| How to Select a Grow Light |
| The most important choice is the wattage. The wattage of the light will determine how much area you can light up. If we assume that the plants
will get no sunlight, a 1000 watt light will cover about 7x7 feet of growing area. A 600 watt will cover 6x6 feet, a 400 will cover 4x4 feet, a
250 will cover 3x3 feet and a 150 will cover 2x2 feet. Higher wattage lights will cost more to operate, you can estimate operating cost with our cost
calculator.
The next choice is the type of light. We have Sodium, Halide and Fluorescent. Sodiums are the most efficient and a best for flowering plants.
The Sodium light is yellowish in color like the autumn sun. Halides are best for leafy crops with lost of foliage, it's a white light and more
natural in color. Fluorescent lights are lower in light output than the others but are better for starting seedlings or cuttings. You can start
seedlings with Sodiums and Halides if you keep the light farther away from the plants.
We offer many different reflectors and the choices can be overwhelming. If you want the "dirt cheap, get the job done" type of
system, the Yield Master is the way to go. The Sun Gro lights have the benefit of an adjustable socket mount
that will allow you to change the light distribution pattern for all wattages of bulbs. It's also a much more durable system. If you are
considering setting up many lights indoors, you should use air-cooled reflectors like the Super Sun 2. Temperature control is
very important and can severely limit the growth potential of your plants. We have several other reflectors to choose from with similar benefits
to those mentioned above. Customize Your Grow Light and Get the Lowest Price! |
| Plant Size |
Seedlings and Small Plants
Small low wattage lights are best for seedlings. We have
small grow light systems as low as 250 watts
that work well with small growing areas.Large Plants
For large plants you need the bright light that halides and sodiums can give. These lights range in power from 100 to 1000 watts. The 400 and 1000
watt lights are the most useful. A 1000 watt grow light can light up an area of about 7 feet square when the light is suspended 2 feet above the
plants. A 400 watt light would work for an area of about 4 feet square. One of our best lights is the Sun Grow. It has an
adjustable socket mount that adjusts the light spread. If your looking for a low cost grow light, the
Yield Master and Hydrofarm XtraSun
lights work real nice. |
| Lamp Type |
Metal Halide
Metal Halide also called Halide or just MH, emits a white light and is used for plants with lots of foliage. Halides are usually used for the
beginning stages for plant growth, before flowering. The halides are not as bright and efficient as sodiums but they do have a better overall
color spectrum for plants. The bulbs don’t last as long as sodiums. They are less expensive than sodiums because there are fewer parts in the
ballast and the transformers are smaller.
High Pressure Sodium
High Presure Sodium also called sodium and HPS, emit a yellowish light and are usually used for flowering plants. Sodiums are the brightest and
most efficient lights and are the most popular. They are often used for flowering plants later in the plant’s life. The yellow hue simulates the
autumn sun plants get late in the season when flowering. Sodium bulbs have a longer life span than halides. |
| Reflector Type |
Horizontal
The Horizontal Reflectors are the most popular option because they are more efficient than the vertical systems. When the bulb is mounted
horizontally, most of the light is going to the plants without being reflected. When the light is reflected, some intensity is lost. The most
light comes out of the bulb in a circle around the length of the bulb. The Sun Gro is the horizontal system we recommend
because it has an adjustable socket mount for positioning the bulb.
Vertical
Vertical Reflectors are used when you want to spread the light out over a large area, but have lower light intensity. The parabolic shape it the
best for even light spread. We have a 4 foot parabolic and a
Vertizontal
System, it’s a 4 foot parabolic with the bulb mounted horizontally.
Internal Ballast
For growing areas smaller than 3 x 3 feet and seedlings, it may
be more suitable to have a reflector with the ballast mounted
inside the reflector for a cleaner look. This is usually how the
250 watt and smaller systems are sold. We have halide and sodium
Compact Systems.
Air-Cooled
If a grow room is too hot, it can severely limit the plant growth. If you are planning to have a 1000 watt light in a small closet or many lights
in a bedroom, you should seriously consider an air-cooled reflector. An Air-cooled light has duct holes in the reflector to connect tubing
and an exhaust blower for venting out the heat. Our Super Sun 2 Systems are the best air-cooled
systems we have, they have 6 inch ducts for massive air flow. |
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| Economy Systems |
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Yield Master Grow Lights
The Yield Master reflectors are lined with 95% reflective
textured aluminum imported from Germany. |
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Hydrofarm XtraSun
Low Price - Incredible value!
Super lightweight
Wide and bright light delivery |
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| Horizontal Reflector Systems |
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Sun Gro - Good Quality Choice
The Sun Gro systems have a great light dispersion pattern and a quality reflector. |
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Large Super Horizontal
The Horizontal systems have a real big hood with straight
sides, low cost. |
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| Air-Cooled Systems |
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Super Sun 2 - Best Air-Cooled
High quality and durable with six inch openings for duct tubing attachment. Includes glass. Top Choice! |
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Cool Sun
Large hood with six inch fittings. Good for large light spread. includes glass. |
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Hydrofarm Daystar AC
The New Daystar AC is the answer for those wanting high
performance coupled with maximum air cooling potential. |
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| Internal Ballast Systems (low wattage) |
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Compact Systems
250 watt halide and sodium systems. Good for small gardens or cuttings. |
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| Vertical Reflector Systems |
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Vertizontal
The vertical system with a horizontal mounted bulb!? Greater intensity than verticals but similar light spread. |
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4 Foot Parabolic
Good for 1000 watt lights, big light spread. |
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| All Grow Light Categories |
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