What are the best grow lights for growing cannabis indoors? 2020 Guide for Beginners

When growing marijuana in an indoor environment, there is perhaps nothing more important than light. Don’t get me wrong! I am not saying that all other elements can be ignored. What I am trying to say is that light is perhaps the most crucial element that will affect the overall health and growth of the plant. That being said, whether you are a casual grower or an experienced marijuana cultivator, you need to find the best grow lights available on the market.

With the rise of indoor gardening, no doubt grow lights are becoming more popular every day. But with so many types, quality, misleading wattage, manufacturers, complex terminology & grow space calculations, it’s definitely hard to find & buy the perfect grow light that suits your needs. Even more so if you are a beginner.

A grow light is exactly what the name implies – it is a light that helps the marijuana to grow in an enclosed environment. It supplements the light that the sun cannot provide. The options can be overwhelming. They differ in terms of heat production, longevity, spectrum, and design, among many others. If you need help in choosing the right product, keep on reading and learn from the insights that we will be sharing.

Before we discuss some of the top products available on the market, this section will provide a glimpse of some of the types of lights that are available, as well as their respective pros and cons.

LED: Best Energy-Efficient Grow Lights

Light Emitting Diode growth lights are amongst the most popular used by marijuana cultivators, despite the fact that they are quite new. The initial cost is quite expensive. Nonetheless, as it is being a preferred choice nowadays, the increase in demand is believed to be a factor to drive down the current prices.

Most of the LED lights are relatively small, making them space-efficient. Nonetheless, despite being compact, this does not mean that their functionality is compromised.

QUANTUM BOARDS LED GROW LIGHT which run much cooler than other LED panels, so the fixture doesn't even need fans. Passive cooling is all you need. Not only does that mean silent operation, it also means a longer lifespan.

Pros:

• This is known for their low running temperature, despite being turned on for an extended period.
• This means that it won’t generate too much heat.
• If you are looking for an energy-efficient grow light, LED should be on the top of the list. They can produce a great deal of light without consuming too much electricity.
• LED lights are also known for their extended lifespan, which is expected to be about 50,000 to 100,000 on average.

Cons:

• The initial cost can be quite high, which is what limits most buyers. Nonetheless, think of the long-term benefits as they make the steep price justifiable.
• There are some LEDs that are quite weak in terms of their light intensity, which can be attributed to the fact that they use minimal energy to operate.

CFL: Best Small Grow Light
CFL stands for compact fluorescent, which is a type of fluorescent grow lighting, along with T5, which will be discussed later on. It is a replacement to the traditional incandescent lamp. It is also nicknamed the Tom Cruise of marijuana grow lights, which is because of its popularity and efficiency.

The light spectrum that is given out by CFL is not as intense as the other types that are discussed in this post. This is actually the reason why it is good only during the initial stages of the growth of weed. This will also be the perfect choice for the best light for marijuana clones. Because it is not as intense, it will not cause the plant to burn.

Pros:

• Buying a CFL is easy on the wallet as it is one of the cheapest from the grow lights that you can find on the market
• The cool temperature that is produced by CFL is also a plus, which will minimize the likelihood that the plant will suffer from stress
• Good for novice gardeners with minimal knowledge about marijuana cultivation

Cons:

• If you have a large grow room, this is not the right choice for you. It is best only for growing a single plant in a small space
• There are also problems when it comes to the strength or the intensity of the light that is produced by CFLs

HID:  Best Grow Lights for Vegetative and Flowering Stages
Also known as high-intensity discharge light, it is a large bulb that is able to generate light through the ignition of the gas that is found in the bulb. They are known for being effective while being energy efficient. The HID grow lights can be further classified into two.

The first type of HIF is Metal Halide or MH light. This is recommended if you are looking for the best light for vegging cannabis. It has a high light output to provide the intensity that is needed. It emits blue light, which is why it is recommended for the vegging stage.

The second type is known as the High-Pressure Sodium or HPS light. The light that it emits is yellow-orange-red, which is more useful during the flowering stage.

It should not be a choice of either MH or HPS. As most growers would recommend, a combination of the two will work best if you want the best outcomes for your marijuana.

Pros:

• In the long run, the cost of operating HID light is less when compared to most of the other types of grow lights
• The usable light that it produces will be more than what you can expect to be produced by fluorescent grow lights
• In most cases, they are dimmable, providing you with the opportunity to customize the light output based on the needs of the grow room

Cons:

• The amount of heat produced by most HID bulbs can be too high, and hence, can possibly stress the plant
• They cannot be simply plugged in into a regular socket, which will require the need for additional tools for installation, such as a ballast

True / Actual Wattage
Double-check the specs and find the True wattage, not the advertised Theoretical wattage. Calculate your watt requirements based on True wattage.

Full Spectrum or Multi-Colored
Both Full spectrum LED and Colored LED can support plants in all growing stages. However, I recommend getting FULL SPECTRUM LED GROW LIGHT for best results, they’re more expensive but best for all stages of growth. And if it includes infrared and/or ultraviolet, that is even better.

There are 2 options for Full-spectrum LEDs, White LEDs, and Multiple Colored LEDs. Full-spectrum white LEDs are closer natural sunlight, but the yellow and green lights are not used by plants anyways. The colored lights are specially designed to output lights that are they crave the most, and many good quality fixtures include white light in it as well.

Coverage Area
Coverage increases if you move your plant higher but light intensity or the PAR value decreases. If you move your light closer the PAR increase and the coverage decreases.

The coverage listed on most LED lights indicate it can provide sufficient light intensity for flowering & fruiting.

Larger or Smaller Fixtures
It’s better to buy multiple smaller LED fixtures than less larger fixtures. Buy both types of fixtures and mix them up to add up to your total wattage/space requirements. That way your plants will get light from more directions.

Aptly named, as it looks very much like a hanging spider in your grow tent, the SPIDER FARMER QUANTUM BOARD is well thought out and a thoroughly tested light. From the deep red diodes to its near-perfect white light, the lamp efficacy is never in doubt with producing high-quality light that your plants will love. A perfect Spider Farmer quantum board LED for small indoor grows of 1 to 3 plants.

The efficiency is quite high, with 2,7 umol/J. It only uses 100w but it will generate the same yield as fake 1000W, 1200W blurple led grow lights. Samsung LM301B diodes, provide the highest light output led that you can find currently on the market. They create a better canopy light penetration and will bring you 40% higher crop efficiency with less energy than other red-blue lights.

The process is safer now. There is zero noise, because the design has no fan. It has large areas of solid aluminium heat sink. SF – 1000 has special protective cable covers, waterproof led board and a highly safety MeanWell driver.SF -1000 will lead your plant in an optimum way during all stages, by just adjusting the height and lighting schedule: germination, seeding, veg and bloom.

ECO Farm LED Grow Lights utilize the latest in high yielding LEDs technology today-Samsung LM301B diodes, high Energy Efficiency with 2.7 umol/J, delivers powerful light output and uniform canopy penetration to resulting maximum higher yields. Running 50% less power than the HPS or other SMD LEDs or Blurple lamps.

Excellent full spectrum - white, blue, red and IR (3000K, 660nm and IR 760nm and UV 395nm). 3000K diodes providing more reddish light. The 660nm red and IR light is especially useful during bloom, where it speeds up flowering time and boost yields. Turn your seeds into your own supply. And the light looks fairly natural, so it's good for accurately monitoring plant health.

High Safety performance MEAN WELL Driver, Fair Waterproofing. Update aluminum board is thick and sturdy, doesn't put out a tremendous amount of heat, high-quality protective covers for cables.Upgraded series growing lights have a dimming knob and light switch. ECO FARM QUANTUM BOARD can be adjusted the light intensity at liberty. Multi-light Connection with unified dimming especially beneficial for large area of indoor growing and commercial planting.

The best grow lights are indeed important for marijuana cultivated in an enclosed environment. Not all of the lights, however, can prove to be promising. Every style of LED grow light for growing cannabis has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, you need to choose one based on the stage of the growth of the plant. To avoid having regrets, limit your choices to the products that have been mentioned in this post.