HortiBloom Mega Plus 650W LED Grow Light VS LINX 650w LED Grow Light
One of the first things we learn about plants is that they need light to grow. However, our homes don’t always provide the type or amount of sunlight that plants need. But don’t worry, you can use grow lights instead and with a few well-followed guidelines your houseplants will thrive just fine.
Why Plants Need Light to Grow
Unlike humans, most plants don’t eat solid material for energy. There’s no munching on some chips or nibbling on a chocolate bar. Rather, plants use the sun’s energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates. This process is known as photosynthesis.
If plants don’t receive enough light, they will become stunted and experience an overall decline in health. If you’ve ever placed a plant in a dark room, you know what we’re talking about.
The wavelength of light relates to the color that humans perceive. Plants absorb light between 400–700 nm for photosynthesis. Therefore, this range of light is known as photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). However, plants absorb blue light (400–500 nm) and red light (600–700 nm) the best.
Plants will absorb both red and blue light throughout their lives, and a balance of both types produces healthy plants. With that said, the types of light can affect the plant’s processes.
Blue light helps form chlorophyll, so it’s especially important for the early vegetative stages. Red light, especially far-red light (700–850 nm), can help induce flowering and fruit set in plants.
What do they mean when they talk about full-spectrum light?
“PAR” stands for photo-synthetically active radiation. This measurement of light is often referred to as full-spectrum light. Full-spectrum grow lights are the wavelengths of light between 440 nm and 700 nm which includes ultraviolet and infrared. These plants use this whole spectrum to photosynthesize light into simple sugars.
When purchasing a LED grow light system, you will find that the higher end systems will all be full spectrum. Be cautious when investigating cheaper grow lights as manufactures sometimes claim to be full-spectrum but don’t provide IF and IR LED Chips in their units.
Is full spectrum light absolutely a requirement? You can get away without ultraviolet and infrared but this could leave your plants open to unwanted issues such as molds and mildews. Ultraviolet light is nature’s sterilizer, it’s even used to kill viruses. When growing in a small area such as a grow tent it really is important to have ultraviolet to mitigate the risks of enclosed growing.
Full spectrum LED grow lights generally have two operational modes; vegetation and flowering. In Vegetation mode the grow light will use 40% less energy and use less red light. This is because vegetation doesn’t require as much energy as flowering a plant. As well flowering plants require more red light to grow fat healthy buds. When you’re ready to start flowering your plants just flip the operational mode over to flowering and you are done. No need to change light bulbs.
While LED lights emit light faster and take up less space, it requires precise power management. Find out if this is the type of lighting that’s best for you and how it compares to other grow lights.
One thing is for sure a full spectrum LED grow light will produce a larger yield than a LED grow light that isn’t full spectrum. I’ve grown with both options and the full spectrum option really takes LED grow lights to the next level.
HortiBloom Mega Plus 650W LED Grow Light
Features:
The HortiBloom grow light uses the best 6063 Aluminum Bar whose weight is 1kg for each bar to obtain the best heat dissipation, which will maximize the lifespan of the led diodes and fixtures. The Top Configuration uses 2304pcs of Samsung LM301H/B and 144pcs of Osram 660nm Led, which is the top configuration on market compared to any other brand-led grow bar lights. Besides this grow light uses the unique spectrum to maximum growers’ yields. You can also use the controller to control big scale grow light. This grow light has the best PAR output with the best PPFD to beat any other lights at the same power draw. The IP 65 for long term working in damp location.
Features:
This LED grow light utilises the Samsung and Osram diodes that people have grown to love, growers using this light will be in good hands — making this an excellent choice for the first time and experienced growers alike. These well built, plug-and-play lights are a fantastic option for those wanting to illuminate 1.2–1.5m areas. This 650w grow light boasts 8 strip bars to provide an excellent uniform spread. This grow light can use the built-in linear dimmer, growers can choose an exact intensity that suits both their ability and their plant’s needs (>40% power). This grow light also allows growers to daisy chain multiple fixtures and mix two different light outputs (such as LED and HPS) — great for those making a full or partial transition to LED.
How to choose the right LED grow lights
There are many factors to consider when deciding on the right LED lights for you.
Your grow space
Your lighting needs will vary quite a lot depending on your unique physical space. Because of the way light is distributed by a particular fixture, it might make more sense to have a few small fixtures as compared to one large one. This is where the PAR chart comes in handy.
For example, if you’re lighting a 4-by-8-foot space, perhaps you’d get better overall coverage with two lights that have a single point of light emission versus one light that has multiple, spread-out diodes. You can compare the PAR charts of different lights — while also weighing optimal light coverage against your budget — to make the best choice.
The product specs
Do your homework. Comparing one product’s advertised wattage and price to another product’s wattage and price is like comparing apples to oranges. Look at metrics like PPF, the PAR chart, and photon efficacy to truly compare products.
Your budget
LED grow lamps can be quite expensive, though there is a wide range of products out there at various price points. That said, you generally get what you pay for with LEDs, so if a product is touting superior specs at a low price, be suspicious. Considering that LED fixtures should provide years of useful life, it might be worth the investment to spend a little extra. But if budget and initial investment are driving considerations for you, more traditional lighting options like compact fluorescent lights (CFL) or high-intensity discharge lights (HID) might be the better way to go.
Conclusion
The most important thing to remember about growing houseplants with artificial light is that it is possible! While it’s easy to get wrapped up in all the terminology and types of light, don’t be intimidated by using grow lights. By implementing artificial light, you can add plants to your home you would otherwise be unable to grow.
