HID vs LED- what is your favourite?

[musashi]

Product availability and pricing has changed quite a bit in the last few years over here. And while I am starting to understand how to use LED more effectively, I am still not entirely convinced that it is the end all be all. I still currently supplement my grows with MH.
It has always been about quality for me, so in pursuit of this goal, I recently purchased (2) CMH 315w systems. I believe the science behind CMH is sound and wanted to transition to this earlier but prices were high back then. Not so today. I agree with @Tom bolenate and @Swifty that this kind of lighting simulates sunlight better than other lighting systems and that plants respond better in resin production and potency. I like the idea of heat in the room and because they don't throw out as much heat as HPS or MH, they may just meet my needs better. I shunt/dissipate excess heat into my living room.
Where I think LED works spectacularly well is in veg. Better than fluoros IMO. I will continue to use LED's for that purpose, in addition to using them for my indoor rare philodendron collection. Time will tell.
I am always open to trying new ways of growing. In this process of evaluation; along with CMH lighting, I plan to change my soil and nutrient line for this next grow. Change is good and even this old dog can learn new tricks.

mu

 

[Mr. Brown]

I started to grow with the Hortione 368 LED (130w) and I still use it. The buds I grew so far were all good to excellent

In my experience the grow medium and the fertilizer had the biggest effect on bud size and quality Since I switched to TLO soil my buds are bigger, tastier and smell better

Everybody should use the lights that fits their needs best

Let the light shine
MB

 

[Ray]

I have/use both leds and cmh/hps/mh.
I Use the leds over the summertime but they simply wouldn't cut it during the winter, not without adding extra watts of heating!
Which in my mind throws the lorded led efficacy out the window, so i switch back to cmh/hps....

 

[Zero0]

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

Your choice is excellent, it’s the best option in the semi-professional range (only Double-Ended HPS models perform better).

If you’re looking for a bulb with a less red/orange colour than the standard Osram Nav-T HPS or HPS Philips bulbs (2000K), there are the Gavita Enhanced HPS bulbs (2100K) or HPS Lumatek bulbs for example, which have a slightly higher proportion of blue in the spectrum.

About the A-wings reflector, personally I never use the Spreader but I don’t really know what is better to do.

 

[ResinousKingpin]

Hello Friends!

I'm doing always like this.

Veg : MH

Stretch begin +/- 10 days : MH or DUAL HPS (if sativa I go some days longer with MH / if no stretch indica than I use dual HPS from 12/12 beginning)

Start Flowering : Dual HPS till mid flowering.

Mid flowering to the end: normal HPS or endFlo HPS like (GIB pure bloom spectrum).

I can also share with you my little observations regarding the various aspects of the lamp spectrum and their impact on our ladies.
I once mixed up the light bulbs by mistake and used the end flowering one,right from the flowering start and not the dual one as I always do.
I was growing 100% indica plants clones,without any stretch. Stretch near 0%!
So I thought with this Indica I don't need MH to stop stretch,I can begin with the dual. But I have used end flower bulb,not the dual.
And guess what .....
They stretched like never before.
They was stretching like crazy Haze's.

Another story:

I was working with Amnesia Haze clones,that have a stretch x4 if not more after 12/12 flip,for about 28 days with the use of HPS dual.
I also gave the Amnesia clones to my friend,who has got 95% same environment as I have,but with one difference,the light source.
He was working with LED lights.
The same clone didn't stretch even x1.

Why I'm writing it?
Because I know,from my own experience,how big difference the light spectrum is compared to each other.

LED vs HPS ?
I DO NOT SEE ANY WINNER if you can have some "control" of the spectrum.

If you know what you're doing,both options are awesome.Regardless of what you choose,in my opinion,the spectrum is what matters most.
That’s what sets the direction.
The light source itself is less important—provided everything else is as it should be. (ENVIROMENT/TEMPERATURES etc)

Best Regards!
RK

 

[Diesel840]

Where I think LED works spectacularly well is in veg. Better than fluoros IMO. I will continue to use LED's for that purpose, in addition to using them for my indoor rare philodendron collection. Time will tell.

Funny you shpuld mention your rare Philodendrons. I actualy picked up a Tricolor Pink Princess with a half Moon leaf and a Galaxy version. Both for 15 bucks each! They are in my 2x4 tent i use for growing herbs, strawberries, and my microgreens and heirloom lettuces. It's got a sf600 led in there.

Also i have very limited expwrince with CMH, a single run, but I found the flower quality to be very good despite how poorly the actual run went. I imagine done correctly, it would deliver a phenominal final product.