I switched to eb strips and qb’s from vero 29s. I’m space constrained as well. My biggest tent is 245. I like the leds so far over hps for sure, haven’t tried cmh yet though.
Almost temped to whip one of my cob builds out again I liked em, but like the spread of the strips more.
With a very limited budget, and after a lot of research on LEDs, I chose to go with CMH over LEDs for a big purchase I’m about to make.
After reading this thread, I feel a lot better about my choice.
@Demontrich put me on CMH’s and although I haven’t flowered under them yet I can already tell these are gonna killllll!
Great thought on spectrally selective glass.
Local commercial glaziers may be able to get you what you need more economically…and provide more choices…you may be surprised at the number of glass options.
That damn inverse square law kills intensity everytime… intensity decreases by the square of the distance…tough balance between heat and proximity…and high ceilings.
WA has some of the cheapest power around. Hence the large number of server farms in eastern WA. All about hydro…hydro power that is…also makes energy efficiency a tough sell due to reduced economic consequences.
I agree that the CMH has the best spectrum but the efficiency of the newest LED Diodes are unbeatable.
Quantum boards make the initial investment much cheaper, I built a 4x4 flowering area with 10 Quantum boards for the same price as the Sunsystem 630w CMHs and they run way more efficient. Plus you can throw them on potentiometers and have dimming capabilities which is real nice. I’ve seen some people on iG throwing on special WiFi control and monitoring units so they can control their lights from their phone.
Sorry, I’m still 90% against led. I’ve yet to be impressed.
Hey man, Some people still listen to cassette tapes too 
I think the “blurple” led market like Vivosun, Blackdog, Kingplus ruined alot of peoples perceptions on LEDs. Alot of shitty drivers packed into a metal box on shitty colored diodes. Super overpriced, inefficient, loud and dangerous.
The new LEDs by Fluence are impressing people and they use the new Samsung diodes, they are just very pricey.
The Quantum Boards and Bridgelux Strip builds are the DIY version of that product unless you buy a HLG setup which is a little more but already built and less customize-able
The flat out blatant lies pertaining to led is what swayed most people.
They’re decent enough, maybe a little pricey upfront. But they work.
They’re efficient and don’t have near the heat problems of other fixtures
I’d say for anything that’s bigger than 4x4x6 they aren’t ‘better’ than any other lights, but for limited space and height, I’d argue they are the ideal light fixtures.
I think the latest LED’s like COBS and strips have proved themselves.
I’ve never grown with anything other than COBS, so I have no comparison, but my light I built with Citizen COBs do a really good job for me
My 315cmh outperforms my prior 600hps with out a doubt. I swapped 3x600hps for 4x315 cmh and couldnt be happier. Less wattage, and the same if not more yield.
When my guy swapped out all 630cmh for spydrX, then back to 630cmh, that’s all the proof I need to staw away.
My pockets are deep for another light swap, but it MUST outperform my current setup and save $ as well
you’re really getting me interested in trying the CMH out, even just for getting a better stack during veg.
Someone in another discussion said the exact same opposite of your experience, dude claimed awesome numbers from the vypr setup.
And me personally, I haven’t tried cmh, but I’m consistently getting minimum 1/2lb using ~220w - 240w of light. Good harvests almost 11oz. That’s in a 2x4 area.
That’s not bad, I’ve seen better, but it isn’t horrible either.
I that why I think there’s no for sure answer 100% of the time.
That all being said, how low can cmhs hang until they burn the tops?
With my darlins net, I can put 12 under 4x315 and pull a few oz shy of 4lbs, dried and cured.
315x4 = 1260
4#x453 = 1812
1812/1260 = ~1.5gpw
About the same, a little more, than the high end of my grows. I will say right now you’re probably a better grower than I am, so it’s still about the same either light source.
And I know right now that the gpw shit isn’t a accurate way to measure stuff, but it does help somewhat.
Also, not arguing to be a dick lol, just have a differing opinion on this.
10+yrs of growing 100% full time. My grow is dialed in like a big3 automotive plant. I dictate everything in my grow 100%
Also, how low have you been able to hang your cmh without issues.
I’m honestly curious about them, and I’m sure at some point I’ll just buy a fixture to test em out.
Would a 5’ ceiling height be too low? My plants end up about 30" tall.
I dont follow most other growers.
I use big kahuna hoods. They are pretty much the largest hoos you can get, like a raptor. In veg I keep them 2-2.5’. in flower 2-2.5’ at flip, come harvest time I’m about 1.5’ max canopy to hood.
These are in an air cooled hood and co2.
Yeah, me either. Beyond what you guys post here anyway lol. Sometimes I’ll look at an ig post someone puts up here.
I was irritated I had to create an ig account for that.
If anyone needs grow tips, those 
are free. I do this 100% full time.
I still cant figure out IG. When I had my page, some assjockey somehow scammed it and locked me out.