What is the best lighting.

I am going to be building a new room I was going to do a 10 by 10 for 12 plants four 1000 watt HPS but a buddy of mine told me did I should do a 4 by 8 and run 8 plants with two lights. My question for everybody is I have $1,000 budget I can build a room for free because I'm a carpenter so I'm wondering what size room I should build with how many lights I was thinking about instead of HPS going with LED but I don't know what LEDs are good. Also this room will be in my garage I have 8-foot ceilings

I was thinking about getting two of the Mars Hydro ts3000

That Mars Hydro flowers a 4x4, so your buddy’s space recommendation makes more sense to me. Mars Hydro gets really mixed reviews, although it sounds like their newer lights are a big improvement to their old lights.

If I was doing a 4x4, I like the Timber Redwood. I’ve also seen a lot of positive reviews for the HLG 550.

youngwun11 said:

I was thinking about getting two of the Mars Hydro ts3000

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Keep in mind that light is 450w. With each 16 sq/ft space you would want near 600w of good led.

twalte said:

That Mars Hydro flowers a 4x4, so your buddy’s space recommendation makes more sense to me. Mars Hydro gets really mixed reviews, although it sounds like their newer lights are a big improvement to their old lights.

If I was doing a 4x4, I like the Timber Redwood. I’ve also seen a lot of positive reviews for the HLG 550.

Redwood VS

This 650 watt COB LED grow light features Bridgelux Vero29 COBs and dual Meanwell drivers. Remote driver placement helps with managing heat and custom color temperatures are available. Designed to cover a 4 x 4 coverage area with high PPFD for full cycle/flowering.

timbergrowlights.com

Horticulture Lighting Group HLG 550 V2 RSpec Full-Spectrum 480W Quantum Board LED Grow Light

The HLG550 V2 Rspec is designed to replace a single-ended 1000 watt HID. Each HLG-550 V2 uses 4 custom designed full-spectrum high efficiency white light quantum boards with Samsung LM301B and Deep Red LED 660nm.

photonicled.com

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+1 on the timber.... It will blow your budget though even with the 10% riu discount

Are you going to veg and flower in the same area? I would be dividing up that space to have a cloning/seeding area, a veg area and a larger flower area.

You say you can build "for free", does that include all of your material? Lumber, drywall, electrical, plumbing, paint/reflective surface, insulation etc?

Your $1,000 has to cover not only lights, but exhaust/filtration, venting, fans, humidifier/dehumidifier, pH/ec tools, nutrients and grow items (such as pots, grow tables etc).

A lot to think about. Plan ahead.

spek9 said:

Are you going to veg and flower in the same area? I would be dividing up that space to have a cloning/seeding area, a veg area and a larger flower area.

You say you can build "for free", does that include all of your material? Lumber, drywall, electrical, plumbing, paint/reflective surface, insulation etc?

Your $1,000 has to cover not only lights, but exhaust/filtration, venting, fans, humidifier/dehumidifier, pH/ec tools, nutrients and grow items (such as pots, grow tables etc).

A lot to think about. Plan ahead.

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I have fans ,venting the humid and dehumid ph pots all of that and yes I get all my building materials free I already have a 4x4 built with 5 plants and a 630 cmh in there im looking to bigger with better lighting im legal for 12 so why not lol

Boatguy said:

+1 on the timber.... It will blow your budget though even with the 10% riu discount

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I’ve learned over the years that every time I cut corners, it costs me more in the long run. Personally, I’d buy either a quality LED or else look at running DE 1000 watt HID and venting it outdoors. HID is still the standard that everyone seems to compare themselves to because it consistently delivers results. But I’m only growing for myself and I subscribe to “quality over quantity”.

youngwun11 said:

I have fans ,venting the humid and dehumid ph pots all of that and yes I get all my building materials free I already have a 4x4 built with 5 plants and a 630 cmh in there im looking to bigger with better lighting im legal for 12 so why not lol

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Hid are perfectly good lights.
If you dont have the wallet for anything better than budget leds you are better off sticking with hid.

Do you think running my 630 CMH + 1000 HPS side by side would work in the 4x8 and get a 600 for my 4x4 veg room

I'd probably do the 630 in the middle and two 600w hps on the sides for an 8x4

What up with kind led do these do what they say? Are they any good?

youngwun11 said:

What up with kind led do these do what they say? Are they any good?View attachment 4465142View attachment 4465143

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No.. Blurples are not good for much. Leafy greens, herbs or as a veg light they do fine

100% please do not buy it. They are anout as efficient/hot as hps. But a higher pricepoint.

Are you very interested in led, with your budget you'll need to diy.

Are temps a concern or what is making you think of the switch

PrometheanLeaf said:

100% please do not buy it. They are anout as efficient/hot as hps. But a higher pricepoint.

Are you very interested in led, with your budget you'll need to diy.

Are temps a concern or what is making you think of the switch

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I'm just curious and want to try because everybody talks so highly of LED my main concern is my electricity bill

youngwun11 said:

I'm just curious and want to try because everybody talks so highly of LED my main concern is my electricity bill

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Test something decent out in your 4x4. Outfitting the large space with cheap leds is going to be a disappointment.
@PrometheanLeaf is right about the diy. Plenty of threads and help here to get you through it.

youngwun11 said:

I'm just curious and want to try because everybody talks so highly of LED my main concern is my electricity bill

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What is your electric cost per kwh?

With the efficient LEDs that's are giving results, you'd have to to spend 70%-80% of your budget covering a single 4x4 section.

I recommend 2 solid companies, no disappointments.

HLG or Timber. Efficient, quality parts, customer service is there, built in America.

If you can DIY I would build a light with qb96 v2's. 4 per 4x4 on two hlg-320h-54a's. You could fill a 4x8 nicely, and it would probably cost about $1200 all in.

General rule of thumb for leds

30+ watts per sqaure foot for top tier stuff
60+ watts per square foot of the blurples and even then they wont preform the same in that space.


If you want premade

Timber growlights for Cob fixtures @RainDan
Horticulture lighting group for qb fixtures @Stephenj37826
Cutter electronics also sells board fixtures @welight
@diyled sells top of the line strip fixtures( strips are my preference)
Pacific lights concept Sells the photoboost strip lights @Greengenes707
Gavita sells the strip fixture, they have always been a top brand in grow lights
Fluence spyder
Amare 8 bar


If you want to go the DIY route

Cutter for strips or boards
HLG for boards
Digikey or arrow for strips and drivers
Alibaba (meiju or kingbrite) Look for the fotops 800s, they are kicking ass here on site.


Use the search feature up in the right corner, theres literally thousands of posts just like this one, with many good conversations and guys helping others decide.

Its a long and vicious rabbit hole this led game lol