This week’s focus: Grow Lights
#8 – Enhanced Spectrum Bulbs
Enhanced Spectrum bulbs produce a richer and more complete spectrum of light that is more accessible by plants. An enhanced spectrum HPS bulb (like the Lucalox – PSL or the Hortilux) is one that puts off more Blue light when compared to a standard High Pressure Sodium, which only emits Red and Orange light. An enhanced spectrum Metal Halide bulb puts either more Red or Orange light when compared to a standard MH (as in the SunMaster Warm Deluxe) or conversely a deeper richer spectrum of Blue light (for example, the SunMaster Cool Deluxe or the Hortilux Blue . Enhanced bulbs will either promote more Fruit and more Flowers, help with the overall vitality of the plant, or it keep the internodes tighter, and the leaves larger and greener.

That’s all for today folks. Come back tomorrow for tip #9 when we focus on Full Spectrum “Dual Arc Tube” Bulbs. Visit http://www.igrowhydro.com for the best selection on all your grow lights needs.

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This week’s focus: Grow Lights
#6 – HID Bulbs
Many bulbs on the market are not suitable for high yield rooms. Incandescent lighting (ordinary light bulbs,spot lights, “plants lights” etc.) shouldn’t really be considered. They are inefficient, not bright enough and have an incorrect color spectrum. If you want to grow plants using artificial light, HID grow lights are the best way to go.

There is one rule to follow when using HID bulbs. That is that HPS bulbs must be used with HPS lights and MH bulbs must be used with MH lights. there are numerous ways of getting around that rule and getting the kind of light you need from your fixture.

That’s all for today folks. Come back tomorrow for tip #7 when we focus on Conversion Bulbs. Visit http://www.igrowhydro.com for the best selection on all your grow lights needs.

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This week’s focus: Grow Lights
#5 – Digital Lighting
Electronic (Digital) Ballasts are ushering in the new age of indoor grow lighting, proving equal or increased light compared to the conventional core and coil Magnetic ballasts. Digintal ballasts do this at a more afforadable cost (due to their greater efficiency and less power usage.) Digital Ballasts offer less heat production and virtually silent opperation. They are also much lighter and smaller than their archaic hulking brethren. There are many different Digital Ballasts to choose from on the market today. All come from China (not a single Digital Ballast is made in the U.S. or any other country for that matter,) and most are faulty or poorly crafted. Stay far away from the FutureBrites or the Global GreenHouses (or any other Digital ballast with a fan – the good ones are at least Resin Sealed) We think the Lumateks are easily the best Digital Ballast on the market today. They are resin sealed, and produce the least amount of EMI (electro- magnetic interference) of any electronic ballast and conform to all international Electro-magnetic emission standards. What makes them really special is that they are 15-20% brighter than Standard Magnetic Ballasts and also most Digital Ballasts as well. Next to the Lumateks, nothing else really compares, but we had to choose another ballast it would be the Galaxy.

That’s all for today folks. Come back tomorrow for tip #6 when we focus on HID Bulbs. Visit http://www.igrowhydro.com for the best selection on all your grow lights needs.

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This week’s focus: Grow Lights
#4 – HID Grow Lights
High-Intensity Discharge lights come as close to natural light as technology allows. However, they’re not so sophisticated as to completely reproduce the full spectrum. Consequently, tw…o types of HIDs have been created to blend into a cohesive spectrum — the Metal Halide and the High Pressure Sodium. These lamps produce four to six times as many lumens as any incandescent light of the same wattage– and they last much longer. As close to natural sunlight as possible and even safer than a star? We guarantee these lights will never burst into a supernova or collapse in on their own gravity becoming a black hole and destroying the earth. Nope. Never ever.

That’s all for today folks. Come back tomorrow for tip #5 when we focus on Digital Lighting. Visit http://www.igrowhydro.com for the best selection on all your grow lights needs.

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This week’s focus: Grow Lights

#1 – Introduction to Light
Light is the most important factor in any indoor growing environment. It is also the limiting factor in any indoor growing environment. Without good and plentiful light, a plant will not be able to perform photosynthesis, the nitty-gritty process that occurs when a plant converts food into energy. Fortunately, plants are able to use artificial light, as long as there is plenty of it and it is of the correct growing spectrum.

#2 – Spectrums
Plants are under the spell of the seasons, and subject to seasonal changes in light. The blue end of the spectrum is associated with spring and lengthening days, promoting vegetative growth and short stocky stature. The red end of the spectrum is reminiscent of autumn, with shortening days and long harvest sunsets. Autumn usually promotes plants to finish up, creating flowers and seeds. It also gives plants a sweet, poetic feeling, like one gets upon seeing a beautiful sunset. We are not making this spectrum stuff up. Ask any plant.

#3 – Photosynthesis
Of the many light-absorbing pigments within a plant’s leaf structure, the most active of is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs light from the blue and red wavelengths of the visual spectrum, turning plants into that stunning green our eyes have come to know and love. The absorbed radiant energy is used to convert ingested carbon dioxide, water and nutrients, to make carbohydrates which nourish the plants and promote new cell growth. This allows for strong, vigorous tissue production and the release of the oxygen. Correct lighting will result in healthy, happy, plants that are resistant to infections or colonizing hordes of insectoid pests.

That’s all for today folks. Come back tomorrow for tip #4 when we focus on HID Grow Lights.

Visit igrowhydro.com for the best selection on all your grow lights needs.

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The securely mounted 5KV mogul socket is totally pre-wired inside a protective wiring channel and junction box. The multi-point hanging system allows the unit to be hung horizontally or vertically for different growing applications. Now included is the patented Lock and Seal 15′ heavy duty lamp cord allowing you to conveniently plug into any Hydrofarm or Xtrasun ballast.

Hydrofarm Premium Cool Tube

• 6″ diameter by 19″ long accommodates most lamp types up to 1000W

• Superior packaging protects unit during shipping and handling

• Internal and external reflectors included

• Highest quality European aluminum

• 15′ 600v cord and mogul socket included; easily attaches to any Hydrofarm ballast

• The most compact and effective way to get bright light over, or in your growing area

• Streamlined design allows cooling airflow to move unimpeded, keeping growing area temperatures lower and allowing you to position your lamp very close to your plants

• Can hang vertically down into the plant canopy and is ideal for enclosed growth chambers

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There are different types of  light bulbs to consider to use in the growing process. When considering which type of light bulb to use, the main features to look for are spectrum and output. The serious grower can get even more out of their crop by fine tuning the spectrum to the stage of plant growth, and/or spin the lights.

Light Bulb Spectrum

Full-spectrum is best. Of course the sun is full spectrum, and plants have evolved for many millions of years to adapt to sunlight.

Below, the chart on the left is what the human eye sees; on the right, what the plant prefers:

The Lumen rating of a bulb is not a good measurement for plant growth, because it is based on what the human eye can see. A full spectrum light is like music, with bass, treble, and everything in between.

High Output Bulbs

The best full-spectrum lights for digital ballasts are Pulse Start Metal Halide (PMSH). The best full-spectrum lights for magnetic ballasts are Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH). That is because in addition to being a true full spectrum, they are also high output.

Here is the Spectral Chart:

Chart for 4k CMH

High Pressure Sodium Bulbs

HPS is high output, but not full spectrum; it is mostly yellow-orange. Premium hps like Hortilux are super, that is, higher output than standard hps; but don’t last as long as standard output. HPS works well only at high levels of intensity, so it takes more watts to get the job done. HPS uses a ceramic arc tube which is glued together and leaks with heat stress

Distribution of Light onto Leaf Surfaces

While it is true that a 1000 watt light is the highest output, a single point of light would concentrate the light too much in one small spot, instead of evenly distributing over a larger area. Right below the heat zone around a bulb, is the zone of too-high intensity. This can best be measured with a light meter. Probably the optimum level of intensity is 4300 foot candles; 5500 foot candles would be the maximum and not all varieties want 5500 fc under all environmental conditions.

Light Spectrum for Different Stages

Different portions of the spectrum perform different functions. Blue light has the highest energy level, reduces stem elongation, increases rooting, and induces growth hormones. Red light has the greatest ability to bounce and penetrate the leaf canopy, increases growth of leafs and buds, and induces blooming hormones.

The plant cannot overdose on plant hormones; excessive amounts are simply stored. That is why you can use a full spectrum light for all stages. However, by enhancing relevant portions of the spectrum depending on the stage, you can increase efficiency of plant growth.

This post  barely skims the surface of all the information out there on different types of bulbs. There is even more information on how to use different bubls to their full potential. Remember when looking for a bulb that wattage, type of bulb (MH, HPS, CMH), different light spectrum, all make a difference in different ways. Get the most of your lighting system by choosing the right bulb!

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How does a plant light work?

An HID lamp operates with a properly matched transformer, capacitator and lamp bulb which consists of an inner tube filled with a chemical mixture. To simplify, it is a metal ballast with a cord that goes to the wall outlet and a cord that goes to the socket powering the bulb. A reflective hood sits around the plant light bulb and reflects light onto plants that would otherwise be lost. Reflectors are painted white inside or else will be plated with a highly reflective aluminum or brilliant chrome. Some reflectors are built to allow for air cooling which exhausts hot air out from the bulb and out of the room.

Are there any drawbacks to plant lights?

The two main drawbacks are 1) the  intense heat put out, which subsequently causes plants to dry out faster 2) they are incapable of providing the entire natural spectrum. Grow lights come as close to natural light as human technology can take us, but natural sunlight is still more full and vibrant.

You mentioned High Pressure Sodium lights and Metal Halide lights, what is the difference?

There are two types of plant lamps to be aware of, Metal Halide lights and High Pressure Sodium lights. Although high pressure sodium indoor grow lights and metal halide plant grow lights are both types of  indoor grow lights, they emit different color spectrums. High pressure sodium light bulbs emit very bright light that is concentrated in the red to yellow side of the spectrum and weak in the blue-violet end. Metal halide grow light bulbs, by contrast, emit a very balanced light, which contains all the energy peaks of the visible spectrum. Both types of lighting have their place in an indoor grow room environment.

Another difference is the lumens per watt of both bulbs.  High pressure sodium lights produce between 97 and 150 lumens per watt and Metal Halide lights produce 65-115 lumens per watt. An easy way to tell difference between the two grow lights is by appearance. High Pressure Sodium bulbs appear very yellow-orange; metal halide bulbs appear more blue-white.

What is the difference between lumens and wattage?

Lumens is the measurement for the efficiency of the bulb or how much light you’re producing for the amount of electricity you’re using and refers to the total number of light particles coming from the bulb. Wattage refers to the amount of electric power, expressed in watts or kilowatts which a bulb uses. In other words, lumens describe bulb brightness while wattage describes the power usage.

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