Rookie lighting 4x4 tent

I am a complete noob looking for additional lighting for my 4x4 tent. I purchased a tent kit with a VS2000 which I am learning is entirely inadequate (my first mistake of many I’m sure).
I intend to eventually upgrade to HLG lighting in the near future but that is not an option at this moment.
In the meantime my questions are
Is the VS200 enough to grow two autoflowers through all stages in a 4x4 until I can upgrade?
or
Is there a cost-effective way to supplement that light enough to grow four autoflowers?
Thanks to any and all for your input…this is such a great resource!

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Firstly, welcome aboard!

Long answer…

A good rough number, per square foot, is 40 watts -ish. Depending on genes and soil, and nutrients, and this and that, some autos can be monsters. Some may be little runts. You could flower two small autos, with 200w, but it’s kind of a guessing game sometimes whether they stay small or not. One plant would be ok, but in all that space, it would be difficult for the light to reach the sides of the plant. The reflective walls of the tent wouldn’t be surving their purpose.

Short answer…

No.

200w isn’t nearly enough for 4 plants in a 4x4. It’s really wasting a ton of space if you intend to use that light alone. I mean the autos will flower, regardless, that’s what they do, but I guarentee you will end up with a bunch of incredibly airy, fluffy buds, that would probably dry out way too fast at harvest.

You want upwards of 650w to adequately light your entire growspace. If budget is a concern, maybe HLG refurb lights. Spider Farmer is making some good light too. An HLG 600rslec would absolutely smash.

Hope this helps. Good luck and happy growing!!!

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Listen if you’re really serious about growing you’re going to have to invest. But it’s gonna be worth it and in the long run just figure how much money you’ll be saving by growing your own Bud. There’s a company called affirm you probably see it on Amazon when you go to buy something it’ll say pay with affirm and save. It’s an app that allowed you to pay over time with a small fee of interest stuck on the end but you don’t have to come out your pocket a thousand dollars right up front. You pay over a six or 12 month period or before that time it’s up to you and how fast you want to knock it down. I bought a scorpion rspec brand new. That was my mistake. HLG has the same light I bought for 1200 refurbished for like 799. So before you go crazy check refurbished first. It’s up to you but if I knew that before hand I wouldn’t have gotten the 1200 one believe me. Lol. But Affirm is the move. You can get it on your App Store. Sign up and this won’t affect your credit score. In like 30 sec they will tell you if you’re approved and for how much. And then you go shopping. I did it. And look.


So you have choices and now I gave you a way. Happy growing.

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I went with the HLG Blackbird 600watt light .
Payed 561.00 on blackfriday sale . Will veg a 5x5 and flower a 4x4 no problem. It was new .

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Nice I was going to recommend the blackbird it was on sale.

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Thank you for your response. I was hoping to utilize what I already have in conjunction with something else rather than turning it into a 200 watt paperweight. I realize this is not the case.
I’m currently looking at a refurbished scorpion Rspec for $750 or a refurbished HLG 650R for$650. I’m curious about which might be better suited for my 4x4x80
Thanks again

I bought SF-4000 for my 3x3 tent. Checking it with my Photone app it gives me plenty of PPFD / DLI for growing autos.

edited to remove unauthorized link

Thank you…i see a hlg 600 rspec… but not a 600rslec.
Are they completely different? Pardon my ignorance

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Request your assistance. Interested in Blackbird or better HLG lights. Recent forum discussions involving wattage, as measured with meter (vs, advertised), and PPFD (output mapping).

I have a VS2000, VS1000 and they are respectively, poor paper weights drawing 200 or 100 watts (unfortunately so are the rest of my lights). Collectively, I can tent 1000 watts (Kil-watt-meter measured). Android phone max reads in the 800 range for dynamic measuring and as shown for grid measurements

.
V1200, V600, VS1000, and some real junk, in 4x4x6.5 Apollo
Leapt, before learning.
Wattage mapped in both 4x4 tents. 1000 and 700 max seen, respectively.

With A $200 light bill for tents, alone, I can afford neither, to upgrade to better lights or not use cheap equipment. Sucks to be me, some days, more than others.
HNY, everybody. Anybody want to buy some slightly used lights?
I can sell full system, if necessary. Got lots of china cheapies for sale.

@DEEPDIVERDAVE . My blackbird runs 647 watt according to my watt meter at full blast . It a 600 watt light. . I just got mine and put it in a 4x4 with my WW phot that was vegged under a cheaply made light . Its running at 500 watts now while plant gets in to full flower at 24in . Finishing this out then going to do purple kush autos from star to finish with it.

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Here is a grow under the Blackbird from HLG fb page


@SilvaBack203 uses one .

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HLG’s newest Scorpion Series edition, the BLACKBIRD , uses 6 Full Spectrum QB 200 Quantum Boards® for an even light spread at just 20” from the canopy.

Check out this guy you will NOT be disappointed! In the price range and has all the good stuff. :wink: meanwell driver and Samsung Lm301B diodes. Budget friendly version of HLG 280

With your other light you’ll be in there like swimwear!

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Have you been useing uv your whole grow. Or just veg.

@Papo17 i don’t have a uv yet . The one with uv is off another site. I do want one tho.

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Alternate being considered,


Happy NewYear, buy good lights that fit your design, grow, and budget. Then be happy and grow good.

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@DEEPDIVERDAVE the best of the best. That a sweet light .

autoflower or photo it doesn’t matter. The light is basically for a 2x4 area and is a little underpowered for that. Two plants in a 2x4 area should do OK
18" PAR map
image

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Lol same one. Typo. 600rspec.

I don’t know if I’m correct but the black bird is a blackbird and a scorpion is a scorpion. Scorpion makes Diablo and rspec. But I may be wrong. Correct me please if I am.