HID vs LED- what is your favourite?

Which light do you find is best?

  • LED all the way

    Votes: 7 53.8%

  • I'll stick to my HPS

    Votes: 4 30.8%

  • MH for me

    Votes: 1 7.7%

  • I like a mix of both, LED and HID

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • Total voters
    13
lozac123

lozac123

Well-known member
Hi all, I am in the process of moving at the moment so I have had to pause my runs. As I have run out of weed for the first time in years, it has given me time to contemplate my setup, what would I change etc.

I am wondering to those experienced growers, which is your favourite light to use? I have done a flip flop of recent years, where I started outside, moved indoors using LED, moved to HPS, then my last run was LED.

Is there merit in using both if you have space for them? If I have to pick just one, what do you recommend?

My main considerations are of effect, smell and yield. I personally found that the HPS provided an uncomparable smoke, but the yield wasnt as good as my LED runs. I am using a 400w HPS, so there is scope to increase it.

Id love to hear from you all, whats your thoughts on growlights?
 
lozac123 said:
Hi all, I am in the process of moving at the moment so I have had to pause my runs. As I have run out of weed for the first time in years, it has given me time to contemplate my setup, what would I change etc.

I am wondering to those experienced growers, which is your favourite light to use? I have done a flip flop of recent years, where I started outside, moved indoors using LED, moved to HPS, then my last run was LED.

Is there merit in using both if you have space for them? If I have to pick just one, what do you recommend?

My main considerations are of effect, smell and yield. I personally found that the HPS provided an uncomparable smoke, but the yield wasnt as good as my LED runs. I am using a 400w HPS, so there is scope to increase it.

Id love to hear from you all, whats your thoughts on growlights?
Click to expand...
the 600 hps is the best 400 is not enought
 
Overall I believe 300-400W of premium LED can equal or in some situations even outperform Sodium 600W (400W for sure) in usable light delivered to the canopy.
Especially because of higher efficiency and much better light distribution.

I have to tell there is huge differnece when using cheap LED and premium LED.
Sanlight got spectrum optimized, not just stuffed with Samsung 301H.
So the whole spectrum and light distribution can make a real difference.

I would not say LED always has better penetration though.
Sodium is a strong point source and can penetrate canopy very well.

Only thing that comes to my mind for LED is the leaf temperatures.
The leafes are usually cooler because there is less infrared radiation compared to sodium.
So the lower transpiration and nutrient transport, especially Magnesium or Calcium problems can sometimes show more easily. (I can tell :D )

Because of my small space - LED all the way for me.
Would it be better to have 250W sodium ? Not at all.

I never saw 10+ g bud spear under 250W sodium.
Under 125/150W LED this is real simple.
Now having SANlight even better story, the light is great performer, with huge longevity, adn very good spectrum with good amount of IR.


Maybe using two sodiums that overlaps their light emitment? That could be totally different story :)

Jus my 2 cents ;)
 
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lozac123 said:
Musashi has said exactly the same. Debating whether to just buy a bigger HPS or better LED...argh decisions decisions
Click to expand...
a 400hps have 45000 lumens
a 600hps 90000 lumens

is also better than the 1000hps a 140 000 lumens

in lux/by watt 112.5 for 400w 150 for 600w and 140 for 1000w

for the Mh is the 1000w the best bulb but never try i had only use 400mh in the past for vegetative
now only turbo neon for keep some plant
 
quinxstar said:
a 400hps have 45000 lumens
a 600hps 90000 lumens

is also better than the 1000hps a 140 000 lumens

in lux/by watt 112.5 for 400w 150 for 600w and 140 for 1000w

for the Mh is the 1000w the best bulb but never try i had only use 400mh in the past for vegetative
now only turbo neon for keep some plant
Click to expand...
Oh wow man, thank you for explaining it in lumens, I had no idea there was such a jump between 400 and 600!

Not sure what you mean at the end, a turbo neon light I am not familiar with, is it like the old florescent bar lights?
 
lozac123 said:
Oh wow man, thank you for explaining it in lumens, I had no idea there was such a jump between 400 and 600!

Not sure what you mean at the end, a turbo neon light I am not familiar with, is it like the old florescent bar lights?
Click to expand...
it's the same light than clf (compact fluorescend light)

is 100% PAR all the light is assimilable by the plant

i used only blues neons for keep mother and doing clone
for a bloom is not good no powell full enought

"The Turbo Neon is a compact fluorescent horticultural lighting system, ideal for seedlings, cuttings, and the growth of young plants indoors."

i have the 4X55w
 
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Hi, dear friends of mindful consumption, brothers and sisters.

Just some thoughts from my side — maybe they’re useful to someone.

When I started growing, there were no LEDs. In the grow shops, it was all about the classic 400W, 600W and 1000W lamps. I started with a 400W Philips and actually liked the flexibility of being able to run different types of bulbs, either MH for veg or HPS for flowering.

But 400W is enough for around one square metre, and you definitely don’t get through a German winter with that without thinking about upgrading. 😄 So pretty quickly I got myself a 600W Industrial lamp for a 1.5 m² space, and that thing was absolutely killer.

Later on I switched to a Lumatek 600W ballast with the Super Lumen switch. One thing I really liked was being able to run more blue-dominant bulbs during veg and then later switch up to 600W, or even 660W Super Lumen, with the right HPS bulb. The results were incredible.

But today I have to say I’m completely happy with my Sanlight 4 120. My space is limited to just 60 × 120 cm, which is exactly half of 1.5 m², and I’ve achieved fantastic results with it.

I totally understand anyone who says HPS is still the king — and it definitely has its strengths. But with HPS you also have the extra heat, you need a stronger extraction setup, possibly even a silencer for the exhaust, and better intake. It simply creates a lot more heat in the room.

So for my current setup, I’m really happy with the Sanlight. And when it comes to actual results, I have to say the Sanlights perform really well too. I’ve had yields of around 1.5 grams per watt in some runs. I never achieved that under HPS.

Maybe it’s simply because I wasn’t as good a grower back then. Who knows? 😂 That’s certainly possible. But I don’t think I’m a perfect grower today either — I’m still a long way from that. I learn something new with every grow, and I’m grateful for that. I think that’s one of the best things about growing: there’s always something new to learn.

I’m occasionally thinking about adding one or two LED strips with some far-red/infrared to increase the red end of the spectrum a little more. But we’ll see.

For now, though, I’m completely satisfied with the setup. I couldn’t realistically put a 600W HPS into a 60 × 120 cm tent anyway. It would simply be overkill — both in terms of light and running costs.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

One Love, Peace ❤️ 💛 💚
Penny
 
Tom bolenate said:
CMH look very interesting.
Bit more efficent per W and also provides extra UVs that improve resin production.
Click to expand...
That is my experience with them, CMH produces high quality resins.
For me they are the best for quality, HPS stayed king for production for a long time in my books.
The last couple of years I bought the newer generation Led's and now I beat my old yield records.
Yield was never my main goal, getting the best quality is and leds are getting there.
I will go forward with leds but If electricity didn't cost as much I would do a winter grow every year with my Gavita 750 DE, that was a great lamp too.
Very difficult to find lamps, just as the Philips Greenpower 600W I used before my Gavita.
I still have a friend that grows with HPS and I like his buds and he likes mine so the difference can't be that great imo.
 
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Actually, a few weeks ago I picked up a Lumatek 400W ballast with the Super Lumen switch, together with an Adjust-A-Wing Medium reflector and Super Spreader.

72b2c072-d00a-473c-8e7d-edb098f9691a.jpg

Now I’m still looking for the right bulbs. I’m thinking about something more blue-dominant for veg, and then a Nav-T Super from Osram for flowering, just to test the difference between the Sanlight and a proper old-school HPS grow.

I’m not sure yet when I’ll actually run it, though. We’ll see.

One Love ❤️ 💛 💚
Penny
 
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From someone who has quite literally decades of experience with both, I'm LED all the way. I want the electricity that I pay for to generate _light_, not heat.

charlesufarley

Post in thread 'LED tutorial forum'

Just came back to the MNS forum to do more research on Nevil and saw your post Freedom_Fighter.

mu, the next time you communicate with SB, tell him I will be _forever_ indebted to him for keeping most of Nevil' s posts alive, _15_ years down range. ✌️❤️

F_F, Here's a cut and paste from the other forum:

-------------------------------------------------------

Mar 6, 2024
Add bookmark
I've been following the LED and Bud Quality thread for a while now and even an old geezer like me can't believe growers are still debating this topic. With various participants slamming their dicks/clits...
  • Like
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PennyP said:
Actually, a few weeks ago I picked up a Lumatek 400W ballast with the Super Lumen switch, together with an Adjust-A-Wing Medium reflector and Super Spreader.

View attachment 116179

Now I’m still looking for the right bulbs. I’m thinking about something more blue-dominant for veg, and then a Nav-T Super from Osram for flowering, just to test the difference between the Sanlight and a proper old-school HPS grow.

I’m not sure yet when I’ll actually run it, though. We’ll see.

One Love ❤️ 💛 💚
Penny
Click to expand...
i have also a lumatek ballast you can run all the 400 and 600watt very safe too
 
charlesufarley said:
From someone who has quite literally decades of experience with both, I'm LED all the way. I want the electricity that I pay for to generate _light_, not heat.

charlesufarley

Post in thread 'LED tutorial forum'

Just came back to the MNS forum to do more research on Nevil and saw your post Freedom_Fighter.

mu, the next time you communicate with SB, tell him I will be _forever_ indebted to him for keeping most of Nevil' s posts alive, _15_ years down range. ✌️❤️

F_F, Here's a cut and paste from the other forum:

-------------------------------------------------------

Mar 6, 2024
Add bookmark
I've been following the LED and Bud Quality thread for a while now and even an old geezer like me can't believe growers are still debating this topic. With various participants slamming their dicks/clits...
  • Like
  • Love
  • Haha
Click to expand...

I used LEDs 20 years ago and was never convinced; looking at posts here featuring LEDs, the buds don't seem very big, and the plants get really leggy.
There's also the issue of adjustable intensity
which I see as a negative, since the spectrum inevitably changes depending on the intensity level.
It's a significant investment; considering a standard bulb costs 20 euros, it takes quite a while to recoup the cost.
 
PennyP said:
Actually, a few weeks ago I picked up a Lumatek 400W ballast with the Super Lumen switch, together with an Adjust-A-Wing Medium reflector and Super Spreader.

View attachment 116179

Now I’m still looking for the right bulbs. I’m thinking about something more blue-dominant for veg, and then a Nav-T Super from Osram for flowering, just to test the difference between the Sanlight and a proper old-school HPS grow.

I’m not sure yet when I’ll actually run it, though. We’ll see.

One Love ❤️ 💛 💚
Penny
Click to expand...
the sunmaster mh are really good
with the lumatek the best performer on hps is the sylvania they are a lot of bench on it

i never used the +lumens of 10% is no good to run a buld at the bad intensity
all that stuff are comecial bulshit
 
PennyP said:
Actually, a few weeks ago I picked up a Lumatek 400W ballast with the Super Lumen switch, together with an Adjust-A-Wing Medium reflector and Super Spreader.

View attachment 116179

Now I’m still looking for the right bulbs. I’m thinking about something more blue-dominant for veg, and then a Nav-T Super from Osram for flowering, just to test the difference between the Sanlight and a proper old-school HPS grow.

I’m not sure yet when I’ll actually run it, though. We’ll see.

One Love ❤️ 💛 💚
Penny
Click to expand...
Lumatek all the way with ajust a wing and ballast 250-600 w
If i would buy led i would go lumatek…
 
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