Can you grow with LED lights?

[TheStickyEst]

Would like to get into the hobby with a 4x4 indoor grow tent and am looking into lighting options. The idea of LEDS being cooler and more energy efficient is very attractive but I'm not sure if you can grow anything worthwhile with them. Any input is appreciated thanks!

 

[bluter]

the majority of growers on this board are under led

 

[Dwight Monk]

Lots of threads with pics of folks using LED (be it blurples or the newer type), or threads of folks doing Journals using LED. Guess depends on your definition of "worthwhile" as seen some folks growing with regular old light bulbs, which in my mind might work but not very efficient or much for yield, but if it works for them then that's what counts.

 

[Paul Squiggle]

Howdy do.. choose your light wisely though.. there are some cheap copies of high end products out there and they don't do what they say in the description. Every light sponsor on this forum is reputable. So go with one of those brands.. it's a huge investment, but it will pay off in the end..
Click here > sponsors < to see what brands are available.

@Dwight Monk Hi mate. Are we allowed to recommend a particular sponsor ? Or do we have to stay neutral and treat all sponsors as equal?

Edit: @TheStickyEst A 4x4 tent for your first attempt is brave and expensive. High powered lights, large extraction , fans and possibly other equipment to keep the environment right.
I started off properly in a 2x2 with a 70 watt led and a desk fan.. before that it was CFLs and a cupboard.. I could still grow 3 small plants in the 2x2 and it still produced many ounces out of it. Entirely your choice, but I would recommend starting off small and working your way up the ladder as you learn more about the plants. These plants have specific needs and if you don't treat them with respect, you will be disappointed

 

[013]

Started a year ago with T5 fluorescent lights, soon upgraded to 315 ceramic metal halide but wanted to grow bigger bud and transitioned over to 600 watt hps…. still wasn’t satisfied and pulled trigger on white light led….

learn from my mistakes - I pissed away a lot of coin on inferior lights - buy once, cry once

led technology is improving every day, definitely get a led with built in dimmer and many now have wattage draw indicators that are built in. Have you checked out our sponsors? There are numerous led makers that support 420 mag

 

[TheStickyEst]

Started a year ago with T5 fluorescent lights, soon upgraded to 315 ceramic metal halide but wanted to grow bigger bud and transitioned over to 600 watt hps…. still wasn’t satisfied and pulled trigger on white light led….

learn from my mistakes - I pissed away a lot of coin on inferior lights - buy once, cry once

led technology is improving every day, definitely get a led with built in dimmer and many now have wattage draw indicators that are built in. Have you checked out our sponsors? There are numerous led makers that support 420 mag

I had been eyeing the marshydro tent kit before I posted my question about the leds seeing the fact they are a reputable sponsor for the page makes me feel better.

 

[Dwight Monk]

@Dwight Monk Hi mate. Are we allowed to recommend a particular sponsor ? Or do we have to stay neutral and treat all sponsors as equal?

Just the Non Sponsors an issue (or former Sponsors that no longer are, as not fair to those that pay for that). Personally I started with the elcheapo no name Blurples crapola, they worked but burnt out (or half of the bulbs burnt out rather fast). I've grown with both Mars (started with after the elcheapos burnt out) and a newer Budget LED currently in one of my grow boxes, have had good luck with either of those (or so far anyway) as both have lasted longer than the el cheapo ones. Either of those are good for starting out, as have to find out if you can grow or it is your thing as it is not for everyone. Later on you can go to the more expensive ones (or stick with what working) if you find out you are going to continue with it, that way you don't put a ton of money into finding our you are really good at killing plants and have it down to an art form .

 

[bobrown14]

Yes we can

 

[Nunyabiz]

Watt for watt LED is superior to any other type of light.
Just make sure it uses the newer Samsung LM301B diodes or similar.

 

[bluter]

I had been eyeing the marshydro tent kit before I posted my question about the leds seeing the fact they are a reputable sponsor for the page makes me feel better.

mars kits are a real good way to get in the hobby. i would have no problem suggesting one.
not all their lights are created equal though. i usually recommend going up one series or size in a given space. that holds true for most mfgrs as well. wall to wall light is the goal.

 

[Mustang92]

@TheStickyEst
make sure you see if any discount codes for sponsors mate!!

 

[Justin Goody]

I’ve been using LED for about 10 years, but they just got a lot better in the last 3-4.
@Mars Hydro and @Atreum Lighting both make very affordable, very efficient LED grow lights. I can run 3 tents now using 1/2 the wattage I used to need for 1 HID (HPS) light and tent.

Grown under Mars hydro

 

[Vegan4life]

LED for the win...

 

[Bill284]

Would like to get into the hobby with a 4x4 indoor grow tent and am looking into lighting options. The idea of LEDS being cooler and more energy efficient is very attractive but I'm not sure if you can grow anything worthwhile with them. Any input is appreciated thanks!

Hey @TheStickyEst led's are fantastic.
Check out @MedicGrow for top quality at reasonable prices.
Good growing my friend.
Bill

 

[Morda Grown]

Just want to add, If I were in the market today for grow lights, I would go LED without question.

 

[Phytoplankton]

Get the best light, biggest tent, and fans you can afford, get a ph tester, an ec/hardness tester and a good thermometer/RH combo. Buy quality once! A 4x4 is a great size if you have the room. I grow in a 6.5 x 6.5 x 7ft tent. Then the big question becomes, soil, coco, or hydro and Photo or Auto. Soil is the cheapest and easiest way to grow. I have water issues (1400-2400 PPM dissolved solids an EC of 2.3 and a PH near 8.0!!) and cannot grow in coco or hydroponically without buying an RO system or bottled water (prohibitively expensive). I personally will give up a little yield for the ease of soil growing.

 

[Skunksta]

coco is the most forgiving media you can grow in.And as already spoken about LED's have come a LONG way since
the days of hps is better etc.What it costs to run a led vs hps or gav just makes it a no brainer add the fact your
not in a battle (as much) to manage heat.I would also start small even in a big tent and super duper light (lol).
Taking to much on at first can become overwhelming and my best advice DONT listen to the first person to comment
take sometime to read and research the people your going to trust for advice.Happy growing my friend.

 

[BlackPeter]

Taking to much on at first can become overwhelming and my best advice DONT listen to the first person to comment
take sometime to read and research the people your going to trust for advice.Happy growing my friend.

Words of Wisdom
Patience

 

[TheStickyEst]

Going with the marshydro 4x4. Will stick with dirt until I have more knowledge then may try my hand at hydroponics. Plan on attempting to do a 3x3 scrog first. Really appreciate all the info everyone has provided feel better knowing I've got a community behind me to help.

 

[BeccaBuds]

LEDs are working very well in my closet right now:

Details r in my current journal.