I have a 8x8 room, and getting over loaded about finding the best lights that would work for my grow. I’m towards LED or COB lighting. My goal is the best quality.
Welcome to the forum @Wardawg
I’m going to tag @dbrn32 who can better help with your lighting questions etc.
You’ll want to better detail what your looking to do with that 8x8 space number of plants floor plan, budget etc etc
In addition to the above questions, whats your budget? Are you up for diy, or do you just want plug-n-grow?
Welcome to ILGM! In further addition to the above questions, how do you plan to use the space? Will you be running many plants all at the same time, or would you rather stagger your harvests? How you split up the space if you run separate veg and flower sections may change what’s “best” overall, too. Also, how you plan on growing each plant, if there will be any training, etc., could affect how much penetration you need…i.e., scrog vs. just topping vs. no training will structure the plants very differently. If you want to run a scrog, you can get away with less intensity, somewhat, since you only need to penetrate several inches into your canopy, vs. through the whole plant possibly. Just some more variables to think about.
Sorry I didn’t give enough info. Starting out 8 ladies. I have around five to put in lights. I have everything else for my grow room. My wife is handicapped, and if I put a little more in light it’s ok because I’m saving on prescription. I might grow a little recreational for me. lol I want to grow the best possible. Thanks for everybody’s advice.
I’m going to be using the scrog method,
Welcome aboard you have come to the right place. Lots of people helping each other an sharing.
Five? Is that $5, $500, $5000?
I ask because you could easily spend $5000 lighting up a 8x8 space, specially if you want the “best”. I’d consider breaking up that into a 5x5 flowering area and a 3x3 veg area. The advantage being able to do a perpetual grow and harvest every 2 months rather than every 4 months or more after you get it going.
$500 for now. Yes somethng to break it up, but I’ll have 5×5 grow tent in about 2 months. They had no luck, but he wouldn’t take any advice. I told them about the forum here, and alot of good info on the internet.
With that light budget and area, I see a 1000 watt HPS or a couple 600 watt HPS would be your best bang for the buck. Cooling/ventilation will.need to be considered as well to keep temps in check.
Unfortunately $500 will not flower 8 plants effectively. It might get enough decent lighting to do 4.
@Wardawg I read your profile card said you’d like to start small and grow big. You might consider a 4 by 4 space. To start out. Considering the cost of lighting, If you buy quality lights For the 4 x4 space you can always just double it to move into the 8x8 space later. You can grow a lot of buds in a 4 by 4 space. Just thinking out loud. Good luck Whatever you do.
I could go a 4×4. I seen a Mars Hydro TS 3000W light. I can swing buying 2 of them. Has anyone have experience with them, good or bad? Thanks for all of the advice.
@Wardawg You can efficiently veg and flower a 4 by 4 space. With two of the HLG 260 watt rspec. Price between 600 to $700 depending on if they’re on sale. That price would be for two. I have not used the Mars. Product but @dbrn32 an @KeystoneCops can give you some input on that light.
$500 isn’t going to get you into higher end cobs or great led tech for an 8x8 space. If that’s all you have to work with, I would look at setting up a couple of air cooled 600 watt hps lights. Or, maybe doing a 3x3 tent instead of trying to do such a large space.
I would look at multiple TS 1000 or 2000 instead of a single 3000. The Mars TS lights are affordable performers as far as LEDs go. Like @dbrn32 mentioned a 600w hps may be better suited to your budget, unless you have another $500 for ancillary equipment.
Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t settle on anything low end like Amazon leds.
I would buy a better light and only use a portion of that 8x8 to start with, buying new lights to fill in the empty spaces when I could afford it. Otherwise you’ll end up like me: I have good lights above my plants and an extra $800 in cheaper lights hanging in the closet
Sounds like your getting ahead of yourself.
You will have almost 90ft2 of grow space with no lighting.
Thanks for the advice.
Going smaller don’t want go to fast and waste time, money, and good seeds. I got some more stuff read up on lights.