Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have changed the world, especially in hydroponics. The main reason for this is that they are energy efficient, have an incredible lifespan, emit almost no heat, and cast light over a large area.

Combine all these elements and you can see exactly why they have dominated the grow light market.

With this massive rise to the top, choosing which LED grow lights to use becomes complicated.

If you’re worried about sifting through millions of blog posts, this will be the last article you need when choosing the best LED hydroponic grow lights.

While you can use fluorescent lights, fluorescent tubes or high pressure sodium/high intensity grow lights (HPS/HID), LEDs are becoming the all and the ultimate in hydroponic grow light solutions.

As a reminder, LEDs are expensive and still in the early stages of development. But so far so good.

How do LED grow lights work?

LED grow lights work by passing current through a semiconductor diode. These semiconductors are made of a lattice (often a combination of chemicals such as silicone) that holds electrons. When the charge changes, these electrons are forced out of the lattice and into another, breaking bonds with the lattice in the process, releasing energy in the form of heat and electricity.

This heat and current is then expelled through the semiconductor and through the little colored cap that surrounds it. Typically, these colors are cool and warm white, blue, UV-A, red, and far red, giving the entire light a violet hue across the full spectrum.

When light hits the leaves, the color penetrates the cells and stimulates photosynthesis, the complex process of combining and converting nutrients, water, carbon dioxide and other chemicals into sugars, amino acids and final structural components.

Plants respond differently to different colors of light. Red light tends to promote elongation and flower growth. Blue light encourages thick, robust foliage. Plants need more blue light during their initial vegetative growth phase and red light throughout the growth cycle than during flowering, but blue light still helps reduce stretch and growth that affects plant health only while growing. Strangely stretched under a red light. LED grow lights are great for growing plants because they provide the full spectrum of light they need, but can also be programmed to provide specific colors that emphasize better plant growth.

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

Features:

This ECO Farm full-spectrum LED Grow Light uses 1314 pcs upgrade SMD lamp beads (3000K, 6500K 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, such as potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, etc, is most suitable for the various growth stages of plants. The high-reflective optical principle guarantees emitting uniform light, 98% of light can be absorbed, and plants love it. LED light spread at a close distance from the crop canopy and delivers outstanding results for indoor grow, greenhouse and grow tents. Increase 15% — 30% yield, help plants grow healthier. The 6 bar led grow lights, are suitable for all plant growth stages, seedlings and any other fruits and vegetables. The LED grow lights use a high-quality aluminium heat-sink design, it makes excellent heat dissipation.

LEX Grow 1800+ 640 Watt Commercial and Home LED Grow Light

Features:

The Lex Grow 1800+ produces a high intensity full spectrum light designed to efficiently replace any DE 1000w HPS on the market. Using only 640 watts, this light is perfect for growers looking to cover larger areas using less. The 1800+ covers a 5 ft x 5 ft flower footprint and a 7 ft x 7 ft veg footprint. This distinction means each unit is covered by a 7 year full manufacturer’s warranty, has a 100,000 hour life rating. Lex Grow 1800+ Full Spectrum provides the same sun-like qualities plants love without the negatives of high energy requirements and high heat. Using Lex Grow’s Full Spectrum you will see faster growth and most importantly increased production overall.

Factors To Consider When Buying LED Grow Lights

For those desiring more control over the growth of their plants, indoor growing is a great option for veterans and beginners alike. Specifically, the use of LED lights is optimal for nourishing your plants by providing more customization and protecting beginners from burning their plants. However, there are some factors to consider when buying LED grow lights to make sure you get the best possible lighting fixture for your plants.

Consider the Plants You’ll Grow
You should settle on what kinds of plants you want to grow before you begin creating an indoor grow room so that you can figure out how to tailor the room towards the needs of that certain plant. This extends to the light plants need to photosynthesize, as all light is not created equal in this regard. Many LED lighting systems for indoor growing have various features and options for tuning to fit the exact specifications you need for optimal plant growth, but you must know what kind of plant you will be using first.

Determine the Surface Area
Next, you’ll need to determine how large the surface area of your indoor garden will be. Grow tents come in a variety of sizes such as 2×4 or 5×5 feet that will help you determine how many LED lights you will need to adequately provide enough light to your plants. It’s not simply enough for the room to be well-lit, as a plant directly under light will receive greater nourishment and growth while plants on the outskirts of the light may wither and die. Beginners should keep in mind that providing thorough light coverage is key to bountiful and effective yields.

Find Durable LED Lights
LED lights are of cutting-edge technology within today’s indoor plant growing, so it can be difficult to home in on what aspects make for a quality fixture with a durability you can feel confident investing your money in.

Aside from comparing the prices of LED lighting systems, you want to inspect the construction of the lights and their components. If a fixture flickers or produces too much heat, you’ll have inconsistencies in the amount of light and heat your plants are exposed to. This potentially harms or stunts the growth of your plants, and in turn reduces crop yield and quality. Keep in mind that your LED lights will be operating for upwards of at least 15 hours a day, so the lights you choose will need to be able to operate for long periods of time without overheating.

Managing the Heat of Lights
Another boon of LED lights is that they produce such little heat in comparison to more traditional light bulbs. This will prevent your lights from interfering with the temperature and climate of your grow room or causing damage to your plants from excessive heat — especially when you can expect to have these lights on for hours on end without any opportunity for the bulbs to cool off. LED lights still do create heat, however, and if you need to further manage the heat of your lights, a heat sink can be added to these LED lights to further direct heat away.

Conclusion

LED grow lights offer many benefits for indoor plants. They are easy to use (plug and play), energy efficient, safe for children and pets, and save you money in the long run because they last up to 50,000 hours!

If your indoor plants are not growing well, or you have a bad experience with other types of indoor lights, then LED bulbs are a great solution! You can choose from different wattages depending on the size of your plants and the amount of water needed. There are even adjustable lights, so you can control the intensity of the lights to maximize growth.