longbeach562
Active Member
Are the UFO led light good n if so which one r the good ones.. N wats the diff from the other light ??
Lights?
- Thread starter longbeach562
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What is the width/depth of the space you want to cover, and how tall?
I'm using two Blackstar 135w (85w actual) UFOs in a 4x2 tent to grow a perpetual 2-plant autoflower grow. They work really well for that sq ft (4 sq ft per UFO). More importantly, the limited 4' height of the tent requires more diffused lighting which the 3w bulbs mounted on a white backboard does (compared to fewer but more intense 5w bulbs and/or mounted in a reflector).
If you have more height (to raise the light and maintain distance) than I do, I'd recommend the Area51 RW-75 for a 2x2 space. It's 5w chips and a reflector. More money, but lifetime warranty and ability to upgrade the LED modules as technology evolves.
longbeach562
Active Member
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Well I'm building one tht goin to be the size of a tall speaker box but do no the width or depth yet
I've seen short and tall speaker boxes. If your grow box is tall enough to maintain 12-16" between the light and the top of the plant (plus a short space above the light for the light's fan to pull air into itself), I'd recommend one Area51 RW-75 for every 2x2 space. They're on sale for $275 through August and would be a long-term value for you. They throw more light per watt because they use Cree bulbs. Lifetime warranty, ability to upgrade as Cree releases more efficient bulbs. The guy behind the operation publishes all the specs about the spectrum you're buying, including actual part numbers of bulbs used. (Many companies sell you "secret spectrum," creating the allure of a magic component you're paying a premium for.).
If your vertical space could require you to keep the light closer (like 5-6"), then I'd recommend a light with 3w bulbs mounted on a white backboard (not 5w, not mounted in a reflector) for more diffused light.
TopLED's "old model" (the Mars I) comes in a 180w (100w actual) UFO for $100. I've been told by TopLED it uses the same spectrum/ratio as the Mars II and "reflector" series. TopLED is a fairly safe choice because they have a support forum on 420mag. If something goes wrong you'd have the community watching. Other Chinese lights are sold by resellers who could leave you hanging. TopLED is LG factory's outlet store.
Blackstar's 135w (85w actual) UFO for $170 is working well for me. But, I think it falls into the category of rebranded Chinese import sold at a premium.
There are lots of other sellers, but they're either buy-direct imports from lessor-known entities who could leave you hanging (which is why I prefer TopLED as a more reputable route if you go that way). Or, they're rebranded Chinese imports sold at a premium with lots of "secrete sauce" hype (BlackDog, GrowBlu, HydroGrowLED). They work fine, but not worth the premium IMO.
So, it depends on the size of your grow box, whether you'll grow short plants (autoflowers, scrog), etc. Hopefully this gives you some ideas. There's also people using screw-in LED "COB" (chip on board) from Lowes for small spaces. You could supplement your space with that.
There is an LED sub-forum within the "indoor grow" forum. Feel free to pm me if you have questions.
If your vertical space could require you to keep the light closer (like 5-6"), then I'd recommend a light with 3w bulbs mounted on a white backboard (not 5w, not mounted in a reflector) for more diffused light.
TopLED's "old model" (the Mars I) comes in a 180w (100w actual) UFO for $100. I've been told by TopLED it uses the same spectrum/ratio as the Mars II and "reflector" series. TopLED is a fairly safe choice because they have a support forum on 420mag. If something goes wrong you'd have the community watching. Other Chinese lights are sold by resellers who could leave you hanging. TopLED is LG factory's outlet store.
Blackstar's 135w (85w actual) UFO for $170 is working well for me. But, I think it falls into the category of rebranded Chinese import sold at a premium.
There are lots of other sellers, but they're either buy-direct imports from lessor-known entities who could leave you hanging (which is why I prefer TopLED as a more reputable route if you go that way). Or, they're rebranded Chinese imports sold at a premium with lots of "secrete sauce" hype (BlackDog, GrowBlu, HydroGrowLED). They work fine, but not worth the premium IMO.
So, it depends on the size of your grow box, whether you'll grow short plants (autoflowers, scrog), etc. Hopefully this gives you some ideas. There's also people using screw-in LED "COB" (chip on board) from Lowes for small spaces. You could supplement your space with that.
There is an LED sub-forum within the "indoor grow" forum. Feel free to pm me if you have questions.
longbeach562
Active Member
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longbeach562
Active Member
Would this be good for one or two plants
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For $300 I think you can do better. For example, 2 lower-power UFOs providing more diffused light. HTG doesn't tell you actual power draw, but I imagine it's around 150w. For the same money, you could buy 3 TopLED UFOs which are 180w (105w actual). Not sure you need that much actual wattage for that space. Two might be sufficient. Or, two Blackstar 135w UFOs (which are rocking my 2x4x4' tall tent).
I'd go for a multiple light sources to get more diffused light rather than one larger, stronger UFO. If you were thinking of getting two of those HTG/Agro UFOs, I'd get 2 Area-51 RW-75s for less money. But, not sure you have the height.
What is the dimension of your cabinet? What do you plan to grow? What height do you anticipate the plants being? What space does that leave between the canopy and the top of the cabinet? You want to size the light(s) to the cubic feet of the space, aiming for 30w sq. ft. But, you can get by with less if the lights are high quality (Like the RW-75 which uses Cree).
It's a balancing act between diffusion and distance needed for stronger lights (which your space may not afford).
Also, if that's tin foil inside the cabinet, that's not going to work well. Mirror finishes create hot spots. I would paint the inside eggshell to semi-gloss white, or get the white reflective material sold at hydro stores and staple it inside.