Budget Grow lights

[Ill_Evan]

@Light It Up till the day I die 

[Totemic]

18 minutes ago, Ill_Evan said:

@Light It Up till the day I die 

I agree. Best value for money at the moment. Im only running under @Light It Up QBs, and can't complain at all

[Sticks]

It's always nice to get feedback from folks who've tried and tested things, will most likely try to avoid the ones that some of you guys have posted, although chances are that I'll probably end up with a light with these knockoff diodes. However I grow in a tiny space so I'm hoping it will give me decent results.

[Prom]

18 minutes ago, Sticks said:

It's always nice to get feedback from folks who've tried and tested things, will most likely try to avoid the ones that some of you guys have posted, although chances are that I'll probably end up with a light with these knockoff diodes. However I grow in a tiny space so I'm hoping it will give me decent results.

Just keep in mind.. light is the most important factor in a grow setup. If you don't have enough, what ever magic fertilizer you use or how many girls you let dance naked around the plants.. the buds will be low potency and fluffy. Growing indoor is a game aiming for perfection.. and can end very fast in a huge waste of money. Don't go 'cheap' on your lights.. Eskom WILL catch up with the little you saved within a few months.. and suddenly your cheap lights are way more expensive and less good results included. Getting the right gear will keep motivation up.. and when you start growing indoors, you need that.. things will go wrong till you have your setup balanced. 

Edited July 21, 2021 by Prom
typo

[Stinger96]

One thing is.. If we pay a Fiat price we can not expect to get a BMW.. It's from china... Nothing is what it seems...

[Sticks]

5 minutes ago, Prom said:

Just keep in mind.. light is the most important factor in a grow setup. If you don't have enough, what ever magic fertilizer you use or how many girls you let dance naked around the plants.. the buds will be low potency and fluffy. Growing indoor is a game aiming for perfection.. and can end very fast is a huge waste of money. Don't go 'cheap' on your lights.. Eskom WILL catch up with the little you saved within a few months.. and suddenly your cheap lights are way more expensive and less good results included. Getting the right gear will keep motivation up.. and when you start growing indoors, you need that.. things will go wrong till you have your setup balanced. 

Absolutely agree. But to me it feels like the prices in SA are quite inflated. Over R5k for a QB for 2 plants, maybe 3 at a push for my setup, is quite an outlay. Other side of the coin, buying locally would come with a warranty too so yeah, what do you do...

[CreX]

4 minutes ago, Stinger96 said:

One thing is.. If we pay a Fiat price we can not expect to get a BMW.. It's from china... Nothing is what it seems...

the difference is you arent going to fiat to get your car and you arent going to BMW either, you are going direct to the source, and that is why it is cheaper.

[Prom]

1 minute ago, Sticks said:

Absolutely agree. But to me it feels like the prices in SA are quite inflated. Over R5k for a QB for 2 plants, maybe 3 at a push for my setup, is quite an outlay. Other side of the coin, buying locally would come with a warranty too so yeah, what do you do...

What ever you start, you have to pay a little for the learning curve to go up. Getting the R5k QB setup might look expensive.. on the other hand you KNOW you get the right gear. You can point any other fuckup on your handling.. not the lights. Is a huge factor out of the game. 90% out there stop because they are unhappy with the result they get.. but when you try to race in a GT Series with a old Beetle, you will always turn out dead last.. 

Is like the people using Bag seed and are surprised that it tastes nothing like the weed from that bag.. think they suck growing and stop. If you use proper genetics, good grow light and a good fertilizer with all the ventilation your plants need.. you end with a killer weed.. otherwise.. not  (we don't even go into drying and curing ^^) but all starts with the right light

[Sticks]

14 minutes ago, Prom said:

What ever you start, you have to pay a little for the learning curve to go up. Getting the R5k QB setup might look expensive.. on the other hand you KNOW you get the right gear. You can point any other fuckup on your handling.. not the lights. Is a huge factor out of the game. 90% out there stop because they are unhappy with the result they get.. but when you try to race in a GT Series with a old Beetle, you will always turn out dead last.. 

Is like the people using Bag seed and are surprised that it tastes nothing like the weed from that bag.. think they suck growing and stop. If you use proper genetics, good grow light and a good fertilizer with all the ventilation your plants need.. you end with a killer weed.. otherwise.. not  (we don't even go into drying and curing ^^) but all starts with the right light

Correct. One needs to trust their equipment first and foremost in order to get their grow as close to perfection as possible. I agree with you but my damn wallet and the boss at home disagree lol 

[The_StonedTrooper]

Just now, Sticks said:

Correct. One needs to trust their equipment first and foremost in order to get their grow as close to perfection as possible. I agree with you but my damn wallet and the boss at home disagree lol 

I think, in the end, you might get the one you can afford, and then later have to upgrade to the right light. Which is going to cost more as you bought 2 lights, and had the frustration of an incompetent light, and chance you may get put off growing too, then have to pay again from zero again, for a better light.

My personal opinion is, dont start now, dont rush to grow, wait and save and get the right light out the door, and you will get better bud out the door too, such a win win.

Trust the guys, we have done the school fees for you brother. 

Hope you make a better informed decision now

[The_StonedTrooper]

90% of the family here, unless they got lucky or listened and or did their homework, 

Bought a better light as the very first upgrade to their grow before anything else.

Ask them

[Prom]

3 minutes ago, Sticks said:

Correct. One needs to trust their equipment first and foremost in order to get their grow as close to perfection as possible. I agree with you but my damn wallet and the boss at home disagree lol 

Main issue with ordering from China is shipping at the moment.. or with Post Office. The shipping the Chinese supplier uses can make the deal suddenly very expensive too, they like Express, as they know it arrives in time.. usual way with Post Office can take up to 8 months (own experience) till you get it. If the boss smokes.. take the quality angle hehehe if not, I would go and start a "light" box and stick in what you can hide till you can afford the light.. but I wouldn't go old tech just because it is cheap.. makes no sense really. You pay over all way more and the results are not the same. If it doesn't fit, doesn't fit right now.. do it when you can do it right.. less frustrating. Trust me, is very rewarding when you end your first grow and have a decent to great result. Makes you go on.. 

[Sticks]

22 minutes ago, The_StonedTrooper said:

I think, in the end, you might get the one you can afford, and then later have to upgrade to the right light. Which is going to cost more as you bought 2 lights, and had the frustration of an incompetent light, and chance you may get put off growing too, then have to pay again from zero again, for a better light.

My personal opinion is, dont start now, dont rush to grow, wait and save and get the right light out the door, and you will get better bud out the door too, such a win win.

Trust the guys, we have done the school fees for you brother. 

Hope you make a better informed decision now

Yeah its not really a pressing issue at the moment as I'm using a 400w hps and it's pretty dialed in in terms of temps and humidty. I feel I can even fit a 600 in there relatively easily, but I've seen the quality that people are getting from LEDS and I'm starting to get the itch....

 

But thanks for the advice, suppose I'll just save and get a known entity than fuck around with the unknown.

[Sticks]

20 minutes ago, Prom said:

Main issue with ordering from China is shipping at the moment.. or with Post Office. The shipping the Chinese supplier uses can make the deal suddenly very expensive too, they like Express, as they know it arrives in time.. usual way with Post Office can take up to 8 months (own experience) till you get it. If the boss smokes.. take the quality angle hehehe if not, I would go and start a "light" box and stick in what you can hide till you can afford the light.. but I wouldn't go old tech just because it is cheap.. makes no sense really. You pay over all way more and the results are not the same. If it doesn't fit, doesn't fit right now.. do it when you can do it right.. less frustrating. Trust me, is very rewarding when you end your first grow and have a decent to great result. Makes you go on.. 

Dude, some of my orders from China have taken 12 months! Lol

 

I am happy, or content rather, with my current setup. We seriously do not smoke much and this is more for the fun of growing as I am now back at it again after a 6 year hiatus. But these leds are keeping me up at night when I see the quality and quantity they produce, hence my interest in them.

[CreX]

2 minutes ago, Sticks said:

Dude, some of my orders from China have taken 12 months! Lol

 

I am happy, or content rather, with my current setup. We seriously do not smoke much and this is more for the fun of growing as I am now back at it again after a 6 year hiatus. But these leds are keeping me up at night when I see the quality and quantity they produce, hence my interest in them.

check out @Light It Up, they have a mobicred option where you can pay the light off monthly, maybe thats an option for you if you cant afford to splurge in one go.

[The_StonedTrooper]

1 minute ago, CreX said:

check out @Light It Up, they have a mobicred option where you can pay the light off monthly, maybe thats an option for you if you cant afford to splurge in one go.

Those credit companies rip you I'm sorry

Save and pay the light cash at...

Light it Up

GrowOpz 

Xsplifficent 

Or other local supply, but not double the cost on credit 

[Sticks]

2 minutes ago, CreX said:

check out @Light It Up, they have a mobicred option where you can pay the light off monthly, maybe thats an option for you if you cant afford to splurge in one go.

Thanks I'll check them out, although I absolutely hate debt so I'll most likely save for it. 

[The_StonedTrooper]

7 minutes ago, Sticks said:

Dude, some of my orders from China have taken 12 months! Lol

 

I am happy, or content rather, with my current setup. We seriously do not smoke much and this is more for the fun of growing as I am now back at it again after a 6 year hiatus. But these leds are keeping me up at night when I see the quality and quantity they produce, hence my interest in them.

Right now, you better off with the heat from the HPS.

Save through winter and get the boss LED on the next round.

You got a decent setup for now and wouldnt waste time or money now.

[CoolJ]

Local is the way to go!

I have 2 x Modugrow and 1 of them got faulty after a few months , I Whatsapped the guy and a new light was at my door the next day no questions asked.

Going to be adding another 2 x 120w soon. 

[PsyCLown]

Geez, this thread took off rather quickly.

 

With an indoor grow, lighting makes one of the biggest differences without a doubt. You are trying to replicate the sun in a way, no easy task.

Infact, we aim to better what the sun puts out for our plants. The whole appeal behind indoor is to have control and try create the perfect, consistent environment to ensure the plants can reach their full potential and we try do so consistency.

It is a bumpy road at times.

 

Spending money on high quality lights is well worth it, saving up and buying a high quality light versus buying a lower quality light is well worth the wait.

Ask anyone who has upgraded from older lighting tech to lights which use LM301B diodes and I am sure everyone will sing praises to the LM301 diodes and how great they are in comparison. I highly doubt anyone on this forum who has done such an upgrade regrets spending that money.

 

@Sticks A 240W Quantum Board with LM301B diodes can work in a 1.2m x 1.2m space, won't be optimum in terms of the output (2x 240W QB's would be optimum in terms of coverage and PPFD output for flowering in such a space) but will work and get a decent harvest and yield. Reduce the space a little and you easily cram 4 to 6 plants under a 240W light with good output and spread for those plants.

HID lights have a sharp cutoff in terms of their output and spread, even more so with the smaller / lower powered HID lights. With Quantum Boards it is not as severe in terms of the cutoff for decent output.

A single 240W QB will output about the same as a 400W HID in terms of PPFD, although use a fraction of the power and help keep things cooler.

[Sticks]

3 hours ago, CoolJ said:

Local is the way to go!

I have 2 x Modugrow and 1 of them got faulty after a few months , I Whatsapped the guy and a new light was at my door the next day no questions asked.

Going to be adding another 2 x 120w soon. 

Details of this light and/supplier, dude?

Thanks in advance!

[Sticks]

3 hours ago, PsyCLown said:

Geez, this thread took off rather quickly.

 

With an indoor grow, lighting makes one of the biggest differences without a doubt. You are trying to replicate the sun in a way, no easy task.

Infact, we aim to better what the sun puts out for our plants. The whole appeal behind indoor is to have control and try create the perfect, consistent environment to ensure the plants can reach their full potential and we try do so consistency.

It is a bumpy road at times.

 

Spending money on high quality lights is well worth it, saving up and buying a high quality light versus buying a lower quality light is well worth the wait.

Ask anyone who has upgraded from older lighting tech to lights which use LM301B diodes and I am sure everyone will sing praises to the LM301 diodes and how great they are in comparison. I highly doubt anyone on this forum who has done such an upgrade regrets spending that money.

 

@Sticks A 240W Quantum Board with LM301B diodes can work in a 1.2m x 1.2m space, won't be optimum in terms of the output (2x 240W QB's would be optimum in terms of coverage and PPFD output for flowering in such a space) but will work and get a decent harvest and yield. Reduce the space a little and you easily cram 4 to 6 plants under a 240W light with good output and spread for those plants.

HID lights have a sharp cutoff in terms of their output and spread, even more so with the smaller / lower powered HID lights. With Quantum Boards it is not as severe in terms of the cutoff for decent output.

A single 240W QB will output about the same as a 400W HID in terms of PPFD, although use a fraction of the power and help keep things cooler.

And that is why I want to move to LED.

My space is small....800w x 400d x 1300h so the 240q might be overkill, but I like to believe that I could make the most of such a space with that light. Your opinion?

Was told the 400w would be too big as well but with proper planning and design I dont really have issues, most likely because I only use it in winter.

[CoolJ]

@Stickshttp://www.telec.co.za/shop/category/horticulture-33

They are abit pricey when comparing Rand per watt. 

I do enjoy that it's modular and can daisy chain. Comes in handy when growing different strains being able to adjust the light height. 

[Sticks]

3 minutes ago, CoolJ said:

@Stickshttp://www.telec.co.za/shop/category/horticulture-33

They are abit pricey when comparing Rand per watt. 

I do enjoy that it's modular and can daisy chain. Comes in handy when growing different strains being able to adjust the light height. 

Sweet! Thanks dude, the modular aspect is most certainly a win in my books.

[PsyCLown]

Multiple quantum boards can be seen as modular in the sense that one can adjust their height individually, like I do in my tents with multiple 240W lights.

@stick you can also dim the 240W light if need be. Would work well in such an area, give you extra height too which could be useful in a shorter space like yours.

Save up and get a proper light. It'll be worth it.
Gives you time to do some research too I guess.

Sent from my Redmi Note 7 Pro using Tapatalk