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Ideal lighting for a 5x5' Gorilla Tent

Juno907

New member
Howdy guys and gals,

I've been a lurker on this site for years and this is my first post. I have gotten tons of info from this site but after reading for hours on here and other forums I am stumped on my next step.
I recently moved and had to get rid of my half of a smallish medical grow. It was air-cooled with 12,000w in flower on an 8 and 4 flip and ~4,000w of t5's. I knew moving meant no more growing in a warehouse but my new location is a medical state thank god and I got my card as soon as I got here.
My new grow room is 8'6"x10' with a sloped ceiling starting at 9'6" and ends at 8'. I decided on a 5x5 Gorilla tent with the 1' extension and I still have a 2x3 agromax and some blackstar led's to veg with for now. I am going to do a scrog with chicken wire in flower. I am growing in 100% coco and handwater. I plan on using blumats once I transplant into 1gallon bags with the plants on the ground or possibly in a tray a foot or so off the ground. I have a 7,000btu minisplit for the room and only one inlet or outlet for outside air at the moment. Also, currently I only have 15amps to the room but I am adding two 20amp 120v circuits this week.
My dilemma is I cant decide the lighting. It looked like most forum threads say one 1,000w with a big hood like the magnum xxxl and only some said two 600's. I have some old gear, two 400w lumateks, three 1,000 xtrasun magnetics, Sunshine Systems 300w led and a few 4, 6, and 8" inline fans. I don't have any hoods or bulbs though so I'm at a decision point with what to do. I've spent many hours for the past few weeks deciding on the rest of my setup but this part seems the hardest.. there are too many choices. I figure my choices are:
(1) 1,000w digital ballast w/ a magnum xxxl 8"?
(2) 600w digital ballast w/ two medium sized air cooled hoods 8"?
(2) 400w lumateks air cooled and maybe the 300w led
I considered a double ended setup but I don't think I have the headroom and figured I should stick with what I know at least for this first round in a smaller space.
While researching ballast, hoods, bulbs, etc. I also looked at a few led's and the price seems to be getting closer and closer to HIDs. I figure I am going to spend at least $200 on a hood and ~$150 on a quality ballast. Times two for both of those if I get a 600w setup. Or only have to buy two medium sized hoods for my 400s and take the risk with my dated led. Or get a couple Mars II 1200 LEDs... I don't know, two many combinations. What do you guys think? HID, led, one or two hoods..? Sorry for the long first post, just trying to fill in all the background info.
biggrin.gif
 
B

bigganjabud

Id go a central 1000w gavita and 4 led panels

Let me know what you decide mate


Good luck
 

Juno907

New member
I still haven't decided yet but I'm leaning towards a 1,000w HPS with a Magnum XXXL Low Pro and Nanolux OG series ballast since I can get a good price on both. I figure with only 8' ceilings I shouldn't risk light bleaching with a DE setup even if it is 600w it needs 3'+ of canopy space. DE is the new thing but without 10-12' ceilings it doesn't make sense. Maybe I just need to see more successful grow journals using them, not that I haven't yet, just not a lot. Anyone have good results using Mars Hydro LEDs or Growblu? Growblu is localish so maybe they'd give me a deal.
 
B

bigganjabud

The 600 watt system from Gavita powers the Phillips GreenPower professional horticulture lamp. It covers 1.2 square meters and delivers 8% more plant ready light (in the correct PAR range) than standard fixtures. The shade and ballast are mounted together which significantly reduces RF signal and and heat generated from the ballast is already at the top of the room away from the plants.

The 1000 watt system from Gavita is dimmable and has power settings of 600w/660w/750w/825w/1000w/1125w

Delivers 8% more light
10% more fruit
Runs at a constant 2.8 amps
RF shielded
Covers 1.2 sq metres
LED fault indicator allows you to solve any technical faults
Higher PAR output equals more photosynthesis.


And then you get your leds aswell


You should be golden with that setup but again its up to you

This is what im planning on doing once i move
 
I have a 5x5 Sun Hut Fortress tent that I use for "overflow" for my larger veg and flower rooms. I have a 1000w xxxl Magnum in there with a Lumatek digi ballast that can run 400, 600, or 1000w MH or sodium. I use a 6" can fan hooked to the carbon scrubber.

Its a great set up. Super flexible. If my veg room is overflowing and my crop in the big flower room isn't quite finished I put the MH bulb in, transplant, and continue on 18/6 lighting in the tent. If I have more plants to flower than will fit in the big room, just put in the Sodium, transplant, and start flowering. Dial it up or down to current needs based on plant size, heat level, etc...

I don't have experience with the Gavita, but as you said I think you want higher ceilings than what you will get in a tent. It gets tight in there with that xxxl hood, and fan, and carbon filter, and ducting, but it works out real nice for me.

Good luck.
 

Dr.King

Member
Veteran
Id go a central 1000w gavita and 4 led panels

Let me know what you decide mate


Good luck

Always a great idea. This is how I run my setup. MH/HPS in the middle and 2 LED lights on each side for a total of 4. So it covers a great deal of distance and spreads nicely. I can tell the bud difference when using LED lights. So much more trichs, better color, better smell, better looking, taste better and yield more. Buy Led panels that have warranties. You can grab 138w Led panels on ebay with 9 spects right now for $50 each which is insane plus most come with a 2 year atleast. Good luck.
 

PetFlora

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Do some research. Not all leds are the same. Far from it!

Mars is guaranteed to fail long before you get your money's worth. everything about it is cheaply done

To cover 5 x 5, I recommend using 2 Amare Tech SE 220s. Everything is quality, including aluminum chassis

I started a new thread using an Amare Technologies SE 220. Will be using it this grow

View attachment 331181 View attachment 331182
 

DoubleTripleOG

Chemdog & Kush Lover Extraordinaire
ICMag Donor
Do some research. Not all leds are the same. Far from it!

Mars is guaranteed to fail long before you get your money's worth. everything about it is cheaply done

To cover 5 x 5, I recommend using 2 Amare Tech SE 220s. Everything is quality, including aluminum chassis

I started a new thread using an Amare Technologies SE 220. Will be using it this grow

View attachment 331181 View attachment 331182

That fixture is $700!!! That's cool if your on a baller budget. Or if you can afford to take a qp from a harvest and spend it on a light.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to use one of them. Shit by the looks there $995 model looks tit's.

But for that kind of money you could buy 2 tents and the lights and fans/filters to go with them.

If I had a 5 x5 tent. I would hang a 1000 watter bare bulb vert. Attach trellis to the walls, and boom! Perfect vert set-up, with perfect distance to all walls from the bulb.

But that's just me, I'm kinda conventional.
 

MrBungle

Active member
I like Fly's idea.... I run a 1kw vert, in a cool tube, in a 4'x4' custom box, with a 6 inch inline... I wish I had that extra 1'x1', 2 inches inline, and 1kw light stacked... lol... Only thing I might not do is the bare bulbs in a tent...
 

Koondense

Well-known member
Veteran
I just seen a grow in a 5x5 gorilla tent with 1 gavita de 1000w, the almost whole 12/12 grow produced 1g/W of insanely good looking buds.
 

PetFlora

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
That fixture is $700!!! That's cool if your on a baller budget. Or if you can afford to take a qp from a harvest and spend it on a light.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to use one of them. Shit by the looks there $995 model looks tit's.

But for that kind of money you could buy 2 tents and the lights and fans/filters to go with them.

If I had a 5 x5 tent. I would hang a 1000 watter bare bulb vert. Attach trellis to the walls, and boom! Perfect vert set-up, with perfect distance to all walls from the bulb.

But that's just me, I'm kinda conventional.

There is a hidden cost to using hps and associated fans/filters and electric, bulb and hood replacement. LEDs typically pay dividends within 2 grows
 

DoubleTripleOG

Chemdog & Kush Lover Extraordinaire
ICMag Donor
After re-reading the first post. I say buy some lamp sockets/Cool tubes and use equipment you already have.(1000 waters)

After the first harvest you should have all the money you need to get whatever LED or DE fixture you want.
 

Chunkypigs

passing the gas
Veteran
one bare 1000 has worked great for me in the past with many combinations of trained plants inside.

keep fan and filter outside of tent and it's possible to run Colosseum or stadium in one.
I had plant counts in the thirties in mine once.

about a dozen like this came out of a tent run, there's a lattice of bamboo stuck in the 5 gallon pot that the plants were trained to.

picture.php


good luck with your grow!
 

Juno907

New member
The 600 watt system from Gavita powers the Phillips GreenPower professional horticulture lamp. It covers 1.2 square meters and delivers 8% more plant ready light (in the correct PAR range) than standard fixtures. The shade and ballast are mounted together which significantly reduces RF signal and and heat generated from the ballast is already at the top of the room away from the plants.

The 1000 watt system from Gavita is dimmable and has power settings of 600w/660w/750w/825w/1000w/1125w

Delivers 8% more light
10% more fruit
Runs at a constant 2.8 amps
RF shielded
Covers 1.2 sq metres
LED fault indicator allows you to solve any technical faults
Higher PAR output equals more photosynthesis.


And then you get your leds aswell


You should be golden with that setup but again its up to you

This is what im planning on doing once i move

I have a 5x5 Sun Hut Fortress tent that I use for "overflow" for my larger veg and flower rooms. I have a 1000w xxxl Magnum in there with a Lumatek digi ballast that can run 400, 600, or 1000w MH or sodium. I use a 6" can fan hooked to the carbon scrubber.

Its a great set up. Super flexible. If my veg room is overflowing and my crop in the big flower room isn't quite finished I put the MH bulb in, transplant, and continue on 18/6 lighting in the tent. If I have more plants to flower than will fit in the big room, just put in the Sodium, transplant, and start flowering. Dial it up or down to current needs based on plant size, heat level, etc...

I don't have experience with the Gavita, but as you said I think you want higher ceilings than what you will get in a tent. It gets tight in there with that xxxl hood, and fan, and carbon filter, and ducting, but it works out real nice for me.

Good luck.

Always a great idea. This is how I run my setup. MH/HPS in the middle and 2 LED lights on each side for a total of 4. So it covers a great deal of distance and spreads nicely. I can tell the bud difference when using LED lights. So much more trichs, better color, better smell, better looking, taste better and yield more. Buy Led panels that have warranties. You can grab 138w Led panels on ebay with 9 spects right now for $50 each which is insane plus most come with a 2 year atleast. Good luck.

Do some research. Not all leds are the same. Far from it!

Mars is guaranteed to fail long before you get your money's worth. everything about it is cheaply done

To cover 5 x 5, I recommend using 2 Amare Tech SE 220s. Everything is quality, including aluminum chassis

I started a new thread using an Amare Technologies SE 220. Will be using it this grow

View attachment 331181 View attachment 331182

That fixture is $700!!! That's cool if your on a baller budget. Or if you can afford to take a qp from a harvest and spend it on a light.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to use one of them. Shit by the looks there $995 model looks tit's.

But for that kind of money you could buy 2 tents and the lights and fans/filters to go with them.

If I had a 5 x5 tent. I would hang a 1000 watter bare bulb vert. Attach trellis to the walls, and boom! Perfect vert set-up, with perfect distance to all walls from the bulb.

But that's just me, I'm kinda conventional.

2k hps, stacked and bare. 8" fan filter. Whew yeh

I like Fly's idea.... I run a 1kw vert, in a cool tube, in a 4'x4' custom box, with a 6 inch inline... I wish I had that extra 1'x1', 2 inches inline, and 1kw light stacked... lol... Only thing I might not do is the bare bulbs in a tent...

I just seen a grow in a 5x5 gorilla tent with 1 gavita de 1000w, the almost whole 12/12 grow produced 1g/W of insanely good looking buds.

There is a hidden cost to using hps and associated fans/filters and electric, bulb and hood replacement. LEDs typically pay dividends within 2 grows


Thank you for all the replies guys! So much info and it's always so nice to get another opinion, or five :tiphat:

bigganja:
This sounds like the most ideal setup but like I said before, I just want to see more positive results with the a DE in a tent or with 8' ceilings. I saw that the gavitas are dimmable but if for example if I bought a 1000w but had it dimmed down to 600 and 750 most of the time I don't think it would be running nearly as efficient as if I had a 600w DE to begin with. What brand LEDs have you been looking at and what wattage?

RollingStoner:
This is what I wanted to hear. Do you run your exhaust to outside? Any problems not using an intake fan? By chance, have you ever run an 8" XXXL in a 4x4 or 5x5 tent before? I know it is way overkill but I want to be ready for a 2 or 4 light upgrade when the time comes.

Dr.King:
This has been an idea of mine for some time but I am always so skeptical when it comes to cheap LEDs. Are you just getting a generic brand off ebay? Just to clarify, you're using the LEDs two on a side on the short side of the HID lighting, so it's basically boosting the dimmer parts of the HID spread?

PetFlora:
I hear quite a few Mars Hydro units failing.. you get what you pay for most of the time it seems. Those Amare Techs look amazing. I've done some research on LEDs but that sucked me into looking into DIY LEDs with COBs.. maybe after I get this running I'll mess around with those.

I agree, there are a lot of other costs associated with hps. Less power and less HEAT is what has me so curious with LEDs. The amount of money I've spent on air conditioning over the years is outrageous. Also not having so much ducting would be great for sound.. I'm an HVAC installer and I love a clean venting setup but the cleanest would be no venting.

DoubleTripleOG, FlybyNight, MrBungle:
I have read so many threads on vertical and Heath Robinson and they are all off the chain. I've been doing scrog with magnum xxxls for years and have almost made the switch to vertical but never wanted to upgrade my A/C to keep my rooms sealed. If I did a 1 vertical 1,000w don't I need 36" around the whole bulb? I have read of people getting their plants closer but I don't know if that was from having low ambient temps or just lots of fans.

Koondense:
Did you setup you saw have the 8 or 10' ceilings on the Gorilla tent?
 
Regarding the comment about moving the fan/filter outside of the tent for vert. Again personally, I'd just leave it inside.

The combo takes up no more space than the hood that you're conveniently leaving out (and saving money on NOT purchasing). Strap it up as high as you get it, you'll be able to raise the light enough to grow the buds to the very top of the tent if you want. Though, I personally like to leave 6-12" at the top for heat to accumulate and be exhausted.
 
More on vertical:

5x5 is pretty much ideal for a 1000w vert ASSUMING YOU TRAIN PLANTS TO THE WALLS. You're going to be doing a fair bit of training, keeping all the branches from growing into the light.

Why would you need to seal a room for vert? I run 2x per min air exchange (or more). I have an AC to keep ambient temps in the lower 70's, but it doesn't kick on that much (basement). Vert is easier to cool, if anything. Heat rises directly up and exhausted from the tent... hoods act as radiators and hold heat, increasing the temp of the room.

NVM, I see that you want to KEEP it sealed. Question still applies, why would your need for AC increase just by removing hoods and changing bulb orientation?
 

Juno907

New member
More on vertical:

5x5 is pretty much ideal for a 1000w vert ASSUMING YOU TRAIN PLANTS TO THE WALLS. You're going to be doing a fair bit of training, keeping all the branches from growing into the light.

Why would you need to seal a room for vert? I run 2x per min air exchange (or more). I have an AC to keep ambient temps in the lower 70's, but it doesn't kick on that much (basement). Vert is easier to cool, if anything. Heat rises directly up and exhausted from the tent... hoods act as radiators and hold heat, increasing the temp of the room.

NVM, I see that you want to KEEP it sealed. Question still applies, why would your need for AC increase just by removing hoods and changing bulb orientation?

I meant when switching from air cooled Magnum XXXLs to open bulb vertical that I would need to upgrade the A/C to keep it sealed for co2. Thinking about it more though, I don't know if trying to keep co2 in such a small space is the most efficient. I'm all in for exhausting the hot air out and passively sucking in cold A/C from the bedroom. No more horizontal scrog though, so do you train them on to chicken wire on the perimeter of the room?
 
Thank you for all the replies guys! So much info and it's always so nice to get another opinion, or five :tiphat:


RollingStoner:
This is what I wanted to hear. Do you run your exhaust to outside? Any problems not using an intake fan? By chance, have you ever run an 8" XXXL in a 4x4 or 5x5 tent before? I know it is way overkill but I want to be ready for a 2 or 4 light upgrade when the time comes.

Yes, Im in a garage. I exhaust both my built out rooms and the tent out the top of the garage.

I pull cool outdoor air into the garage with an 8 inch fan. I have 8" and 6" Horti Control Dust Shrooms on the rooms and tent for passive intake. All rooms/tent have their own exhaust, filtering, and environmental controls. Works great in my set up. As long as I keep the garage under 61 degrees when lights on I use no AC and thats doable 8 months out of the year.

I bought the xxxl hood when they first came out and all the store had was 6". I didn't even know different then. Wish I had 8" though. You are correct in always thinking ahead with equipment purchases. Something you learn over time fer sure. 8" would work in a 5x5 I'm sure. As I said its just real tight with the ducting and all. If you do that just put a speed controller on the 8" fan.
 
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