Many growers have traditionally used high intensity lamps to grow gardens indoors where the sun is not available. While these lights work well enough, they are energy inefficient and bulky when compared to LED Grow lights (you can go to http://www.msledstore.com to see the latest reviews on these lights). There are some plants that gardeners may enjoy growing when outdoor growing conditions are far from ideal. Some choices include lettuces, cabbages, tomatoes, peppers, fruits, and practically any kind of flower.
Below are some areas that are currently using LEDs for growing.
Aquarium or Reef Lighting
LEDs are very dominating in the industry of aquarium lighting. Aquarium shops find that the lights can create beautifully colored plants for both fresh and salt water environments. In many cases LEDs do better than traditional lights and require less than half the amount of power. For example, 60 watt LEDs can replace 400 watt Halide lights with no significant drop in lighting levels.Aquarium owners are finding that many major distributers are now offering LED lights for the aquariums being sold. These lights have earned their keep in both the aquarium business and reef lighting.
Medical Marijuana
Several states, including California, Oregon, Colorado, and others are now allowing organizations and individuals to grow their own medical marijuana with a state license. Growing cannabis outside is less than ideal due to its nature. The stigma as well as the risks are simply too great.Organizations and individuals are beginning to make the transition to LED lights for growing medical marijuana. The savings in electricity as well as the need to provide cooling are enormous.
Commercial Growers and Greenhouses
Commercial growers and greenhouse owners have long understood the benefits offered by additional light. Plants grow bigger, taller, leafier, and produce better flowers with the use of supplemental lighting. Operations growing fruits and vegetables find that their plants have a higher yield with the use of SP127D 75W grow lights. Greenhouse owners are expected to produce fruits and veggies year round and are able to produce even more using grow lights. These lights make production in late fall, winter, and early spring a possibility. Remember that some plants require 14-16 hours daily for optimal growth. Most months of the year, the sun just does not produce enough light.For the last 20 years HID lights have had the corner of the commercial and greenhouse growing markets. Now, LED lights are taking over the market to provide the additional light needed.LED grow lights are being used by a large variety of groups. They are becoming more common place. This is allowing the price of the lights to drop, making them an even more viable option for replacing HIDs.
The Arguments For and Against LED Grow Technology
LED lights are one way to grow plants in an artificial environment. These lights are often used in greenhouses and similar settings to convince plants to grow out of season. Traditional plant lighting providers do not like the new competitor and point out to the flaws this system has. The companies that sell the light emitting diode systems point out that they use less energy. Because they use less energy, the promoters believe that the newer technology is better for the environment.
Why Use These Tiny Diodes At All?
1. More convenient. The LED lamps do not require a portable power source for the user to keep them lit.
2. LED lights use less electricity. While there are many reasons for this, the basic one is that the older types of plant lamps produce more light than the plant really needs. The designers of the LED lamps make sure that the plant only gets the light spectrum that it needs to grow. This leads to reduced energy consumption.
3. Longevity. LED grow lights last much longer than their high intensity counter parts. The numbers that manufacturers give about how much longer these light last than their sodium counterparts vary widely, but the user can expect 50,000 hours out of most LED setups. The sodium and halide lamps last for around 20,000 hours.
4. Less Heat. Plants respond differently to heat. Some plants like the extra heat. Other plants respond poorly to it. The commonly used sodium plant growing lights generate a lot of extra heat. This leads to fire hazards and wasted energy. The filament used in most bulbs requires the production of heat. LED grow lights do not use filaments.
The Downside of This Technology
1. High initial cost. As the technology develops, the lights should become cheaper. The lights will save more money than sodium or halide lights in the long run.
2. Light replacement. Traditional growing lights let the user replace the entire bulb if one light goes out. This does not happen with LED lights. If enough bulbs on a strip go out, the user has to replace the entire unit.
The choice a grower makes depends on his budget and how he feels about each of the technologies used. Many people have decided to wait for the cost of LED lights to go down before making a decision.
How to Avoid Disappointing Results with LED Grow Lights
Many people have been very happy with the LED Grow Lights they have purchased. Some however, are not pleased with the results they obtained from using LED Grow Lights. In most cases, this is because they did not make a good purchasing decision and they bought an inferior product. Here are some guidelines that will help you purchase high quality LED Grow Lights.
1. Actual Wattage Drawn. Because of complex scientific reasons, a one watt diode will not draw one watt, but may draw less than that amount. Check closely to see the actual number of watts drawn. If the number does not appear in the fine print, ask for the answer. You do not want to purchase something that appears to be a five hundred watt light that only draws forty watts.
2. Warranty. The high quality LED Grow Lights usually have a warranty that covers at least one year of use. The better ones have a warranty that lasts for five years. Get a light that has a good warranty.
3. Heat Sink. LED lights need to have a good heat sink. Otherwise, the LED chips can overheat and break. Check that the light you purchase has a good heat sink with many fins and a good fan.
4. Trial Period. Some manufacturers take advantage of first time buyers. Make certain you only purchase lights that have a trial period of at least 30 days. Then if you are dissatisfied with the performance of the light, you can get a refund.
5. Beam Angle. There are three standard beam angles that are available. The sixty degree beam angle is best for tall plants. The one hundred twenty beam angle is good for wide areas.
6. Spectral Wave Length. Different wave lengths of visible light produce different colors. The red lights have long wave lengths, and blue lights have short wave lengths.
One advantage of LED grow lights is that the manufacturers can control the colors of light emitted by them. Plants do not use all the wave lengths or colors emitted by the sun or by HID lights. Research scientists have discovered that plants need red light in order to flower and blue light to grow. If you want your plants to flower, you need to have LED lights that produce waves in the red part of the spectrum. If you want to help plants when they first start to germinate and grow, you need a light that produces a lot of waves from the blue part of the spectrum.
In Conclusion
When you keep all these factors in mind, you can purchase LED grow lights that will meet your needs, and the needs of the plants you are growing. If you have any questions that weren't covered in this guide, then please leave me a comment below and I'd be happy to reply.