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Choosing the right Grow Light

Brockney C • Dec 07, 2022

Check out the many different types of lighting to choose from....

There are many different types of lighting to choose from, which come in different shapes, sizes and power ratings. A grow light emits artificial light at a high intensity and effectively simulates sunlight for the growth of the plants. The beauty of artificial lighting is that it is always available and you can control how much of it your plants receive each day (and night!)

The result of this is that your plants can achieve the maximum amount of photosynthesis, helping them to flourish with a consistent growth rate and good yields.

Grow lights have different spectrums and levels of intensity which can be adjusted to suit your plants' needs.

The advantages include extended growing seasons, whether it is winter or summer, consistent growth rates and the ability to set up a farm regardless of your location.

Research has shown that using growth lights produces larger, taller plants with a greater number of leaves.

TECHNICAL TERMS

The main technical terms to consider before choosing growth lights are as follows:


  • Kelvins


Kelvins measure the colour temperature. A high Kelvin rating indicates that the source is producing a sharp white and cool light. A lower rating will produce a warm light with more of a yellow colour. The best Kelvin rating depends on the type of plants you are growing.


  • Lumens


This lets us know how much of the emitted lighting is visible and it is important to make sure there are enough lumens to cover your growing area. It can be judged either by the lumens or the intensity rating of the light source.


  • PAR Value


PAR stands for how much Photosynthetically Active Radiation is produced by the light source, the higher the better!


  • Light Colour


This is also quite important to the plants and also a higher Kelvin rating can help the grower have a better view of what is going on....


Most lighting gives the full spectrum of colours and plants use the "warm" red light for flowering and the "cool" blue light to develop the roots.

THE MAIN TYPES OF GROW LIGHTS

  • Flourescent Grow Lights


Although they are fairly efficient and do not produce a lot of heat they emit less light than other sources so are not necessarily the number one choice.


  • Incandescent Lights


These are definitely the least efficient and the most expensive and because of the amount of heat produced they are not the best option.


  • Light Emitting Diodes (LED)


These are definitely the most efficient and cost effective lighting systems and are the way forward in many scenarios. As well as using far less energy than other light sources they are also durable and very long lasting.


  • Halogen Lighting


The full light spectrum is produced, similar to natural sunlight. Also they are relatively inexpensive to run they are not quite as efficient as LED lighting.


  • Metal Halide (MH)


A blue/white light is produced which is useful for the vegetative stage. They emit less heat but are slightly more expensive to run.


  • High Pressure Sodium (HPS)


They give off a reddish/orange light and help with the flowering stage. They produce less heat than halogen lighting and are considered to be more efficient.

DURATION OF LIGHTING

Plants don't need 24/7 lighting and a certain amount of time in the darkness helps with their metabolism. The beauty of grow lights is their efficiency does help plants to grow faster and larger. Although the lighting time does vary a full 12 hours of lighting per day is good.


A growth timer is a very cost effective and useful tool as it can control this for you.

REFLECTION

Growth light reflectors are great for energy efficiency as they reflect the light back to the plant which ensures that it has sufficient light to grow.


There are many different shapes and sizes available which means you can get the ideal one for your growroom.

HEIGHT ADJUSTER

The height adjuster is effectively a cheap and cheerful device that makes it easy to move your lights as and when your plants grow. This ensures that your plants always receive the optimal amount of lighting.

CONCLUSION

Grow lights are definitely an important part of an indoor growing system and when choosing them it is important to consider a few factors. These include the type of plant (which we will come onto in the next article), the growth stage it is at and the amount of space you have for your setup.


And finally, always feel free to give us a call and we can provide some useful advice on moving forward.

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