Any Advice for How to Choose CFL/LED Lights?

[Plantcrazed101]

Hi y'all,

I've been looking for information on how to choose lights on this forum and several others and well...it's making my head spin! lol

The only thing I know for sure is that I don't want to use HID lights because of the heat given off. So I know I'm going to use either LED or CFLs, but that's where I'm getting lost.

There are so many options on LEDs, do any of y'all use them? And if so types/brand names & what plants and what distance?

For CFLs...what types do y'all use for your set-up?

Right now I have a large unobstructed east facing window with oncidiums, phalaenopsis, and some others, but I'd like to grow catteleyas, brassias, and vandas if I can supplement the light enough. I know this is a bit off topic, but I would really like to have enough light to grow a very small tomato plant, basically as bright as possible so I that I can grow whatever I want (at least as far the light variable is concerned).

As of right now, I have 4 T8 flourescent tubes screwed in vertically on one of the side walls of my east facing bay window, with my cattleya about 4in or so away.

I've heard that the giant 200w or so CFLs break on arrival, don't last long, etc. I've seen youtube videos DIY cfl fixtures, but I'm really trying to avoid a DIY set-up because I enjoy watering plants much more lol. Also worried about burning down the house.

So I'm slightly leaning towards these 2 options of LEDs...what do you think?

OPTION 1
I'd really have to save for this one, has anyone had experience with this one? I figure one might be enough to grow plenty high light orchids along with my 4 T8's? Or no?

NEW - Diamond Series LEDs - Extreme 3w LED Technology - Advanced LED Grow Lights


OPTION 2:

Then on another forum someone suggested getting PAR38 LED floodlights 250w equivalent:

https://www.1000bulbs.com/category/l...38-250w-equal/

I'm guess I would need at least 2 of these, one at 6500 and one at 2700k. This would be considerably less expensive so I could therefore get it sooner, but not sure what the pros and cons would be between the two of these?

Lastly, if there are any resources, ebooks, books, youtube channel, websites, etc that y'all would recommend for growing under lights I would SUPER appreciate it! I'm trying really hard to learn everything I can but most of what I've read is either very very basic ("plants need red and blue light wavelengths") or way too technical for me to hope to understand.