Best LED lights 2019

Welcome @DonTheSyre

Here are my recommendations for a first grow

Kind soil … look up their web site …water only…virtually no need for buying other amendments/fertilizer etc.
you will need to buy a soil for the top of the pots and I am using Roots Organics Original formula but many other options for that are available too.

Pot size in the 4x8 I suggest using 7 gallon root trapper 2 fabric pots.

Google them too…

I have 8 plants in my 4x8 in 7 gallon root trapper 2 pots with Kind Soil and HLG lighting…this grow is so much less frustrating than my last and looking to almost double my yields from my last grow where I did not use the above items.

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I did a “strip build” for my 4 X 6 and the last harvest for 3 plants was 15 grams shy of 2 pounds. That’s over 1.25 grams per watt in my case.

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i Like basic soil, nothing with any nutrients (too hot) to start. Make sure you have decent drainage, by that I mean add perlite or use something with perlite in it. DO NOT USE MIRACLE GROW!!! No matter what anyone says it’s awful!

Add perlite between 15-30% of your soil. Premix in 5 gallon buckets then transfer to smaller containers from there

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Agreed on adding perlite to most soil mixes but I found when using the roots organic original that is has more than enough perlite already in it that I didn’t add any…there’s almost too much…lol just an FYI if he chooses Roots original formula…

Yep miracle grow use was my major problem with my last grow…fought problems through most of the grow with those dam nutrient explosive balls feeding when they wanted to causing problems…Miracle Grow…Miracle No

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Another question: How many plants recommended under each light?

2 per hlg260

So in a 4x8 you could easily fit 8 planters

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I think the Mars TS Series led grow light from Mars Hydro is very good.

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If I purchase 2 HLG 550 V2 R-Spec what kind of circuit breakers do I need? I currently have 120 outlets.

120 will work

Here’s the point. My hlg 550v2 driver is rated at 481 watts. The drivers for my hlg 260’s are rated at 249.9 watts. If I take a lux reading at full capacity of the v2 and the 260 at 18” . The result is that v2 has 1800 less lux.

@dbrn32

That driver is capable of pulling a lot more than 480 watts, it’s just not fully loaded with 288 v2 boards. Are the 260 kits also using v2 boards?

1800 lux is hardly blowing doors off. Plus, a single measurement isn’t really definitive of your par levels. But I wouldn’t doubt that two 260 kits using original 288 boards have a little higher intensity levels. They draw more power.

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@dbrn32 mister light man I have a question is this a good buy?

have 3, 288 samsung r-spec quantum board lights available if
$150.00 for all three I have blurples for vegging so that’s not a issue. Is this worth building?
For 150 I would get three boards some wire and wego connectors

That’s a good price if they are authentic r-spec boards from horticulture lighting group. You will still need heatsinks and driver, which will probably cost as much as the boards do. Make sure you can get them, otherwise boards will be kinda useless.

Hey @dbrn32 I’m new to Ilgm, still looking into lights for my first grow and have a question…
how would 2 hlg 260 V2 rpec
compare to 2 hlg 260 v2 3000/3 and a 4?
Or is there a better way to mix them like just have rspec/3000k rspec/4000k, rspec / v1 3500k?

Hey @MattyJane welcome to the forum

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The red spec 3500k V2 for a grow/flower light
A 3000k RedSpec V2 for better flowering, ok for growing, What I use
Or the 4000k “More blue to grow, not good for flowering”
Cannabis will grow on almost any light, you need to focus on flowering
You can ask a member a question by putting a @ in front of their name like this @Member420

The r-spec boards just have additional 660nm wavelengths. V1 vs v2 is just a matter of which leds are used, v2 is the superior led but the v1 are still really good. When looking at the cct you posted, there wouldn’t really be any good reasons to mix them in my opinion.

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Ok so 2 rspecs would be the way to go? Instead of 1 rspec and 1 3000k? Or 1 rspec and 1 4000k.

For some reason I was thinking having 2 different ones would get a better all around setup for veg and flower.

Would 2 260s be overkill for a 3x3x6 tent?
Or should I go down to 2 135s?

Thanks!

@imSICKkid runs 4 120’s in his 3x3. Plus he added some photo boosts strips as well. Check out his post.

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The QB 120’s are a different light then the photoboost strips. But for a 3x3 I will always recommend the 4 pack of 120 boards.

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