Best Grow light system for me?

Wjason777

I just finished building my indoor standard ibc system the (4x4) grow bed that sits on top of the fish tank, above the grow bed i have about a 4ft from the ceiling that i could hang a light as of right now. I trying to find the right grow light system for the setup that i have. I would like to start growing, just about all and any veggies and a few tomato plants.
What would be the best type of light system to buy?

aboman

You said BEST not cheepest so I'd say a 400 to 600 watt duel purpose metal hylide/high pressure sodium setup would work well. This is a great setup but kinda spendy...

Wjason777

Thanks for responding. Let's say I go with the 600w with a dual purpose bulb. Should I be worried about heat my grow bed is inside my shed. My shed has no windows or ac I'm in the south so it gets pretty hit down here.

aboman

Yes you should be worried. Those lights do get pretty hot so if you do go that route you should buy an enclosed hood and vent it to the outside. I don't have a lot of experience with venting as far as how much heat it removes. We're I live the heat is usually good thing. I would check out your local hydroponics store. The people there will have a lot of experience with these setups and your local conditions.

Wjason777

It just seems like there is so much to take in consideration when your dealing with HID lights. Power consumption, heat, venting, bulbs, ballast, etc.

What do you think about this led light.
http://www.gothamhydroponics.com/led-gr ... ht-uv.html

I just found a guy on Craigslist that has a complete HID system brand new for $220. It includes 2- 6 inch clip on fans
600 watt 75000 lumens light
600 watt 95000 lumens light
light socket
424 cfm 6 inch inline fan
4 inch in line fan
27 inch by 33 inch hood Big Kahuna
600 watt output ballasts

Should I get the LED or this HID system . Which would be a better buy?

aboman

You will have to decide on that one for yourself. The major advantage I see with LED is the heat issue. Led is going to be more expensive and does not really save a lot of power when compared to a 400W HPS setup so those are minor issues.

If cost is not a big concern then I guess you would be safer going with LED due to the possible heat issue. However, if cost is then I would buy the Craiglist package and use only what you need out of it and sell the rest. You won't need all of that stuff but for $220 (offer less) that's not a bad way to get some real experience with it.

Just make sure the hood is vent-able before you buy it. Also you should know you can buy produce for less than you will be able to grow it under these lights. No worries though I run HPS in the winter. It's about the hobby and knowing what I'm eating than about saving money for me.

BenBrewcat

Heat can build up quickly with HIDs so that is for sure a concern, but consider also that 4' isn't that much room for an HID. They put out a LOT of intense light (which is why they are so great for plants), but that intensity also means that they need some room so the plants don't burn. Consider that the fixture and mount will take up at least a foot, so the bulb is 3' from the GB surface which might be OK, but once the plants start growing they'll be scorching for sure. Maybe for lettuces it could be OK but for anything that is either taller or longer-lived, I think you'll get in to problems.

I'm not sure that you'll have vertical room for tomatoes? At any rate, LEDs are super cool and all but you need to do your research. There are a lot of crummy LED lamps out there with FANTASTIC marketing and impressive technical-sounding jargon but that are poor grow lights. LEDs that even begin to stack up against other light types are very expensive, and unless your electricity is generated by burning gold or something the ROI point is far enough in the future that the LEDs available then in 10 years when you break even will be incredibly more advanced than the ones today.

Consider a compromise and get T5 fluorescents? The bulbs can go right up the foliage essentially without burning, they don't have great canopy penetration for tall plants, but then neither to LEDs (maybe even less) and you won't have super tall plants anyways. You have to rotate out the bulbs about every 10 months for peak performance, but even with that expense you'll still be ahead of the LED $$ for years.

Or perhaps a smaller HID. They're harder to find in the 200W-250W range but might suit your build better. Ive grown with all types except LED and have gardened under other folks' LEDs plenty, and I'm a total HID fan where the heat can be managed. I use T5s for propagation, ornamentals and my carnivorous plant grow show, though several of the CPs will go under the HID in the AP setup soon.

BenBrewcat

Just noticed you're in GA... with y'alls summer heat, inside a shed even if you use LED's you'll need to invest in air conditioning to keep heat in check somehow... your fish aren't going to survive even if the plants do when the interior gets to 110+F in that sun.

Wjason777

BenBrewcat wrote:

Just noticed you're in GA... with y'alls summer heat, inside a shed even if you use LED's you'll need to invest in air conditioning to keep heat in check somehow... your fish aren't going to survive even if the plants do when the interior gets to 110+F in that sun.

I have nile tilapia, they can survive in water that have 46-108 F temperature

Wjason777

BenBrewcat wrote:

Heat can build up quickly with HIDs so that is for sure a concern, but consider also that 4' isn't that much room for an HID. They put out a LOT of intense light (which is why they are so great for plants), but that intensity also means that they need some room so the plants don't burn. Consider that the fixture and mount will take up at least a foot, so the bulb is 3' from the GB surface which might be OK, but once the plants start growing they'll be scorching for sure. Maybe for lettuces it could be OK but for anything that is either taller or longer-lived, I think you'll get in to problems.

I'm not sure that you'll have vertical room for tomatoes? At any rate, LEDs are super cool and all but you need to do your research. There are a lot of crummy LED lamps out there with FANTASTIC marketing and impressive technical-sounding jargon but that are poor grow lights. LEDs that even begin to stack up against other light types are very expensive, and unless your electricity is generated by burning gold or something the ROI point is far enough in the future that the LEDs available then in 10 years when you break even will be incredibly more advanced than the ones today.

Consider a compromise and get T5 fluorescents? The bulbs can go right up the foliage essentially without burning, they don't have great canopy penetration for tall plants, but then neither to LEDs (maybe even less) and you won't have super tall plants anyways. You have to rotate out the bulbs about every 10 months for peak performance, but even with that expense you'll still be ahead of the LED $$ for years.

Or perhaps a smaller HID. They're harder to find in the 200W-250W range but might suit your build better. Ive grown with all types except LED and have gardened under other folks' LEDs plenty, and I'm a total HID fan where the heat can be managed. I use T5s for propagation, ornamentals and my carnivorous plant grow show, though several of the CPs will go under the HID in the AP setup soon.

I took a chance and ordered the Blackstar 480w LED. I will post results when it arrives and when I start growing with it.

BenBrewcat

Right on!

RairdogAP

I would pull the roof off and put up polycarb panels. For 200-300 bucks you would have free sunshine and no elec bill. The big box stores have 1350 and larger cfm attic fans for gable ends for 70 plus. It has an adjustable therm to kick it on built in. It would need protection like a plywood box open on the bottom.

Wjason777

RairdogAP wrote:

I would pull the roof off and put up polycarb panels. For 200-300 bucks you would have free sunshine and no elec bill. The big box stores have 1350 and larger cfm attic fans for gable ends for 70 plus. It has an adjustable therm to kick it on built in. It would need protection like a plywood box open on the bottom.

Hey that's not a bad idea. I think I could get the guy to build the shed to do it for very cheap.
If I do that my shed can become a somewhat green house ?

RairdogAP

It would give you extra light and heat depending on orientation. If it has good natural light coming in it would make plants less leggy and eliminate adjusting LED's right on the plants.

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