Hi there,

I'm new to the forum. I currently have 6 indica plants in a 4x4 tent. Plants are at 2.5 weeks of veg and just about ready to go to flower.

Right now I have one 400w SolarStorm. I like the light a lot but I know that it's not enough light for the number of plants, especially once I switch to flower. I have a few different options and I'm wondering which is best. The most expensive option would be for me to pick up another 400w SolarStorm. I could do it, but I want to consider all options. I'm also considering some fluorescents or cfls, but I have never used either, so I'm unsure of how much additional light I would need for each option.

I have grown with hps before and did have good results, but I really want to try growing in a different way. However, I could consider 1 or 2 small w hid - if that's even an option? I just don't want anything big, because it kind of defeats the purpose of trying a different route.

I would like to hear from other people who have done a led combo with another type of light. I appreciate any thoughts you might have.

Thanks!
Jennifer

Welcome to the forums!

You don't pick lights based on the number of plants you pick them based on the size of the area you're using. In your case a 4x4 area which is 16sqft. You're right; a single SS400w isn't enough for flowering in that size space. CLW suggests that their SS800w is enough for a 4x4 at 40w/sqft but tests have shown that even more is better.

So, you could add another SS400w and you'd be at 40w/sqft or you could add a 400-600w HPS and have 40-56w/sqft. I've heard that LED supplements HPS very well but I don't think we have a journal with that combo so we don't have definitive results to look at yet.

I'd skip the CFL/fluorescent options...


SME

Thank you for your suggestion.

I know that you do not plan lights based on number of plants. I mentioned the number of plants to illustrate that I'm obviously not filling up the whole space with Plants. I don't need enough light to fill a 4x4 tent, but I obviously need more light than what I have.

No offense, but it would be nice to hear from people who actually grow with LEDs or led combos, so I'm hoping to hear from other forum members.

If you don't plan on using the whole tent then smaller lights will obviously work but the number of plants is irrelevant because there are so many ways to grow. As I said, CLW suggests 40w/sqft for flowering, using their lights, but many journals here show that even more w/sqft is better.

I hope that you hear from other members too but, as I've said, we haven't had a completed journal with a LED+HPS combo yet although we have plenty of LED journals that you can check out. While I don't grow with LED lights yet, personally, I have been growing for decades so I still have valuable input on the process. Additionally, everyone is free to comment and post opinions here as long as they act mature and polite...unless they're trying to spam, of course.

Hope that helps...


SME

Hiya mate,

Ive been growing with LED's for about a year now and I heard your cry across the 'waves' dude,

I think 400W is perfect for your 4x4 area bro,

I use a 300W for a 2.5 by 1.5 ft 'drobe at the moment for my purple cheese autos

plus a 240W for a 50cm x 50cm 'drobe

Have even used a 270W LED in the same area and got average of 230Gr Dry from 4 plants (autos) over 4 grows total.
Autos and photos.

So yeah i think 400W is fine, you could go for some side lighting LED's if you had the room, or even up the wattage to 600W , now that would be a sight to see in that area!
but peronsally i wouldnt go for a HPS alongside, the LED will be good enough. But then again, always open to new ideas so am going to do a grow myself with a combo setup soon.
Maybe a plasma, LED, HPS, combo....oh the possibilities! will post what i do anyhoo lol
Good luck bro.

A SS400w LED light in a full 4x4 is not even close to enough, if she wants high end results. If she's happy with mediocre results, maybe. She's already said that she's not using the whole tent so that certainly helps but she never said how much of the space she will be using so we can't calculate the w/sqft number yet.

Again, you won't get commercial results with less than 40w/sqft using current LED lights. What you get is light, airy, "popcorn buds" when you skimp on lighting.