ECO Farm MB4 880W Commercial LED Grow Light VS Spider Farmer G860W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light
Just like SAD lamps get rid of the blues for those with seasonal affective disorder, indoor grow lights have an even better effect on house plants.
Plants are alive and to keep them that way, they need light (not necessarily sunlight). While we need Vitamin D from natural sunlight, plants don’t.
That means you can grow any type of plant indoors with the right light systems or just bulbs, because light energizes plants through photosynthesis (it’s not as complicated as it sounds).
What grow lights should I buy?
There is a lot of information about what type of grow lights to use, how much light you need, what color the light should be, how far away should the light be, etc. I had a hard time figuring out what everything meant and how to know what it meant for me.
Remember you can also grab your free cheat sheet with an overview of what grow lights work well.
Based on some helpful articles here, here and here, along with input from succulent growing friends, here is what I’ve determined:
What type of light: Fluorescent or LEDs
These do NOT need to be labeled as a “grow light” — they can simply be regular fluorescent or LED bulbs
What color of light: “Daylight” spectrum — preferably a color temp of 5000–6500K
How far away should the light be: about 12″ from the top of the succulents
How many lights: depends on the number of plants, this may require some trial and error
These suggestions are based on two goals: inexpensive and efficient. There are other more expensive options, some of which are more effective and some are less. The fluorescent lights are easy to find and do a great job.
ECO Farm MB4 880W Commercial LED Grow Light
Features:
This ECO Farm LED grow light adopts 8 bars design with more even and complete canopy coverage. Equipped with high-efficiency Samsung LM301B diodes, extremely low thermal resistance. Grow lights no flicker and dim, and the life is up to 50,000 hours. Led grow light draws 880 watts with 2200 µmol/s, achieving a satisfactory PPE of 2.8 µmol/J, coverage for 5'x5’ of high-yielding full-cycle growth. Abundant types of wavelengths are consistent with the spectral range of plant photosynthesis. It can concentrate the light of a specific wavelength to irradiate crops in a balanced manner, and control the height of the plant and the nutrients of the plant. Speed up the synthesis of plant carbohydrates and vitamins, shorten the growth cycle. Indoor plant LED grow light uses advanced heat dissipation aluminium material and waterproof design. High-quality components ensure that the product works better during its life cycle. At the same time, it can also make you more at ease and more comfortable planting in the tent.
Spider Farmer G860W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light
Features:
This Spider Farmer LED Grow Light features an even peripheral PPFD score for even coverage, ensuring maximum light per plant. The elongated light bar design also ensures a more even distribution of light, reaching all edges and corners. The strip grow light design and the aluminium heatsink on the back contribute to better airflow and good heat dissipation. The G860W Garden Light features a detachable driver and 6.56" long power cord to reduce ambient heat in the grow space for longer life. The LED diodes are coated with water repellent, so they are not afraid of a wet environment. Dimming daisy-chaining allows you to link up to 60 G680W Series grow lights together — dimming multiple lights simultaneously. Widely used in commercial cultivation, vertical farming, home gardens, home cultivation, CO2 systems and hydroponics.
Choosing a Grow Light for Indoor Plants
Both CFL bulbs and LEDs work great for different applications. So to choose the best one for your setup you need to consider these factors:
Plant Type and Quantity
Figure out the general size of your plants (i.e. herbs or bigger vegetables). Also think about how many plants you’ll want to be growing at once.
Money
Think about the price range you want for your grow light. LEDs are a bigger upfront cost than CFLs. So going the LED route will mean either growing fewer plants or shelling out more money.
Consider also how much you want to pay in power. LEDs are more efficient so will have less of an impact on your utility bill for the same number of plants.
Space and Setup
How much space do you have inside for your garden? The space might be the limiting factor for the number of plants you grow. But if you have enough space then you’ll find the number of plants you can support with each light becomes important.
Will you have a grow tent to keep the light in? A fan to keep the light cool? Or are you hoping to set this up on a spare table? Most grow lights need to be suspended by a rack. But there are stand-alone LED lamps that work really well for just a few small plants each.
Will Your Plants Move to a Garden Outside?
Consider the whole lifespan of your plants before choosing a grow light. It’s a great idea to start seeds indoors and that doesn’t take much room or energy.
But those seedlings will grow up and need more room. Are you planning on keeping them inside under lights or will they move into the ground or pots outside?
Purpose
Put simply, what do you want out of your indoor garden? You don’t need a mission statement, but keep in mind why you’re growing plants indoors.
If you’re aiming for the sheer output of vegetables then the efficiency of your lights will be most important. If you want your setup to be flexible and let you try different types of plants then you will end up with different equipment.
Conclusion
Your gardening hobby doesn’t need to end when the weather turns cold. You can have a thriving indoor garden as long as you have enough space and the proper tools. Grow lights are essential for indoor gardening, and with this guide, your plant babies will grow, flourish, and yield fruit, even without the light of the sun.
