WHAT IS A GROW LIGHT?
By mimicking the spectral light wavelengths that plants utilize in their growth and production, grow lights are able to provide specific temperatures and energy to vegetation. Almost exclusively used indoors, these are simple solutions to add a light source to existing grows through darker winter months. Or, to start seedlings prior to the warmth of spring and ensure a healthy start to an outdoor garden. No matter what you are considering a grow light for, they are more than popular with garden and plant enthusiasts of all experience, these are well worth (cheap)
HOW DO GROW LIGHTS WORK?
As mentioned, grow lights influence plant growth by providing specific spectral wavelengths. This light provides energy to the plant which supports the chemical process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis converts the light energy into energy the plant uses to grow, mature, and produce. Without light, plants will struggle for nutrients and many will look poorly and may not produce at all. If you plan on growing anything without the correct natural sunlight it needs, then you should consider a grow light.
The Cheapest Grow Light for Growing Weed indoor
Growing weed indoors is not always cheap. There is a lot of equipment to buy, from basics like seeds and nutrients to lighting, ventilation and more advanced equipment like temperature controllers, CO2 regulators, and more. Whether you grow in soil or in a full blown hydroponics system, the costs can start to add up.
While it is true that you can make your money back in a few months by growing the right number of plants, not everyone has the start up cash to start growing for a large harvest right away. Do not worry though, because there are always ways to save money on grow equipment, and you can start small.
In this article we will go over the best cheap grow lights for cannabis growers in 2018. There are a few different types of grow lights you can purchase, each with their own benefits and drawbacks.
HID or HPS lighting is inexpensive to set up, typically costing under $200 for a full kit including ballast, bulbs and reflective hood. The drawback here is that bulbs need to be replaced yearly, and you have to use separate bulbs for vegetative and flowering.
HPS also consumes a lot of electricity, which can increase your monthly bill. CFL or fluorescent lights are inexpensive and energy efficient, but unfortunately they only work well for vegetative growth. You can use them alongside HPS, or if you are cloning or germinating seedlings.
LED or Light Emitting Diode lighting is the most advanced technology in grow lights right now. They tend to be pretty expensive, with large LED grow lights sometimes costing over $500 each, but you can find smaller lights for cheap if you have only a few plants, say five or less.
LEDs are super energy efficient and will barely cost any money in electricity over the long run, and they can be combined as you expand your grow op, instead of having to just purchase all new larger lights. You also have the option of DIYing your own LED lights, which we will go over in more detail below.
Marijuana that was grown under LED Lights:
The primary benefit of LED grow lights is that they can significantly reduce heat output and power consumption vs other lighting sources. LED grow lights often have built-in fans and heat sinks to regulate temperature and ventilation, and they are more energy efficient overall. While the initial cost is higher than the alternatives, LED grow lights can actually save you more money in the long run.
LED grow lights are plug-n-play. You can simply hang a grow light over your plants and plug it directly into the wall without any other major adjustments.
Better LED grow lights can produce the particular spectrum a plant needs for its various stages of growth.
Another advantage is their longevity; LED bulbs will not need to be replaced nearly as often as fluorescents or HID.
Because of their numerous benefits, we recommend LED grow lights to hydroponics marijuana growers — beginners and experts alike.
LED grow lights are cost-efficient, low maintenance, and have a lifespan of many years. Some cannabis growers use LED grow lights in conjunction with High-Intensity Discharge lights to produce high-quality buds, but they can be used as a stand-alone grow light for weed with amazing results.
The Cheapest LED Grow Light
ECO FARM 300W LED GROW LIGHT Price: $55.35
Eco Farm led full spectrum dimmable grow light. Using 125 PCS Epistar & Bridgelux chips to make well-balanced light and illumination. Professional true 12 bands full spectrum LED grow light is ideal for the perfect and well-sustained growth of your marijuana/cannabis plants. Easy to use and designed especially for grow tents and smaller scale home growing, this low-power grow light system draws just 300W, saving power consumption, it has the best UV and infrared The 12-band full spectrum promotes faster and better plant growth, and the LEDs are designed with no removal and are easy to maintain.BEST match grow tents:2'x4' grow tent
Cheapest HID Grow Lights (HPS or MH):Price: $32-$129
HID lights are like a 70s Muscle Car: Powerful but wasteful.
They produce a good harvest (more then the LEDs mentioned above).
But they use 2x-3x the electricity and produce 2x-3x the heat.
2′ x 2′ = 150 Watt HID
3′ x 3′ = 400 Watt HID
2′ x 4′ = 600 Watt HID
4′ x 4′ = 600 Watt HID
5′ x 5′ = 1000Watt HID
If you live in a hot climate, use an air cooled one: Buy 400 Watt Air cooled HID grow light
HID lamps come often with 2 bulbs. An MH bulb for veging phase and a HPS for flowering.
These lamps come with a Ballast to run them. Do yourself a favor and get one with a digital ballast. They use less electricity, produce more light and the bulb lives longer. Also, they throw less electro-smog. So the digital ballast is very recommended as opposed to the old dirt magnetic ones which are still being sold every now and then.
Cheapest CMH Grow Lights :Price: $36-$161
CMH grow lights are somewhat new. They are very popular because they are more efficient than HPS/MH Lights. That means they produce more light output per electricity watt. Also their fuller spectrum of light increases growth, overall health, and yield.
- Higher UV output means plants produce more essential oils
- Lasts 18 months compared to 9 month HPS/MH lamps
- The best light for plant growing competitions
- Light spectrum isn’t as precise as LED however penetration is better
Buy 315 Watt CMH Lamp or a 630 Watt CMH grow Light
Or convert your old HIDs to CMH with this CMH conversion kit.
FLUORESCENT Grow Lights
T5 Fluorescent lighting is for more than just your workspaces and garages. Popular due to their long lifespan, these bulbs produce a more blue range of light and provide great support for early growth and maturity.
• Inexpensive
• Space saving
• Wide availability (buy at local store)
• Low heat output and electricity usage
The Cheapest T5 24W Fluorescent lighting
ECO FARM T5 24W FLUORESCENT GROW LIGHT
Price: $40.8–86.31$
Best Light for Weed: Other Things that you Need to Know
Before we end this post, allow us to share with you other important things that you need to know when it comes to marijuana and light, which will make you a more educated grower.
- Duration
- The duration at which the light should be turned on and off will depend on the stage of growth of the plant. Generally speaking, during the vegetation phase, the light needs to be turned on for 18 hours and turned off for 6 hours. On the other hand, during the flowering phase, it should be on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours.
- Amount of light
- The amount of light in the grow room is also an important consideration. This will depend on the size of the room or the number of the plants that are present. For every 10 square feet of a grow room, you will need at least 30,000 lumens of light. Larger grow rooms will definitely need more than just one grow light.
- Height
- You also have to pay attention to the height between the plant and the light. If it is too close, the plant can suffer from stress. If it is too far, the light will most probably be useless. The type of light that you are using and the wattage will have an impact on the right positioning.
- Reflector
- Using a reflector can also be an option. If you have a large grow room and if you do not need to install new lights or increase your energy consumption, a reflective material will help improve the intensity of the light.
LEDs vary from typical incandescent lights in their operation.
This includes a much longer lifespan (60,000 hours), significantly lower energy use (90 percent less efficient), cheaper maintenance costs, and increased safety.
If you're using fluorescent, metal halide, or sodium vapor lighting, an LED light will last at least two to four times as long.
One can be assured that when they buy high-quality grow led light it will stick around with them for a long time.They help in energy Conservation!The best significant advantage of LED lighting is its low energy consumption.
The energy efficiency of a lighting source may be measured in usable lumens, which represent the quantity of light that the device generates for each unit of electricity, or watt, that the bulb consumes.
Once you substitute a conventional source of light with an led full spectrum Grow lights, your energy consumption will decrease, making LED lights a wise investment for any business and home.They are good for the environment!For a long time, it has been becoming increasingly vital for businesses and homes to become environmentally friendly.
LED lights can be utilized for starting seeds yet they will definitely need to have a ton of light and also may call for some coziness.
Utilize a bulb along with a Kelvin temp of at least 5,000 when you are actually beginning with seeds since they require the maximum amount of light in the course of that condition in their growth.
