Lights go big or multiple small lights?

[Serialgriller]

I have a 4x4 living soil bed and 2-30 gallon fabric pots. Right now I have some 3 old solarstorm 440 leds. I have two over the bed and one over the two pots. I like the lights but the spread isn’t very good and I confirmed it with a light meter. So I’m thinking of getting new lights. I was going to get a large 4x4 light for the bed and a 2x4 light over the pots. Now I’m thinking I would be better with 3-2x4 lights one over each two plants or even 6-2x2 lights. I like variety and want to grow different strains so with the 2x2’s I could adjust the light for each individual plant growing characteristics. What is your alls opinion. I have a 5x9 tent so I’m taking up about 5x6 or maybe 5x7 when they are stretched out.

 

[Creeperpark]

I have a 4x4 living soil bed and 2-30 gallon fabric pots. Right now I have some 3 old solarstorm 440 leds. I have two over the bed and one over the two pots. I like the lights but the spread isn’t very good and I confirmed it with a light meter. So I’m thinking of getting new lights. I was going to get a large 4x4 light for the bed and a 2x4 light over the pots. Now I’m thinking I would be better with 3-2x4 lights one over each two plants or even 6-2x2 lights. I like variety and want to grow different strains so with the 2x2’s I could adjust the light for each individual plant growing characteristics. What is your alls opinion. I have a 5x9 tent so I’m taking up about 5x6 or maybe 5x7 when they are stretched out.

Hello friend, I have used combo lighting for years and had good results using more than one light in a single garden. On my last grow I put all of those all away and got one large 645 watt LED light with a dimmer. I hung the light where doesn't move and just used the dimmer. I put the plant on stands "buckets" and as the plants grew, I removed the stand. From my experience go with one light for the best harvest and the best quality of weed. The lights they have today are killer and low-priced.

 

[hillbil]

I use multiple single Boards at 100 to 150 watts in a 2 1/2 x 5 foot tent for versatility and sometimes run an old Philips CMH 250 watt 4000k for IR and UVA. I have several bulbs NIB from 2013.

 

[Ca++]

It's all about the even spread for me. A sea of green where lighting can be very close to the canopy, needs them 1.1 x 1.1 measuring lights, in the 1.2 tent.
This doesn't sound like your style. You might want to put 150w in each corner. 200w would be nice. You might start with just half of the tent used, and spread your plants as they grow. So turning off half the lights may be very useful. I doubt you will want a light over each plant, as that promotes growth in that direction. Instead, using 4 lights, you may move them about a bit, but will probably set them for even coverage. Enticing the plants to branch out.
The big bar arrays are not bad. They have become the standard. They overpopulate the middle though. That's alright if you have light after light. It's not good if you just have one light though, with no lights around it to support the edges. Tent lights and room lights have different goals, but as yet, no provider is differentiating between the two products. In fact, we see tests of single lights in tents, all the time. Yet not with tent lights, because they don't seem to exist as a specific product. However, some lights to spread better than others in these tests. If they got it right though, that light wouldn't suit spaces with light after light. Which is a buyer spending more money.

There is no right and wrong here, but I would want 4 lights. It's better cover, and more flexibility. I bet it costs more, but might save that in electric.
ts150? I'm not familiar. I use a 120w QB in each corner, but a HPS in the middle

 

[Rocket Soul]

With multiple low watt boards you can get better evenness in spread than with one big bar light.

 

[I Care]

The answer is yes build an array in the space. It is the right rectangular dimension to go for arrays. Space like that would be great for 6 100-150 watters of known quality.

 

[OldOneEye]

If you are growing multiple strains a few lights are more versatile than 1 big light. Shorter strains vs. taller strains. I tend to look for what and how things impact the entire growing area according to my grow "style".

 

[hillbil]

I do perpetual type growing and several combinations of lights at different heights etc. are very much useful.

 

[Serialgriller]

Thanks everyone for your replies really helped. I think I’m doing an array of lights.