Top 5 Reasons To Buy LED Grow Lights
Grow lights have been used by indoor gardeners for many years and now growers can use 3w LED grow lights to avoid the typical problems HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights include. LED grow lights are quickly becoming one of the most popular grow lights for a number of reasons including the following:
1. Less Heat
LED grow lights producing the level of light intensity needed but also reducing heat in the grow space by as much as 70%. Heat in any garden can create many problems including faster drying of growing medium, evaporation in hydroponic systems and of course high temperatures which can lead to all sorts of issues . Plants species grow optimally in specific temperature ranges and older HID lights will almost always require cooling systems or even high wattage air conditioning units.
2. Less Electricity
Extreme Flower LEDs are simply the best 600w LED grow lights on the market because they produce the level of light intensity needed while also limiting the amount of electrical current used. This new technology is called OptiCurrent and provides every grower with the ability to save on electricity being used for their greenhouse operation. This reduction in electricity is also coupled with the reduction in heat being produced (too much electric equals increases in heat) which allows for less cooling wattage being needed which also results in less total electric being consumed.
3. No Bulbs to Replace
300w LED grow lights do not have the typical incandescent bulbs that burn out and even explode. LEDs are built to last over 5 years without issue (unless too much current in applied) and can even last as long as 10 years without needing to be replaced. This is also a huge factor when it comes to greenhouse safety since HID bulbs are known to explode and can even catch things on fire.
4. High Efficiency
When we looked at the growing ability of LED grow lights over HID lights we found one glaring results; efficiency was much higher. LED grow lights were tested to provide the basis of efficiency over an HID light. HID lights are only about 15% efficient while the 120w LED grow lights we tested were well over 90% efficiency and in some cases 98% efficient. This efficiency advantage is due to the ability for LED grow lights to emit only the wavelengths of light that plants can use and can even target peak PAR wavelengths to provide the highest growth rates per watt available.
5. No Plant Burns
HID lights are so intense that the grower must always raise the lights and keep them at least 24 inches above the highest plant to avoid plant burns and reduced growth. HID lights emit high levels of Infra Red light which is only heat and leads to burns on the tops of plants and may even kill some young plants if the lights are not maintained on a regular basis. 90w UFO LED grow lights emit very minor amounts of IR and UV light and are not hot at all which provides growers an easier garden to manage without worrying about plants being burned or killed.
LED Grow Light Technologies
As the seasons change there are many things that affect plants and their growing cycles with the main factors being light timing and color of light.
The timing of light is affected by the rotation of the earth on its axis over the year, which happens to be a constant event. As the earth rotates it changes the seasons by increasing or decreasing the time that the sun is shining on plants in different hemispheres. Some plants are dramatically affected and built to respond to longer hours of light or a reduction in light.
Light color also affects the performance and sensitivity of plants in different cycles as well. As the earth rotates it also has an effect on the color of the light or what is known as spectra of light. All sunlight passes through the earth’s atmosphere and the angle at which is passes through the different layers of atmosphere affect the spectra that reach the surface. For example, during spring the sun shines at an angle which produces a more blue light, although to the human eye it is not that noticeable. With this increase in blue light the vegetative growth flourishes. The same affect is true with the fall or autumn when the earth rotates away from the sun and this fall angle of sunlight produces a more red color of light. During this time plants are triggered to produce flowers and subsequent fruits and seeds before dormancy or death. The red color of light during fall is a major factor in flower and fruiting cycles of plants.
For the average grower these seasonal factors are just a normal part of life and if you grow outdoors the sun is all you need, but if you are in a greenhouse or indoors things are different now. Indoor growers and greenhouse growers alike can now affect their gardens with LED grow lights that provide very specific colors of light such as red or blue without adding hardly any heat or power costs. Although new 3w LED grow lights can be used alone without other light, the newest invention in LED technology is called Spectra Boost LEDs and only consume as little as 7 watts of power but pack a huge punch of targeted light. Adding blue Spectra Boost to any greenhouse during winter or fall can boost vegetative growth and the Red Spectra Boost LEDs can provide better flowering and fruiting plants during winter as well.
Any indoor grower using traditional grow lights such as metal halide or high pressure sodium are able to supplement their gardens with colors that are low in their lights such as blue in HPS or red in MH. The latest field tests show an increase in flower sites and overall yields with these new 600W LED grow lights versus traditional lights alone.
Now it is possible for growers everywhere to use the reaction of plants to the suns rotation to affect their gardens in ways never before seen with new LED grow light technologies.
The Common Concerns About LED Grow Lights
Horticulturalists will know that the best possible option for any plants that want to grow indoors, like in a greenhouse or nursery, is to the use of LED plant lights. There are a lot of other questions that need to be answered though before a purchase is made, so that all your bases are covered and you know that your investment in these lights is well worth it.
When you want to use 600W LED plant lights, you have to be aware of the fact that it is best to use loose soil because that will let more oxygen through the passageway to reach the roots and consequently stimulate growth. It also means that there is a lower need for watering and hence, any problems associated with watering too much like stunted growth, slow root growth and even nutrient nourishment problems, are avoided. It should therefore be noted that watering should be done occasionally and it should always be checked to see that the soil is at least partially dry before the next watering phase starts.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the 300w LED plant lights operate at a very low temperature, in spite of the fact that they are switched on for more than two-thirds of the day. At the most, they will be comfortably warm if touched. While this is a huge advantage of using this particular kind of grow light, it raises the concern of what to do in the winter months when the temperature is obviously very cool. On this point, the answer is to subsequently raise the temperature of the area where you grow your plants in the cooler days. An ideal temperature range should be between 70 degrees Fahrenheit and eighty degrees Fahrenheit.
The nutrient intake that you have to give your plants will be lowered significantly when you start using 120w LED plant lights. Approximately you should give only about half of the nutrients to your plants than you normally would. In the case that you find that your plants aren’t growing at the speed you expected or as well as you thought they would, then it is entirely possible that you may have to provide an additional source of light to them, because LED plant lights provide very gentle lighting. Introducing invisible infrared light, the source of which you can place anywhere in the plantation area, is often very beneficial and doesn’t interfere with the LED plant lights.
It is also often recommended that when 90W LED plant lights are in use, the levels of carbon dioxide in the indoor planting area be monitored at regular intervals. This is due to the fact that LED lights tend to emit a lot ofabsorbed light that in turn requires the carbon dioxide levels to have to be increased manually.
Lastly, there is no reason to be concerned in case it seems like one of your LED plant light isn’t working. It is quite common to think that some of the lights appear to be out, because the thing is that around 60% of the emitted light isn’t visible to the naked eye.
LED Grow Lights The New Technology in LEDs
LED grow lights have proven again and again how essential they are to growing plants indoors and they are very much the sought after light for such purposes. Their importance in the field of horticulture has led to a lot of research into making LED grow lights even more effective and efficient. Many companies have succeeded in doing so and have produced a range of products in the LED grow lights line that have proved immensely popular.
Some companies that manufacture LED plant lights are now producing newer products that have a special synergy meaning that they have the ability to now deliver a much higher heat output, the percentage increase being around 40%. While this in itself is of a massive benefit to the plants being grown indoors in terms of looks and growth, the best part of this new technology is that it maintains the same power utilization as before. This in turn means that in spite of the high power output, you don’t have to face an increase in your electricity bills. Where the issue of safety is concerned, again despite more power being generated, the bulbs are still just warm to the touch, not hot. The risk of getting burned or injured is therefore still minimal. Another benefit that these new types of LED grow lights have is that they provide an even broader spectrum of light. This affects the plants in a really positive way, namely that they will grow exactly the way they would in natural sunlight, and even better, the taste will be identical as well.
These improved LED lights have been received with a lot of positive response. Many people have reported that even if their plants are not in bloom, these LED lights have helped in delivering a better colour to them. Others have reported in high numbers that they have been able to bring their crops in earlier in the year which has allowed them to give new seedlings an early start as well. Some certain plants especially tomato plants have shown a very noticeable increase in height in a short period of time, and the foliage has also been greener and a lot bushier than before.
Another way in which this new and improved LED grow lights technology is being used very effectively is in growing edible kelp and micro-algae. The growth of these organisms under these LED grow lights has been seen to be thicker and healthier, and the growth rate appears to have increased by a certain percentage. In point of fact, a lot of marine biologists now recommend that such LED grow lights be used instead of any other for results that are fantastic to behold. In the same vein, these lights are also being used successfully in aquariums, whether commercial or in the home. They can be mounted on both the top and bottom of the aquarium and not only save a massive amount of energy but also minimize low light pollution.
Aquarium LEDs Info
Light emitting diodes, or LEDs, are becoming a popular alternative to fluorescent lights for aquarium use. LEDs use less energy, maintain a consistent light and can be targeted to precisely the wavelengths aquatic plants can use. LEDs have not taken over the aquarium market because of the significant initial expense of installing the proper type of LED lights, which can easily come to over a thousand dollars for very large aquariums.
Aquarium LEDs
While any LED lights can be used to help illuminate an aquarium, the typical LEDs are useless in promoting plant growth. The most common types of LEDs simply offer a supplemental form of lighting. Lights designed for aquariums provide both illumination and support the ecosystem, primarily by encouraging healthy aquatic plant growth. To perform the latter function, special LEDs that are much more powerful are necessary. Even so, an aquarium-grade LED only uses a fraction of the energy of a standard fluorescent light.
Aquarium LED Cost
The primary drawback to LED lighting in aquariums is the cost involved. To get lights that accomplish all the functions needed, the cost is routinely in the hundreds of dollars for small aquariums and over $1,000 for large ones as of 2011. While you may often see LED lights advertised for aquariums at under $100, these are simply supplemental light LEDs that will provide illumination but cannot replace the function of fluorescent lights in supporting the ecosystem. Costs are falling rapidly as more enthusiasts use LEDs, but they are not competitive with fluorescent lights as of 2011.
Heat Benefits
Aquarium-grade LED lighting avoids creating energy that is wasted as heat. It also eliminates the need for cooling fans to dissipate the heat fluorescent lights generate. This will allow you to use standard heaters to control the temperature of your tank without fear of damaging the tank through the failure of a lighting fan or any other light malfunction.
