5000k, 4000k or 3000k spectrums?

[Rvrpaddlr]

I have two Platinums, a 150 and 300. This COD outdoes both of those in the same space!

[Yar]

kind of lost here but ive read that 3000k is best for flower. is this true? not sure of pros/cons of 3000 and 5000.

if im making my own lights, should i just g et some 5000k and some 3000k and separate them, moving my plants to whichever is appropriate ?

or is it better to mix some 5000 and 3000 together and just use that setup for veg+flower with no movement/adjustments?

to start. I am new. This is my first grow. 411, in like feb my friend gave me two plants from kronic bag seeds. I learned to keep them alive and started to try and learn to clone. First attempt 3 of a tray lived. Second and third, nothing, then 5 lived (current 8 I have in flowerin aug 31 was flip) then nothing for a try or two. Then I tried 28 clippings and got 18 to live. I then tossed the first two plants. I now have 8 in flower, 16 on upper lvl and 5 on lower lvl. All I have now are ones I’ve clipped and rooted.
I veg with all 65k from clone to solo cups(upper lvl veg)
Lower lvl veg- I have all 65k and a t5 full spec with uv that they sit under until they go to flower.
In flower I have 2 Hans panels the 180w version. I like them.

Even tho I veg under 65k. For a month I had to veg under my hans panels. The plants LOVED it. So there is a benefit to full spec over 6500k n veg but 6500k keeps my nodes nice and tight.
After having them veg under my leds and liking it. My goal now is to get a full spec 4000k QB to use to veg on lower lvl. And still use 6500k for clone and upper lvl. It’s crazy. The 3-4 months I research growing and what to get everything I read basically said 6500k veg 2700-3000k flower. Now that I’m several months Into I start finding different options I didn’t run across b4

[Yar]

If u are gonna have two different grow spots I’d go with 5000k or higher for veg and 2700-3000k for flower. Just for best results. I am a fan of full spectrum tho red/blue/uv-b throughout whole grow is good. Try and get as close to what the sun puts out as possible. Another thing I didn’t mention. I use cfls to veg. I have 579w of cfl on top lvl and 509w on lower lvl. Real usage is 171w and 130w. Rounded up. That’s why I use one spec. Bc if u use cfl and mixed bulbs they would all have to be touching and clustered to get a real full spec spread.

When I get my QB I’ll prob go with 4000 or 5000k for veg and the 3000k for flower

[unkle_psycho]

Last winter while planning on buying leds, I did some test grows to help me understand what color temperature I want. I had a bunch of mostly old lights that had been standing in storage from my growing days in the 90's.

I had a variety of plants (a few g13/haze, a couple of jack herer, an ice from female seeds, and a few local autos I was well acquainted with. During the veg period I put them under a mercury vapor metal halide, and under two different HID spectrum's, and finally under a sulfur plasma.

I was expecting some kind of consistency in results, but it didn't really work out as expected. Node distances varied within the same spectrum, and some plants reacted to the change of spectrum more then others.

My conclusion was that if I want to really find a perfect spectrum, it will be clone by clone, rather then just declaring a certain spectrum is a winner. I do agree on the general rule of colder temps for veg and warmer for flower, but for example vegging under a HID I had a semi pure indica produce great node distance and a solid cola, while two sativas were giving around 15cm node distance.

My solution was to start my LED romance with vesta strips, and tunable temperatures. As I get familiar with my strains and their specific reactions to color temperature, I will be in a better position to speak without too much generalization.

I totally agree with the people saying that environmental factors are way more important then say a 500k difference in temperature. Even in my tests the radiative heat from the fixtures likely affected stretch just as much as the spectrum.

[shark]

one thing to remember assuming many grow the cough medicinal tomatoes .....

one thing about the light spectrum the far red as get down into the 3000k - 2700k ranges it penetrates heavy canopy better then lets say a 4000K ...i saw some of you glance at the plants to see if those lights penetrated deeper down into plant growth just kidding . one main key to remember yes these lower 2700 3000 3500 will push the heavier bloom and look like good growth blue spectrum other then what is supplied from these in a full spectrum LED should still be mixed in and dont forget the blue also produces some red in the full spectrum whites.

One guide i used when i made my first led grow set up was 2:1 red/blue ratio 3000k/5000k i have since gone to a 4:1 for vegetative growth, and for bloom and setting fruit as ie tomatoes i use 8:1 or 9:1 ratios and also include in all set ups various amount of IR spectrum LEDs.

I have used just straight 4000k for vegetative growth on leaf crops just as lettuce kale and herbs , and actually have peppers to cut today for use from 4 different peppers grown hydroponically under LED light using the 8:1 light ratio. the other factor to also think about as many know is the par factor, so you have to adjust amount of light for say those medicinal tomatoes to 500 to 700 ppfd sq meter but then we also get into the use of CO2 boost temperature and humidity etc..... point being is no matter the light K temp a full spectrum white will cover a decent band width of light but i still like to use a mix of both and have had phenomenal luck with the 3000k/5000k combo of warm white (red) and cool white ( blue ) full spectrum LEDs at 4:1 and 8:1 ratios

[PeteR_1]

5000K, 4000K, 3000K, etc. (Correlated Color Temperature - CCT) are only a reference for the (Relative) Percentage of Blue - Green - Red - Far Red Wavelengths (% B-G-R-FR) in a "White Light" Spectrum.

The percentages for LED Grow Lights can and will vary based on;
a. Phosphors used in the Phosphor Converted (PC) White LEDs (Manufacturer, CRI, etc) and or
b. Any mixed or added supplemental mono (discrete 380 - 750nm) wavelengths.

The above chart highlights and compares the CCT (Kelvin) and Percentage Wavelength Distribution of some current (year 2020) PC White LED Grow Lights to PC White LED Plus (Mixed or Supplemented) Grow Lights.

DLC Listings of Commercial LED Grow Lights with B-G-R-FR by umol/s (PPF), equivalent Percentages... https://www.designlights.org/horticultu ... ng/search/

1... Academic Horticultural Research has shown plant species specific optimal growth for PAR (400 - 700nm), Photosynthetic Efficiency (not Electrical Efficiency) occurs with;
~ 10 - 25% Blue,
~ 25% Green and
~ 50 - 65% Red / FarRed.

2... The Research has also shown (in general) for supplemental wavelengths outside of the 400 - 700nm PAR spectrum;
a. UV 320 - 399nm (and increased 400 - 500nm Blue wavelengths) actually retards vegetative plant growth but can be beneficial when applied before harvest to increase phyto-chemicals.
b. FarRed 700 - 780nm is beneficial for increased Photosynthesis, small percentage creates synergistic reactions with 600 - 699nm Red wavelengths.
c. Infra-Red, 800 nm and above has no direct benefits to photosynthesis, just produces heat.