Supplemental lighting and LEDs

[BlueBerryBaby]

I'm planning on buying a 63w or 126w LED. But for better yield/higher temps I would like to add some supplemental lighting. I would like the supplemental lights and the LED to be at the same distance from the plants.

But what types of lights can get as close to plants as LEDs? CFLs?

 

[BlueBerryBaby]

Could LedGirl chime in ?

 

[Ordinary Joe]

She is in the process of moving her company but I'll add my coinage if you don't mind:

With either Hydro-grow panel, I don't believe you will have a NEED to use supplimental lighting. There are some really nice grows on this forum using those two wattages and Scrog. CFLs will only raise your heat levels with minimal gains in weight. Also CFLs would have to kept closer than LEDs and you would have a higher chance of burning your plants.

Do you really WANT to raise the temperature in your cabinet/grow area?

 

[BlueBerryBaby]

She is in the process of moving her company
Do you really WANT to raise the temperature in your cabinet/grow area?

Thanks for the first reply.

But yes I do want a higher temp. I read something LEDGirl said in some thread saying: you need to keep temps high(around 80) with leds.

 

[generalgrievous]

I use a 180w LED and a 250 w HPS... Symbiotic lighting rather than supplemental... My target leaf temp is 85, subtropical.... Growth rate is off the hook for 430 watts.... Now that I've started with hybrid lighting there's no looking back....

The whole is most definately greater than the sum of it's parts....the blue link in my signature will take you to my current grow with lots of pics...

LEDgirls lights look like they kick ass...

 

[cannabi]

What about using a pet habitat temperature controller like the Zilla 500w controller?

You could plug your CFL or PL-L or whatever into the Zilla, set the temperature for about 82 and then plug that into your timer so that it can only affect the temperatures during the light cycle. Then, when the temperature goes above what you set, it will switch off the supplemental lighting until temperatures normalize.

You'll maintain your temperature and do it with something useful, light

 

[BlueBerryBaby]

I use a 180w LED and a 250 w HPS... Symbiotic lighting rather than supplemental... My target leaf temp is 85, subtropical.... Growth rate is off the hook for 430 watts.... Now that I've started with hybrid lighting there's no looking back....

The whole is most definately greater than the sum of it's parts....the blue link in my signature will take you to my current grow with lots of pics...

LEDgirls lights look like they kick ass...

What about using a pet habitat temperature controller like the Zilla 500w controller?

You could plug your CFL or PL-L or whatever into the Zilla, set the temperature for about 82 and then plug that into your timer so that it can only affect the temperatures during the light cycle. Then, when the temperature goes above what you set, it will switch off the supplemental lighting until temperatures normalize.

You'll maintain your temperature and do it with something useful, light

+ rep to both of you. Thanks for the info. Cannabi, I think I'll take your advice and use that method . But I'm debating on whether to use compact, or normal fluoros.

With normal fluoros I get more coverage and can get it as close as the led(I think). But CFL's are stronger.. I'm really not sure what to do here.

 

[cannabi]

Well, CFLs are certainly hotter, so I think it depends on how important attaining those temperatures are to you. If you get fluoros and they provide great lighting but not quite the temperature boost you were hoping for, you may have to switch to CFL. Remember, the Zilla will not force the lights to run hot, they'll only allow them to run until the temperatures exceed the position on the knob and switch them off. I just wouldn't use it with a HPS since it can kick on and off a few times per hour with that kind of heat. With CFLs it will only kick off once every couple hours or so during the light cycle -- even less for the fluoros.

 

[BlueBerryBaby]

With CFLs it will only kick off once every couple hours or so during the light cycle -- even less for the fluoros.

That's what I was looking for right there. I was thinking the CFL's were going to be shut off around a couple times an hour. So, this is good, I will be using CFL's.

Thanks alot, you've been extremely helpful.

 

[cannabi]

With your box closed up, you can plug the main power cable into an electrical usage monitor like the Kill-A-Watt and determine how much power it's pulling, and thus whether or not the supplemental lighting is being utilized effectively. More power drain means the CFLs are running, less means they've shut down. Depending on your temperatures you may have to adjust how many bulbs you end up being able to use. I'd run the lizard environment temperature sensor to the middle of the top of the canopy.

Be safe, have fun

 

[VerdantGreen]

i want to try a few supplemental lighting experiments and went for high output t5's with a remote ballast that i can put outside the cab - they sell them for aquariums. now i can get different spectrum tubes to try out.
check my diary link (the 205 one) if you want to check it out...

VG

 

[MeanBean]

Ive done the cfl thing, please don't waste your money. If you already have em try it, but bet you will be taking them out.

If you want more light, get another led unit, that's the whole point, getting away from the old tech.

 

[Piffsburgh]

I use a 180w LED and a 250 w HPS... Symbiotic lighting rather than supplemental... My target leaf temp is 85, subtropical.... Growth rate is off the hook for 430 watts.... Now that I've started with hybrid lighting there's no looking back....

The whole is most definately greater than the sum of it's parts....the blue link in my signature will take you to my current grow with lots of pics...

LEDgirls lights look like they kick ass...

What kind of gpw you pulling??

 

[BlueBerryBaby]

Ive done the cfl thing, please don't waste your money. If you already have em try it, but bet you will be taking them out.

If you want more light, get another led unit, that's the whole point, getting away from the old tech.

Well I have 4 right now. Plus I need them for veg so It's all good.

But also the CFLs are needed for extra heat.

And Verdant... I have already checked your thread/threads many times before .

 

[MeanBean]

But also the CFLs are needed for extra heat.

well that's a good use for them!

Still when I first got into led's I was all about suplemental lighting, but as I learned there just not worth thier output compared to led, unless you have a special reason like heat or maybe UV..

 

[generalgrievous]

What kind of gpw you pulling??

I'm convinced I can pull 1 gpw out of this closet... 4 plants @ 1/4 bow each.. That being said my previous harvest was a single plant,due to me not taping off the led on a power strip.. Should have been 4... She gave up well over 5 z's... What I just cut is 4 plants, and looks to be about 2 z's apiece...

I'm halfway there.....

 

[BlueBerryBaby]

well that's a good use for them!

Still when I first got into led's I was all about suplemental lighting, but as I learned there just not worth thier output compared to led, unless you have a special reason like heat or maybe UV..

I see what you're saying. But, either way it's more light. Which means more bud. And it also adds some blue spectrum lighting. Because the LEDs are only like 5% blue, I find this significantly important.

 

[CARE giver]

I see what you're saying. But, either way it's more light. Which means more bud. And it also adds some blue spectrum lighting. Because the LEDs are only like 5% blue, I find this significantly important.

Hi brother.

Yes I feel the CFL's will help fill out the spectrum. The goal is to try and mimic the suns spectrum. But good luck with that .

 

[monkey5]

Some where LED Girl said UVB...

Some where LED Girl said UVB...

] You may want to use that lizard moniter with a UVB light! Try it and see...let us know! Here's a link: monkey5

 

[gavin2511]

With either Hydro-grow panel, I don't believe you will have a NEED to use supplimental lighting. There are some really nice grows on this forum using those two wattages and Scrog. CFLs will only raise your heat levels with minimal gains in weight. Also CFLs would have to kept closer than LEDs and you would have a higher chance of burning your plants.


go with the cfl option my friend, they wont burn your plants, i have mine set from an 1nch to 4 inches from my plants and never had any burn issues!!