Reddit reviews iPower 400 Watt HPS MH Digital Dimmable Grow Light System Kits Cool Tube Reflector Set Add-on Wing, 400W

This is the point where you should decide if you are going to continue this hobby or are you just going to keep "experimenting". So its either you can fork out around

$150 http://www.amazon.com/iPower-GLSETX400DHMCT6-400-Watt-Digital-Dimmable/dp/B005GYRB9S/ref=sr_1_6?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1369689863&sr=1-6&keywords=HID+light

or

$170 http://www.amazon.com/iPower-GLSETX600DHMAC6-600-Watt-Digital-Dimmable/dp/B005GYRZV2/ref=sr_1_8?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1369689863&sr=1-8&keywords=HID+light

I think CFLs are a great way of growing but has its limitations that might not meet with the growers expectations. No one wants to feel like the end product or experience wasn't worth the time and cost in the end.

After starting with a CFL monster in various configurations, it probably wasn't much cheaper than the 400w kit I bought for my veg tent later on.

Cooling and ventilation are all about the efficiency of your systems to vacate unwanted air while creating proper circulation. Couple things to consider before changing your setup:

• Your room is 22ft^3. The fan you were looking at is rated at 430cfm (cubic feet per minute). Little less than 20x the volume of the room. Essentially, you will be creating dramatic negative pressure in your grow space. Might want to look at a smaller fan buying a fan speed controller. Max cfm rating should be somewhere around 4x the volume of your grow space. This will allow air to still be moved properly, while allowing the exhausting system to draw in fresh, cool air.
  
  
• Your plants will acclimate themselves to whatever temperature you have them at. People say that ~24^o C is proper, but in nature temperature fluctuates dramatically, with more extreme temperatures than your plants will ever experience growing indoors.
  
  If you do decide to go the inline fan route, make sure you're using passive intakes for your cool air. You do not want to overpower/under-power your exhaust fan. Good way to burn out motors. Keep your 6" fan for circulation.
  
  
  EDIT: Forgot to mention cool tubes. If you're running a 400W system, look into (eventually) purchasing one of these. I recently purchased this set. Installed, I have noticed a huge decrease in ambient temperature in my tent. Here is my set up for a reference. If you were to do something like this, your light would have to be put in diagonally. Corner to corner, your room should measure ~3.5" across.
  
  EDIT 2: Buy a fan speed controller

Hi, I would appreciate some critical feedback and suggestions regarding the setup I have in mind for a new grow tent, specifically related to ventilation. So far I have concluded that a 3'x1.7'x5' grow tent is the right size for my space (a spare bathroom), and towards that end I have purchased this tent and a 400W cool tube lamp.

For ventilation, what I am envisioning based on my research is a two fan setup: a 6" inline duct fan to cool the lamp (like this one) and a 4" inline duct fan with a carbon scrubber to exhaust the tent (like this one), presumably with speed controllers for each.

Again, this is going in a bathroom where I plan to hijack the existing ceiling exhaust ducting that leads outdoors. Thus I will need to couple the two fans from the lamp and the tent exhaust and plumb it into the ceiling.

Does this seem reasonable and appropriate? I am having a hard time picturing exactly how the carbon filter works - can I put it inline with ducting as I have drawn, or does the business end of the filter go inside the tent?

Oh jesus, I am amazed that plant has as many leaves as it does and has not fallen over being under that light. So I give you props there.

You need to get a much more powerful light than that in order to grow cannabis. I personally prefer MH/HPS lights but they can put off a lot of heat, that is a bonus for me since I grow in my basement but its a negative for others. You can grow 4 plants under 400 or 600 watts https://www.amazon.ca/iPower-Digital-Dimmable-System-Reflector/dp/B005GYRB9S/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1543012060&sr=8-5&keywords=400w%2Bhps&th=1

Good quality LEDs will work as well, but good quality LEDs are expensive. Unless you are going to get serious about growing and willing to go with something like a Quantum Board or high end Cree COBs, I would stick to old fashion MH/HPS system. LED has its place, and I use them for my clones, but cheap ones suck for growing good weed.

Silly mistake #1 would be buying that fixture. It's gonna be way hotter than than running a 400 watt HPS with a cool tube, I promise.

I'd be hesitant to even buy from that jenky looking website, plus they are making some outrageous claims. "USEABLE Lumen: 32,000 compare to 1000w HPS unit @ 19,500 USEABLE Lumen!" - Bullshit, even a 400 watt HPS starts out around 56,000 lumens, a 1000 watt is 146,000 lumens.

Take a look at this and get yourself a nice inline fan with the money you'll save.

I ended up purchasing this today:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GYRB9S/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

You really want to go with a cooltube, or you're going to deal with heat issues.

The cooltube version of that 400W is just $25 more on Amazon.

This light is listed in our starter shopping list at the top.

Also move your filter/air intake up high in the tent because...heat rises. Vent air in from the low vents, out from the high ones. Air condition the outer room and cooler air will be drawn in. Fans, fans, fans.

Size requirements help, but if you can dish out $150 you can get this

I should probably clarify. On a smaller box/project, with about 200-300cfm of total exhaust, I hit heat problems with over the counter CFL's. Granted I had a lot of them, but I still had to reduce my lighting and watch the temps like a hawk. The hydrofarm fixture is at my local grow store. I can touch the reflector and not burn myself, I estimate it to have a surface temp of say 100-120F. How would that compare to a 150watt HPS?

My friend has used both 600 and 1000watt hps, the 600 alone puts out insane, heat; too hot to touch the reflector assemble bare handed, and the lens/glass has burned people in the past. Granted he could have used a cool tube, but he was low on cash and time.


Perhaps 2 of the smaller 150's: http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-SBM150S-150-Watt-Mini-Sunburst/dp/B0055F80H0/ or a single 400 with a cool tube http://www.amazon.com/iPower-GLSETX400DHMCT6-400-Watt-Digital-Dimmable/dp/B005GYRB9S/ would be better than the CFLs?

This is basically the light I have if not the exact one. I do have one inline exhaust fan.

I can easily pickup a few other fans on the way home tonight but is there a special fan just for the light fixture or just regular fans by the fixture?

Alright man thank you. I'm leaning towards the 400w HID light because it is cheaper than 2 LED's and I have read that it provides denser and more potent buds.. but I have a few questions/concerns that I hope you could clear up for me:

• This is the setup I would plan on running. HID LIGHT
  
  
• Would this light fit in my tent size with ample room to grow in. I wont be running huge plants but I plan on a SCROG as well as some fat buds. Could I do this without the possibility of burning my plants.
  
  
• Would I be able to run this light without having crazy temps in my tent? I live in texas but the area I am growing in will have AC as well as a place to vent.
  
  
• How would I go about cooling a light like this? I see that on the picture it has a place on either side of the light for ducting. How would you go about doing this? I already have an inline fan in my cart but what would you specifically do? Hook vents up to either sides of the light and exhaust out a window or something? Is there a video that demonstrates this or any photos you could share of your own setup?
  
  Thank you in advance, I'm just trying to make my dollar reach as far as I can.

I use a 400w HPS ($140 on Amazon and 2 of the cheapest Chinese "1000w" grow lights like [this one](https://www.amazon.com/Thermometer-Humidity-Adjustable-Spectrum-Consumption/dp/B07BV3KQMM/ (Link is just an example, I'm not recommending that product) that I can find in my 5x5 tent.

I haven't done any clinical study or anything, but they seem to perform better than the Mars Epistar (IIRC, not 100% sure what model I had. It was 3 years old when it was killed) I had before a direct lightning strike at my house murdered it last year. I'm sure I'm paying a few cents an hour extra as the Chinese lights are likely far less efficient, but for a personal grow tent, they're fine.

If LED tech ever stabilizes, I'll definitely go for a more efficient, expensive light again. But currently, a new $70 chinese light is often about as good as a $700 light was 3 or 4 years ago, so it's not worth it for me in my personal grows as I'll never get a return on my investment before the tech evolves again.

That said, since you're starting from the beginning, I'd take /u/iShatterBladderz's suggestion and get a quantum board from Kingbrite if you have the means to do so. As long as you aren't a moron like I was and include a good surge protector in your setup, it'll likely be a better investment in the long run.