UNDERSTANDING THE VEGETATIVE PHASE OF GROWTH

The vegetative stage of the growth is the fourth stage in the marijuana plant’s seven-stage growth cycle. It comes after the seed, germination and seedling stage and is followed by the pre-flowering, flowering and harvest stages. This is the stage of the growth where the seedling becomes to mature into actually becoming a proper plant and a large number of branches and leaves start to appear. Here, the plant gets sturdier as the stem gets thicker and the height of the plant gets a major boost from being a tiny seedling to quite a tall plant. This is the phase of growth where you would need to provide a lot of light to the plant to ensure that they are getting enough light for photosynthesis. This is quite important given that the green portions of the plants are still growing. A plant is fully matured by the next stage. In this stage, you need high humidity as well as the leaves can directly absorb the moisture from the environment instead of using the roots.

The vegetative stage is crucial for the growth of marijuana because it determines how healthy and robust it will be once it enters the flowering stage. This is the point when the structural integrity is built, which is why it is important to provide an external environment that will be conducive for its growth. While there are several requirements, one of the most important would be the best light for vegetative growth.
It is important to have the right lighting because it is considered as the driving force for the growth of cannabis. Without the right light, it won’t make it to the next stage. With the abundance of the options that are available, which one should you choose?

What Color Light is Best for Vegetative Growth?

For vegetative growth, to get the best result, combine the VEG and BLOOM LEDs. VEG is blue and BLOOM is red.
When you look closely today, there are several LED lights available for vegetable growth.
So, it may be extremely difficult to know the one that can perfectly fit what you need for your indoor plants.
In this article, we have carefully researched and selected the best lights for vegetable growth that you can pick from.
The top choices in the market today are KingLED, ECO Farm, Bestva, Spider Farmer, MARS HYDRO.

Best LED Grow light for Veg in a 5*5ft grow tent 

ECO Farm ECOR Samsung LM301H 480W Dimmable Quantum Board 

LOWER COSTS & HIGH EFFICIENCY & HIGHER YIELDS: ECO Farm LED Grow Boards utilize the latest in high yielding LEDs technology today-Samsung LM301H 3500K diodes, high Energy Efficiency with 2.8umol/J, make you get 30% higher yield compare OLD blurple led lights. Max 2.2g yield per wattage (power draw), achieve maximum quality and quantity, much better than traditional HPS grow systems. 480W Veg footprint is 5x5ft, Bloom footprint is 4x4ft.

FULL SUNLIKE SPECTRUM: Idea for all growth stages, excellent full spectrum- white, red, IR and UV(3500K, 660nm and IR760nm&390nmUV). The 3500K color spectrum has a good amount of both blue spectral output (400-450 nm for vegetative growth) as well as red spectral output (600-660 nm for flowering); The 660nm red and IR light is especially useful during bloom, where it speeds up flowering time and boost yields. UV light can speed up the germination process for starting seeds when grown indoors. As growers transplant seedlings to more intense light sources, UV strengthens the plants, better preparing them for high intensity light.

King Plus UL Series 4000W LED Grow Light

• 【New KingLED Grow Light & Other Brand】: After strict market comparison, KingLED developed the most efficient and safe Quantum Grow Light, using SAMSUNG chip (2.8 umol / J, more energy efficient and brighter), UL power supply (safer, longer use time), high-strength aluminum alloy heat plate (lower operating temperature and not easy to deformation), high-quality products bring the highest cost-effective
• 【New Grow Light & traditional LED light】: No fan No noise, the structure is more simple, lightweight, easy to install, cable special protective cover, waterproof LED pancel, far below the traditional LED lamp operating temperature, so that its service life is extended by 100%, high-quality products bring longer lifespan
• 【Sunlight Spectrum & Full Spectrum】: Blue,White,Red and IR (660-665nm,3000K,5000K and IR 760nm), provide all the spectrum needed for plant growth, let your plants thrive, high-quality products bring higher yield
• 【Energy-saving technology & Save more electricity】: SAMSUNG chip, energy-saving technology representatives, compared with the traditional LED LIGHT, HPS, while providing efficient lighting, the actual power is only 447.5w, high-quality products bring lower electricity bill

 BESTVA P4000 Quantum LED Grow Light

 

• INCREASE YIELDS UP to 50%】ENVIOUSLY LARGE HARVESTS LED GROW LIGHTS. Compared with traditional 1200W HPS/MH grow lamp while consuming only 415W true output with 912PCS LEDs, more scientifically and energy-efficient! The plant lights perfect for 6' x 6' growing Coverage at 18" height. Adjusting the height and brightness according to your plants desired level for optimal growth.
• 【SAMSUNG LM301B DIODES】 SUNLIGHT FULL SPECTRUM GROW LIGHT. Infinite close to natural sun light adopts the latest high-quality LEDs technology-Samsung LM301B diodes, high energy efficiency with 2.9 umol/J, generates more usable lighting per watt and provides better light canopy penetration.Consists of 3000K warm white, 5000K white, 660nm deep red, and 730nm IR light, which providing your plants with excellent full spectrum led grow lights.

 

Calculate your grow light requirements first

Calculating your grow lighting requirements really is just two steps - determine your plant’s lighting needs (watts/square foot), and your plant canopy dimensions.

A common mistake new growers make is measuring the dimensions of the grow room itself.

What you really should be measuring is the footprint of your plant canopy.

For example, if you are growing in a 5’ x 5’ space but your plant canopy only takes up 4’ x 4’, you don’t need a grow light capable of lighting the 5’ x 5’ space - it would be overkill.

How to calculate grow light wattage requirements

Most flowering plants grow best with 30-40 watts of light per square foot. Don’t make the mistake of thinking more is better. Too much light can lead to bleaching and burning your plants.

Let's say you are growing in a 8’ x4’ grow space. If your plants need 30-40 watts/square foot, and your canopy takes up 8’ x 4’ of that space,is 32 sqft , you will need 960-1280 watts of grow lighting.So you also need 2PCS 600W LED grow light!

Best LED Grow light for 8x4x6 grow tent

ECO Farm ECOD Samsung UV+ IR 640W Dimmable LED Grow Light

【Save Grow】The ECO Farm Samsung LED grow light produces a 640W PPF output of 1514.7μmol/s and a PAR efficacy of 2.8umol/J making this fixture incredibly efficient compared to other commercial fixures.Just consumes about 640w power. High Efficiency PPF LEDs make you cost less but get more.
【ABSOLUTELY LARGE COVERAGE】With total 1314 pcs Samsung LED chips, this 6-bar LED grow light offer a extremely large irradiation area for plenty of plants. Coverage 5x5ft for veg, 6x6ft for bloom. Lightweight aluminum alloy material, detachable light bar and daisy chain design. Perfect for indoor, greenhouse planting, personal and commercial growth. 
【LOW HEAT AND NOISE FREE】Saving up to 50% energy and 30% cooler than other grow lamp. Consuming only 640W with 1314 LEDS! The latest aluminum radiator has special surface treatment that doubles the heat dissipation area. IP65 Waterproof. High power, low heat and low failure rate grow lamp. No fan, no noise.

Mars Hydro FC-E 6500 650W LED Grow Light

RayonLED GLMF-640W FOLDABLE LED Grow Light

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fantastic benefits of the best LED Grow Lights
Our range of hydroponics LED grow lights keeps getting bigger and better. We hand-pick only the very best to offer to you such as products from top manufacturers like Mars Hydro, Maxibright, Grow Northern and Sanlight. We stock models which can replace traditional 400w, 600w, and 1000w HPS (High Pressure Sodium) or Metal Halide (MH) grow light systems. We also stock lower power models for propagation and the early vegetative stages. The Photon even offers a modular system which can be added to and expanded to whatever you need.

LED grow lights offer:
Greater efficiency than HPS - they give more light per watt of electricity
Most of them emit a full spectrum of PAR light - ideal for plant health, plant growth, final yields and harvest quality
The light is focused straight down onto your plants rather than needing a reflector
They run much cooler than other types of grow light with no infrared - greatly reduced heat problems, even in Summer
They last for many years
No bulbs to change out regularly
They barely deteriorate over their long lifespan - up to 11 years or, sometimes, even longer
They reduce running costs
Contain no mercury or other environmentally unfriendly substances
Completely recyclable

Mars Hydro FC-E 6500 650W LED Grow Light

MARS HYDRO is always dedicated to one passion and that is growing.Low power consumption+high energy efficiency, makes you get more yields than other brand led grow lights. Just enjoy the bumper harvest.Mars Hydro Newest TS/SP/FC/FC-E Series Led Grow Lights, fanless design, Upgraded Daisy-Chain Dimming boxes(TS600 and SP150 except), provide a silent grow room for you, with full spectrum layout and High-quality Chips, which would optimize your plants output and is ideal for all kinds of indoor plants veg and bloom at all growth stages.Mars Hydro Spectrum has been developed by indoor growers over many years of careful experimentation and testing. With this light, you will see an increase in quality by growing bigger flowers that are dense and completely coated in resin.

-Mars Hydro FC-E 6500 led grow light

• -Model: Mars Hydro FC-E 6500 led grow light (dimmable,No IR&UV)
• -Number of leds:  3978  pcs
• -Feature: Sunlike Spectrum+ BridgeLux Chips+0DB+dimmable
• -Personal Coverage:6ft × 6ft;Commercial Coverage: 5ft × 5ft= 1.5m × 1.5m
• -Max Yield: 2.5g/watt  
• -PPE: 2.7umol/j
• -Core PAR Value: 1783μmol/s 
• -Replace HID/MH: 1000w, more energy-saving
• -Power draw(±10%):650W±5% 100-277V
• -Dimensions(L/W/H): 1151*1151*79MM
• -Amp Draw: 5.393A@AC120V 2.669A@AC240V 2.315A@AC277V
• -Lumen(±5%): 110632Lm±5%@AC120V 108702Lm±5%@AC240V 108318Lm±5%@AC277V
• -Item Net Weight/Gross Weight: 10.72KG/12.26KG
• -Spectrum: 380-410nm,660-665nm,730-740nm,2800-3000K,4800-5000K (Use for all stages of plants growth and flowering.)
• -LED Type: BridgeLux Chips
• -Noise Level: 0 DB
• -Input Voltage: 100V-227V(AC)
• -Life Rating: 50000-100000 hours

Maxibright Daylight LED 660w Pro Grow Light

In terms of 'price versus performance', the Maxibright LED grow light is one of the best LED grow lights we've tested so far. It produces an incredibly even footprint, and utilises highly efficient diodes meaning the fixture has an output level of a whopping 2.7 μmols per watt!

• Produces intense, full-spectrum light that your plants will love
• V2 - Slimmer, more compact, IP65 rated, external dimmer
• Total fixture efficiency of 2.7 μmols per watt
• Gives you a "red heavy" spectrum, allowing your crop to pile on huge weight during the flowering stage
• Dimmable from 100% down to 25% without the need of an additional controller
• IP65 ingress protection 
• Hits your plants with light from many directions and angles to maximise yields
• Represents exceptional value for money - amazing bang for buck
• Supplied dismantled so that it can fit through tight spaces (up loft hatches, etc.)
• Built with super-efficient Lumiled and Osram LEDs
• "Spider" design gives the best (most uniform) light spread possible
• Passive heatsink cooling - no fans
• Optimised to produce the goods in a 1.2m x 1.2m or 1.5m x 1.5m grow tent
• Very low profile - great for those with little headroom
• Easy to assemble unlike other similar LEDs on the market
• Total PPF of 1782 µmols per second
• Has a whopping 50,000 hour life-span (equivalent to 11.42 years on a 12/12 cycle)
• 3 Years Manufacturer's Warranty

 

 

What Should I Look For in the Best Grow Lights?

Is it marketing or is it quality? What are the real benefits of LED grow lights, or the features to look for? The primary factors you should look for in LED grow lights are these.

Full Spectrum Grow Lights

The best LED grow lights deliver full spectrum wavelengths from 380 to 840 nm. This includes blue, red, IR, and UV light for all of the growth stages.

To be sure, this recommendation is relatively new in indoor horticulture; in the past we didn’t have these kinds of lighting systems to use. However, using full spectrum lighting for indoor grows can yield plants with more flowers and healthier buds.

Energy-Efficient and Cost-Effective

LED grow lights use far less electricity, too—and the buy-in cost is still lower, because LED grow lights last significantly longer. A high-quality LED light system will last for years while running 10 to 12 hours daily. Even higher wattage LED lights with their powerful output are more cost-effective because they ultimately reduce electrical use overall.

LED lights also run much cooler despite producing a greater amount of light, which means you don’t need to add fans to reduce the temperature low. They are more durable and well-made, so they last longer and fail less.

Closer Control Over Your Indoor Garden

The ability to closely control light levels improves the health and yield of your plants. The ability to do so remotely yet precisely improves your quality of life, and that’s where LED grow light systems come in. Tailoring your lighting cycle also saves you more money, so consider more tweaking features both a yield and cost benefit.

PAR/Lumen Output

To achieve optimal light for your plants, aim for a balanced spectrum with a high PAR/lumen output. Typically the best way to achieve this is with a mix of 3-watt and 5-watt diodes.

Coverage

It is important to be precise in your measurements when considering the area that the lights project. Plants that receive less light will produce less and can dwarf. Occasionally, product descriptions aren’t totally accurate, so it’s critical to check reviews like this one to confirm coverage.

How to Choose a LED Light for Your Specific Setup Using Watts

As a general guideline, you should try to get a minimum of 50 watts per square foot with a LED grow light. This guideline is by no means perfect but will help to get you started.

30-40 watts per square foot means that:

• A 250W LED grow light will cover a 2.5 X 2.5 ft space.
• A 600W LED grow light will cover a 4 X 4ft space.
• A 1000W LED grow light will cover a 5 X 5ft space.

Example: This means that with a 4×4 ft. space (16 sq. ft.), you will need at least 16×30 = 480 watts of actual power draw ;16×40 = 640 watts of actual power draw

So under 4*4ft grow tent ,you need 480W-640W LED grow light 

Let's get started with our most recommended LED grow light.

1.Gavita Pro 1700e LED Grow Light 120-277V

2.ECO Farm ECOF LM301B 600W 8 Bars LED Grow Light

3.GrowCraft X6 ChilLEDTech

4. Rayonled GLM 640 LED Grow Light

5.NextLight Mega LED Grow Light – 650W

 

Gavita Pro 1700e LED Grow Light 120-277V

This strong light output is provided by eight separate LED bars, each passively cooled to provide versatile and efficient use. These LED bars put out full-spectrum UV light to give optimal indoor growing support to help encourage the vegetative and flowering stages of plant life. The 1700e is at the top of its class when it comes to the number of diodes it possesses, boasting 3,300 of these light-producing elements, far above most of the competition. Complementing this are less power-hungry drivers that help to produce an average lifespan of up to 30,000 hours. 

The lighting fixture’s passively cooled design allows the Gavita Pro 1700e to be used in various growing situations from small spaces with low ceilings to tents to standard table/bench setups. A key feature of this grow light is the ability to dim light output by up to 50% without losing any efficiency, although you will need a separate adapter to make this happen. This is a well designed and constructed unit that utilizes quality components such as Samsung LEDs and Philips Drivers – meaning it’s built to last and deliver consistent output. The 1700e is also FCC compliant and wet-rated to handle moisture considerations in indoor operations. 

Pros

• Full-spectrum light output
• Passively cooled light bars allow for versatile application
• Wet-rated 
• Easy vertical and horizontal installation
• Quality components throughout design
• 5-year warranty

ECO Farm ECOF LM301B 600W 8 Bars LED Grow Light

Compared with other LED grow light, illuminated area of this light is 6% larger, reaching an incredible size 6.5x6.5ft for veg and 5.5x5.5ft for bloom. Newest Samsung LM301B chip technology provide light output PPF up to 1680umol/s, high energy efficiency at 2.8umol/J.The best solution to get more and better quality fruits
The ECOF intensity can be changed by dimmer knob according to the different growth stages of plants.With 180°folding design, the angle and range of light can be adjusted appropriately and storage space saving. One will meet all your needs. Use only one light for 4'x4', 5'x5' or 6'x6' tent.
This full spectrum LED Grow Light uses 3496 pcs upgrade Samsung and Osram beads (3500K and 660nm). Adequate and sun-like light can prevent the growth of plants from spindly and moulding. The best lighting solution for indoor hydroponics and soil cultivation.
The actual power is 600w. Increasing the heat dissipation area by utilized a special surface treatment of the aluminum heat sink. Saving up to 50% energy and 30% cooler than than other grow lamp. Low energy consuming fast heat dissipation. No fan. IP65 Waterproof and mute.

Pros

A light that comes from a reliable and reputable company that has its products tested for many years by thousands of growers;
Great build quality;
Run cool;
Cheap price
3-year warranty

GrowCraft X6 ChilLEDTech

When we look at the output and efficiency numbers, we can only conclude that they must be made with the highest quality diodes.

The numbers:

• Efficiency: 2.81 umol/j
• Output: 1647 μmol/s

As you can see the efficiency is as good as lights that are powered by Samsung LM301H diodes, while the output is a bit lower.

While I can't say with certainty, looking at the numbers, there's a big chance Samsung LM301H diodes power these lights.

When you look at the PAR spectrum of light wavelengths covered by this light, you see that all the wavelengths are covered well, just like you would see with other high-quality white lights.

The GrowCraft X6 has especially good coverage of the red and far-red spectra. What this means is that this light will perform exceptionally well in the flowering stage.

This light, as well, comes with Mean Well dimmable LED drivers. It has a dimmable watt-range of 30-600 watts.

The GrowCraft X6 comes with two different options:

• Flowering optimized spectrum, and;
• Vegetative cycle optimized spectrum.

If you have a lot of money to spend, you could get both of them.

However, if you only want to get a single light, I highly recommend getting the flowering optimized version. Looking at PPFD-chart published by ChilLED themselves, this may also be the highest-yielding LED grow-light on the list for a 5’x5′ canopy area. It has the highest PPFD values even towards the edges of the coverage area.

 Rayonled GLM 640 LED Grow Light

SPECIFICATIONS
IP: IP65
CHIPS: SAMSUNG LM561C S6 TOP BIN DIODES
WATTAGE: 640W
EFFICACY: 2.35 μmol/J
PPF: 1,506 μmol
DIGITAL CONTROLLER: RJ14 port not included but optional
RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 23%RH-90%RH
LIFESPAN: L85-50,000Hrs
DIMMABILITY: Manual Dimming Knob
WORK TEMPERATURE: -25°C~+50°C
WATTAGE: 640W
EFFICACY: 2.35 μmol/J
PPF: 1,506 μmol
DIGITAL CONTROLLER: RJ14 port not included but optional
RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 23%RH-90%RH
LIFESPAN: L85-50,000Hrs
DIMMABILITY: Manual Dimming Knob
WORK TEMPERATURE: -25°C~+50°C
CERTIFICATION: ETLc, ROHs, CS

NextLight Mega LED Grow Light – 650W

This unit claims to effectively replace DE 1000w HPS lights that have been used in the industry for years, but use quite a bit of power and generate plenty of heat. By using less wattage while delivering wide light coverage, the Mega LED does indeed make for a recommended replacement for any antiquated lighting you might be using. 

The Mega provides a 5×5 footprint for flowering cycles and a 7×7 footprint for vegetative growth, providing plenty of light when you need it, without consuming a huge amount of energy. The unit itself is roughly 3×3 so puts out more light than its size and has a life rating of 100,000 hours, which is pretty impressive. It is UL certified and comes with a full 5-year warranty as well. The light comes with everything you need to get started with your setup including the lighting fixture, v-hooks, and 120v and 240v power cords. This is a somewhat larger unit that comes with a higher price tag but makes for an effective solution to handle ongoing needs for a variety of growers. 

• 650-watts
• Effectively replaces DE 1000w HPS lights
• Efficient and long-lasting design 
• High-intensity full spectrum light

 

 

 

 

You must be familiar with the LED lights as these lights are now commonly being used for almost all purposes. Whether you want a domestic indoor light, a smart light, or outdoor decorative lights, you will find a lot of options that use LED lights.

Although, there is one more niche category of LED lights that are only familiar to those who have a passion for indoor plantation and botany in general. Here are some things to keep in mind while buying LED grow lights:

• The intensity of Light: This is probably the most crucial factor of LED grow light as it directly affects the growth potential of your plants. You will be needing the perfect amount of intensity regarding the plant you are going to use it for. For versatile use, choose the one that can be calibrated.

• Coverage Area: The coverage area of a full spectrum LED grow light generally dictates its illumination capability and surface area. Generally, the LED grows light needs to cover the entire planting area to ensure the proper and uniform growth of the plants.

• Reliability: The LED grow lights are not the most affordable equipment when it comes to its price. Thus, buying the one that offers the most reliability makes more sense as you will not be able to repair or replace damaged LED lights on a panel with ease.

What to Consider When Choosing the Best LED Grow Lights

The following sections detail some of the most important qualities to keep in mind when shopping for the best LED grow lights for your needs.

Light Spectrum 

Natural sunlight features all the colors on the electromagnetic spectrum. Some LED lights can reproduce only certain color frequencies, while full-spectrum white LED lights produce all the hues necessary for every stage of the growing process.

• Blue light helps plants grow in the earliest stages of their lives. It’s the first color that plants can absorb in their vegetative state.
• Purple light is also used in the vegetative state; however, it’s not as effective for photosynthesis as blue light.
• Red light helps in the latter stages of growing and is essential for buds to flower.
• White light encompasses all the colors of the spectrum. Used alone, it can be effective for every developmental stage.

Iluminar iL8x LED 670W 

The ILUMINAR LED is designed to outperform the competition with additional diodes and a tuned spectrum to deliver iconic results. The 670W iL8x ILUMINAR has a tuned full spectrum LED array specifically engineered for vegetative and flower cycles that require high μmol performance at a lower clearance to the canopy. The IL8 performs the best at 10-12” from the top of the canopy.

* The iL8x is perfect for either large commercial facilities or stand-alone hobby use. The center mast allows the LED bars to be hard mounted to the mast or remote mounted for multi-level grow environments where every inch counts. *Every environment is unique and if you're using additional supplemental lighting, it will change the light layout requirements.

PPF: 1742 µmol/s

Efficacy: 2.6 µmol/j

Input Power: 670W Top Product

Features: Spectrum Tuned:

FS Grow (Full Spectrum Growth) High Efficiency SMD LED Array SMD LED Array Low Profile ETL Listed

Warranty: 5 Years

 

LEX Grow 1800 Pro 640 Watt Premium Commercial and Home LED Grow Light

The new and improved 8 Bar 1800 watt Pro fixture leads the industry with an efficiency of 2.8+ µmol/J per watt while consuming only 640 Watts

• Manual Knob Dimming Capable 0%-100%
• The Built in RJ 14 Ports Allow the Lex Grow 1800 Pro to be linkable with Master Controllers
• The Lex Grow 1800 Pro is composed of a MeanWell Driver, Samsung white LEDs, and Osram deep-red LEDs. This light is built to last, and is backed by our industry-leading 7 Year Warranty

Specifications

• Flower Footprint: 5 ft x 5 ft

• Veg Footprint: 7 ft x 7 ft

• PPF: 1800

• Wattage: 640w

• PPF/Watt: 2.8

• Built in RJ 14 Ports

• RJ 14 Cord

• Unit Dimensions: 44.4 in x 44.4 in

• Life Rating: 100,000 hrs

• Warranty: 7 Years Full

• Operating Volts: 120v - 277v

• ETL Certified and IP66 rated

• No Bulb Replacements

Are you looking for best LED grow light for 4×4 grow tent in 2021? Here you will get the best guide about it. A big garden or dependable light is not needed to grow an indoor plant. While it is sufficiently simple to arrange a little growing area in a basement or in private.

There are a few LED grow tent lights planned clearly for 4×4 grow tents. These particular grow lights ordinarily use at minimum 450 watts of intensity, and spread the light consistently over the grow space so that even buds on the sides of your tent get enough light to grow big. A significant lighting arrangement ensures better returns.

Since LED lights are usually preferred for grow tents, we will only discuss best LED grow lights in the market for your tent.
For a 4×4 tent, you should have a grow light having an actual wattage range of 400-600 watts (assuming flowering plants which require a lot of light and are congregated in a single area. Vegetative growth for high-light plants need about half this wattage). 

The Best LED Grow Lights for 4x4 Grow Tents Under $400:

1. Maxsisun PB4000
2. Mars Hydro TS-3000 Quantum Board
3. Timber LED Model 4VS COB
4. Spider Farmer SF-4000 Quantum Board

Bloom Plus BP 4000W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants

$399.99

• LOWER COSTS & HIGHER-QUALITY YIELDS---Using the Newest high-yield LED technology-1292 pcs Samsung 2835 diodes. So BP4000 LED Grow Lights achieves a high energy efficiency of 2.7 umol/J and improves the light transmittance. The LED Growing Light consumes only 400W of power, which is 50% less than the operating power of other 800W HID/Blurple/HPS lamps, while help gets 50% higher yield harvest. The maximum output is 2.5g/w. Veg Coverage: 6 x 6 ft, Flower: 5 x 5 ft.
• OPTIMAL FULL-SPECTRUM LIGHTING---The Full Spectrum led grow lamp can provide everything the plants need under natural light at all stages. The powerful blue light makes the plants grow faster, and IR light is particularly useful during flowering, it can accelerate bloom time and increase yield, fill the flowers with space and obtain an amazing harvest. This can not only reduce buds but also increase yield while saving energy and costs.
• WORKING SILENTLY & RELIABLY---A fanless design is used to provide you with a silent growth life. Using high-quality Samsung LED chips and reliable drivers, the light is also made of the LED board is passively cooled by a large-area thick aluminum heat sink. The fast-dissipating aluminum material reduces the light lost in walkways and walls, increasing the light intensity by 20%, allowing your plants to get more energy without burning the plants for maximum space.

ECO Farm LM301B UV&IR 450W Quantum Board

$325

ECO Farm LED is designed with Full spectrum(3000K), red light 660nm and IR 730nm and UV 395nm, provide everything plants desired in the natural sunlight, encouraging healthier and more balanced plant growth by stimulating photosynthesis.

Ideal Choice for Harvest - Having the ability to solve the whole cycle of horticultural lighting problems, this LED grow light is especially designed for indoor plants to seek top quality and higher production
High Quality Full Spectrum - Our spectrum is designed specifically for the indoor/greenhouse growth environment of plants from seed to harvest.It’s ideal for a 5 x 5ft vegetative area or a 4 x 4ft flowering area.
High Efficiency - Offering a high efficacy rating of PPF efficacy 2.7μmol and more uniform light, the grow light can release more heat and reduce power consumption at the same time
Well Made - We use a thick aluminum heat sink instead of fans. This means that there is no noise interference in the growth process of plants. Solid construction with high quality drives and LED lights, make it built to last

Growing Tips

You need to be careful regarding the height at which you hang the light above the plants. As it can cause a burn or stunted growth in plants. It is recommended to keep the light at a distance of 30-32 inches in the start. Then you can closely monitor the plants over the time to avoid any burn and allow for a proper stretch (depending on your area size). If there is the stretch between the nodes or too much space between the sucker leaves, you can decrease the height of LED light and further adjust it unless an optimal height is achieved to maintain healthy plants’ growth.

Are grow lights necessary?

Having an indoor garden or a grow tent means that you should also invest in a trusty and great grow light. Grow lights play a vital role in providing your cannabis the light they need to grow. For this reason, a grow light should be seen as a necessity and not a mere luxury or accessory. A grow light perfectly provides an artificial light source to plants that cannot be reached by the sun. this works if you are growing inside a tent or indoors. An enclosed environment emits light that is necessary for photosynthesis. These grow are also useful during extended winter or in places where it is usually cold and the sun is not usually out. If the plants do not receive the right amount of light, they can suffer from various problems, such as being spindly and not bearing flowers.

What’s the best Grow light under $1,000 

Most grow lights in this price range produce a lot of watts (600 watts LED grow light and above) and can illuminate up to 25-30 plants. Because of their good coverage, these lights are ideal for experienced growers who want to grow many plants at once. 

ECO Farm ECOM Bluspec 650W LED Grow Light with Samsung LM301B and Cree Chip

Product Description:

[Sunlike Full Spectrum]The ECO Farm ECOM 600W LED is built using high quality and durable driver and top bin LED generation and 8 passively cooled bars provide full-spectrum and broad-coverage light for veg and flowering growing stages. It covers 5’x5’ Veg footprint and 4’x4’ flower footprint.
[ High Energy Efficiency] High energy efficiency of 2.7umol/J, producing a total PPF output f 1755 umol/J creates a homogeneous light spread at close distance from the crop canopy and delivers the outstanding results for indoor grow, green house and grow tents. To compare to regular similar wattage HPS solutions, the LED lights achieve 30~40% HVAC capacity and increased yields of up to 30-60%.

Specifications:

Spectrum: 3000K+6500K+660nm+460-470nm+ 450nm
LED Chips:
LM301B 3000K 186pcs x8
LM301B 6500K 93pcs x8
OSRAM 660nm 12pcs x8
Cree 460-470nm 2pcs x8
Cree 450nm 1pcsx8
LEDs: 2352 Total LEDs
Efficacy:2.7umol/J @277AC
AC Input Power:650W @120V AC 630W@277V
PPF:1715 umol/s
Grams Per Watt: up to 2.0
Lifetime: >50,000
Fixture Dimensions: 113*110*4 CM
Weight: 15kg

Grower's Choice ROI-E680 LED Grow Light

Product Description

• The Roi-E680 Horticulture LED System.
• An inspired collaboration between two of the most respected lighting companies in horticulture industry.
• TSL Horti Tech and Grower’s Choice have joined forces with their years of innovative experience to create this high performance and cost-effective lighting solution for commercial horticulture
• PPF calculations complied using our in-house integrating sphere measurements and typical spectroadiometric data for each LED to determine the fixture performance. Actual photometric results may vary within the LED's manufacturer's bin tolerance.
• Wattage values are typical expected values. TSL Horti Tech maintains a tolerance of +/- 10% range on flux and power consumption. Target light level can vary from projected levels depending on ambient temperature, room reflections values, and other conditions.

Technical Specifications:

• Light Source：LED Spectrum:GC-3K Full Phase PPF:1700 μmol/s Input Power:680W
• Efficacy:2.5 μmol/s Fixture Dimension | Wright:42.4” L x 42” W x 2.4” H | 30lbs Mounting Height :≥6” (15.2cm) Above Canopy
• Thermal Management :Passive Dimming:0-10V Light Distribution :120° Lifetime:L90: >54,000 hrs Power Factor :>90%
• IP65, ETL, CE

Content

• ROI-E680 LED System
• 9’ Connecting Cable
• Information Page
• User Manual

HLG Scorpion Rspec 600w 

The LED gives a flower footprint of 5’ X 5’ when hung at 18’’ height and a vegetative footprint of 6’ X 6’ at the 24’’. The system PPF efficacy has been reported at 2.62μmol/joule, and the total output has been reported at 1584 PPF. Ideally, the fixture must be mounted 12-18 inches away from the canopy. 

The fixture has been designed for grow areas with a low ceiling height and vertical racks. The HLG Scorpion R Spec uses 6 X 288 quantum board diodes, which allow even light spread. So, even the ones at the corner get sufficient lighting and nourishment. 

The horticulture system functions seamlessly and noiselessly due to the passive-cooled design, which dissipates the system's heat without cooling fans. The reliable cooling system maintains the system heat and increases the lifespan of the horticulture solution. 

You won’t notice any spot burns as the fixture gives out diffused light, allowing better and deeper canopy penetration compared to the traditional grow fixtures. According to the requirement, you can adjust the light intensity as it comes with a dimming option. The system comes with a 3-year warranty, so stay assured about your investment. 

Specifications: 

• SKU/Model No.: LED-HLG-600-SCORPION-RSPEC
• Power: 60-600 Watts
• Voltage Range: 100-277 VAC 50-60Hz
• LED: Samsung LM301H & Deep Red
• Flowering Footprint: 5' x 5' at 18"
• Veg Footprint: 6' x 6' at 24”
• System PPF Efficacy: 2.62μmol/joule
• Total output: 1584 PPF
• Dimensions: 38.5" x 36" x 2.75"
• Recommended Mounting Height: 12-18 inches above canopy

Some of the most important things to keep in mind:
Make sure that the LED grow lights are properly installed, excellently wired, and connected. Pay attention to wirings and get the proper electrical materials. This will not only be beneficial for your cannabis but for your safety as well.
Keep your grow lights squeaky clean. Use a glass cleaner to keep it clean and in perfect condition. Before doing this, however, make sure that the light is turned off and unplugged for your safety.
Make it a habit to wipe the lights or dust it off. Accumulation of dust on the surface can affect the intensity of the light emitted. And it might affect the growth and development of your cannabis in the long run.
The right position and location of the LED grow lights will also be a critical concern. Place it in a room where there is not too much moisture.
LED lights are a great addition to add to your growing space for a variety of reasons. Not only are they energy-efficient, but they work quickly at helping your plants to grow. If you’re on the search for a 600W LED grow light  under $1000 to use in your growing space, definitely keep the models mentioned above in mind

What is a 600w LED light?

An LED light is comprised of multiple light-emitting diodes and has at least one internal fan for cooling and circulation purposes.

LED lights have an array of colored grow lights (red, green and blue); which all contribute to the growth of a plant (both flowering and vegetative stages) and root growth and formation.

The 600w LED (light emitting diode) light is a favorite among cannabis growers due to its high power, reasonable prices and efficient set-up and expense.

Make sure to read the manufacturer’s information when purchasing a 600w LED; as most say 600w on the packaging, but only put out 400w when at full power.

The Size Of Your Grow Space

When growing cannabis, a good rule of thumb is to use a minimum of 50 watts of light per square foot of grow space.We want to flood our plants with light ( food ) so that they have lots of energy to produce big potent buds.Therefore, we need to calculate the square footage ( length x width ) of our grow space.

We’ll then multiply this number by 50w to give us the rough wattage of light we require.

EXAMPLE: I have a grow space that is 4ft long and 3ft wide. This gives me a square foot grow space of 12 ( 4ft x 3ft ). I would then multiply this number by 50w, which gives me 600w. Therefore, in this example, I would require an LED grow light that was at least 600w.

How Many Plants Can I Grow?

In general, each cannabis plant you grow requires at least 1sq ft of space.After germination, I like to place one plant in a large 5-gallon fabric container, which has a diameter of roughly 1 sq foot.
My plant will stay in this pot until it flowers.
This allows the plant to grow big and strong without other plants or tent walls obstructing its progress. I also don’t like transferring plants too often, as it puts a lot of stress on the plant.So this as a guideline, I would be able to grow between 1-6 plants in my example above.
Make Sure Your Canopy Is Covered
Now, it’s also important to understand that most LED grow lights will usually only be able to cover around 1- 6 plants.If you want to grow any more plans than this, you would need to purchase multiple lights to hang side by side ( called daisy-chaining ) to cover the canopy and ensure each plant is getting equal light.
The table below shows how the number of watts you require increases with the size of your grow space. I’ve also included how many plants each size of grow light will be adequate for.

Note: 1 sq ft grow space = 50 watts LED grow light

General wattage guide

Grow Tent Size	Watt Needed	Number Of Plants
2×2  4 square feet	450w	1
3×3 9 square feet	450w-600w	1 to 4
2×4 8 square feet	450w-600w	1 to 4
4×4 16 square feet	600w-1000w	1 to 6
8×4 32 square feet	600w-1600w	1 to 8
8×8 64 square feet	600w-3200w	1 to 10
10×10 100 square feet	600w-5000w	1 to 12

 

What are some recommended 600w LED grow lights?

ECO Farm ECOY 600W Movable LED Grow Light Bar with Samsung LM301H Chip

ECO Farm ECOY 600W Movable LED Grow Light Bar has been developed by indoor growers over many years of careful experimentation and testing. Scientifically engineered to deliver the highest level of PAR output and balanced Coverage in the LED grow market.

The ECO Farm ECOY 600W Movable LED Grow Light is built with high-quality Samsung LM301H diodes. The lights encompass a continuous range of wavelength, creating a light blend matching the natural sunlight.

ECO Farm ECOY 600W Movable LED Grow Light customized their light spectrum to optimize plant growth and increase yields while consuming less energy and reducing operating costs compared with traditional horticulture technologies.

Advance Spectrum 600W MAX LED Grow Light Bar

The 600W grow light panel will support all your indoor and outdoor plantation requirements. The LED grow light is dimmable to adjust the lighting and heat intensity according to the requirement. With a single knob at the back of the grow light fixture, you can take control over the intensity of the panel and take control of the power output for seedlings, flowers, and veg. 

The LED has blue, red, orange, and red diodes that create optimal light conditions for achieving a healthy yield. The 600W LED grow light equals 1000W HID power. The LED is highly-efficient and increases the chlorophyll molecule absorption. 

With LED lights, you can save approximately 80 to 90% of energy consumption. The diodes heat up less, so you do not have to worry about your plants getting damaged. Also, with less energy consumption, you save on power. 

The LED is rated at 50,000 hours, which ensures a long lifespan. With more active hours, you do not have to worry about excessive maintenance costs.

Installing the LED panel is quite simple, so you probably won't need any professional help to get it assembled. It is super easy to easy, and immediately after the assembling, plug the fixture right into the wall.

The LED's vegetative footprint is 5’ X 5’, and its flowering footprint is 3.5’ X 3.5’. The distance between the grow light, and the plantation must be approximately 24inches. Anywhere closer to this may be harmful to the plants. 

 Specifications:

• Model #: CID-600WBAR

• Max Wattage: 360 Watts

• Actual Wattage Draw: 600w

• Input Power: 600w

• PPF/Watt: 2.3 umol/j

• Amerage: 120V: 5.25A , 240V: 2.62A

• Spectrum: Full-Spectrum

• HID equivalent: 1000W HPS

• Beam Angle: 120

• Coverage Area: 5' x 5' Veg, 4' x 4' Flower

• Warranty:  3 years

• Spectrum: 60% - 3500k, 30% - 6500k, 10% - red (660nm)

 LUMATEK ZEUS 600W LED GROW LIGHT

Lumatek Zeus Pro LEDs are the most powerful grow lights money can buy, competing alongside the Maxibright Daylight LED grow light and the Gavita 1700e. It delivers an intense, full-spectrum output that's close to natural sunlight, and with an almost perfectly even footprint.

• Lumatek LEDs put out very little heat (reduced HVAC) - helps maintains an optimal environment
• Produces full-spectrum light that mimics the sun
• Super-high photon efficiencies of 2.7 umol per watt respectively
• Incredible PPF outputs of 1070 and 1620 µmol/s
• Built with Osram and Lumled LEDs - some of the best diodes in the industry
• Five-year manufacturer's warranty for complete peace of mind
• Extremely safe to run - splash resistant and dust proof IP65 certified
• 60,000 hours lifespan (equivalent to 13.7 years on a 12/12 cycle)

Features:

• Very high efficacy 2.7 µmol/s/J
• High PPF output for high intensity 1620 µmol/s
• High quality Lumatek LED drivers
• Top bin LEDs
• Balanced full spectrum
• External control with Lumatek Control Panel
• Replaceable 100W magnet light bars
• Fully Dimmable
• User friendly Plug & Play Assembling
• Far Red Light Bars for Flowering stage can be purchased separately
• Detachable driver for remote use

Benefits include energy savings; Lumatek LED solutions demonstrate the potential to save 40% on electricity and studies indicate that LED-lit canopies can generate more yield per kWh.

Plant and crop performance; initial studies indicate growers using LED lighting may experience yield increases and changes in cannabinoid and terpene profiles, leading to more consistent medicinal product profiles from harvest to harvest.

Less maintenance; Lumatek LEDs are rated for 60,000 hours use supported by a market leading 5 Year warranty.

Reduced HVAC; Lumatek LEDs are highly efficient and less wattage equals less heat into the space, allowing for potentially lower HVAC loads and operating expense.

Safety; Lumatek LED drivers are intelligent and feature full circuit protection including over/under voltage, short circuit and over temperature protection. Lumatek Zeus LED drivers also feature auto-power increase/decrease to match the amount of light bars connected to fixture. All Lumatek LED fixtures are CE certified LVD and EMC compliant.

Flexible light intensity; Lumatek LEDs can be dimmed to adjust PPF level to suit crop and growth stage without changing spectral power distribution or losing efficiency.

Should You Use Infrared Lighting in Your Grow Room?

In the cannabis industry, there’s a great deal of controversy surrounding IR (infrared) light and its effects on plant health. Because infrared light can’t be seen with the naked eye, many growers believe it has no benefits. That’s why some question whether it should be used in cultivation. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain what infrared light is, how it is used in grow lighting, and how it may help your cannabis seeds to grow, survive, and thrive.

Infrared Light: What Is It and What Does It Do?

A little less than half the light that reaches the earth’s surface is heat radiation, otherwise known as infrared light. Visible light only makes up a small portion of solar radiation. Along with visible light, the sun emits wavelengths that are too long or too short for us to see. However, we can feel them. Have you ever had a bad sunburn? That’s infrared light at work.

IR light is a part of the electromagnetic light spectrum, where the wavelengths are much longer than those of the visible light spectrum. Most infrared wavelengths range from 700 nanometers up to one millimeter, and they are a primary source of heat transfer. The longer an IR wavelength is, the more heat it produces. There are several types of infrared light:

Near-infrared light has the shortest wavelengths in the IR spectrum. They’re almost visible, and they’re commonly used in household objects because they’re not hot.
Mid-infrared light is warmer than near-infrared light, but it’s not quite hot. With special tools, astronomers and researchers can use mid-IR light to study celestial objects.
Far-infrared light is made up of hot wavelengths. This type of IR light is used in grow lighting to help cannabis plants like og kush and sour diesel bloom and thrive.

How Do Different Grow Lights Use Infrared Light?

There are three main types of grow lights: high intensity discharge grow lights, LED grow lights, and T5 grow light fixtures. All three of these grow lights are capable of providing infrared light through various means.

High Intensity Discharge (HID) Grow Lights

HIDs provide a lot of infrared light naturally, just by plugging them in. Your plants light via chemical reaction when electricity arcs between two electrodes interact with ionized gas or plasma inside of a bulb. Depending on the type of gas being used, you'll produce white/blue light used for metal halide (MH) lights and ceramic metal halide (CMH) lights, or warm yellow/orange light used in high pressure sodium (HPS) grow lights.

In between all those wavelengths of light, though, is IR light. In fact, roughly 30% of the light emitted from HID lights is IR light.

LED Grow Lights
LEDs are made up of several diodes, some of which are capable of producing IR light. Most LEDs typically only produce visible light like blue and red wavelengths. So in order to emit infrared light, growers need to add infrared emitting diodes.

The ECO Farm ECOZ  Samsung 301H Chips LED Grow Light With Separately UV+IR Control is a great example of an LED that includes IR light. It features an infrared diode with an IR wavelength reading of 730 for boosted resin production.

T5 Grow Lights
In the same way as HIDs, T5 lights produce light with an electrical current and a chemical reaction. Like their HID counterparts, T5 lights — such as the Yield Lab Complete 54w T5 Four Bulb Fluorescent Grow Light Panel (6400K) — give off some infrared light but not a ton.

That said, growers can incorporate infrared LED grow light diodes with their T5 light fixtures, or buy separate bulbs for their fixtures that provide IR light. The S180 Advance Spectrum MAX LED Grow Light Kit is a compact option as it's a smaller-sized LED panel that still includes an IR light diode.

How Do You Use Infrared Lights in a Grow Tent?

Along with LED lights and T5 lights, you can also install infrared light in your grow tent. Suffice to say that it’ll help thrive your plants quicker. Your plant needs infrared light for faster flowering as it interacts with phytochromes. All you need to take care of is the intensity of the light, as too much heat can damage your plants. 

As infrared light assists plants to grow and stretch, it might also make it less compact. That’s why you should always consider the size of the growing space before installing infrared light. 

Remember that intense infrared exposure may increase the risk of damage to cannabis plants. When using infrared grow lights, make sure to use protective gear to eliminate potential exposure.

Because infrared light isn’t necessary for plant growth and development, growers should consider the cost of use. For instance, those who use HPS lighting must use an HVAC system to manage the heat. However, these systems can be costly and laborious to maintain and install, so you should estimate the pros and cons before purchasing.

Light Coverage

Multiple HPS grow light setup in indoor grow room.Knowing how much light your plants need isn’t as simple as choosing any light and then hoping for the best. You’ll have to take into account two important factors:

Plant Coverage — This is pretty self explanatory and means the amount of light each individual plant will receive.
Canopy Coverage — This type of coverage refers to the light that will be spread over the entire group of plants in your grow tent, otherwise known as the canopy.
Whether you’re going with plant coverage or canopy coverage, it’s essential to know how much PAR or lumens you’re going to need for optimal growth. Remember:

Lumens measure the intensity of an HID light, which includes HPS grow lights, MH grow lights, and CMH grow lights.
PAR, or photosynthetically active radiation, is used to measure the intensity of LED grow lights.
You might be asking yourself, “Why do I need to factor lumens/PAR? Can’t I just use a certain number of watts per square foot in my grow room?” While you could just base the amount of necessary light for your plants on the size of your grow room or grow tent, doing so won’t give you enough light intensity for all of your plants.

Plants require a certain amount of lumens or PAR to achieve optimal growth.
As such, it’s best to figure out the exact amount of lumens/PAR the specific plants you’re growing will need.
Notice that we're ditching the whole "x-watts/per sq.ft." method. Now, the coverage area of any given light will have varying PAR/lumens the further out from the center you go. That's why if you have a large growing area and need to use multiple lights, PAR and lumens is going to be especially handy.
This will allow you to figure out how much light they need more accurately than just trying to get a certain amount of wattage per square foot.

Calculate your grow light requirements first

Calculating your grow lighting requirements really is just two steps - determine your plant’s lighting needs (watts/square foot), and your plant canopy dimensions.

A common mistake new growers make is measuring the dimensions of the grow room itself.

What you really should be measuring is the footprint of your plant canopy.

For example, if you are growing in a 5’ x 5’ space but your plant canopy only takes up 4’ x 4’, you don’t need a grow light capable of lighting the 5’ x 5’ space - it would be overkill.

How to calculate grow light wattage requirements

Most flowering plants grow best with 20-30 watts of light per square foot. Don’t make the mistake of thinking more is better. Too much light can lead to bleaching and burning your plants.

Let's say you are growing in a 5’ x 5’ grow space. If your plants need 20-30 watts/square foot, and your canopy takes up 4’ x 4’ of that space, you will need 320-480 watts of grow lighting.

How to calculate LED wattage requirements

If you are planning on using LED grow lights, there are a few things you need to know about calculating your grow light coverage.

Some manufacturers have two different wattage specifications - displayed wattage and actual wattage (power draw).

Because LED grow lights operate so efficiently, manufacturers will display a wattage equivalent to HPS. For example, the Gavita LED 1700e is 646 actual watts, but is equivalent to a 1000 watt HPS grow light.

So, if your 5’ x 5’ growing space requires 320-480 watts of grow lighting, and you choose the LED route, make sure your LED light features an actual wattage of between 320-480.

Calculate HPS or CMH Grow Light Coverage Area:

If you’re planning to use an HPS or CMH grow light, which I only recommend for tight budgets or very large grow spaces, then you’ll have a more difficult time calculating the grow light coverage area. That’s because most HPS grow lights don’t provide coverage charts or coverage area recommendations like LED grow lights do.

With that said, the rule of thumb for HPS grow light coverage area, according to renowned grower Jorge Cervantes, is the following:

​

2×2 feet:	3×3 feet:	4×4 feet:	5×5 feet:	6×6 feet:
175 watt	250 watt	400 watt	1000 watt	1000 watt
		600 watt

How to make your HPS or CMH grow light coverage more efficient:

Use multiple smaller sized grow lights
Use wing style reflectors
When growing in a large area with HPS or CMH grow lights, you can make your grow light coverage more efficient by using multiple smaller lamps compared to one large lamp.

You should also ensure you’re using an open wing style reflector instead of a hood reflector. The wing reflectors spread the light more efficiently than hood reflectors, increasing your HPS or CMH light coverage.

Instead of using one 1000 watt grow light for a 5×5 or 6×6 foot space, try using three 400 watt or 600 watt grow lights in the same space. The benefits are a more uniform distribution of light, and you’re able to place the smaller lights closer to the cannabis plants, leaving them more room to grow.

How do I calculate grow light coverage?

 When Trying to Calculate Grow Light Coverage:

First ask what size grow space you’ll be growing in. I recommend 2×2 feet of space per plant, but there are exceptions to that rule. You can train one single cannabis plant to fill a 3×3 foot grow tent, or you can fit two smaller plants in there. Figure out how you’ll be growing and how much space it’ll require.

Many grow lights are designed to light a specific sized space. For example, ECO Farm grow ligh models that light 2×2 feet, 2×4 feet, 3×3 feet, all the way up to 5×5 feet. It’s not a coincidence that those are the exact sizes grow tents are offered in. Find the model or combination of grow light models that fit your grow space.
 
In order to best calculate grow light coverage, you should find the coverage chart for the grow light you’re considering, and compare it with the size of your grow tent. Take a look at the example below:


This is an example of a 4×4 foot coverage chart provided by a grow light manufacturer. It’s a textbook example of the type of light coverage you’d want in a 4×4 foot grow tent. The light intensity, measured in micromoles, is strong even in the far corners of the measured 4×4 foot area.
​

 

How plants are affected by too little or too much light

Plants like this geranium become leggy when not grown in enough light.
When plants lack light, they don't produce chlorophyll (the green pigment in plants), and plants can turn pale green to yellow to white.
Plant stems become “leggy,” meaning stems become long and thin and appear to be reaching toward the source of light.
A lack of sufficient light causes the plant to grow long spaces on stems between the leaf nodes (the point where a leaf grows out from the stem).
Plants without sufficient light may also drop their leaves, especially older leaves.
You may find that a variegated plant (leaves that are white and green) may revert to being solid green.
Flowering plants may fail to produce flower buds.
Plants exposed to too much light may result in scorched and bleached leaves.

Enter the PPF or Photon Efficiency

In order to calculate efficiency, coverage and harvest potential we need to use Photosynthetic Photon Flux (PPF) data. If you have a light fixture in mind, look for PPF or Photon Efficiency (PPE) data in the manufacturer’s literature or on their website. Manufacturers of high efficiency lights will usually report this data because it is a selling point. For most grow lights, PPF values are between 100 and 1500 µmol. Photon efficiency values are usually between 1.00 and 3.00 µmol/w.

PPF (Not PPFD)

PPF values are often called “PAR Value” or “Total PAR”. They measure the total amount of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) that a fixture will produce. This data will be reported as “µmol” or “µmol/s”. You can enter this data in the Grow Light Calculator in the field labeled “µmol”.

Unfortunately, many manufacturers of low-quality lights do not report PPF data. They instead try to manipulate Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) data to convince growers that the lights are more powerful than they are. PPFD is a measure of the density rather than the quantity of photons. The data reported in PAR maps is PPFD data. PPFD values are properly reported as µmol/m²/s. If you see the “m²” in the label, then it is PPFD data which cannot be used in the Grow Light Calculator.

Choosing the right plant for your available light

Before getting a plant or starting seeds, determine the quality and hours of natural light in your space. Then choose plants with light requirements that match your indoor environment.

While a plant may tolerate lower light growing conditions, more light may be required to promote dense foliage and flowering.

Low light

(PPF: 50-150 umol m-2s-1 / 50-250 foot-candles / 10-15 watts)

• A low-light plant would be suitable for a north window or a fairly dark corner.
• Low-light plants require little to no direct light. In their native growing environments, these plants are “understory plants” meaning they grow underneath the branches of larger plants.
• Low lighting is not sufficient for starting seeds indoors.
• In environments with less light, plants grow more slowly and use less water. Avoid overwatering by feeling the soil.

Medium light

(PPF: 150-250 umol m-2s-1 / 250-1,000 foot-candles / 15-20 watts)

• A medium-light plant would be suitable for east-facing windows or located near a west-facing window, but out of direct light.
• You would need artificial lighting for starting seeds in medium light.
• Like the low light plants, these plants will not dry out as quickly. Avoid overwatering by feeling the soil.

High light

(PPF: 250-450 umol m-2s-1 / more than 1,000 foot-candles, more than 20 watts)

• A high-light plant would be suitable for brightly lit locations such as south- or southwest-facing windows.
• You may be able to start seeds without artificial lighting, but seeds that need more time indoors, such as tomatoes and peppers, may become leggy without extra light.
• High-light areas can be warm, making plants dry out faster. Check these plants more frequently and water when soil is dry. 

Using Wattage to Estimate the Optimal Amount of Light

With High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights, such as High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) and Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH) it became common to use wattage to determine how much light you need for your grow tent. With HID lighting, the rule is about 40 watts per square foot (430 watts per square meter). This means that a 600W HID grow light is adequate for a 4’ x 4’ grow tent and a 1000-watt HID light is perfect for a 5’ x 5’ tent.

Wattage was never the correct metric to measure the amount of light. It was a reasonable proxy for HID lights only because all HID lights convert electricity into usable light at about the same rate. However, LED grow lights can now be significantly more efficient than HID lights. The wattage rules no longer apply to most home growers.

LED and HPS Equivalency

High Pressure Sodium (HPS) have traditionally been the preferred HID light for flowering cannabis plants. When LED grow lights came into the market, many manufacturers tried to sell their lights by claiming an “HPS equivalency”. Since HPS lights were traditionally measured in terms of watts, LED lights came to be marketed with an “equivalent wattage”. However, there has never been a standardized way to make these “equivalencies”. Each manufacturer comes up with their own metrics to establish them and most are gross exaggerations. We advise you to completely disregard the manufacturer’s claims about “HPS equivalency” or “equivalent wattage”.

What is a Quantum Board Led Grow Light?

Quantum board grow lights are the next step above chip on a board (COB) LED grow lights. The LEDs are connected to a carefully wired board. The quantum board may be sold as just a circuit board. In these cases, you combine it with a pin heat sink or conventional extruded aluminum heat sink.

The LED bulbs themselves share the same advantages as other LED lights such as a long life expectancy and energy efficiency. Quantum board LEDs are as controllable as other LEDs. For example, a 300 watt system can typically be dimmed down to 120 watts in the early stages of growth. A quantum grow light that matches a 150 watt CFL in light output uses around 80 watts while covering a roughly two foot by two foot growing area.

480W quantum grow lights that cover a 5 foot by 5 foot area for vegetation growth may only provide enough light for a 4.5 by 4.5 blooming crop. But it will consume only 350 to 500 watts of power while matching the light output of a rough 1000 watt bulb.

The best quantum board led grow lights are properly sized for the growing area. Know that this may mean setting up several grow lights to get full coverage.

Best Budget 480W Quantum Board LED

ECO Farm 480W LM301B/LM301H Quantum Board

• High efficiency white light quantum boards
• Full-spectrum White and 660nm Red and 730nm Far Red and UV 395nm
• Meanwell Driver & Reliable passive-cooled design
• Better canopy light penetration with diffused light
• Dimmable power supply included
• Higher intensity and more even coverage in a grow tent, reflective area, or by crossing over using multiple lamps.

Specs

Power : 480W
- LEDs : 908PCS LM301B 3500K + 148PCS 660NM + 4PCS UV + 4PCS IR 
- Heatsink size : 2PCS 632.5mm*195mm*10mm
- Driver : 2pcs Meanwell XLG-240-H-AB Work in 85–265V
- Flowering Footprint : 4 x 4ft
- Veg Footprint :5 x 5ft
- DB: 0dB
- Max Yield：2.5g/watt
- Humidity ≤90%
- Lifespan: ≥50000 hours
- Frequency: 50–60HZ
- Work Temperature：-4°F ~115°F (-20°C ~ 46°C)
- Recommended Mounting Height : 20–32inches

Maxisun Brand 2020 Model PB 4000 LED Grow Light

This grow light by Maxisun is designed to cover a four foot by four foot growing area, if you’re nurturing flowering plants. It can replace sunlight for leafy plants in a five foot by five foot tray.

This is a full-spectrum grow light. It puts out similar amounts of red and blue light. It lacks a purple hue because it puts out white, yellow and green light, as well. This gives owners better visibility when working under the grow light. However, you can’t make it put out more red light to maximize vegetation growth.

This model has a driver that automatically dims the grow light when things are getting too hot. However, this can cause problems if the grow tent isn’t getting enough ventilation. While the quantum board grow light puts out half as much heat as a comparable HID light, it can get hot, especially in an enclosed space.

For example, it could warm up a grow tent by ten degrees F in just a few hours. If you don’t have enough ventilation, the plants won’t get enough light.

This unit doesn’t have a fan, because it relies on passive cooling. That makes it one of the quieter grow lights on the market. Another point in favor of it is that it is essentially water proof. While it should be put in a tray of water, it won’t rust or short out if it gets a little wet. Note that it is not suitable for outdoor use.

The unit comes with a basic hanging kit and short power plug. It is not designed to be daisy-chained to other grow lights.

Pros:

• Low heat output
• Automatically dims to cool things off
• Energy efficient
• Full spectrum grow light
• Water proof

Cons:

• Must have decent ventilation