Is This Setup OK for Vegging and Growing Herbs

Indoor Growing
#1

I’ve got a somewhat unique lighting situation. This will be my first grow Tent and it’s been a while since last grow and I’m a little rusty. The tent is a 2 in 1 the main area is 3x3’ and the small side section is 1x3’ with two shelves. Here is a link if that helps https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KYX1LPP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What I am trying to do is grow Herbs, Leafy Greens, Veg Canna and keep clones in the side area. Firstly my question is about spectrum is 4000K OK or will it stretch the Canna out to much? Secondly I have to be careful cus those Herbs don’t like very much light unlike Canna so I don’t want to burn em up with the light. I was looking at T5’s Floro and LED bar lamps and came across the Mars SP150. Wondering if I can use this light for one of the shelves, it is 3950K, that is the thing I’m worried about.
Here is a link for the light https://www.mars-hydro.com/led-grow-light/buy-mars-sp-150-led-grow-lights-for-for-sale

I’ve checked the well known sites for lighting and Amazon as well. Came up with a few possible lights. My buddy has same kind of tent and he uses this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009GU4RMC
Now he said that he uses 2 for prop and 4 for veg, I will check back with him. Not sure if he means 2 bulbs or 2 fixtures, this light puts out 10,000 lumens at 96w max. Trying to save some $$$ and take advantage of the sales that are on. Any suggestions would be very helpful!
Thx in advance!

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#2

What’s your budget for lights. And what’s your skill level cutting metal with hacksaw, drilling and connecting wires. Cause you can build your own And it really is that easy.

You have 9 sq ft so for a GOOD led 30w a sq ft or 50w for a HPS. So 270w to 450w.

I’d get a 400 or 600w HPS. 100-120$

Or if you’ve got a hour of free time and some mechanical ability. I’d get the 132 boards from HLG with a lrs 350-36 driver. Or bridgelux strips. Both are around $150

Don’t get the mars hydro.

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#3

Can’t go by Sqfeet in this case, see the side section…At least you can’t go by total area as there are two shelves that need lights on each. Ummm, yeah not really what I want to do right now maybe at some point. I honestly just don’t have the time or will to source parts, cut parts, etc…Thank you for the suggestion and I may do this in the future as you can save money sometimes. I’m kind-of old school, I like to have customer service with the products and not some script someone in India is reading off a screen. That’s just me though…:wink:

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#4

Hlg is an American based company.

Mars and everyone will be from elsewhere.

If you want the best customer support order through amazon. They’ll let you return stuff a year old.

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#5

HLG doesn’t have anything for this…Need a bar light and the only ones they have are out of stock or very $$$. That’s why I chose Mars or a T5 setup…Just not so about the spectrum on Mars though. Is 3950K going to stretch the Veg Canna or Clones? If you have any other idea’s I’m open to just about anything…Thx!!!

PS: The light will need to cover 3’ deep by 1’ wide.

1 Like
#6

I use 3k and 3500k so I don’t think the 3950 would be a problem.

I think 2 ft t-5 for your 1x3 veg area and 400hps for your 3x3 flower space.

The hlg board is perfect for that. It’s the size of a sheet of paper. You have 2 1x3 areas for veg so you buy 2 packs of 4. 2 for each level of veg and then the other four go in flower 3x3.

I know you dont wanna diy it but it would work rather nice. Any of the 120 or 132.

9A150CF3-03AE-401A-B754-43775C86DC17.png750×1334 349 KB

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#7

I’ve already got the main area covered. Just stuck on the side section. I’d like to run T5’s but don’t know how many watts are needed. I’m guessing around 80 according to a few…Thx though!

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#8

Would the same apply to Herbs and Leafy greens as well? They don’t like alot of light and burn easily.
On average how many watts would be good for that? The 2’ light is usually around 24 watts give or take so I’d put two in or maybe even three.

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#9

Wait, You use 3000 or 3500K for Clones and Veg? And you aren’t getting any long nodes?
That sure is red for a Veg light…

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#10

Check out this thread. Cheap, very effective LED strips. I think they come in 2, 3 or 4 feet. You could probably get away with one or 2 strips over each shelf.

The spectrum should be ok, they won’t be that stretchy compared to more blue as long as they’re getting enough light. To balance the light needs of different plants you could put the weed plants on a piece of wood or whatever to get them closer to the light and leave the other ones lower so they don’t get blasted as hard.

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#11

Each board is 50-70 watts. Sorry I didn’t get that you had flower taken care of.

you could do two boards per 1x3 area or the T-5 or the led strips.

I have dill in my tent growing I leave it at ground level and it grows fine. All my drivers have potentiometer so I can adjust light intensity.

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#12

Wow, thx for the suggestions took a bit to read it all! Honestly at this point I need a plug and play light. I’ve read many, many good things about QB’s and the LED Strips. Problem is I don’t have the time (and the will) to research, source and put together the strips. I was looking at some of the setups that peps made and they look really cool. You can really adjust it to your own needs and modify how ever you want. It’s just not an option right now and I know many peps will prob leave the thread now cuz there is no QB action…Sry I do appreciate all the help for sure!!!

I am prob going to go with this for one of the Veg shelves https://www.mars-hydro.com/buy-mars-sp-150-led-grow-lights-for-for-sale

Would grab a couple but the 3950K has me a little worried, I mean I know it will work. But will it work as well as a 5000-6500k Veg light.> . I sort of doubt it but I’m not a expert on LED’s, can only pass info along that I’ve heard or read.

I know they are not the best lights and are foreign made with NON-Samsung LED’s but Epis (can’t rem name) LED’s seem to hold their own. I’ve seen the somewhat less cheaper LED’s in a few top dollar lights, I think they were subb or in addition to the main LED’s, (Optic) comes to mind but there are prob more…
Anyway they do have from what I can tell pretty good CS in the U.S. I’ve spoken and seen the Vendor many times over at “autoflower”, Don’t Laugh! :slight_smile: That was the first forum I joined and really because I wanted to run Autos for the first run or two. All the equipment is new and wanted to get it and Me tuned in before going with better genes.

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#13

Ive looked at AFN a couple times. I started over at grasscity.

I would go with the t-5 for your veg area. They’re cheap at Home Depot.

I started with bag seed my first grow. It’s pretty hard to mess it up just go light on water and ferts!

Best of luck man. Look froward to seeing your grow when you get it all ready!

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#14

Hey thanks for the help, even though I can’t do DIY right now doesn’t mean I will not in the future. I like how you can modify the lights to your setup. Yeah looked at Lowes & HD but all I saw were the tubes, couldn’t find fixtures, guess you need to get em online. I can be a little OCD about my equipment and I know it can get annoying just trying to get it right the first time and save some $$ on the sale.

Should be setup in about two weeks…The last part I need is in line Filter for the Main area and the rest is small stuff. I will need to vent the small area soon, but I’ll make a new thread…But yeah I’ll keep a journal and post some pics! Thx again!

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#15

Thanks again @beacher and @MidwestMover! Ran out of likes so don’t think I overlooked it!

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#16

Im with this. T5 works very well. People just hop to led now low draw high output .
Veg loves t5s though and theyre soft enough i dont think you can find a plant theyll harm. But in my mix lighting they still like the t5s added over led alone. Flowering too.

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#17

Since the Mars isn’t going to cover the length completely probably add to it with T5’s. On the bottom shelve I’ll mess with later but the plan is to run T5’s down there. I’ll have a better idea once things are running.
And yes you are right, I see a lot of ppl jumping on the Amazon LED’s or LED’s in general and don’t bother to research anything else. Not to get way off topic but over at GrowersNetwork there was at least two vendors saying the same thing; CMH & LED together seem to be gaining ground and the results look positive. That’s coming from them, not me but yeah the LED’s have a ways to go before you can just jump on them and go…

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