BESTVA BAT W400 Dimmable LED Grow Light VS Spider Farmer SE5000 480W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light
If you want to grow plants but don’t have a yard, LED grow lights can be your lifesaver.
They give you the option to grow them indoors and you will be amazed at how fast the plants can grow with the right grow lights.
For a better idea, check out our best LED grow lights of 2023.
Advantages of LED Lighting for Growing Plants
LED lights are the best solution for indoor cultivation, so let’s list their advantages:
Energy saving. These bulbs use less energy than other bulbs, saving up to 50–70%. Their strength does not fade over time. They’re not cheap, but the investment is worth it as your savings will make up for the higher initial cost.
Durable. LEDs don’t need to be replaced often and last up to 3–4 years. They are capable of glowing continuously for approximately 50,000 hours.
safe. These bulbs are free of mercury and other chemicals that may be dangerous to your plants or home. They are recyclable, which means they are also environmentally friendly.
Low/no heat emissions. LED lights generate little to no heat, won’t dry out or burn plant leaves, and reduce the need for fans and other cooling equipment to maintain optimal temperatures. They produce less UV light, which can be harmful and stressful to plants. Therefore, you can move the plants closer to the source of light. Higher light intensities will give you higher yields.
Easy to install and use. Unlike traditional lights, LEDs require no reflectors, ballasts or fixtures. They are easy to install and have no maintenance issues. Plug and play!
Small and light. They’re especially handy for gardeners with small grow tents.
Reduce the frequency of watering and feeding. With less heat generated, the soil in the pot will stay moist longer, reducing the amount of watering and feeding you need to do.
Faster harvest cycle. This type of lighting can be used 24 hours a day, shortening the season and increasing the rate of plant growth. As a result, growers can find seeds for sale with top-tier genetics and achieve multiple harvests each season.
These advantages make LEDs stand out from other types of grow lights, making them indispensable in the process of growing plants to grow the best plants from the best seeds.
BESTVA BAT W400 Dimmable LED Grow Light
Features:
The BESTVA LED grow light is the solution for indoor growing environments where ceiling height and distance from the tree canopy are critical. The BAT W400 is ideal for use in vertical racks, low rooms, benches and even tents. The grow light provides an efficient full spectrum and a healthy red-blue ratio to drive photo composition. Light energy between 500–599nm, previously thought to be wasted, penetrates deep into the plant canopy and promotes photomorphogenic responses. High colour rendering “white” light helps quickly identify potential threats to crops and provides superior working conditions and safety for workers. It is great for flowering and plant production.
Spider Farmer SE5000 480W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light
Features:
This Spider Farmer LED grow light features a uniquely designed 6 extended LED strips that provide more even canopy coverage, especially on the outer edges of the growing area. With 1680 SAMSUNG LM301B diodes, the SE5000 Led Grow Light consumes 480 watts at 1333 umol/s, achieving an impressive PPE of 2.75 umol/J, covering a high yield full-cycle growth of 4'x4'. The full spectrum (380–410nm, 660–665nm, 730nm, 3200–4200K, 4800–5000K) is ideal for vegetable flowering to suit every stage of the plant cycle. The dimmer knob is ideal for growers to adjust the light intensity for different growth stages. The daisy chain feature allows you to connect up to 30 spider farm grow lights — dimming multiple lights at the same time.
How to Choose LED Grow Lights
By now, you probably have a good idea of what you need to buy. Most people choose LED grow lights because of their incredible features and benefits.
When choosing LED grow lights for your indoor growing area, there are a few things you need to consider. We’re going to list these important factors to help you choose the best LED grow lights.
Available PPF and PPFD
In your LED grow lights, the most important thing is PPF or PPFD. These metrics define the intensity of the output light.
PPF stands for photosynthetic photon flux and PPFD stands for photosynthetic photon flux density. They both show the luminous flux or amount the output light has. However, PPF shows the total flux from the fixture whereas PPFD shows the flux for a specific area/surface. Having said that, the unit of PPF is µmol/s and the unit of PPFD is µmol/m2/s.
First, you need to know the PPFD required for the plants you are growing. At different stages, plants require different PPFDs.
If you consider HPS vs LED production, LED lights are better in every way. They deliver the best yield quickly.
Once you know what your plants need, you can check the PPFD of LED lights and decide which one is right for you. PPFD values are usually mentioned in specifications.
Another important thing related to PPFD is uniformity. A luminaire shall provide a uniform PPFD throughout the area it covers. Otherwise, variations in uneven growth will occur.
Plants receiving more PPFD will grow more and are also at risk of minor burns. Conversely, plants that do not get enough PPFD will suffer and fail to grow properly.
Therefore, the uniformity of PPFD is also important. Lighting should be designed so that it provides uniform light throughout the area it covers.
Spectrum
Spectrum is the next big factor. Plants require different ranges of radiation throughout their lifetime. Sunlight provides the full spectrum, including visible radiation, ultraviolet and infrared. It enables plants to grow quickly and optimally.
When choosing an LED grow light, you want to make sure it also provides the full spectrum your plants need. Some LED lights also offer different types of light spectrum for different growth stages. For example, Smart-8 provides full spectrum flowering and full spectrum vegetation. It ensures fast and optimal growth at every stage.
Coverage Area
LED grow lights work in a limited area that is usually mentioned in the specifications. At a certain height, it can cover a certain surface area. The distribution of light is affected by light. If you increase the height, the area will get fewer photos. The closer the plants are to the light, the stronger the effect of the light.
Therefore, it is necessary to know the area that the light can cover. That way, if you need to light a large area, you can easily decide how much light you need.
Extra Features
In addition to the above three important factors, the extra functionality is also a big plus. Such as brightness control, LED panel, daisy chain, timer, plug and play function, etc., these are features that HPS lamps do not have, which is why LED is the winner of HPS vs. LED debate.
We have explained some key factors to consider. In addition to these, you’ll want to look at the company’s reputation, products, life expectancy of the lights, warranty, and other services.
Conclusion
Getting your interior plans to flow can be challenging without optimal lighting, especially when sunlight is scarce.
So make the most of your lighting by using sunlight, and compensate with artificial lighting where possible.
However, before purchasing grow lights, pay attention to the light requirements, intensity, duration, distance, and spectrum of your houseplants.
