What’s going on OG family, I’m in the market right now for a new light for my 3x3 flower tent. With the impending Black Friday madness I figure it’s the best time to get a deal. Trying to keep the budget around like 3-400, hoping that folks can chime in here with their recommendations or experiences, folks like Doug have already been super helpful recommending thier faves (mars hydro) but I’ve been dropping into the marketing k-hole and I’m a bit stuck on making the decision, so no better place than OG to get some help.
Currently running an HLG 225, the porcupine. It’s a blaster of a little light, but I am not a fan of the single point of light approach anymore, and I don’t love having to use a screwdriver to dim it.
Here’s what I’m considering:
Spider farmer SE3000
Mars hydro FC3000
Photontek SQ300W
HLG 300L RSpec
HLG 350R
Kind LED X330
Growers Choice ROI E420
I’ve been using spider farmer SF1000’s (x2) in my veg tent and love them, so I have an inclination towards their stuff just for the quality of components. I really like the HLG stuff being made in America, and the warranty, but I feel like the bar style lights will do a better job spreading the light out evenly in the tent and will allow for plants to potentially grow closer to the lights themselves in a small space. I’m in a hole here, gimme your thoughts if you have a minute! Thanks y’all
I’d go with the cheapest you feel comfortable with. They all will grow great plants. MarsHydro and spiderfarmer seem to be worth the small investment these days.
I have also been looking for a new light for a 4x4 so I have been looking at all the major makers. The FC3000 from mars hydro seems to be a great light. However, even their own website says it’s only for 2.5 x 2.5 when it comes to flowering.
You could keep the porcupine and flank it on either side with one of these guys, keep it modular like the pucks but with a little more spread from quantum boards. This is the latest HLG board so it should be peak efficiency:
The FC 4800 will do a great job as well. The 6500 has more power then you need in that space. Price is definitely an issue thought. While Mars stepped up their game with the FC series they did also step up their prices.
WHOA! thats the best price ive seen on that one so far. that might be the decision maker right there, its hard to look past something made in america and warrantied for 3 years. the first 225 i bought ended up breaking and i called their customer service and they went so far as to call the local dealer and have them take the broken light and give me a new one off their shelf, couldnt be happier with that service. plus, getting out the measuring tape a 26" wide light does fill the tent pretty nice. guys. this is hard
I mean, they just assemble ballasts and quantum boards here but their customer service is definitely good from everything I’ve heard. They definitely use the good stuff, Inventronics or Meanwell and top bin Samsung LEDs. I also like how modular their stuff is so I can repair or part out a light if I ever need/want to. My main flower light is a refurbished 550 R-spec I got from them, it really pulls around 490w and I only turn it up all the way in my 4x4 for a few weeks mid-late flower. I’ve used it for five grows so far, no issues at all, but I expect if I had one it would be simple to fix with parts from them. I saw that 300 when I was looking at the Growace Black Friday sale, they stock a really good selection of microgrow tents, which I want to get for a separate seedling/breeding tent, or for isolation if I ever take in clones.
of course HLG is teasing out a “new product release” on black friday that has me intrigued, and the growace pre sale ends in like 4 days, so theyre really putting the screws to me haha
Take a look at the Viparspectra KS3000, it’s around $440 CAD with a coupon code. The light is made for a 3x3 tent. I just purchased this light, I’m currently in week 7 of flower, and I’m happy so far.
The power supply can be placed outside the tent (which was a big selling point for me) to keep the temps down and the bar style fixture means relatively even canopy coverage, as you mentioned.
My only complaint is the fixture uses a step up/down dimmer with 4 settings instead of a variable dial.
HLG is a good quality light with one of the highest mol/jul (light pentration) but would get the full cycle – have a full cycle and a red spec both 240 watt QB. have used ti red spec for a few grow for veg and flower. if using the red spec flower starts at wk 2-3 (flowers earlier so whe I run regulars I use the red spec for fast sexing !!! = tip of the day . Kind great light but expensive - Mars and spider 3000 a powerful light with flower footprint at 3by3 at least. Mars is a heavy /noise. Light quantum Boards they run quiteier and less heat. don’t know what kind of money you have but Foshe is quality figure $1,500 ( check out Belusi Grow)
Kind was actually the manufacturer/partner of a local brand here, I think they have now gone out of business(the local brand, not Kind) but I heard GREAT things about the lights, no personal experience with them though.
I personally run a MedicGrow, I know its not on your list but i really like it, bar style and they have a pretty deep sale going on. Got mine on a blackfriday sale a few years ago
If you go with ViparSpectra use my discount code for yourself, anyone can use this code if they like.
Extra 5% off via Amazon US & Canada sites when buying ViparSpectra XS and P series LED grow lights by using the Discount code at checkout:
" viparCADBOY " (don’t add the quotation marks)
