

BTW i have my light 8in from my lil lady right now, i have been moving her ever closer the last week until i got to 10in then i have been just letting it grow into it until i find my sweet spot. The leafs do look like they do if you barley overdose them with N in a hydro set up, supper dark green and kind of overly wide.... all smashed out looking.

Again this is just a lil clone i revived from the "dispensery" or club.... they said she is 'WhiteBerry', they also gave me a ' Great White Shark ' that turned black-purple during flowering, anyways im just using her as a tent dummy i have some Fruity Chronic Juice, Sharks Breath, Purple Wreck, Blue Cheese, Rock Lock, and some Tora Bora. I will be soaking the strain i choose tonight in a shot glass of RO water as i always do, then get them ready under a CFL like usual then after about day 10 from the day they pop out of the rapid rooter i will put them under this alien purple light lol.

no problem, I like to help people out, and I remember all the questions I had, why not share

if it was me with one UFO I would grow one plant in that space, Veg it bit longer and scrog it, keep the UFO in the middle and use a few CFLs to cover the edges/corners (maybe just a cheap 6 pack of 23w 2700K to use in flowering where the plant`s do need more light, both to cover all of it and in form of intensity/watt per sq)

grow a few and pick the best looking and most healthy one to continue with once they out grown the LEDs, and is done as seedling`s, repot and scrog it at that time to maybe and add the CFLs once you flip to 12/12

just a suggestion tho and how I might do it ? rater grow one perfect plant then trying to grow two small that don't get enough light,

a UFO more later on could be a nice upgrade if you feel like it

i was editing that one before you posted your latest^^^^

look nice, 8 inch`s might be a bit to close, specially for a small Veg plant, 15-18" is more like it, I just got some light bleach with mine 12-15" tho mine is also 3W with some kind lenses on them, dunno what your`s are ? but 8" is close

Mine is a 3w chipset, ill back her off a lil, but as long as she takes it it cant hurt right?

I'm running a pair of 180 Watt black stars (3 watt) and have some nice nuggs growing !!
Im sure a million watt HPS would do better but in a 2x3 closet the heat is a issue.

That is a nice setup. Nice and clean and uncluttered, lots of room for your ladies!