When growing plants indoors, unless your home has a raised roof, you’ll want to use LED grow lights. There are many factors to consider when deciding which LED grow lights to purchase for your hydroponic system.

Here are a few key features that we find to be very important when choosing an LED grow light. We’ve also included some tips on how to read your plants and troubleshoot when lighting might be at fault.

What are grow lights?

“Grow lights” is not a technical term, nor is it a unique technology. Any light can be a “grow light” because plants aren’t that picky about where the light comes from.

Grow lights differ from regular lights in the spectrum of light they emit when powered on. Your typical lights use “soft” and/or “warm” light. The “temperature” of light is measured in Kelvin (K) rather than Fahrenheit, which is why you see lights marked 2700K. In terms of lumens (light power), warm lights tend to be yellowish and fairly faint.

Grow lights are usually (but not always) “full spectrum” lights. That means they contain the full visible spectrum, from red to violet, plus a little on both sides — a little UV could be beneficial. These lights are often described as “white/blue” or “cool” or “daylight” and usually measure around 3500K to 6500K on the Kelvin scale.

So, no, they don’t function any differently than other lights. The light spectrum produced by light bulbs is determined by the components that make them. Full-spectrum bulbs come in a variety of wattages, voltages, sizes, and base types.

Spider Farmer® G4500 430W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light

Features:

Spider Farmer LED grow light adopts a unique light bar design to provide more even and comprehensive canopy coverage, especially at the edge of the planting area. With 1484 Bridgelux diodes, the G4500 grow light is capable of delivering 430 watts of power to an impressive 2.8umol/J PPE, covering 4×2 feet of plant growth over a full cycle.

Spectrum King LowPro Veg 420 Watt LED Grow Light

Features:

The Spectrum King LED Grow Light is designed for commercial and large growers who do vertical farming on the shelf. The LowPro Veg 420 Watt Grow Light makes it easier than ever to grow plants on a shelf close to the plant. This incredible light produces great coverage with only 6 inches to 3 feet of clearance from your plants. With its low-profile profile and easy installation, we’ve made it super easy to grow plants on shelves close to them. Add manual dimmers for finer control or larger installations Get our remote power system and program your light schedules, levels, group sections together…

Here are some things to consider when choosing grow lights:

The type of plant you want to grow: Different plants require different light. Choose grow lights that provide just the right amount of light for your plants.

The size of your growing area: Your growing area will determine how many lights you need and how much power you need.

The amount of light you need: The amount of light your plants need depends on the plant type and stage of growth.

A key factor growers look for is DLI. DLI, also known as daylight integration, measures the amount of LED grow light a plant receives each day for photosynthesis. Not all wavelengths of LED grow lights are used for photosynthesis. Many wavelengths are used for other activities and remain unused.

You can also try white LED grow lights that offer full spectrum.

Conclusion

The energy efficiency and extremely long lifespan of LED lights are highly appreciated by many indoor gardeners. Although the initial cost of LED grow lights is higher, you will end up saving a lot on your electricity bill in the long run. You can choose the ideal light for your plants from a variety of colors, including dark blues and reds, as well as the full spectrum light available from these sources.