Types of Grow Light for Hydroponics

Table of Contents

1- Fluorescent lights

Fluorescent grow lights do not produce the amount of lights as metal halide and high pressure sodium grow lights do, but they provide very good colour spectrum wavelengths. These grow lights use little power thus saves electric bill to a great extent as compared to metal halide and high pressure sodium grow lights. These grow lights proved to be successful for lettuce and herbs. They can be used on seedlings and for starting larger plants like tomatoes.

2-CFL

CFL bulbs come in much higher wattages, much higher lumen ratings, different wavelengths to choose from and these bulbs last 8000 hours and more. HID (high intensity discharge) systems normally use high wattage bulbs, either in metal halide for the blue light (plants need for growth) or high pressure sodium bulbs for the red lights (plants need for flowering) and sometimes both are used at the same time.

3-Sodium grow lights

These grow lights cannot be placed very close to plants as they produce quite higher heat that may burn the plants to death. These grow lights must be placed a few metres above any type of hydroponic system. The grow lights can also be used carefully during winters to protect the plants from extreme cold. These grow lights are usually used for larger hydroponic plants (especially flowering plants) or for a larger area that is to be covered. These grow lights will run up the electric bill much more as compared to any fluorescent grow lights.

4-LED grow lights

Light emitting diodek (LED) grow lights can give correct light spectrum wavelengths of reds and blues based on the nanometer scale of plant growth. They last from 10 to 15 times longer than HID bulbs and produce almost no heat at all and consumes very low power thus saves enormous amount of money on the electric bill as compared to any metal halide and high pressure sodium grow lights. They work great based on actual plant science and are 95 per cent efficient.

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