Advice on which light to go for?

sshz said:

Gavita Pro 900e LED
8-bar configuration provides uniform light distribution that is ideal for vertical racks, low rooms, over benches, or in tents
900 µmol/s delivers huge growing potential without overpowering your plants in a low-ceiling environment
Design provides an incredibly efficient 2.6 µmol/j at 345 W and produces a broad-spectrum light source ideal for any growth stage
Masterfully crafted with high-quality 120-277 volt Philips brand drivers
Top-bin LEDs power this built-to-last fixture
Features built-in 6k V surge protector
Multiple hanging options included in box for hanging the fixture from multiple mounting points
Balanced, full-spectrum light output
FCC and UL 8800 compliant
IP66 rated for use in wet environments
Available in North America Feb 2021

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BigJohnny said:

I'm looking at setting up a small RDWC in my living room in a grow tent, probably 2 plants for now.

I'm going to get a 315W CMH, but I'm looking at two options:

A cool tube setup with external ballast or the "regular" CMH fixture with reflector and ballast all in one unit.


Since my tent will 24x48 I'm not sure which light setup to go with because of two reasons.


1.) Orientation, since it's a rectangle tent, using the all-in-one CMH would allow me to put the light perpendicular to the length, thus spreading light more widely over the rectangle area, but adding more heat to the tent.


2.) Heat. I have to run 3 AC's in the summer to keep my 3rd floor apartment from getting ridiculously hot and humid. Running the ACs typically keeps the apartment around 22-26C depending on if we have the door open, oven on etc. I think we're usually around 24C most times.


Using the cool tube I'll be able to keep heat out of the grow area better, but light spread may not be optimal?

If I use the all in one, I can still vent heat out of the grow area, but my confusion comes in where I'm wondering if I might need the added heat during the summer months when my apartment has 3 ACs going, but the temperature might be in a good range for the plants?


or the light may add too much heat to the small area and it would be better to go with the cool tube?


right now, mid winter it's a comfy 24C and slightly dry 21% humidity.

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Aspenou812 said:

This is what’s possible in a 2x4 space with coco and plenty of light...View Image
Like I said it is possible... that’s over a pound and a half of Luscious GG4
DWC And RWDC Require expert environmental controls and leave very little room for error...

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Greenheart said:

Nothing wrong with CMH. It is a great light. I'm a full spectrum fan too.

I think you might be dreaming if you want to run a 600 and only have 6 amps. Isn't that almost 6 amps by itself?

Soil fan here too. It is much more forgiving. You have to know your stuff pretty well in hydro game. What happens if say your power went out for a 8 hours while you were away?

Anyway that's my take. To each their own. Best of luck. People grow it many ways. Find the one that works for you!

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BigJohnny said:

yeah I'm pretty new.


I have what I have right now and don't have the budget to drop on a new light at the moment, so the 315 CMH in a cool tube is what's going to be used for now.
I still need to wait until payday to grab a tent OR fan..... I have to space things out.



to top that off, I have 6A to work with, maximum....like absolutely no more than 6 Amps.



As for RDWC or any other method.....that can change, but I do not want to deal with soil.


I picked up free (white) buckets, and already had a pump and stuff.... I mean, currently I have just about everything needed to do a true aero grow, but not going that route, so I'm just playing around at the moment and keeping myself busy.


Once I get the tent I will probably mess around with the buckets just to see what happens but that doesn't mean I'm going to grow that way unless for some reason everything magically works out......and that's not likely I'm sure.


How many plants are in that 2x4 coco system....because it looks pretty good.






EDIT


and yes, I already have the 315CMH..... OR potentially a 600W HPS or MH..... I didn't even know I could use the 600W, but that would be pushing it so I'm most likely going to use the 315CMH for a while.


I'm not going LED at this point, it may be better now but due to the advice of all the super master ultra experienced growers I went with CMH.

I also liked the look of the spectrum output of the CMH it seems to be pretty broad.


At any rate, LED can happen, just not until later on down the road, and perhaps after a couple of harvests.


The reason I'm in such a "hurry" is because we have been smoking out of a garbage bag full of bud that's about 7+ years old, and is moldy af......and that's almost gone, and I just can't justify paying these fucking dispensary prices for something that's been $10/g since I was born.
Suddenly it's like $70/eighth which is going to be gone by the time we go to bed.
We finally got the space to have a small setup, and I want to get something going as soon as we can and finally get some good bud for once in our lives.

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Aspenou812 said:

Go with the 315 cmh and ditch the cool tube... coco is not soil... coco is inert grow media and totally hydroponic but there are other options... aero is very similar to DWC in that environment control has to be in point to get decent results... with either you going to need thing that are expensive... and require more amps than you have to work with that’s just the honest truth...
that’s 3 plants and at over a pound and a half it’s heavy as fuck for any grower in a 2x4
Growing Via water culture Aeroponics and DWC are about the most difficult to get right... you need to learn more about the plants and proper environment and the plants needs before you jump in knee deep.. not long ago I was a new grower my first harvest was about 2.7 pounds under 1150w gavita!! I had the best mentor Teaching me DansBuds... you can’t rush growing pot... it will come and that’s the key letting it come to you... you have to listen to the plants with your eyes...
I want you to be successful just like I have been if you find my thread girls got skills there is a bevy of information that will blow your mind throughout those pages and a roadmap to your assured success get to reading and good luckView Image my thread will lead you to this... I’m 9 weeks away from harvest this room paid for it’s self... the quality and weight I produce is top of the game... and im here if you need help...

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Aspenou812 said:

I started growing for the exact same reasons you are and on basically the same budget... that was 7 years ago... all I wanted was a little dank to smoke on and medicate... now this is about half of what I do and growing dank is just who I am now... it happens... that room means I’m about to get ahead in life too... 30 to 35k right there... in 9 more weeks that is... one thing I can promise is that this is all a tone of work... along with endless research and a lot of guidance... I listened to the right people and still do....

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BigJohnny said:

how is that room making you money? I mean, I assume legally but I don't think I'd ever be in a position to be doing what you're doing.

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Aspenou812 said:

I thought the same thing...
Anything is possible if you believe in yourself good luck

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BigJohnny said:

I appreciate the experience, but what people don't understand is that I don't learn the same as others do. it may not make sense, and I don't expect it to, but I learn better when I start somewhere that isn't the beginning, and work my way backwards. I've always been this way, and it took me a long time to figure this out.


I know coco isn't soil, it's something I'll look into for sure, I know the environment needs to be in spec, and I'm home all day every day with nothing to do but monitor conditions and adjust as necessary.


The space and electrical I have is what I have, there is nothing that can be done about it, if I could I absolutely would, but somehow I'm going to work with it.


if I ditch the cool tube then I have nowhere to hang a bulb.....and honestly, if I listened to everything everyone said I'd have about 5 different LED lights, 3 or 4 different MH/HPS setups, a flood and drain table, an NFT table and a bunch of other stuff.


So at some point I need to draw a line, get what I get and run with it. if something needs changing later on then that's what I have to do but my main point here right now is to get some plants growing as soon as I can.

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BigJohnny said:

literally anything that comes from it that can be smoked is going to be better than the bag of moldy/bud rot, 7-8 year old "bud" I'm smoking now.

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Aspenou812 said:

Everyone Deserves some good pot... I hear what you’d saying I know shit ain’t easy... Life isn’t Growing isn’t... I would like to see what you come up with and working with a system that’s 1- dependable 2- cheep 3- easy to use and maintain you have several options on systems just like that and you can build yourself.. you have space for maybe 2 good sized plants Your going to need a little veg time the end results all depend on roots and strong branches vegging with a fan will make a huge differences in that the plant can hold... at least a week.. For the exhaust you need a fan that will keep your tent at a negative pressure and has the capacity to remove and change the air quickly... a 4 inch may work but a 6 inch exhaust fan and fan speed controller would do you better.. let’s see some pictures of what your working with these are things you will just about have to have along with a ph meter and Ec meter.. all these items are cross platform/media also look into your water supply if it’s city or well water you have to know what’s in it...

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