Time for a light upgrade .. CMH or LED or stay with HPS

[Traviss]

First Hello fellow growers.. Found this site while looking for answers so I thought what the hell Ill join since its local and all..

I have been growing my own meds for well over 2 decades now personal use only and have been known to breed on occastions which i will trade.

System.. My own design NFT/ Aero system with air injection and misting jets ( sort of like a clone machine)..

I will share more about that later.

I have used t5 and hps600 for years and years and well years..

I start and grow under t5 and once I have a good fill I swap to 600 to finish. I know this system and my breed very very well...

I'm looking to upgrade my lighting as the unit is getting on in age . So I started researching LED, LED COB, CMH , PLAZMA etc

 

From what I read I don't think LED is their yet and I just don't want to invest when the tech will be out dated faster than a Microsoft product.

LED COB... better but still no there .

Plazma wholly hell I'm not a lotto winner..

 

So I'm leaning toward either CMH 315 or just replace the hps unit.

 

Questions CMH ... looks like its producing similar or better than hps 600 at a lower usage ( that I like)

BUT whats the heat like ,no one has mentioned the heat ,is it similar to HPS or hotter or colder is it just right.. ( no my name is not Goldie Locks )

So What are everyone's opinion on lights . Will I still see similar or better yields I would be happy with the same at lower running costs ( 100% personal so the cheaper the better for me) .

Cheers and be gentle I'm an old bloke and not up to date with all the text talk stuff.. But I have a grips with the basic ,lmao stuff..

 

 

 

 

[Serrated edge]

Traviss, welcome along .

 

I've thought about two 315 w to replace a 600 HPS but my concern is that I've read the CMH has a slightly smaller footprint

 

Other growers here use the CMH .and may pipe in about how good or not they are .

 

I'll most likely end up getting a digital ballast so that I can run it at lower wattages while in veg stage ,then dial it up to 110 %

 

for end budding.

 

Curious to know how far in the breeding process your seeds are ?

 

Or are you just cross pollinating plants ?

 

Not a good idea to try and trade seeds here as if you read the rules it's not tolerated ,and good seeds are pretty cheap nowdays.

Edited March 12, 2017 by Serrated edge

[Gazza2001au]

First Hello fellow growers.. Found this site while looking for answers so I thought what the hell Ill join since its local and all..

I have been growing my own meds for well over 2 decades now personal use only and have been known to breed on occastions which i will trade.

System.. My own design NFT/ Aero system with air injection and misting jets ( sort of like a clone machine)..

I will share more about that later.

I have used t5 and hps600 for years and years and well years..

I start and grow under t5 and once I have a good fill I swap to 600 to finish. I know this system and my breed very very well...

I'm looking to upgrade my lighting as the unit is getting on in age . So I started researching LED, LED COB, CMH , PLAZMA etc

 

From what I read I don't think LED is their yet and I just don't want to invest when the tech will be out dated faster than a Microsoft product.

LED COB... better but still no there .

Plazma wholly hell I'm not a lotto winner..

 

So I'm leaning toward either CMH 315 or just replace the hps unit.

 

Questions CMH ... looks like its producing similar or better than hps 600 at a lower usage ( that I like)

BUT whats the heat like ,no one has mentioned the heat ,is it similar to HPS or hotter or colder is it just right.. ( no my name is not Goldie Locks )

So What are everyone's opinion on lights . Will I still see similar or better yields I would be happy with the same at lower running costs ( 100% personal so the cheaper the better for me) .

Cheers and be gentle I'm an old bloke and not up to date with all the text talk stuff.. But I have a grips with the basic ,lmao stuff..

 

 

A lot of options out there

 

LED is the future but the price tag only the rich can afford... I'm running two COB's in a small grow they are doing fine for veg donno about flower, u need some basic electrical skills too unless u buy the pre built models from china but they hold u at ransom as there is only one business in China doing the built CREE CXB3590 LED's

 

i have never used the 315w CMH but they perked my interest enough i would love to import the 150w CMH from the USA for my wardrobe/tent i think that would be really cool

 

depends how big your NFT system is generally they have a large growing surface area so u need a lot of lighting or output power to cover sufficiently

 

I'm interested to see your system i have seen the NFT channels with high pressure piping and aeroponics in the channels u get unbelievable growth

[Traviss]

Traviss, welcome along .

 

I've thought about two 315 w to replace a 600 HPS but my concern is that I've read the CMH has a slightly smaller footprint

 

Other growers here use the CMH .and may pipe in about how good or not they are .

 

I'll most likely end up getting a digital ballast so that I can run it at lower wattages while in veg stage ,then dial it up to 110 %

 

for end budding.

 

Curious to know how far in the breeding process your seeds are ?

 

Or are you just cross pollinating plants ?

 

Not a good idea to try and trade seeds here as if you read the rules it's not tolerated ,and good seeds are pretty cheap nowdays.

 

Not interested in trading online only do that during our May festival with other Known breeds.

My breeding ... I have a Sensi Skunk and 4 way ive been cross breeding to stabilise for many years now, I started with both as male and female and then crosses each of those several times ,I liked the quick flower properties of the SS and now the breed is stable and quick and very consistent.. The other is an old breed call Red Beard ive had since the Noah sailed Ive kept it original and crossed it with the others but its still very unstable and you still don't know what you will get after years of work, it has got a reputation among mates, they call it Chloroform ... I still have the original in storage after 20 years and it still grows ..

[Traviss]

A lot of options out there

 

LED is the future but the price tag only the rich can afford... I'm running two COB's in a small grow they are doing fine for veg donno about flower, u need some basic electrical skills too unless u buy the pre built models from china but they hold u at ransom as there is only one business in China doing the built CREE CXB3590 LED's

 

i have never used the 315w CMH but they perked my interest enough i would love to import the 150w CMH from the USA for my wardrobe/tent i think that would be really cool

 

depends how big your NFT system is generally they have a large growing surface area so u need a lot of lighting or output power to cover sufficiently

 

I'm interested to see your system i have seen the NFT channels with high pressure piping and aeroponics in the channels u get unbelievable growth

 

I don't use Channels ,each square pot is its own stand alone unit ,that way I can separate males without issues or root tangles or remove a herm without issue. I use pressured micro jets with air fine stones in a 2lt well and air mixed into the water supply above. The stones and well are covered by a pyramid net cage for the roots to grow over and hang onto ,each unit is feed via a 12volt shut off valve timers that rotate in time between unit. This is because switching pumps on and off all the time burns them out. The problem I found with NFT is as the water temp rises the oxygen lowers and root rot sets in and pyth off is required .. As my system is slow grow Veg, fast flower I need lost of healthy roots for long periods.

[Gazza2001au]

I don't use Channels ,each square pot is its own stand alone unit ,that way I can separate males without issues or root tangles or remove a herm without issue. I use pressured micro jets with air fine stones in a 2lt well and air mixed into the water supply above. The stones and well are covered by a pyramid net cage for the roots to grow over and hang onto ,each unit is feed via a 12volt shut off valve timers that rotate in time between unit. This is because switching pumps on and off all the time burns them out. The problem I found with NFT is as the water temp rises the oxygen lowers and root rot sets in and pyth off is required .. As my system is slow grow Veg, fast flower I need lost of healthy roots for long periods.

 

NFT stands for "Nutrient Film Technique" sounds like your system is a mix between Shallow Water Culture and Aeroponics

[Gazza2001au]

If it's an option and your running a few lights 400w-600w u can try one kit to replace one HID light, the idea with the COB LED lights is u get maximum coverage combined with the LED intensity over the whole garden, the LED COB's u have an array of amperage options or u can go dimmable, for me i chose to run 1 LED driver per each light not worth it cost wise but i bought my lights in pieces and put it together, my setup is not dimmable but i can adjust my amperage with pre selected settings to make my lights dimmer or brighter

 

bare minimum to replace a 400w HPS would be 5 COB's in a X fashion

 

bare minimum to replace a 600w HPS would be 10 COB's in 4 by 2 by 4, could possibly stretch 3 by 2 by 3 but u would need to be in a 4x4 tent with the reflective walls boxing it off i think it might work

 

if you had just robbed a church and your loaded u could run 1 COB light per square foot of growing space but fuck that would be pricey but well worth it, i can only dream of that intensity and the football sized colars!!!

 

if u wanted to further stinge out on the lighting u can add those half bubble shape lenses to the LED's they widen the beam a lot so i have seen on Youtube but i think its at a cost of canopy penetration

 

 

[Traviss]

NFT stands for "Nutrient Film Technique" sounds like your system is a mix between Shallow Water Culture and Aeroponics

 

Because My system is custom and 20 years ago was considered cutting edge ,I have never really given it a technical name . As I am spraying a thin oxygen filled nutrient onto the root mass I wouldn't call it Aeroponics either .. Its a mix but does have an NFT quality as its main process . Aero isn't that technical.

Basically the system was designed for a commercial product for my diploma. But due to other employment I never took it further.

Do you know what Ginseng is ?? That's what it was designed for.. NFT was a very new concept on the market when was studing, shit CFL globes had only just hit Australia when I built this.

[pedro de pacas]

Stick with what you know, I've been using 600hps's for 20+ years running Aero for the most part

Or you could road test the 315s, Hazelwood closing will rise power prices, they might be the way to go?

I like a bloke that breeds his own, well done

[Gazza2001au]

Sorry just realized u mentioned in post 1 you are running 600w HPS, here's how i would run the COB lights

 

 

here is my diary using the COB LED's https://cannabis.community.forums.ozstoners.com/topic/77303-the-duct-tape-king-goes-double-down-with-led-cobs/ they are expensive but u can factor in the less power usage and no bulb replacements plus the saving on purchasing but exhaust fans and the expense of running them

 

there are a few different designs

 

these seem the easiest to buy and set up basically 2 low voltage wires, and 2-3 main 240v wires for the LED driver

http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut3012

 

these are what I'm running in my diary thread, basically 2 wires to wire up and ballast wiring 3 wires to 240v, these run so cool its amazing  but one downer is the fans suck from above and blow down on top of the plants on really hot days if the light is 15cm away from plant tops u can see some minor leaf curling similar to HID lighting, you need to run a 12v power supply for the fan

http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut2792

 

than you have these kits below all u need to do is the same as the previous lights with wiring than just get a length of 100-150mm heat sink by 1 meter, 1.2 meters long and screw these light kits to the heat sink for DIY lights

http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut2905