Lighting for a 4x4x7 tent

So I can legally grow 12 plants so I ordered a 4x4 tent. The only problem is I am trying to decide on lighting.. At first I had my heart set on a 600w hid set (mh bulb for veg and hps for flower) but I wanted to keep my power bill down and found LED to be a option. The only problem is that im not sure if the LED light im looking at will cover all my plants. Also im trying to keep my lighting under 300 dollars. Heres the LED I was looking at Here. Should I just go hid or will this LED work it says up to 20 sq feet or so (cant remember the exact number).

Update: I found a cheap 600w led (200pc each led 3 watts) think 600w will work for a 4x4? or should I go higher?

Th3mailman said:

So I can legally grow 12 plants so I ordered a 4x4 tent. The only problem is I am trying to decide on lighting.. At first I had my heart set on a 600w hid set (mh bulb for veg and hps for flower) but I wanted to keep my power bill down and found LED to be a option. The only problem is that im not sure if the LED light im looking at will cover all my plants. Also im trying to keep my lighting under 300 dollars. Heres the LED I was looking at Here. Should I just go hid or will this LED work it says up to 20 sq feet or so (cant remember the exact number).

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I would get the 600w with the switchable balast. That led will not produce enough of a footprint for your area, I use 180watt leds for supplimental lighting and I think they are okay for that when battling temps. Under 300 the best bang for your buck is the 600

You want about 500 w to 600 w of led to cover a 4x4 Or for hid. About 1000 watts. So 2 600's or a 1000 watt. Plus fans n ducting. It will be around a $1000 to $1500 for led or $800 for hid set up. You can start with 1 600. Yield will suffer though. Get another when you have more loot. A good 600 will run $300 then another $200 fo exhaust fan and ducting.

Led 35 - 40 watts per sq ft
Hid 60 - 65 watts per sq ft.

If money is an issue then hps is best bang for buck. I'd say check out Revolt ballasts for the price. I like my 400w dimmable ballast.

https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/477406-revolt-ballasts-anyone-use-them.html

I like LED in my tiny cab due to heat issues but the price for coverage is high.

From what ive read 600w hps is the perfect amount of light for a 4x4 tent. Im pretty sure im just going to go with an hps now. I found a 6'cool tube with a xl wing, 600w ballast, the hanger ropes, timer and two bulbs (mh/hps) for 215 dollars with shipping. Then I was just gonna run a fan with a carbon filter through the cool tube. Also does anybody think I would gain anything from a 1000w other then a higher electric bill?

Th3mailman said:

From what ive read 600w hps is the perfect amount of light for a 4x4 tent. Im pretty sure im just going to go with an hps now. I found a 6'cool tube with a xl wing, 600w ballast, the hanger ropes, timer and two bulbs (mh/hps) for 215 dollars with shipping. Then I was just gonna run a fan with a carbon filter through the cool tube. Also does anybody think I would gain anything from a 1000w other then a higher electric bill?

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A 1k will outproduce a 600w for sure but the 600 has the best lumen to watt values of any size hid. I would run the 600 first and get a good feel for temo control and then maybe add some supplemental lighting at a later date. If your not convinced a 600 will do well check out some 600w journals some people are kicking ass with these. I use leds for supplemental lignting and find that the combo in veg produces some tight node development.

IMO I would go for your first idea, and get a 600W MH/HPS and use a few more bucks on a nice cool hood or atleast a cool tube ..

specially if your on a budget, LED is the future Im sure and the nice big quality once can for sure compete with HID lights, but I keep see and read about them cheap Chinese once is more like toys then anything els and is a wast of money.

so unless your able to build one your self (DIY) as I see Ppl. do that or is able to invest the money needed for a prober one (Im no expert, but I did look at em in the start but decided to go with a 600W HID myself) like etc. the Black star (400$ and up) I would for sure go for the HID

depending on contry and how much your electric company charges I would say a 600W maximum use for 50$ a month and bulbs do last a year roughly (twice as long if you switch between two) so you do have to grow for a few years to make up for the LED cost, surely it will pay of in the end, but if you start out by wasting etc 300$ on a LED fixture that don't live up to your expectations you already years behind so to speak.

a solid HID set up wont let you down and is easy to sell agin if/when you have money to upgrade to LED or use it in the Veg tent you might upgrade with later on, get a nice dimmerble ballast that or one that can run both 400W and 600W and use the 400W MH for Veg at a later stages (just a suggestion)


a rule of tump is that a 600W cover 4x4 so its perfect a 400W will cover 3x3 aso.

I run a 600W HPS with a cool hood on, if I Veg I use a T5HO fixture as it provide enough light for Veg and safe power, so I only run my 600W on 12/12 so power use is`t that high Im in Scandinavia and we pay high prizes for power and I think in US $ I use for 40$ all in all with fans and vents aso a month, not much more then if I had a few big fish tanks as my hobby

right now I do 12 plants (3x4) under it, but Im doing it as a 12/12 from seed in a SoG (SoG = see of green) as its the only way to fit that many in to that space, but on purpose as I want to keep em small, as one of our big "enemies" indoors no matter what light is light penetration, so by going 12/12 from seed I keep em small and busy, get a early harvest, use less power, for the cost of some seeds/clones, as they will yield half of a normal Vegged plant but as I keep 12 instead of 4-6 it should yield the same ... I hope fist run but I like what I see

https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/416589-12-12-seed-thread.html


if you don't like to go that way I wouldn't grow more then 4-6 plants under a 600W in a tent that size if you want the plant mature before you go 12/12

I found a cheap 600w led (200pc each led 3 watts) think 600w will work for a 4x4? or should I go higher?

What led is it?

make sure it comes with a warranty.

to be honest man you can get a nice 600w HID with switchable dimmable ballast for less than 300$ and still have enough money for a small seed order.

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-hydroponic-Dimmable-Ballast-Pressure/dp/B005HB3L6W/ref=pd_sbs_hg_4

HID is tried and true, LED are expensive to get the amount you will need.

this will leave you with enough money to get 2 5packs of seeds and some freebies from attitude. or some pick and mix's and the UFO freebies. dosent matter what light you have if yo uhave shit genetics your gonaa grow medocre plants.

as a rule of thumb if the led is cheap then your going to suffer honestly people go on about the price of leds the thing is with a quality 600watt led covering a 4x4 area will yield 500g plus surely that covers the cost first grow ? then you have a piece of kit that is going to last you years hassle free ?
guys its not all about the money with them there are loads of benefits heat being the main one (or lack off)
if you really want to take your grow to the next level have a look at leds in a sealed environment with co2 enhancement this is when they come into their own and your lecky and gas costs are going to half each grow

RetiredMatthebrute said:

make sure it comes with a warranty.

to be honest man you can get a nice 600w HID with switchable dimmable ballast for less than 300$ and still have enough money for a small seed order.

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-hydroponic-Dimmable-Ballast-Pressure/dp/B005HB3L6W/ref=pd_sbs_hg_4

HID is tried and true, LED are expensive to get the amount you will need.

this will leave you with enough money to get 2 5packs of seeds and some freebies from attitude. or some pick and mix's and the UFO freebies. dosent matter what light you have if yo uhave shit genetics your gonaa grow medocre plants.

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I ordered from heribes and got my seeds today the strands I picked where Bomb THC Bomb, Nirvana Bubblicious, Dr. underground painkiller/crystal m.e.t.h

If ordering from a Chinese manufacturer I'd recommend iris or iris platinum from http://www.led-star.en.alibaba.com/

I have a 240w I think iris from them. It's in a small cab at the moment where heat was an issue. Customer support has been extremely friendly and helpful. Pm me if you want any info. Got pics in my thread somewhere.

If ordering from a Chinese manufacturer I'd recommend iris or iris platinum from http://www.led-star.en.alibaba.com/

I have a 240w I think iris from them. It's in a small cab at the moment where heat was an issue. Customer support has been extremely friendly and helpful. Pm me if you want any info. Got pics in my thread somewhere.