Flowering light

[Orcanic]

Hi guys, sorry its me again haha, just want to make sure I have all the basic knowledge down before I really start getting into my first grow

I have an 80 x 80 x 160cm grow tent and need to get a light for flowering within the next 3-4 weeks. I had no idea how expensive these were before I started lol

I'm growing 3 seeds that will only take up about 40cm once they're in their final pots.. so I think that I need about 200W for flowering? I saw that most people say 40-50W per square foot

My budget is about R2k max

 

I saw this light and it looks pretty good to me, outputs 300W from 150W input https://legalgrow.co.za/product/150w-cob-led-grow-light/?v=edb5dc74af1c

Otherwise I could do a 200W HPS? I've seen these 1000W LED and LED cobs on gumtree, facebook etc for <1.5k, but something doesn't seem right about them to me

[Orcanic]

Maybe this could be a good option?

[420SA]

Very smart move to do your research before jumping straight into it! 

With an 80x80 tent you need to factor in heat. With summer on its way and a good few warm months ahead, heat can be a real problem. In veg it can be dealt with but in flower it can cause all sorts of issues. Naturally, a flowering cannabis plant would gradually experience declining temps, not rising temps.

The higher the wattage bulb the more heat gets released. In an 80x80 tent 400w is definitely the limit with HID and even that could be too hot at times but your options do sit between a 250w or 400w. Most grow stores dont stock 250w ballasts so a 400w ballast would be your best bet. Dont buy a ballast that pulls more wattage than the bulb, it needs to match. Unless you get a digital ballast which can be dimmed to match the bulbs wattage. A 600w ballast will end a 400w bulb's life very quickly

You may be able to mitigate the heat issue with a LED light, there are plenty members here who are more knowledgeable on that subject. Although I'm not sure whether your current budget could accommodate an LED that could match up to a 400w HID so HID might just be your best bet at present with that budget

[Orcanic]

5 minutes ago, 420SA said:

Very smart move to do your research before jumping straight into it! 

With an 80x80 tent you need to factor in heat. With summer on its way and a good few warm months ahead, heat can be a real problem. In veg it can be dealt with but in flower it can cause all sorts of issues. Naturally, a flowering cannabis plant would gradually experience declining temps, not rising temps.

The higher the wattage bulb the more heat gets released. In an 80x80 tent 400w is definitely the limit with HID and even that could be too hot at times but your options do sit between a 250w or 400w. Most grow stores dont stock 250w ballasts so a 400w ballast would be your best bet. Dont buy a ballast that pulls more wattage than the bulb, it needs to match. Unless you get a digital ballast which can be dimmed to match the bulbs wattage. A 600w ballast will end a 400w bulb's life very quickly

You may be able to mitigate the heat issue with a LED light, there are plenty members here who are more knowledgeable on that subject. Although I'm not sure whether your current budget could accommodate an LED that could match up to a 400w HID so HID might just be your best bet at present with that budget.

Thanks man. Yeah heat will by the main issue, and by going the cheaper way I'll just end up paying more on cooling it down. 

I want to go for an LED one, and maybe even DIY with an elec. engineer buddy of mine. 

This however seems like my best bet for now https://legalgrow.co.za/product/150w-cob-led-grow-light/?v=edb5dc74af1c

 

Luckily I still have some time to make up my mind :P

Edited August 13, 2020 by EthWal

[West Coast Vaper]

Thanks man. Yeah heat will by the main issue, and by going the cheaper way I'll just end up paying more on cooling it down. 
I want to go for an LED one, and maybe even DIY with an elec. engineer buddy of mine. 
This however seems like my best bet for now https://legalgrow.co.za/product/150w-cob-led-grow-light/?v=edb5dc74af1c
 
Luckily I still have some time to make up my mind

Morning Bud. Have you checked out @Master_G and @growopz. I got super confused with all the options when researching lights. With guidance from the Peep's on the forum I ended up going the Growopz route and happy. Told the poor dude my grow space, what I had and my lousy budget and that I was considering diy. Soon got talked out of that.
I now have a light that I can add onto as the budget allows.
Good luck on your search.

Sent from my DRA-LX5 using Tapatalk

[Orcanic]

51 minutes ago, DamDave said:

Morning Bud. Have you checked out @Master_G and @growopz. I got super confused with all the options when researching lights. With guidance from the Peep's on the forum I ended up going the Growopz route and happy. Told the poor dude my grow space, what I had and my lousy budget and that I was considering diy. Soon got talked out of that.
I now have a light that I can add onto as the budget allows.
Good luck on your search.

Sent from my DRA-LX5 using Tapatalk
 

Morning, thanks so much. I'll check both of them out

[Master_G]

3 minutes ago, EthWal said:

Morning, thanks so much. I'll check both of them out

Please don’t buy that Chinese cob thing. You would have thrown money in the water. I can supply you with something better for very little more.

[Roasty]

Lol, I have the 50 watt version, it works but not good enough........ maybe as additional supplemental lighting ,but at that price they are smoking crack, with that 2k you can def get something that will work 100% better, stay far away from this junk !

[afternoon blazer]

@EthWal there u go bro. @Master_G to the rescue.

U gona be sorted now bro.