I have a 2ft x 4 ft x 5ft high home made grow box using a 300 watt PlatinumLed grow light. It's been burning my pepper and tomato seedlings so I just raised it to 36" above the top of the plants to see how it handles that. These lights are powerful. This is the first year I've been using them.

Ya when I had the Mars really close to my blueberry, the new young leaves were turning red from light burn after a few days.

Oh wait yours has UV and IR. Ya, not sure what those would do lmao.

I have three of the 450W Mars Hydro lights hanging vertically next to a green wall that is 5 feet tall by 6.5 feet wide. Two of the lights are on the "Bloom" setting and one is on the "Grow" setting. I started out hanging them about 12-18" inches from the plants but the tomatoes and pepper leaves were starting to get a little cooked so I moved them to about 24". The lights seem to be about the right amount for the wall.

Oooo. So much power :)

nice setup!!! Looks like the lights are around 48" from plants? Must be blinding in there. Do you have to manually pollinate the tomatoes/peppers?

Yes, it is quite blinding in there. Hopefully I haven't ruined my eyes. The tent is about 48" wide but the tower sticks out about 6" from the wall, the lights sticks out 6" from the other wall, and the plants come out about 12" from the tower so the lights end up about two feet away from the plants. So far that seems to be ok. I now only have one of the lights on the "Bloom" setting and I don't see any new burns on the tomato or pepper leaves.

I setup the grow tent one month ago today so I don't have much success with them fruiting yet. I have been attempting to manually pollinate everything. One tower is seascape strawberries. There are about 60 small strawberries on there now but none have ripened yet. I have two towers of peppers and they are doing tremendously with about 150 tiny buds but no peppers yet. The tomatoes have lot of flowers but again none have turned into fruit.

I think in the absence of bees, you have to give the plants a shake or put a fan in there so the pollen shakes onto it's own flower.

Cool!

I finally just got my Mars Hydro II 900W and can't say enough about its power in my 4x4 tent. I have several older model Mars and Galaxy's and man has Mars become a serious contender for the price.

Please make sure you protect your eyes with UV blocking glasses when you are working in that tent. You can really do some damage to your eyes long term. Nice grow btw David.

Here's a video I made of using the toothbrush. Hopefully you can see the pollen coming out of it.

when using these LED fixtures like mars hydro, do you really need to use these grow tents? I live in a basement apartment, im not growing dope lol

It isn't necessary but I was afraid that someone passing by would think I was growing dope. I didn't want to attract any undesired attention. It's also so bright, you wouldn't want to stay in the same room with them for long without your eyes protected. One final benefit is that things will leak when you least expect it and the floor of the grow tent helps protect the floors of my house.

That said, I took the third light out of the grow tent and I'm using it for plants I'm growing in my basement utility room.

A tent usually makes better use of the light due to reflective mylar on all inner surfaces. Also, as mentioned, if you go with a "blurple" colored grow light it becomes quite unpleasant to spend much time in the same room. But, a tent is not at all required to make use of any grow lights, LED or otherwise.

Tents also tend to increase heat and humidity, which may be a plus or minus depending on your particular situation.

Thanks.

I built a tent out of reflective mylar and PVC. It not really a tent (has an open top) but the 4 sides help with light distribution and keeps the 'blurple' semi contained. The light is still annoying ......

well that escalated quickly.

14 mars hydros. rubbermaid 100L+ tubs.

PROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMIX

what wattage mars ?

I'm up to 2 Platinum p300's, 1 p150, 1 King 300 and 1 King 450 ... and a few T5HO's too much

130 W actual. 300 W nominal.

hahahaha I skipped stupid T5 :)

Don't feed the troll.

Do you prefer LED to CFL lights

DIY power light 100Watt

Cost in $$

CoolWhite Led 3.50

CC Driver 12.22

Ikea 20cm Blanda bowl 1.80

CPU Cooler 7.50

Buck dc dc 1.50 (To make 12V for the cpu blower)

Screws, wire etc 1.50

Total $30.00

100 Watt full spectrum led instead of Cool White +15..00

Coverage 60x60cm (2x2foot) intensity about 7.000 -> 10.000Lux

I forgot it cost also time, the amount depending on your skills and available tools.

I think that is not bad for a REAL 100w (32V and 3A) light, will take about 105Watt out the mains (yes I know it is "only" 96 Watt)

scorpio_bafh, That's great! Is the bowl stainless steel or aluminum? Can you show a picture of the spotlight it creates on a wall or ceiling, so I can judge the uniformity of coverage? Also, please, provide links to where you bought the components, if purchased online.

Did you consider using this?:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/44mm-Lens-Reflector-Collimator-Fixed-bracket-For-10W-100W-High-Power-LED-D66-/171654464387?hash=item27f7674383:g:P2wAAOSwm8VUwybN

In case you are interested, you can buy a 90mm Fresnel lens here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fresnel-Lens-For-DIY-TV-Projection-Outdoor-Fire-Solar-Cooker-HighLight-Condenser-/191477898288?var=&hash=item2c94f8dc30

and, a 90mm reflector cup here:

http://www.dx.com/p/90-x-42mm-pvc-reflector-for-led-lamp-386750#.V1LVS2co7b0

which might be perfect for combination with the 90mm Fresnel lens, except the diameter of the bottom hole is unspecified. but, you might be able to enlarge the hole, if needed.

Also, see

http://www.dx.com/p/68mm-aluminum-alloy-reflector-cup-for-cob-ingegrated-led-lamp-silver-386749#.V1LVMWco7b1

Hi Aruzinsky,

I have thought about using a lens because the bowl works as a reflector and a part of the area is a spot which has a higher intensity a sort of projected image of the led.

One of the coming days I will make a picture of the lighted area, I know it is not really uniform at the moment

Some answers on your questions

The bowl is Stainless steel Ikea Blanda 20cm Euro 1.69

The 100watt DC-DC convertor http://www.ebay.com/itm/291704265255?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Is adjustable from 2A to more than 3A, I didn't try yet how much more don't want to blow the convertor.

The Leds 100Watt coolwhite warmwhite or full spectrum 400 ->800 nm just take your favorite pick at Ebay

The little DC-DC convertor for the blower a buck convertor from Ebay, the blower runs at the moment at 8V

The cpu cooler an old one but you can buy those sometimes cheap at a second hand store. otherwise 5 to 8 Euro in a computer shop or at Ebay

Little stainless steel washer head selftapping 2mm screws Ebay

The Al. strip 60x3mm a local metal store

I am trying at the moment to use water cooling with a cpu water cooling block

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161954032606?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

and also thinking about mounting leds on a al. strip and submerse those in a plastic tube but I have to figure out what to use as coolant. Those light are planned in the 150 -> 450 watt range and go the Hortus Botanicus (botanical garden) in Leiden( Holland) where I do volunteer work sometimes and the lights will be used as replacement of the old 250Watt HPS lamps

"The cpu cooler an old one but you can buy those sometimes cheap at a second hand store. otherwise 5 to 8 Euro in a computer shop or at Ebay"

That's the hardest part because Ebay sellers don't specify the dimensions of the mounding surface which should be about 50x50mm for a 100W chip. That's difficult to find.

However, Ebay sells 100w kits for about $32:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100W-100Watt-High-Power-White-LED-Light-Heatsink-Cooler-100W-LED-Driver/262448381885?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D36861%26meid%3D54001492124640ef8e7d8634034a74a9%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D252352960725

but, you can't trust that everything fits perfectly because the seller just scrounged parts from his inventory.

Incidentally, I have experience with those lens and reflectors with 10W chips. The 60 degree beam coverage is fairly uniform except a narrow band of light comes out of the tip of the lens at 180 degrees. When viewed from the side, the tip of the lens glows brightly.

"I am trying at the moment to use water cooling with a cpu water cooling block"

Maybe, recirculate nutrient solution from your hydroponic tank through the cooling block and keep the tank warmer than room temperature at the same time?

Use distilled water for the water block. You really don't want anything growing in the loop and clogging up.

My desktop is water cooled.

I found another reflector that might be better than the one I previously posted:

http://www.dx.com/p/94mm-plastic-reflector-cup-for-cob-led-silver-401627#.V1bGQGco7b0

I ordered both just to examine them.

"You really don't want anything growing in the loop and clogging up."

Isn't there some kind of fish tank filter to prevent that?

hi,

The coolant for the cpu block system is not the problem, I can use just car coolant (a mixture of water and glycol) and there grows nothing in. The problem is when I build the system with leds emersed in clear tubing, than the coolant ,must be clear and not conductive demi water will be fine but I don't know for how long. An other option would be to use alcohol or paraffin oil but those are flammable I don't like that.

I got a piece of 32mm clear pipe, plugs and an Al. strip which fit in there I will set op a 60cm long test system with a row of 10watt leds, but it is summer now so I have months the time before the short and dark days come again.

Water and glycol works well, I'm using that in industrial settings (much larger scale, different application).

Good question, the conductivity of the demin water can shift depending on contamination.

I suppose the issue will manifest itself first as a small leakage current, but will get worse from there.

Hi aruzinsky,

The promised image of the output of my powerled and the intensity at 0.5m distance, D cm distance from center second intensity

D ----- Lux

0---- 12000

5 ---- 7000

10 ---- 4100

20 --- 2400

30 --- 1500

40 --- 1000

The Image, maybe a lens will improve the light distribution

"Water and glycol works well"

There are only two reasons that glycol is used in car radiators:

1. It raises the boiling point.

2. It lowers the freezing point

Since you want to operate the LED below the boiling point of water, and your plants must be kept above freezing, glycol serves no purpose in LED cooling.

Aruzinsky - Yes, which is why I said in an industrial setting. Aka massive chiller units. That's why I suggested demin water! =)

I made a "little" mistake, I see now that I had make my test with a 50Watt driver the 100 Watt is used temporally in an other setup.

D = cm distance from center intensity 100W calculated: 1.9 times 50W

D --- Lux 50W 100W

0---- 12000 22.800

5 ----- 7000 13.300

10 ---- 4100 7.790

20 --- 2400 2.560

30 --- 1500 2.850

40 --- 1000 1.900

These are three DIY LED spotlights with different lens and reflector systems:
http://www.general-cathexis.com/images/LedSpotLights.jpg

Left to right:

1. Eight "3W" 660nm LEDs with 20mm reflectors.
http://www.general-cathexis.com/images/LED20mmReflectorAndLens.jpg

Spot projected 100 inches on ceiling with tiles 4.375 inches apart:
http://www.general-cathexis.com/images/LED20mmReflectorAndLensSpot.jpg
I calculate the beam angle to be approximately degrees

2. "10W" "full spectrum" LED with 90mm reflector
a. without lens;
http://www.general-cathexis.com/images/LED90mmReflector.jpg

Spot projected 100 inches on ceiling with tiles 4.375 inches apart:
http://www.general-cathexis.com/images/LED90mmReflectorSpot.jpg
I calculate the beam angle to be approximately 35 degrees

b. with Fresnel lens:
http://www.general-cathexis.com/images/LED90mmReflectorAndLens.jpg

Spot projected 100 inches on ceiling with tiles 4.375 inches apart:
http://www.general-cathexis.com/images/LED90mmReflectorAndLensSpot.jpg
This is the most uniform of the spots. I calculate the beam angle to be approximately 15 degrees.

3. "10W" "full spectrum" LED with 44mm reflector and lens:
http://www.general-cathexis.com/images/LED44mmReflectorAndLens.jpg

Spot projected 100 inches on ceiling with tiles 4.375 inches apart:

http://www.general-cathexis.com/images/LED44mmReflectorAndLensSpot.jpg
I calculate the beam angle to be approximately 27 degrees.

My new mini greenhouse $26.

I absolutely Love it. fan, heating mat & grow lights.