The 3 Best Fluorescent Lights for Indoor Growing

Introduction

There’s a lot to learn when you enter the world of marijuana growing. Newbies are confronted with a vast wealth of information and a steep learning curve. You need to learn about watering, feeding, pruning, and more. But before you even begin to grow your cannabis plants, you need a set-up.

Establishing the space where you will grow your plants is crucial. Many strains can thrive outdoors, but most cultivators opt for indoor set-ups where they can control the temperature and light thoroughly. Since marijuana strains can be picky and sometimes require different conditions at different growth stages, indoor growing can provide you with the highest yield — if you do it right.

There is much debate about what lighting type is the best for marijuana. Fluorescent lighting is a commonly used form of lighting, but you still need to learn which bulbs work best. In this article, we cover 3 fluorescent lamps and explain where you can pick up the best fluorescent light for your grow space.

Why Use Fluorescent Grow Lights for Cannabis?

Fluorescent grow lights are ideal for newbie growers who are experimenting with cultivation. While they are pretty useless for big growing operations, fluorescent bulbs work well in a small grow space.

Fluorescent lighting works through a chemical reaction inside the bulb. Mercury vapor reacts with various gases to create an invisible UV light, which then illuminates phosphor powder that creates light. For this process to take place, you also need electricity; the current is what triggers the reaction. As a result, you often end up needing a socket for each bulb.

The type you choose is really up to you and the size of your grow room — T5s might work better in a slightly larger space. Either way, fluorescent bulbs are not as powerful as other lighting types. As a result, they are best for small grow rooms with only a few plants. Cultivating on a larger scale requires the use of HIDs or LEDs, for example.

Growers who have complex lighting set-ups using multiple lighting types often use fluorescent bulbs during the sprouting stage. Young plants respond well to these bulbs, but older plants sometimes require something more powerful. Sadly, you may get lower yields than if you used LEDs at a later stage.

ECO Farm T5 24W Fluorescent Grow Light

Features:

High-quality ECO Farm T5 light, balances the spectrum, promotes vibrant plants and prevents stretching
Durable, the average recommended service life is more than 20,000 hours, which exceeds the service life of almost any HID lamp.
Gentle to seedlings: a 24 watt bulb can emit 2000 lumens, which can safely care for seedlings and tender leaves even in close distances and small spaces
T5 lamps are economical. In addition, the heat emission is very low, reducing or eliminating the need for expensive ventilation and air conditioning, and can be hung horizontally or vertically.

DuroLux T5 Fluorescent Grow Light Fixture

Features:

High light output: 10,000 lumens-Professional planting lighting system-95% reflectivity German hammer reflector-30% more light than similar lighting systems
Includes all accessories: 4 2ft 6500K lights, hooks and chains, power cord
Flexible light output: there are 2 switches on the main body, one for the inner 2 bulbs and the other for the outer 2 bulbs
Safe operation: The fixture has passed UL/CUL safety certification. Designed for wet/humid environment, waterproof.

Lithonia Lighting 2-Light 14W Fluorescent Grow Light

Features:

Rugged rear painted metal housing with white finish
T5 fluorescent lamps are 75% more energy efficient than incandescent lamps and have a lifespan of up to 20,000 hours
Includes two 14-watt 6500K T5 fluorescent bulbs
The transparent acrylic lens guides the light downwards, protects the bulb and adopts a zipper lock design, and the bulb can be replaced without tools
Convenient power sockets are included on the end caps to connect up to 12 grow lights, including two 48-inch chains and brackets for chain installation
CUL complies with American and Canadian safety standards and is suitable for wet locations

LED vs CFL vs HID Grow Light Bulbs

When you will be out looking for a grow light bulb in the market, you are bound to come across the words LED, CFL, and HID. these words actually refer to different kinds of grow light bulbs that are available in the market and have their own traits. Here we take a look at the main differences between them and how useful they can be for your indoor marijuana farm.

• LED Grow Bulbs

People all over the world love the fact that LED bulbs are the most efficient when it comes to conserving and saving energy. If there is one thing that makes the LED bulbs the most attractive out of the rest of the grow light bulbs is that it can do the job of a bigger watt bulb while consuming almost half of what the other bulbs take up. The LED grow bulbs are also known to remain cool even when they have been left on for long periods of time. However, with all these benefits, you will need to pay a bit more than compared to the rest of the bulbs but it will definitely be a great investment in the long run.

• CFL Grow Bulbs

The Compact Fluorescent Lighting is cheaper when compared to the LED lights. However, as they are cheaper, they also are less powerful when compared to both LED and HID grow light bulbs. The Compact Fluorescent Lighting bulbs are great for starting a plant as it is known for generating a minimal amount of heat. The Compact Fluorescent Lighting bulbs are unmatched in their ability to raise clones and is considered as the best bulbs for clones.

• HID Grow Bulbs

The HID grow bulbs can further be divided into two categories, they are Metal Halide bulbs and High-Pressure Sodium. These are some of the most favorite bulbs among the marijuana cultivators who grow their weed indoors as these bulbs provide a lot of usable light which is very good for the plants. The growth rate in the marijuana plants is the fastest when they are under this grow bulb as when compared to the rest of the bulbs. However, you do need a special type of ballast and a hood for this type of grow bulb but it is all worth it.

Five factors to consider when buying a Grow Light Bulb

Type Of Plant You Want To Grow
This is probably the first thing you want to consider before embarking on a mission to acquire a grow light. Plants are unique and different species will require different light intensity

Available Space
How much space would you like your LED light to occupy? This is a pertinent question and answering it will give you a rough idea on the type of light to buy. Also, consider the height above the surface of your preferred space.

Your Budget
Of course, all LED lights are not priced the same. The prices differ depending on the size, features and other quality. Determine how much you are willing to spend and stick to your budget

Colour Spectrum
This is another critical consideration when choosing LED grow light bulbs. For example, during infancy, plants will most likely require red and blue ranges. It is advisable to avoid white LEDs because they contain green and yellow wavelengths which disrupt photosynthesis.

Durability
The sturdiness of a grow light is determined by its built. Aluminium and Ceramic constructions are known to last for long.

You should also be gentle with your device and handle it with care to ensure that it last long.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. These are our three top picks for fluorescent lighting that will show some love to your cannabis plants. Make sure to do your research, though, as there are hundreds of fluorescent lamps available on the market.

While fluorescent lighting may work for small-time growers with a handful of plants, you will need to invest in an upgrade if you’re wanting to produce more marijuana. LEDs and HIDs are much better for getting a higher yield.

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