[quote=“Nicky, post:19, topic:52931”] I
was correcting you that mars hydro is not a quantum board, which it’s not.
It’s not a Samsung board and it’s not ran by a meanwell driver, it’s not on the same level as a hlg or a king bright or heck even a spider farm.
[/quote]
Whether it’s a quantum it not doesn’t have anything to do with band brand of driver or diodes. It’s the style of the board.
No one sidetracked the conversation, but you, coming in with your Mars is trash and won’t grow decent weed comment. I’m trying to help someone who is on a tight budget by recommending the cheapest lights I would trust, based on specs and grows I’ve seen. Outdoor growing isn’t an option for everyone, so “save your money and grow outside” contributes exactly nothing, if they can only grow inside. And “get a $300 HLG” contributes nothing, if their budget for a light is $100-$150.
Bogus claim? Please point out my “bogus claim” and support yourself with facts, not more parroted “Mars sucks”.
Okay you want me to spit you some facts here it is son.
Quantum board is a trademark register by HLG in 2018, and they used it on their lights which run Samsung boards, diodes and meanwell drivers.
So nothing other than a hlg is a quantum board, knockoff quantum boards are anything that runs the same style such as kingbrights but surely NOTHING like a mars hydro.
Granted you are making the best comments and recommendations for your knowledge but when someone else steps in with more knowledge then you rather then rebuttle you might want to listen.
And I tossed the OP a budget suggestion, but again saying saving is not an option for anyone is completely BS trying to do something on a non feasible budget is more of a waste of money then not doing it and saving up to do it or not doing it at all.
So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
I appreciate the opinions of experience. That’s why I came here. I understand I need functional lighting for growth. My concern was I require a small sized light; not for cost reasons but for space in my little San Diego bungalow; and not wanting to drill into my ceiling. Just growing one plant at a time. I found a tall garment rack that takes up little real estate; will hang one of your recommended lights from that. Thanks again.
Your welcome @jacquelu and I can appreciate the space constraints hence why efficient is best. Don’t need something bulky that doesn’t work very well, when you could have something small and powerful
It’s an autoflower so it doesn’t need any light changes throught the grow, it should be ran on a 20 hr on 4 off light scedule until harvest when its ideal to sit in darkness for 3 days and then chopped, trimmed dried and jarred to cure (with burping when humidity rises).
Good timing on your post. I noticed last night I have 4-5? Flowers forming. I have been reading the grow guides trying to learn if AutoFlowers need a change in lighting hours once they begin to flower? Today is 6 weeks since planting. Planning on ~4 weeks to harvest. Flushing in 2 + weeks?
That’s in a perfect world and not growing in soil.
Get a USB microscope because you’ll need it to look at and share tricomb pictures, the only true way to tell if harvest is here.
Don’t worry about the flush until your buds are showing 75% mature pistils that have changed color, then look at the tricombs, once your seeing more cloudy form and Amber starting thrn flush.
Don’t get caught up in flushing unless your feeding alot, generally not an issue in soil.
The first two weeks of any plant photo or auto can be run on 24hr on 0hr off.
After that photos are ran at 18hr on 6hr off whole autos can be ran on any light scedule.
The most common light scedules for autos is 20/4, 18/6, 24/0 or 12/12.
When you learn about lighting and Daily light integral you can better choose the lighting scedule for your plants depending on how strong your lights are and other variables.
For now stick to a 20/4 lighting scedule, this allows for the most photosynthesis to occur giving your plant the most light radiation while still giving it a break to rest and avoiding the issues that come with 24hr lights on (defficents tend to show up much faster and more frequent)
I am just going to answer the simple question. Can you grow good bud with Mars. Definitely. I grew this with viparspectras. Very similar lights.
Here is what I think the others may be trying to point out. After that. It is your grow and your choice of what you want to buy I will use my self as an example
The link above is to my first grow. All under viparspectra lights. I loved them and they grew great bud.
Here is the main reason I changed to all QB lights. First is the lack of coverage compared to a QB board. Second is light consumption.
I use a 260 board over 2 plants. So basically 130w over each plant. One viparspectra would cover an area of 2x2 using 200w When I grew my big bud. I had to use a vipar 600, 450 and a 300 to cover it. That was close to 640w. I can grow 6 plants using that same power now.
If you only plan on growing one plant each grow. The mars would be more than fine. If you plan on adding a few more plants as you learn. Then you will see the down side to the purple lights. Had I used the money I spent on 3 450s, 2 300s and a 600 viparspectra with a QB to start. I would have saved a lot. There is very little re sale value on the purple lights as every one calls them now.
If you look on craigslist for one of those. You can get 2 or 3 for the price of one new light. A better option for starting out in my opinion. That way. You get more lights. And loose less money if you decide to change down the road.
Sorry for the long post. But you can grow great weed with a purple light. As of today. My most solid buds came from an AK-47 under a 450 viparspectra
I got I got 23 1/2 oz of good bud from 4 plants my first grow. All using viparspectras