About to start my first grow I recently pre-ordered a hlg blackbird but today they emailed me saying there’s a 4-5 week lead time and offered the 700 rspec fr instead. Should I get it? Is it equally good? I’m largely concerned it’s not as good for germination and vegetation. (Tent size: 4x4 gorilla lite tent)
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Hey buddy. Been running a 600 Rspec for almost 2 1/2 years non stop. If it went out today I’d order another.
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The blackbird has a much wider blue spectrum, so the rspec is technically a flowering light by comparison, but I got my 300 Rspec from a guy who ran it start to finish and loved it
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I know @jaws is running HLGs in a 4x4 and 5x5. Look at this plants. I don’t run mine on full took often…
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Another good brand less know is grand master led check it out.
Where did you order it from? If you don’t mind me asking.
LED grow light depot they have a really good and responsive customer service team.
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Don’t do it! I have a 550 RSpec in a 4x4 and while I think it’s great I am not getting more multi-board Quantum board lights, the bars are much more efficient run closer to the canopy and with even spread. If you have $700 to spend there I’d get one of these instead:
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If you wanna look at my grow log I run a blackbird in an 4x4. Idk if it’s ever been to 100% to be honest but the herb it produces has been such top quality I’m not worried about too much power lol
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This is another one to consider, check out the MIGRO videos about it but lots of users here seem excited to get their hands on one. 500 watts is plenty for a 4x4 if it’s spread out like the Blackbird or Aray or a bar light grid, you can run the lights closer to the canopy and save money on electricity without any detriment to plant health or yields, if anything penetration will go up and you’ll have fatter lowers and longer colas.
Fuck it @Carsy , go full Aray 12, that one is cool because it comes with three drivers so you actually have a modular system right out of the box, vs the 8 which is the same modular system but all on one driver. You’d have to reconfigure it to fit it into a 4x4 but it would never hit 100% and you’d crush. Could also probably split off one driver and set of panels for a side light setup if you wanted, which would be cool, the Aray system is waterproof IP65 rated.
HLG Blackbird:
1567 PPF output with photon efficacy of 2.79 μmol/joule
$559.20
HLG 700FR:
1585 PPF output with photon efficacy of 2.5 µmol/J
$599.20
No opinion from me, but I like the FR with it’s large aluminum plate and reflector. It’s interesting that the lowest color output from the Blackbird is 450 nm, while on the 700FR you have a spike of blue at 450 nm.
You’re shifting the blue wavelength towards green in the FR while adding new photons in the 700-780 nm range.
I have zero clue how this plays out in your tent but good luck!
The big bar lights above would all be great but the nerd in me with $700 in credit at the store would probably get either the big modular Aray 12 with all the drivers so I could dim different zones for different plants in the tent and get side lights
OR
I would get the Aray 8 and these UV bars along with the cord from Amazon to run them alone, though they might ultimately play nice with the Aray controller IDK. I use Solacure Super B tubes in T8 fixtures in flower and I think everyone should get on it, the quality is nuts!
I hope all this helps you with your decision and getting a killer light setup! Welcome to OG!
@Dirt_Wizard fuck dude the array 8 looks banging but I’ve already placed the purchase a week ago and the 700 just shipped but it was only for $560 so if it grows and does good I’ll be happy
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Thanks for that information 
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Word tho $560 is a good price and it’s a good light, you can see in my thread that I grow nice weed with it, the R-Spec panels are really good for flowering. I use a B-Spec for veg but people say it’s just fine all the way thru. I have just learned that it’s really hot in the middle and cold in the corners compared to a lot of other designs but I just rotate my plants every few days and it works great. It can also be handy because I usually grow five in my 4x4 and whichever is smallest/shortest goes in the middle and always ends up dank from the powerful overlap reaching down lower. You’re gonna have a good time with the HLG no worries
I own a 650 Rspec and it works like a charm. I moved to Mars bar lights, a FC 6500 for my 4x4 and an FC 8000 for my 5x5. I love them and given the choice I will keep the HLG in the closet and continue to use the Mars lights. I like the bar light much better. That said, the 700 Rspec will certainly get the job done and is a great light but a really good company.
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Is there a height extension available for your tent, and do you have the clearance.
I have the 600 Rspec and went with the extension. Taller plants and cooler canopy tents. You’ll never dial that light near 100%
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There is an extension (gorilla tent 4x4 lite line) but unfortunately I do not have the clearance. I’m growing autos is there going to be an issue with the height?
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You’ll just be dialing down that tent…
For photoperiods you would want more space between canopy and light.
I bought the blackbird for the fact I can use it in a 3x3 or 4x4 tent. I also bought the UVA 30 supplement bar that bolts to the HLG Blackbird. I haven’t set it up yet. I’m sure they have a UVA for the 700.