The 6 Best Full-Spectrum LED Grow Lights for Plants in 2023
There are several options to consider when building an indoor hydroponic system. The type of lighting you use is one of the most important decisions. After all, if you want to grow plants indoors, you need to replicate the natural sunlight your outdoor garden receives.
There are many types of grow lights on the market, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. We’ve rounded up and reviewed some of the most highly regarded hydroponic lights to help you choose the best LED grow lights for your indoor farming system.
Why do plants need grow lights?
Plants don’t necessarily need grow lights, but they do need a light source that can meet all their needs.
Light is essential for photosynthesis, without it, plants cannot produce the food and energy they need to grow and develop.
Plants need sufficient light during their vegetative phase, which is when they photosynthesize to produce and store nutrients and resources to use once flowering and fruiting begin.
ECO Farm DBL5000 Full Spectrum LED Grow Light 480W
Features:
This ECO Farm LED grow light produces a full spectrum light (3000K, 5000k, 660nmnm, 30nm) is very suitable for vegetable blooming. The light uses 1296 SAMSUNG LM281B diodes with a power of 480 watts, achieving an impressive PPE 2.5 umol/J, covering A 4'x4' high-yield full-cycle growth. Compared with old plant lights, the average PPFD is increased by 30%, and the yield and quality are increased by 50%. 6 LED growth lights, each rod is covered with high-grade glue, waterproof and easy to clean, not easy to be filled with dust. This plant growth light also uses a special dimmer, which can precisely adjust the brightness. 0–10 levels are optional. This means that you can see clear brightness levels and record while adjusting. No need to worry about differences. The daisy chain function allows you to connect up to 15 DBL5000 grow lights-dimming multiple lights at the same time
Fluence SPYDR 2i 33" LED Grow Light
Features:
The Fluence LED grow light is designed for multi-layer cultivation — from vegetable to flowering — with a PPF of up to 1,250 µmol/s for the 2i 33". SPYDR 2i is a high performance toplighting solution for commercial horticultural cultivation. Designed for growers Pushing the limits with high PPFD cultivation practices. Not suitable for growing without supplemental CO2. With an upgraded form factor, the SPYDR 2 series is a plug-and-play solution that works out of the box for faster installation. All SPYDR models can be dimmed with our light intensity dimmers for precise control of PPFD , and provides flexibility to instantly adapt to new crop requirements with different light.
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.
Mars Hydro FC-E 4800 480W LED Grow Light
Features:
This MARS HYDRO LED grow light features 2646 BridgeLux diodes, market leading 2.8 µmol/J PPE, max yield/watt 2.5g, 480 watts, smaller footprint, better crop quality and more cost-effective. Built-in removable rod spacing and dimmable light allow precise dynamic PPFD control for each plant growth stage, the FC-E4800’s easy-to-install removable rod provides uniform, adjustable PPFD levels throughout the plant canopy, ideal for more uniformity density of buds. Detachable power supply can be remotely mounted on the side of a grow tent/shelf or on an adjacent wall to remove heat from the grow space; true aluminum radiator and 6 ultra-thin passive cooling strips (thinner and larger surfaces ) produces less heat and lowers electricity bills by 50% than HID lights!
Viparspectra KS5000 500W LED Grow Light
Features:
VIPARSPECTRA LED Grow Light uses market-leading Samsung LM301H diodes (3.10 μmol/J) and Osram 660nm diodes, more energy-efficient LEDs that increase crop yields and save operating costs. High-end components give the KS5000 incredible performance. The KS series is designed for individual or commercial growers who want to optimize their growing space for maximum crop yield while producing the highest quality crops. The KS5000 Dimmable Grow Light with Daisy Chain allows you to connect up to 100 KS5000 grow lights to your commercial grow, horizontal and vertical farming, greenhouse grow, pipe grow, hydroponics, 4x4 grow tent. A built-in dimmer allows you to dial in the perfect PPFD for your plants at all growth stages. The KS5000 features a detachable power supply that can be remotely mounted on the side of a rack or on an adjacent wall to dissipate heat from your grow space.
TotalGrow MH Lumyre 480W LED Grow Light
Features:
TotalGrow LED grow lights feature multiple high-intensity light strips in a slim profile and built-in power supply to distribute the ideal light intensity evenly across your growing area to meet your growing goals. Superior, customizable full spectrum supports efficient, high-quality growth of any life stage and crop variety. This plug-and-play solution with direct daisy chaining is easy to implement, has low up-front and ongoing costs, and sustainably produces high-quality crops. The efficacy of this LED grow light is as high as 2.8 μmol/J to meet the light intensity your plants need. Robust, reliable, ideally shaped design for ease of use and excellent uniformity.
How To Choose The Best Light For Your Plant
If you want to give your succulents, or any other type of plant perfect growth conditions, there are some things you need to take into account when buying grow lights.
When we were beginners, we didn’t think much about different color spectrums and how they might contribute to plant growth.
However, different colors speed up your plant’s development at various stages, and what might induce germination might not work in the flowering stage.
There are other things you need to consider when choosing artificial lights, such as heat emission, lit surface, and the amount of time you’ll be using the lamp.
Think Of The Color Spectrum
Different color spectrums of light benefit your plants in different ways, and lamps can be distinguished by the color they emit.
There are full-spectrum white lights and red and blue spectrum lights. Full-spectrum tend to imitate natural sunlight, which is why they can also give off some UV and far-red light, which play an interesting role in plant development.
Full-Spectrum White Light
Full-spectrum lights range from 400 to 800 nm, which means they have red and blue lights as well as some other colored lights.
It makes them a good choice if you’re not a fan of red or blue, but it also has some additional benefits.
Full-spectrum lights may sometimes contain UV lights, which induce the production of anthocyanins and terpenes. These compounds add to the overall aroma and flavor of your plants, and can also make the colors more vivid.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have far-red light, which is proven to enhance leaf size and plant growth. It also contributes to photosynthesis, and if you compare plants that have been under far-red light to those which haven’t, you’ll notice a difference in earlier flowering and increased growth.
Red And Blue Light
The red and blue spectrum ranges from 400–700 nm and encompasses what we call “visible light”. It is essential for plants because they use this light for photosynthesis.
Red light is vital for plant growth, flowering, and fruiting. It helps with the establishment of young plants due to its significance in generating biomass.
However, using red light alone won’t do your plants much good, and even though they will develop rapidly they could also become elongated and fragile.
On the other hand, blue light is linked to the synthesis of chlorophyll, which makes your plant strong and healthy. It is also responsible for the coloring of your plants, so you can forget about faded and yellow leaves.
Consider Heat Dissipation
Another thing that you should be on the lookout for is heat dissipation. Look for bulbs and lights that don’t emit too much heat because they are generally safer for your plants.
However, heat dissipation can also help you decide where to place your plants. If the light bulb gives off immense heat, you should move your green buddy a few feet away, which immediately lowers the amount of light it’s getting.
On the other hand, lights that get really hot use a lot of energy, which makes them more expensive in the long run.
Don’t Forget About The Lit Surface
Always take how many plants you want to light with your lamp into consideration. There are lights ideal for a single plant and hanging lights that can give light to many.
Larger lamps with more bulbs tend to be more expensive and use more energy, so don’t waste your money on them if you only have one plant that requires more light.
This is the light my mom uses for growing basil indoors, and let me tell you: I haven’t had pasta without basil ever since my mom got this lamp!
Conclusion
In conclusion, investing in quality grow lights can greatly benefit your indoor gardening endeavors. From promoting growth to saving money on electricity bills, there are many reasons to consider buying grow lights. The Best Grow Lights of 2023 are all great choices that offer full-spectrum lighting, energy efficiency, and customization options. Whether you have a small or large indoor garden, there is a grow light on this list to suit your needs.
