# Ceramic MH or LED?



## oldfogey8 (Dec 26, 2016)

Talked with a guy at the grow store. He is big on a ceramic MH fixture he has. The cost is reasonable at about $180. Hamster Lewis posted a link to an LED that is about the same price. Any input would be appreciated. I am not that concerned about the difference in power cost since I am just a small grower and will have just the one light in one tent. Thanks in advance.


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## umbra (Dec 26, 2016)

Is heat going to be an issue? The cmh will be hotter for sure.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Dec 26, 2016)

I can tell you that I was sorely disappointed with the inexpensive LED that I bought...


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## Budlight (Dec 26, 2016)

The Hemp Goddess said:


> I can tell you that I was sorely disappointed with the inexpensive LED that I bought...



Witch one did you go with THG  I myself was thinking of switching to a cheap LED just for my babies


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## Budlight (Dec 26, 2016)

I have noticed that the light that Lewis  uses has a yellow LED in it as well where most of the lights that I have looked at like that style of light did not have that colour of LED so if you ask me out of the cheaper LEDs that one is definitely the better one  I will be switching up to that light for my babies and my veg  just don't know if I want to mess round with the flower room


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## Locked (Dec 26, 2016)

One of the bigger reasons I switched to LED Lights is for piece of mind.  I would get super paranoid when I had to be away for a night or two and worried about a possible fire. Those bulbs got super.  Unlike THG, I have not been let down by LED Lights. The 2 I am running right now have performed very well. The Mars has been through multiple grows. The newer light, King LED, has been even more impressive than the Mars so far. Much brighter and providing great coverage for such a small light.  I have had no problem with filling a 4x4 Flower tent with just those 2 lights. I would post some pics but it seems we are still having issues with uploads. Soon as that is fixed I can throw some up. Just my 2 cents.


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## Budlight (Dec 26, 2016)

Hamster Lewis said:


> One of the bigger reasons I switched to LED Lights is for piece of mind.  I would get super paranoid when I had to be away for a night or two and worried about a possible fire. Those bulbs got super.  Unlike THG, I have not been let down by LED Lights. The 2 I am running right now have performed very well. The Mars has been through multiple grows. The newer light, King LED, has been even more impressive than the Mars so far. Much brighter and providing great coverage for such a small light.  I have had no problem with filling a 4x4 Flower tent with just those 2 lights. I would post some pics but it seems we are still having issues with uploads. Soon as that is fixed I can throw some up. Just my 2 cents.



 I will definitely say you sold me on the new light and I like the fact that it has more colours of LEDS than the other guys


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## Locked (Dec 26, 2016)

Looks like the upload issue is fixed. Here is a link to my latest pics. 2 LED Lights in a 4x4x6.5 Tent. 
http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1001568&postcount=134


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## oldfogey8 (Dec 26, 2016)

Thanks Hammy. Do you think 1 king LED would be enough light for a 3x3 ft tent?


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## oldfogey8 (Dec 26, 2016)

Glad I asked. I was leaning toward the cmh but as umbra m mentioned, heat could be an issue especially in the warmer months. And Hamsters flowers look quite pleased. I may go with one King LED and supplement with my T5's this grow. I am starting my new grow Wednesday. Strains I am unfamiliar with so I assume it will be a comedy of errors ahead. I am nothing if not good at screwing things up... Thanks everyone for the help/input.


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## Locked (Dec 27, 2016)

oldfogey8 said:


> Thanks Hammy. Do you think 1 king LED would be enough light for a 3x3 ft tent?



Yes I think one of the King LED lights that I am using could cover a 3x3 tent. Just make sure you manage their height because you need some headroom to get proper coverage.


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## Lesso (Dec 27, 2016)

Whats the heat output in relation to a hps in a cool tube. What are your ambient temps vs the tent temps?


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## The Hemp Goddess (Dec 27, 2016)

You switched over because you were afraid of fire?  Even though I have had a house fire (they are devastating), I am no more afraid of leaving my lights running than I am of leaving my furnace running.  Most grow room fires are caused by overtaxing your electrical system or using extension cords of insufficient gauge.  Please make sure that your electrical system will handle the job it is meant to do.  A dedicated circuit is always a good idea.  I can think of fewer things less pleasant to come home to than a home destroyed by fire and police waiting to take you away.  

I have a Mars II 700W LED and an Apollo Purple Sun 768W cob light (that was loaned to me by a friend).  The Mars is hardly worth the effort to hang IMO.  I had the 2 lights in a 3 x 6 closet and the Mars II just sucked.  The Apollo was better and I am going to try it again in a smaller tent by itself.  The Mars II may work okay to veg small plants, but I love my T5s so much that I will probably continue to use that.  While I found that the LEDs do not put out as much heat as a HPS, they do run hot and you will still need a centrifuge type fan.  In the winter, I find I need the heat from the HPS...especially now.  Going through a nasty cold snap.  Haven't seen temps over 32 for a few weeks.

Hamster, glad you are liking your LEDs.  I ran the LEDs for 3 flowering cycles and just didn't get nearly the yield that I got with my HPS.  I do have to say that the buds grown with Led do get really frosty, but I just never got nearly the yield.


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## oldfogey8 (Jan 5, 2017)

bit the bullet and got one of the 1200 watt king led fixtures hammy has. it is bright. painfully so. i just ordered a pair of led glasses because i think the uv is what is kinda painful.


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## WeedHopper (Jan 5, 2017)

The Hemp Goddess said:


> You switched over because you were afraid of fire?  Even though I have had a house fire (they are devastating), I am no more afraid of leaving my lights running than I am of leaving my furnace running.  Most grow room fires are caused by overtaxing your electrical system or using extension cords of insufficient gauge.  Please make sure that your electrical system will handle the job it is meant to do.  A dedicated circuit is always a good idea.  I can think of fewer things less pleasant to come home to than a home destroyed by fire and police waiting to take you away.
> 
> I have a Mars II 700W LED and an Apollo Purple Sun 768W cob light (that was loaned to me by a friend).  The Mars is hardly worth the effort to hang IMO.  I had the 2 lights in a 3 x 6 closet and the Mars II just sucked.  The Apollo was better and I am going to try it again in a smaller tent by itself.  The Mars II may work okay to veg small plants, but I love my T5s so much that I will probably continue to use that.  While I found that the LEDs do not put out as much heat as a HPS, they do run hot and you will still need a centrifuge type fan.  In the winter, I find I need the heat from the HPS...especially now.  Going through a nasty cold snap.  Haven't seen temps over 32 for a few weeks.
> 
> Hamster, glad you are liking your LEDs.  I ran the LEDs for 3 flowering cycles and just didn't get nearly the yield that I got with my HPS.  I do have to say that the buds grown with Led do get really frosty, but I just never got nearly the yield.




THG,,,,,what do you think about mixing LEDS and HPS? Wouldnt that get the HPS harvest with the LED Triches?


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 5, 2017)

When I set up my 5 x 5 tent, I think that I will probably try mixing HPS and LED.  I might pick up a King LED like Hamster has.  I don't want to give up on the LEDs, but, unlike HL, the Mars just didn't do much for me.

I have plants that are just now sexing and unfortunately, it looks like only 1 female out of 6 plants.  I will probably put her in a 32 x 32 tent with the Apollo LED and see how I do.


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## oldfogey8 (Jan 5, 2017)

my grow will be pretty much king led from start to finish, thg, if you want to see how the unit works in the hands of someone other than a master grower. you and hammy run circles around me. well, most of the folks on this site do for that matter. but bedsides that, i will be another data set. my journal is linked in my signature if you are interested.


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## Rosebud (Jan 5, 2017)

I ordered a new led last week. Those two hps's in the shed are costing a lot of energy.. I am going to put them in my bathroom the leds and veg in the closet I guess. I have been watching this particular led brand grow for several months. I hope i made the right decision.

Bummer on one girl THG.  It is 0 out my house this morning.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 6, 2017)

Yeah cold here, too.  The high is expected to be 3.  It was -1 with a wind chill of -18 when I got up this morning.  Going to stay in and maybe build a fire.

LOL--I am doing somewhat like you--putting plants wherever I can.  Discovered yesterday that my 32 x 32 tent is not here...must still be at my place in Idaho.  So going to use a closet in an unused bedroom that is 40 x 24 to flower as it seals well and has attic access and set up a veg space in the corner of the same unused bedroom.  I just got my Jacuzzi tub installed...can't give it up to plants quite yet.

I used a T5 for vegging that has some red bulbs in it.  I wonder if that contributed to more boys?

I have been kicking around ordering a King LED like HL uses.  What did you order Rosebud?


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## Budlight (Jan 6, 2017)

The Hemp Goddess said:


> Yeah cold here, too.  The high is expected to be 3.  It was -1 with a wind chill of -18 when I got up this morning.  Going to stay in and maybe build a fire.
> 
> LOL--I am doing somewhat like you--putting plants wherever I can.  Discovered yesterday that my 32 x 32 tent is not here...must still be at my place in Idaho.  So going to use a closet in an unused bedroom that is 40 x 24 to flower as it seals well and has attic access and set up a veg space in the corner of the same unused bedroom.  I just got my Jacuzzi tub installed...can't give it up to plants quite yet.
> 
> ...



 I don't know if it's true or not but thats what the guy at the grow store  said when he sold me my little LED light for my humidity dome he sold me one that was only white and blue lights and said it helped promoted female seedlings whether it's true or not I have no idea I will say when I used it on my first batch of  seedlings I ended up with more girls than boys and when I used just my T5 this last round I ended up with all boys so now I'm going back to the white and blue LED to see what happens and I will have to agree with you on the king LED  I think I'm probably going to order some myself I noticed last night they now make a 2000 W


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## Rosebud (Jan 6, 2017)

I have to be able to move my plants stat if i need a hot bath.. and it is doable. Can i tell you the brand after I have used them? They are stupid expensive and I watched them for several months.. plus I got a little money for chirstmas.  They also let you try them for 90 days. I was just going to grow and if they worked out well i was going to tell people... I just don't want to recommend anything yet. 

Your bedroom sounds like a great grow space with the attic space too.

Bud's shed is buzzing with 1000hps...   he has another month I think.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 7, 2017)

Budlight, are you running red tubes in your T5?  There are several things that are supposed to give you more girls than boys--more blue light, cooler temps, high N...can't remember the others.  I do not know if this is just anecdotal or if there are actually studies.  I generally veg under all blue but had read that adding red light will help with stretch when going to 12/12. 

I got the Apollo COB up yesterday--dang, you forget how bright they are.

Rosebud, good luck with your new lights.  It is so fun to get new equipment.


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## WeedHopper (Jan 7, 2017)

Here is a good read on producing more females.

http://www.1stmarijuanagrowerspage.com/how-to-improve-female-male-ratio-of-cannabis-plant.html


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## oldfogey8 (Jan 7, 2017)

cool read. thanks hopper.


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