315w cmh or led for 4x4 tent $300 budget

I've been combing through posts for at least a week now and keep reading all sorts of conflicting information. I plan on starting my second all time grow, first one in a while, and wondering what my plan for lighting should be given the budget. Believe me if I had that much more $ to spend right now I'd get a quantum board or real nice COB and be done with it, but it's just unfeasible for right now, hopefully I'll have the $ for one by my next grow. So my question is:
Do I buy a 315 cmh kit and just call it a day, do I buy two to maximize the production in my 4x4, should I instead opt for a single/de 630 hood and ballast, or is there some magic led that will give similar results for the same or similar price that I'm just oblivious to? Open to other suggestions as well, thanks for tuning in! <3

In my neighborhood a 630 cmh for 300 is a good deal as long as it has everything with it.

I did run a single 315 watt CMH in late 2018 in a 4 x 4. I bought a Timber 2 VL for the last month of flowering for more light.

A 315 watt CMH is "almost" enough light for a 4 x 4.........but in flower stage you want at least 30 watts per sq ft.


HLG came out with THESE lights since.





I'd add THIS to a single 315 watt CMH in a 4 x 4. Just buy a bit more light then a 315 watt CMH if u plan on 4 plants in that tent!

https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-5-Mode-Adjust-High-Reflectivity-Aluminum-Upgraded/dp/B07RPKT58L
I was thinking of getting one or two of these without the bulbs and getting 1 each of~3k and 4k Philips brand bulbs to stick in em. I wouldn't need anything else right? Should I stick with 1 during veg and supplement with CFLs to stay cheap? Would the qb and that cmh fixture be a good combo or should I try making a small supplemental diy qb? Thanks for all the fast replies, they're all so very much appreciated.

Then I saw this. It'd be absolute max end of budget, but wouldn't even come with bulbs. Don't even know if the site is reputable though. Last question I can think of: What's the difference between vertical and horizontal fixtures?

If u are growing 2 or 3 plants only, a single 315 watt CMH is prolly fine. But if u plan on filling out that entire tent with colas I'd add more light/

That Vivosun CMH you linked to is fine, a Phillips or Hortilux bulb will work just fine. The ballast from the CMH is another consideration. Most ppl like ballasts that are seperated from the light fixture. This way you have the option of keeping the ballast INSIDE the tent (will get 4 degrees warmer/fahrenheit, maybe 5) or OUTSIDE the tent.

LED and CMH combo is sweet!

That 30w/sq foot number is for high efficacy LED's (not crap led's), not a cmh. The CMH number is closer to 40-50 w/sq foot.

But a 315 will work in a small tent. Heck, cfl's will work. Ideal? No, but it will work. And if you keep an eye on ebay, you will find someone who thought they had a green thumb and were just too stupid or lazy to succeed. Lot's of used grow gear selling for pennies out there.

I'd run 8 qb132 boards. 260 for the boards but 50 ea for 2 drivers is over budget. Almost 800w you'd kill it.

greg nr said:

That 30w/sq foot number is for high efficacy LED's (not crap led's), not a cmh. The CMH number is closer to 40-50 w/sq foot.

But a 315 will work in a small tent. Heck, cfl's will work. Ideal? No, but it will work. And if you keep an eye on ebay, you will find someone who thought they had a green thumb and were just too stupid or lazy to succeed. Lot's of used grow gear selling for pennies out there.

Click to expand...

Wrong.

I own two CMH's, an HLG 550 V2 Rspec and a Timber 2 VL.

One CMH is almost enough light for a 4 x 4. Not quite, but nobody uses all 16 sq ft just for plants. Humidifiers, oscillating tower fans, carbon filters and other things take up space. Id say one CMH will be fine for a 3 x 4 space of just plants. 12/315= 26.5 sq ft of efficiency

Using Phillips 3100k in flower and Phillips 4200k in veg

Don't equate a CMH with a cheapo Amazon LED, those fuckin things are just pure junk!

Wow, thank you all for the fast feedback, I'm taking every bit into consideration. I looked at the hlg QBs as the best prebuilt option, but outta the budget of this grow. Diy sounds great to me but the setups I've seen run like ~$500 to get going which is cheap when comparing the competition, but just out of range for the moment. I was also wondering if the different hoods have any advantages between brands and type (open or closed)? Thanks again!

Couch_buzz said:

Wrong.

I own two CMH's, an HLG 550 V2 Rspec and a Timber 2 VL.

One CMH is almost enough light for a 4 x 4. Not quite, but nobody uses all 16 sq ft just for plants. Humidifiers, oscillating tower fans, carbon filters and other things take up space. Id say one CMH will be fine for a 3 x 4 space of just plants. 12/315= 26.5 sq ft of efficiency

Using Phillips 3100k in flower and Phillips 4200k in veg

Don't equate a CMH with a cheapo Amazon LED, those fuckin things are just pure junk!

Click to expand...

I wasn't equating it to cheap led's at all; I like the 315 a lot. I said it would work. A little lite on watts, but it will work.

I was just referring to the 30w/sq ft number. That doesn't hold for cmh lights. It's somewhat higher. But you can get away with less light than recommended as you noted. If you are essentially growing a 3x3 space out of 4x4, you will never notice a difference.

I have a 315 in a 3x3 and I can say if the plant/plants are trained well showing good tops the 315 will do a great job.. that being said I still felt I needed more light.. so hlg had the 260 v1 for 229$..so grabbed one and put it in the tent as well..raised them higher and so far so good.. the Vivosun 315 along with the bulbs cost about the same as the 260 v1..I also felt I was missing the UV my 315 additionally had... I hope this best of both worlds thing works out!! Good look whichever direction you choose!
Also my Vivosun pulls 355 watts from the wall.. every watt helps!!

Couch_buzz said:

Wrong.

. Not quite, but nobody uses all 16 sq ft just for plants. Humidifiers, oscillating tower fans, carbon filters and other things take up space.

Click to expand...

Just like to point out that all of those things can go up higher and box fans are better to use in a tight space than pedestal fans.

Everything will eventually get crowded out, my plants top 4 feet easy and get wide. 3 in a 4 x 4 I can barely water and move once in 12/12/. Everything eventually gets in the way. Less plants= better air circulation and light penetration. Most ppl get greedy and put way too many plants in their tent, u may get yield that way but you aren't gonna get 2 hit and quit smoke. Greedy folks get PM, bugs and all kinds of shit!

Couch_buzz said:

Everything will eventually get crowded out, my plants top 4 feet easy and get wide. 3 in a 4 x 4 I can barely water and move once in 12/12/. Everything eventually gets in the way. Less plants= better air circulation and light penetration. Most ppl get greedy and put way too many plants in their tent, u may get yield that way but you aren't gonna get 2 hit and quit smoke. Greedy folks get PM, bugs and all kinds of shit!

Click to expand...

Greedy. No PM. No bugs. All 16 square feet used. Only shit is seabird guano. Just sayin it can be done. Oh yeah, 4ft tall plants. No complaints.

260$ for 1000watt CMH full kit dimmable 100lum/watt and 160$ for 240watt quantum board 230lum/watt 3.2umol/j + shipping. That's what I use

Couch_buzz said:

Everything will eventually get crowded out, my plants top 4 feet easy and get wide. 3 in a 4 x 4 I can barely water and move once in 12/12/. Everything eventually gets in the way. Less plants= better air circulation and light penetration. Most ppl get greedy and put way too many plants in their tent, u may get yield that way but you aren't gonna get 2 hit and quit smoke. Greedy folks get PM, bugs and all kinds of shit!

Click to expand...

ive had the dreaded mites in the past but thats because of having no IPM. I learnt that lesson. Ive never had PM indoors.
But i like to fill the floor space with plants not stuff that can hang.
I run the 630wDE

Lucky Luke said:

Just like to point out that all of those things can go up higher and box fans are better to use in a tight space than pedestal fans.

Click to expand...

I have box fans, pedestal fans, clip fans and a tower oscillating fan. A box fan is certainly nowhere near as good as a tower oscillating fan. I've tried many. I'm not afraid to spend a buck.

Couch_buzz said:

I have box fans, pedestal fans, clip fans and a tower oscillating fan. A box fan is certainly nowhere near as good as a tower oscillating fan. I've tried many. I'm not afraid to spend a buck.

Click to expand...

Iv'e tried tower oscillating fans to. I hang them from the tent frame. Not sure why you suggest fans are expensive. That was a weird comment. I found the box fans just last longer, are easier to hang and are tidy- but i get thats personnel preference. I have mine on two yo- yo's so i can adjust the height easily.