Lighting Recommendations

Gilligans Island

Well-Known Member
Hello all, first post so a little background.

Experienced grower both indoors and outdoors however we have been out of the game for a few decades due to an indoor grow security threat/scare that forced a shutdown of all extra curricular activities. Have now relocated (Gilligan's Island) and are settled, now getting ready to start back up. Problem is everything I knew about indoor lighting is OLD school and I need some help.

Experienced with MH and HPS and would love to go that route again but due to the fact that my area is only
7' wide x 10' long x 6' tall and I feel too much heat will be generated with MH/HPS even with movers/ventilation at that height. This space will include veg. and bloom area's We will be doing a modified Scrog/Sog set up in soil. Personal grow only for family members. Ya, I know big area but I hope to only have to do a cycle or two per year or two. I would rather not do a continuous grow at this time.

So which way to go? COB or Led strips or...? premade units or build my own or...? I am very DIY oriented and handy as heck. I have done plenty of reading and have an idea of what route to go but would like to hear some of your thoughts on which route may be best and the pros and cons of each is appreciated. Nothing beats first hand experience. Especially coming from people not trying to sell me something.

I know a question like this is like asking a bunch of car guys which oil to use so don't worry I am already aware of taking everyone's advice with a grain of some salt. But trust me you all know more about indoor lighting than I do ... at the moment!

Thank you in advance for your time.
 

Gilligans Island

Well-Known Member
I also think this is my only choice with the headroom given.

I read in another post that 6 Samsung F-strips 22" single row with a Meanwell LRS-150-24 power supply would handle a 2'x2' area. Sorry not so good with cm's. This would indicate 21 ish units would do for my area.
Is this enough light intensity?
Can this be accomplished with less units utilizing double row led strips instead of single row without sacrificing uniform coverage?
Is Samsung a quality manufacturer of LED strips or does some other brand or brands rise above?

What say you?
 

Gilligans Island

Well-Known Member
OK so what to do with all the information given?

My fault, it's a big question.

So with my experience on other forums car/sailing/rv a person gets much more feed back when they indicate what they have already done. Soooo...

Today I purchased 18 bridgelux 3000k high efficiency strips and 18 3500k strips for my flowering area. Which I mis-stated the size of (the Waui Maui must have kicked in) bloom is 6'x10' and veg/utility/clone is 6'x5'. Driving them with Mean Well drivers. Each light of two in flowering will have 9 3000k and 9 3500k for a total of 18 strips. Driving each of them with a Mean Well HLG480H42B and a HGL240H42B driver with dimmer switch. Veg. area is 18 4000k strips with the same drivers and it also will be dimmable. So two frames in bloom one in veg.

I wanted Samsung F strips but they are out of stock everywhere in 3000k and 3500k and nobody would commit on a delivery date.

So lighting decisions are now made. I have always grown indoors in soil. However it seems coco has a lot of benefits especially with auto watering. I am going with timer on waterings is there a formula/recipe/recommendations for the magic juice in the reservoir. Will be using tap water and it is full of iron, coming out of sandstone. I always hand watered before, real scientific too, lift the container to feel if it needed water or not. Automatic watering with a reservoir is something I have no experience with. I can build the delivery system just don't know about the mix ratios to get started. I will water to waste. Thank you in advance for your time.
 

Chip Green

Well-Known Member
Every one of my DIY fixtures is built with Bridgelux.....
Most of them with the Gen1, 2ft (560mm) EB Series....
You will never regret building these "lamps"......
 
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