January 11, 2022
Every plants grower wants to produce the highest quality product possible. With light being a crucial factor in plant cultivation, part of optimizing the process involves using the ideal grow lights. Choosing the right grow lights can be tricky as there are multiple types to choose from, each with its pros and cons. What’s more, rapid advancements in research and technology means it can be tough to stay on top of the most up-to-date information.
Armed with the right knowledge, however, any grower can be well-equipped to make a solid decision based on your unique situation. Factors to consider include cost, power consumption, heat output, and light spectrum. And the choice will be different depending on the types of plants you’re growing and the space you’re working with.
In this article, we’ll help ensure you choose the right lighting setup that fits your needs and budget. We explain the different types of lights available, reveal key factors to consider, so you can make the right decisions.
Nothing can completely duplicate the sun but grow lights can supplement a lack of sunlight or produce all the light energy your plants need to survive. Grow lights have made considerable advancements in the past decade and can be seen in use from the hobby home gardener to major production greenhouses.
The best grow lights for indoor plants are not your traditional screw-in light bulbs in your everyday lamps but specific bulbs that match the correct color spectrum or wavelengths like the sun. These lights are designed specifically to optimize those wavelengths to duplicate the natural photosynthesis process in your plants.
Observing the sun through a prism would reveal the spectrum of colors not seen with the visible eye. These colors range from blue (ultraviolet) to red (infrared). The blue light spectrum is key to your plant and herbs vegetative growth, green growth. For most non-flowering herbs, this is the crucial light ingredient it needs to produce and grow at its best. However, if you are developing a flowering herb or a fruit-producing vegetable, the red spectrum also begins to play an essential part, as this is the key to flowering.
There are three main varieties of grow lights I will be discussing, starting with what I consider the best grow light for indoor plants growing. In the future, if you want to produce a more extensive variety of plants or flowers, the best light for you may be different.
Fluorescent
Fluorescents are an excellent choice for plants gardeners as they are primarily focused on the blue range of the color spectrum for vegetative growth. In addition, you can found Bloom lamps for flowering, but the most common types of grow lights are found in the 4500–6500-kelvin rating.
These grow lights are in single bulbs called CFL (compact fluorescent light) or traditional tube-style bulbs. CFL bulbs focus light generally in one direction and cover less area, but you can increase their light concentration with reflectors or shields. Most screw into standard mogul fixtures.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED)
LED lights have made giant leaps in the grow light market and greatly fit the indoor garden space. In addition, they offer extreme flexibility in types, from bulbs to complete fixtures to fit about any room.
They are my top pick for best grow lights for indoor plants and herbs. Since switching to this type, I have not looked back.
LED light specifications become a little more complicated to break down, and some are made for specific stages of plant growth and others to meet any plant phase. Careful consideration and research need to choose the type of LED light that will work best for your needs.
High-Intensity Discharge (HID)
HID lamps use a specialized bulb with a mechanical or electronic ballast to maintain an arc that lights the bulb . These have been the most common type of grow lights for indoor greenhouse production and many hobby growers for many years as one of the first lights capable of producing the correct color spectrum and brightness needed for healthy growth.
There are two types of HID lights, Metal Halides (MH) and High-Pressure Sodium (HPS). HID lights are usually sold as a system that includes a bulb, ballast, and reflective hood.
Phlizon FD4000 Plant Led Grow Light
Features:
The PHLIZON LED grow light with daisy chain feature is designed for greenhouse and indoor applications, ideal for full-cycle growth. The elegant design minimizes sun interference while providing greater access to the plant canopy. The ultra-effective compact design with built-in drivers utilizes water-proof thick aluminum skin to provide superior heat dissipation and longevity. The highly efficient full-spectrum SMD chips provide ideal conditions to deliver consistent crop quality. The daisy chain dimming feature allows horticulture professionals to adjust the PPFD, increasing performance and yields.
Rayonled GLMF400W LED Grow Light
Features:
This Rayonled LED grow light is the latest products from Rayonled’s team of lighting bioengineers. The GLMF400 is designed for plants in the vegetative stage the spectrum minimizes the stretch and allows for better and faster root structure, bigger stems and more dense leaves. From the spectrum to the certifications, it has been thoughtfully crafted to compete with the top grow light on the market. The passively cooled bars provide full-spectrum, broad-coverage light for full-term growth. It also has the high-output at 1080 μmol PAR and an impressive efficacy of 2.7 μmol/J per watt. The IP65 certification allowing the light to perform and last even in the most humid grow rooms. The independent bars and driver ensure that even if a problem occurs the light can be repaired without losing the production of the entire fixture.
Here are the things you need to consider when choosing the best LED hydroponic grow lights:
Wattage
This is a major distinguishing characteristic of various LED lights. It determines the amount of energy given by the grow lights at maximum output. Everyone has their own wattage requirements as you will have to choose depending on the type and number of plants that you want to grow. Grow light wattage can range from as little as 100w to 1000w, or even lower or higher respectively. Generally, the higher the wattage, the more powerful the light and cost-effective electrical usage.
Coverage
The coverage here means the total area that the LED grow lights can reach. So you need to know the size of the area you wish to light first before you go out shopping. This will help you know the type of LED grow light that will offer optimum coverage and probably how many of them you need.
Light spectrum
Consider full-spectrum LED grow lights for your seeds to thrive in a near-natural way. Full-spectrum LED lights produce a balance of warm and cool light that replicates the sun’s spectrum. This is what will make indoor growing a success. Another impressive advantage of full-spectrum LED lights is that they can run for 50,000 hours or more with no need for replacement, therefore, guaranteeing years of hassle-free service.
Light duration
Most plants require 14–18 hours of light each day for optimum growth. They also need a rest period of about 6 hours of darkness. To ensure that you control these two crucial periods, consider LED grow lights that feature an automatic timer as this is very useful and saves you manually turning lights on and off.
Lifespan
This is measured in hours and it shows how long the LED lights should last. LED lights usually start to reduce in intensity after some time and this period can vary from one unit to another. Therefore, look for grow lights that have been said to provide some significant durability so you can grow your plants for extended periods.
LED grow lights have become popular with indoor growers, and they are slowly replacing conventional HPS light bulbs and fluorescent tubes. As it usually happens with new inventions, every indoor grower wants to know the best grow lights before they decide to buy them.
Confusion is possible, especially now that people are getting to know about LED grow lights. We believe we have narrowed down the options for you through this grow lights review.
As you have seen, grow lights come in different styles, they can vary in features and prices too. In our opinion, the best LED grow lights should cater for all growth stages, from germination to flowering, so that you’ll never have to look for other alternatives in future. It’s better to buy once for all, which is why the lifespan also matters.
October 20, 2023