February 21, 2022
When growing plants indoors — either commercially or just in an indoor garden or grow room — you need to have the right type of light to meet your growing needs. Regularly, growers decide between a few different lighting options, such as LEDs, fluorescent lights, metal halide options, or high-pressure sodium grow lights. Today we’ll be discussing LED grow lights for plants, which is a common question for growers. There are many options out there, and you’ll typically find some pretty conflicting information on which option is best.
In this article, we’re going through the definitions of LED bulbs, walking you through some of the best grow lights and then finishing off with our take on the best type of grow light for your needs.
Everyone knows that LED consumes less power and produces far less heat than the popular and inexpensive HID or fluorescent lighting.
But the thing you don’t know is the plants respond to the LED in both the vegetative and bloom period. Yes, plants love LED grow lights and they grow faster with these lights!
You may read many LED grow light reviews, but this page is different!
Loriflux 4blade 180W LED Grow Light
Features:
The Loriflux grow light is the perfect solution for early growth, be it cloning, culturing, nutrition, or even tent growing and flowering. The 4-Blade contains the same technology, features and benefits as our flagships, including Samsung and Osram diodes, built-in dimming and linking capabilities, and a 5-year warranty. The 180 W full-spectrum fixture with variable power levels will allow you to efficiently root clones, grow plant tissue, early vegetables, and even bloom in stealth growth or smaller tents and shelves.
ChilLED Tech Growcraft X3 mini — 200W
Features:
The ChilLED Grow Light is designed for serious growers with small growing spaces. Proudly made in the USA, these lights feature a slim construction requiring only 6 inches of headspace, while offering both 2x2 and 3x3 coverage areas. These lights have very high light output and can be hung from 6 to 24 inches above plants, so they are ideal for both beginner and experienced growers. ChilLED Commercial Grow Lights are constructed from extruded lightweight aluminium with a sturdy T-slot design and contain a mix of evergreen light panels and Samsung diodes for maximum blooming or plant growth.
If you have decided on your LED grow light, here are a few pointers that you should not miss before making the final purchase:
Spacing
This is the first step. Take out your measuring tape as it is better to know accurate measurements than to buy a grow light on an estimated guess. As each light has a specific coverage area it can offer, hence, you need to know what can you fit within the space you have at home. Knowing your space measurements will also help you out in knowing the feedback from reviewers who had the same growth space as you.
Brand / Price
This will be critical as the grow lights offering better quality will generate maximum benefits. If you’re a learner, you’ll probably want to get your feet wet with a low-priced solution. If you’re skilled, you will know that with LED grow lights — good quality means more price. Knowing the product brand and their reliability is equally important. A popular brand with raving reviews is almost always — a safe bet.
Spectrum
A full spectrum LED grow light will help your plants grow to their maximum nutritional value. Depending on the stage of growth, you will need a red and blue spectrum, as well as infrared and ultraviolet lights. To ensure maximum growth, it is important to have a powerful light with different wavelengths.
The industry’s full spectrum yields are slightly newer, but they are quick to take their place in a grower’s catalogue. Full spectrum grow lights run cool and need no extra fans. They save on energy and cost less overtime. Most LED lights have a variety of colors emitted — including the best LED grow lights that have a full range of IV/UR rays.
Electrical Usage
As they use a lot of electricity, it is wise to get a grow light that cuts down on the electricity bills. An average LED grow light operates for around 10 to 12 hours a day. The higher light intensity you choose (1000w, 400w, 300w etc), the lesser electrical usage takes place in the most cost-effective ways.
Light Control
Depending on the stage, you’ll want to ensure that your plants receive the proper amount of lighting (down to the exact hour). It’s extremely important that light cycles are followed to a tee as it can severely alter the growth and potency of your plants.
To sum things up, the best-LED light doesn’t come easy. You will have to go through quite a lot of considerations to make sure you are getting the best thing for your setup. Not every option will be suitable for everyone, so you must choose based on your preferences.