Advice Choosing the Right Grow Light for a 3x3 Tent

[Hugoi]

Hi 420 Magazine Community,

Hope you all are good. This is my second query. Thank you very much for the advice on the previous query. I hope I will get answers to my this questions as well
I need help picking the best grow light for my 3x3 grow tent because I am setting up my first indoor grow; I have read about various options like LED, HPS & CMH but I am still not sure which one would be best for my setup.

Here is some queries I have which you can review

I'd like a light that is energy efficient to keep my electricity costs down.
My grow tent is small so I need a light that won't generate heat and affect the environment.
What kind of light range and level of intensity should I seek to ensure healthy growth during all stages?
I'm searching for the best deal because I have a limited budget.

Also i have also looked into this since joining this forum https://www.420magazine.com/community/threads/3x3-grow-rpa-tent-what-light-should-i-use.471895/ but i was unable to field an answer for my query

If there is any recommendations or personal experiences please share with me it would be greatly appreciated and any anyone have any advice, tips, or resources you can share with me.

 

[Phytoplankton]

OK, just for starters, you've got 9 sq. ft. of space to be covered, you want 30-40 watts per sq ft. so a minimum of 270 watts, up to 400 watts. I'd go 400 watts with a light that has a dimmer (that way you don't have to run it at full power). I'm not going to recommend a specific brand, and get into the old Ford, Chevy, Dodge debate. What I will say is go with a well respected/established manufacturer, and not a cheap no name china knockoff. I'd look for something with Samsung 301B or 301H diodes, though the 281lm chips are fine, just older and slightly less efficient, they will still work fine. Also make sure that it has has a dimmer, if heat is a problem look for one with a detachable driver that can be mounted outside the tent. Umol of at least 2.7, and check out the PPFD coverage, you want to the most uniform coverage you can get. I'm sure you'll get more info.

 

[Finnicki]

I have 3 Atreum LED’s. Small model. Has a dimmer switch. They use to be a sponser here. Seattle area company. I started out with a Chinese plurple LED’s on that A-site. He might still have a site up. Got an email from Atreum a few weeks ago. I don’t need anymore lights at this point. Others will chime in. Best of luck.

 

[bluter]

go through the sponsors offerings and make use of the board discount.