It’s no secret that cannabis growth lights are one of the most important aspects to consider when setting up your grow room for indoor marijuana farmers.
Although good cannabis grow lights are pricey, they are well worth it because poor illumination will inevitably harm your harvests.
Cannabis plants in indoor grow rooms require access to cannabis grow lights to thrive. The optimal illumination ensures a high THC level, resulting in high-quality cannabis. As a result, the investment is generally justified.
On the other hand, outdoor producers never have to worry about this because the light and Mother Nature take care of it.
Bad or cannabis lighting will affect your yield but getting the most out of your cannabis requires more than merely exposing your plants to steady or strong light.
Cannabis, like any other plant, needs a mix of light and darkness to thrive. Marijuana yields can also be enhanced by controlling the relative intensity of different light wavelengths at various stages of its growth cycle.
Table of Contents
How Cannabis Grow Lights Influence marijuana Growth
Light and chlorophyll
Cannabis plants, like all other plants, produce chlorophyll, a green pigment that aids in the conversion of light energy into food energy or starch for the plant’s growth.
Marijuana absorbs cannabis grow lights in the red to violet range between 430 and 600nm through chlorophyll A-concentrations. A wider range of visible light is absorbed when chlorophyll B is used.
The sun is fortunate for outdoor crops since it includes every wavelength of light in the energy spectrum at the same strength.
Adjusting cannabis grow lights wavelengths to guarantee plants produce the proper amounts of chlorophyll needed during their various growth phases is the key to increasing marijuana output.
Cannabis producers who make it a point to add higher concentrations of red to violet light in their lighting might be more confident of higher harvests.
Cannabis grows lights that blend the numerous kelvin temperatures of white light with deep red LEDs that generate white light that contains the whole spectrum of energy present in daylight or the sun are available. Providing an outside day setting in your indoor grow room is the key.
Lighting cycles
You should expose cannabis plants to a short day/long night illumination cycle to get the most out of them.
Phytochrome red and phytochrome far-red are receptors found in cannabis plants. These receptors tell the plant when it’s time to switch from vegetative to blooming mode.
When the amount of darkness increases, the balance between the two receptors shifts, signaling the plant to bloom.
Provide longer cannabis grow lights intervals and shorter dark times to help cannabis plants expand physically.
After that, when the plants have attained their highest levels of vegetation, you must transition to shorter cycles.
LED lighting is the best solution to accomplish this level of control in the grow room. Unlike standard metal halide or high-pressure sodium lights, these lights may be turned on and off instantaneously.
LED lighting has the upper hand and is a better alternative for picking lights for an indoor grow room since it provides the level of control that many growers desire.
This article will assist you in selecting the best cannabis grow lights for your indoor growing environment. Some are inexpensive, while others are more expensive, yet they all serve the same goal. The article suggests what aspects to think about when selecting cannabis grow lights.
Factors to consider when choosing cannabis grow light
Cost
Before cultivating cannabis indoors, producers should be aware that the cost of indoor cultivation is higher than that of outdoor production.
As a result, you’ll need to set aside money for your growing space, and one of the most crucial factors to consider is the cost of the desired cannabis grow lights system. Lights, wiring, and maintenance should all be included.
With the international legalization of cannabis, there has been a surge in research and, as a result, technological advancement. As a result, there are less expensive cannabis grow lights on the market, but it is still a good idea to do your homework first.
Lights can be purchased for as little as $100. Your return, however, will be substantially lower than someone who bought a $1,000 light setup. It would also be beneficial to consider that cannabis plants require varied lighting at different life cycle stages.
Consider the amount of harvests you plan to have in a year when calculating the cost of the cannabis grow lights.
If you want to cultivate cannabis once, it’s preferable to spend the extra money on the more expensive LED lighting to ensure that your one-time is the best.
HIDs, on the other hand, maybe a better alternative if you expect to harvest numerous times in a year due to their low initial cost.
Consider the energy consumption of the lights you choose as well. Although some cannabis grow lights will add a considerable amount to your electricity cost, some may not.
HID lights, or high-intensity discharge lights, are less expensive to buy, but they will increase your electricity bill. LEDs are initially more costly. However, they are significantly more energy-efficient.
Consider the amount of heat radiated by the lighting you select. As previously stated, LEDs are more expensive, but they are unlikely to heat your grow area, necessitating a far larger investment in fans and greater ventilation.
HIDs, on the other hand, are less expensive but emit too much heat, which might stunt plant growth if you don’t install a better ventilation system.
Space
Before choosing the cannabis grow lights for your grow area, think about how ample the space or room is. For example, if you have a small farm, you should avoid HID lights due to their high heat output.
The cultivation space will heat up quickly with limited room, and temperatures will climb quickly. Furthermore, due to the limited space, air conditioning units will not be able to be installed.
The number of plants you wish to cultivate will determine the size of your grow lights. For small spaces like closets and grow tents, one light is sufficient. More enormous rays are necessary for larger regions such as basements and attics.
Safety
When setting up and installing your grow space, make sure you have enough power in the electrical breaker to accommodate all your equipment fully.
Electricity is used by many types of equipment in grow rooms, including cannabis grow lights, fans, air conditioners, and humidifiers.
Because this equipment is used every day for months or the entire growing season, it is critical to calculate, understand, and have enough power to run it.
Overloading an electrical outlet can be hazardous and cause significant financial loss due to fires.
Check your breaker panel to ensure adequate power outlets to accommodate your lighting needs.
Growth Cycle Stage
Cannabis producers that have done their homework know that the lighting requirements of cannabis plants vary depending on where they are in their growth cycle.
A distinct light cycle is required for seedlings and young plants than for developed and mature plants. Metal Halide bulbs are better for plants in the vegetative stage, while HPS bulbs are best for flowering plants.
As a result, it’s critical to use the optimum lighting during the proper growth cycle stage.
Ventilation
This is another factor to think about. However, it isn’t as important. You’ll need an efficient and unrestricted ventilation system if you have a tiny grow area and heat-emitting cannabis grow lights.
If you don’t have enough room for a light and a fan, you may need to invest in grow lights that produce very little heat.
If you want to cultivate high-quality weed, you’ll need the correct cannabis grow lights.
This article provides a comprehensive list and explanation of the finest indoor cannabis grow lights for marijuana currently on the market.
Some are inexpensive, while others are costly, each with advantages and disadvantages. The price is considerable, but that isn’t as essential as how you utilize them. They will get the job done if you use them right.
HID or LED lights?
Given the numerous aspects to consider, deciding could be difficult.
To make the difficult decision easier, we analyze the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing any of these lights.
| HID | LED |
| Cheap and can be purchased from a variety of locations | High initial cost and not widely available |
| Require additional investment in protective hoods and reflectors | No follow-up expenses are required. |
| Consume a lot of power, meaning a high power bill | Consume less power |
| Emit a lot of heat that can damage plants | Low heat output, which means you can place them close to your plants |
| Long lifespan | Not very durable and need to be replaced regularly |
| you cannot use it in a small grow space | Work effectively for both small and large growing areas. |
HID cannabis grow lights
These are the classic and energy-intensive grow-room lighting options.
HID cannabis grow lights, or High-Intensity Discharge lights, are massive light bulbs that produce a significant quantity of heat and light.
Because HIDs emit a lot of heat that needs to be removed from the growing area, you can’t utilize them without an excellent unrestricted airflow system.
As a result, HIDs are not recommended for usage in tiny grow spaces. They also use a lot of electricity, making them costly in the long term.
They also require a significant amount of time to install or set up in the grow room. They are, however, less expensive than other lighting alternatives, and beginner growers should begin with them before investing in more expensive options.
Metal halide (MH) grow lights, and high-pressure sodium (HPS) grow lights are two types of HID lights. HID lights have a cowl that reflects light from bulbs contained in gas-filled capsules.
The difference between HID lights and conventional household bulbs is that regular bulbs include a filament that heats up to produce light. HID lights produce light in the form of an arc between two nodes inside the bulb.
For decades, these lights have held a monopoly in the indoor cultivation of cannabis, but many producers are gradually switching to LED lights as a grow room lighting choice. Below, we go over the various types of HID lights in further depth.
Metal Halide (MH) grow lights.
This HID grows lamp is most utilized during the vegetative growth stage. The plant achieves most of its physical growth during this period. The plant’s stems, branches, and leaves begin to flourish during this stage. Cannabis plants that are still physically growing like blue-tinged light are produced by Metal Halide lamps.
The bulbs include mercury and metal halides to produce the much-needed blue light. Plants seem to enjoy and require this type of light, which is strange. However, a ballast is needed to manage and regulate the current in the cannabis grow lights.
High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) grow lights.
HID lights of this sort are far more efficient than other types. Furthermore, they emit a soft, yellowish light that cannabis plants love during the flowering stage. The yellow light aids in the development of dense buds.
HPS lights come in various intensities, but any beyond 1000 watts should be avoided. This power of HPS light is only ideal for a large growing area. If this is not the case, lights with 400 or 600 watts of power are the best option. They, like Metal Halide bulbs, require a ballast.
Some of the best HID grow light brands
- Sun system 150W
- Yield Lamb 400W
- Gavita 750W
Compact fluorescent (CFL) grow lights.
These are essential fluorescent lights comparable to those used in a classroom or an office. There are two types of bulbs: daylight and warm white.
Day bulbs are utilized during the vegetative stage, but warm white bulbs are employed during the flowering stage.
For small-scale growth, they are both inexpensive and effective. They can also be used while the cannabis plants are still seedlings. They use less energy, produce less heat, and are less likely to harm young or sensitive plants.
These lights cannot be ideal for plants in the blossoming stage. As a result, producers should move to a more convenient illumination source when plants reach this stage. CFL lights, like HID lights, are widely available.
CFLs, like HIDs, are available at any local grow shop.
Some of the CFL light brands
- Durolox
- Hydrofarm
- Vivos
Light Emitting Diode (LED) cannabis grow lights.
These are the most recent lighting innovations in the cannabis industry. They are, however, proving to be more successful than the traditional forms of illumination indicated above, and as a result, many farmers throughout the world are adopting them.
They have several advantages over traditional lighting, including being more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Some states exempt producers that opt to use LED lights because they are ecologically favorable. They are, however, initially more expensive to purchase, but this is offset by the fact that they consume less energy and hence do not increase the electricity bill.
One of the most significant advantages of these lights over other grow lights is that they don’t produce as much heat as HID lights. As a result, you won’t need more equipment to keep your growing area cool.
Marijuana plants require a warm atmosphere, but not one that is excessively hot. Excessive heat might harm your plants or even start a fire.
You also don’t have to switch lights because one LED light may be used for vegetative and flowering stages. Furthermore, LED lights allow growers to vary their light spectrums based on their stage of development.
These lights, on the other hand, have a cost issue. As previously stated, the greatest ones that are most suited for any grow room are expensive. The crop will be minor and inconsequential if you utilize low-cost LED lights. Prepare to spend a lot of money if you want the greatest bud from LED lights.
LED lights are also known to produce a more complete and richer light spectrum, which is crucial for cannabis growth. This is because their light is produced by electroluminescence rather than gas. This typically leads to higher quality and yields of edible cannabis buds.
However, LED lights have one disadvantage compared to other lighting systems: they are generally low-powered. This necessitates using many light boards or a large single one by farmers. On the other hand, LED lights that provide a whole spectrum of light promise the best results.
Best LED grow light brands.
Here are a few different LED grow lights at various price points.
- Covert 250W
- Grower’s choice 420W
- Black Dog PhytoMAX 400W
- Gavita 645W
When growing marijuana indoors, cannabis grow lights are an essential consideration. Without the necessary light, your harvests will be low or of poor quality. You’re also unlikely to get a good return on your investment.
Because good lighting equals high THC levels, it’s critical to invest in the greatest lighting systems you can afford. Because there are so many sorts on the market, you must conduct a considerable study.
Why use indoor marijuana grow lights?
Beginners, inexperienced, and theoretical marijuana farmers promote the idea that ordinary house lights can be utilized in a marijuana grow room.
They overlook that even some LED lights are insufficient to enable a cannabis plant to thrive. Home lights are intended to aid in the improvement of your vision, not to promote plant growth.
The light spectrum you need to see in the dark differs significantly from the range necessary for photosynthesis by cannabis plants.
Marijuana plants, on the other hand, cannot thrive under the light given by a simple lamp. Marijuana plants require a steady supply of light to progress through their flowering stage.
As a result, if you opt to grow inside, you must provide your plants with the same amount of light as plants grown outdoors. Imagine slamming into the sunset bar!!! House lights are incapable of accomplishing this. As a result, if you want to have a shot, you should have high-powered lighting in your grow chamber.
There are numerous grow lights on the market, and growers are frequently spoiled for choice. If you want a significant yield, you’ll need to invest in and be selective about your grow lights.
Final thoughts on the grow lights
When deciding whether to use cannabis grow lights, it is critical to ask yourself specific questions and choose what is most important to you.
It would be beneficial to consider discretion, utility bills, the environment, and efficiency. If discretion is essential, LED and fluorescent cannabis grow lights are excellent choices.
On the other hand, HID lights are the best alternative if efficiency is your top goal and you don’t mind paying a higher electricity cost.
If you’re short on space and need a lighting system, fluorescent lamps are the way, especially when your plants are young. When the plants get bigger, it’s good to update to 250W High-Pressure Sodium lamps.
If you have adequate room in your location, you can use a Metal Halide lighting system for plants in the vegetative stage and then transition to HPS lights once they begin to flower. You can use MH lights throughout, but you’ll get fewer buds and more foliage if you do.
There are numerous options to consider, each appropriate for a distinct context. Make sure you get one that is perfect for you and benefits you or your plant. The rest is almost a walkover once you’ve made the appropriate decision.