Before getting a new light perhaps grow a different cultivar first to check if it’s not just that particular cultivar that performs poorly? There’s wildly different genetics around.
What did you grow for your first run?
And what method are you applying?
Many are quick to buy new stuff, but sometimes some small adjustments in height or light schedule or other areas are all that’s needed. It’s a matter of keeping many different elements in balance.
I’ve bought them all when I made the switch a few years ago from HPS to LED lights…
Spider Farmer SF1000 has been doing me quite well in a 2 x 2.5 tent with about same height.
then I added 2 LED light bars by HZLUX. 40w each, $38 a pair and work great.
Stay away from the Blurple LED’s. tried 2 different versions, gave both away for cloning… for rapid veg growth, daytime full spectrum…
best of luck
i too got a sf2000 for 4x2, but was not happy with the coverage. so i bought a sp3000 for better coverage. the review on that xs4000 seems pretty good, maybe a little overkill for a 4x2. my main concern is the the heat. that heatsink seems a little thin for 500w. check out the sp3000.
Have a VIPARSPECTRA P1500 in my 2ft tent had it in my 3ft tent plants hated it put my old eBay lights back in plants are happy again,I’m about to put my old lights back into my 2ft tank as well only thing this light does is get very hot at the driver
This is another light I bought and had to go back to my old lights
These lights are bright don’t get me wrong but there’s some about them that really slowed the growth down on my plants until I changed back lights ,
Both these lights drivers get really hot,it’s funny not enough heat to raise temps in the tents,another reason my plants didn’t like them I had really low tent temps
For a 2x4 shortie…5 foot high I use a Mars Hydro TSL 2000 at around 75% power.
I have been using this cheapo PAR meter to determine if I am baking my flowers.
Best of fortunes!
@Rogue
Well, I grew 3 different strains in soil (ocean forest) and used foxfarm nutes, just 3 plants from clone.
The overall yield I thought was nice and it may have been the strains, one got a lot more chunky than the other two. I kind of feel like I could of gotten better penetration from the lights.
I did keep them pretty close to the lights, probably 12 inches or so. I definitely want to increase the lights, just worried this is a large a leap.
I was looking hard at the sp3000, I mean its like almost $100 more with the current sale on the xs4000 and the xs4000 is a little bigger as well. I want to talk myself into the mars hydro one because everyone says its tits. I guess I am a little worried about heat. The room the tent is in is conditioned, and I have a big inline fan dumping the everything out. I think I can get away with it.
I guess my concern is, will the xs4000 just fry everything in there? If so maybe the sp3000 is the move.
i bought my sp3000 straight from mars hydro site with discount code “ccfc” 3% off. so total ~390 no tax, free shipping. i see that the xs4000 is 400, $21 discount + tax on amazon. maybe you see a discount that i dont. you can keep the tent cool, but if the light itself get superhot, it gonna die. then you will have 2 drivers and a dead board.
There is also an additional 10% right now for prime member discount on the xs4000. so $40 more off original price. It is the cheapest ive seen it. But really id spend the $70 more on the sp3000 if I was sure it was the best I can do. I also considered the monster one I think its sp6500 and running it like half strength until I can convince the wife to let me get a bigger tent.
So the room the tent is in is around 69-70 degrees year round and the inline fan would sit adjacent to the driver, higher than the light. Do you think I might still burn out the board?
I hugely regret not getting the 6 foot tall tent right now. The 5 foot tent seems just a little to short.
@justdrew I wish I could somehow use the PAR meter before I bought the light haha!
I used some cheap app on my phone with my two 100 watt lights, it was probably not super accurate but it did give me a base level to work with.
its your choice. check back after then next grow.
I thought the same when I got my 4x2x5 tent until I changed a few ways I grow now it works great for me.The one thing that helped the most is I do not grow my plants in a normal growing pot. I use a 7 gallon storage container. They are only 7 inches tall but they are 24 inches long and 18 inches wide. That right there bought me an extra 6 inches of grow room.
Good call, so I assume you cut some sort of holes in the bottom of the containers? I have been using grow bags, but am open to new ideas.
Nope not one hole, and have had zero issues with this and I have been doing this for the past year.
Here is everything I have done to get as much space out of my tent, take it for what it is worth.
Edit: and dont forget LST and SOG.
I have the Viparspectra XS 1500 and the XS 2000 and I’m completely satisfied with both.
The XS series added a wider spectrum coverage in UV and Far red along with the Samsung LM301B Diodes & MeanWell driver. That was fine-tuning of the older P-series and it put them in the same league as SF and the other state of the art lights.
The only problem I’ve had is that it it too easy to crank them up and stress your plant. I almost always have the dimmer turned down a bit, and I check the DLI value regularly, especially during the stretch.
It is “Too Much Light” for your tent? Good Question. I haven’t gotten my hands on the XS 4000 yet but based on the specs it looks like a real beast. In your tent, you might be better served with two of the XS 2000 lights. With discounts they’re about the same cost and you’ll have a lot more flexibility.
Just my $.02
-Grouchy
PS, here’s a good review of XS4000
my 2x4 is running 1x SF2000 and is doing the job well if I don’t pack the tent. I got it used for 200$ canadian when I was looking for 2x SF1000’s for the same tent.
For a 2x4 if I get more lights it will be a pair of units so I have variations of coverage rather than straticic placement of plants (aka smalls in the middle, the bigger on the outside, and everything gets a 1/4 turn per day.)
Thanks for posting that article, not only was it a good read but the discount code from it works as well. It brings the cost of the light down to $310!
Just dim it down to 300ish watts, with its dimensions you should have really nice coverage.
I’m running 3 of these in my 2x4. 150w each
They get it done. DAKASON LED Grow Light 1500, Full… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092PMWMGN?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
