Light is essential for a plant’s growth. More light means more energy for the plant to produce its food to live and thrive.
There are many different options, and it can get confusing. That’s why I created the table below and ranked the in my opinion best growing lights solutions for growing weed indoors!
| Name | Image | Type | Coverage | Light Spectrum | Wattage | Lumens | Initial Cost | Power Usage | Heat Produced | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
LED |
Up to 9 plants |
Full Spectrum |
600W |
100000 lm |
$ |
⚡⚡ |
🔥 |
||
|
|
LED |
Up to 6 plants |
Full Spectrum |
200W |
35600 lm |
$ |
⚡ |
🔥 |
||
|
|
LED |
Up to 9 plants |
Full Spectrum |
720W |
123497.90 lm |
$ |
⚡⚡ |
🔥 |
||
|
|
HPS |
Up to 9 plants |
Red Light |
1000W |
14300 lm |
$$ |
⚡⚡⚡ |
🔥🔥🔥 |
||
|
|
CMH |
Up to 9 plants |
Full Spectrum |
315W |
33000 lm |
$$ |
⚡⚡ |
🔥🔥🔥 |
||
|
|
CFL |
Up to 8 plants |
Full Spectrum |
54W per bulb |
20000 lm |
$ |
⚡ |
🔥 |
||
| Name | Image | Type | Coverage | Light Spectrum | Wattage | Lumens | Initial Cost | Power Usage | Heat Produced | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
LED |
Up to 9 plants |
Full Spectrum |
600W |
100000 lm |
$ |
⚡⚡ |
🔥 |
||
|
|
LED |
Up to 6 plants |
Full Spectrum |
200W |
35600 lm |
$ |
⚡ |
🔥 |
||
|
|
LED |
Up to 9 plants |
Full Spectrum |
720W |
123497.90 lm |
$ |
⚡⚡ |
🔥 |
||
|
|
HPS |
Up to 9 plants |
Red Light |
1000W |
14300 lm |
$$ |
⚡⚡⚡ |
🔥🔥🔥 |
||
|
|
CMH |
Up to 9 plants |
Full Spectrum |
315W |
33000 lm |
$$ |
⚡⚡ |
🔥🔥🔥 |
||
|
|
CFL |
Up to 8 plants |
Full Spectrum |
54W per bulb |
20000 lm |
$ |
⚡ |
🔥 |
||
1. LED
Light-Emitting Diode (LED) grow lights are popular among growers because it gives off the same amount light to the plants without the heat and high power consumption costs that other lights produce. LED grow lights are also convenient as they are plug-and-play devices that don’t need much setting up. One of the best features of LEDs is their broad light spectrum that allows using only one type of light for the entire grow process.
2. HID
High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Is a category of light bulbs and lamps that create light by sending an electrical discharge through a plasma or an ionized gas. HID lights classify based on the gas used to produce light: Mercury, Sodium, and Metal Halide.
3. HPS
High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) grow light is famous for its effectiveness during the flowering stage of a cannabis plant. It produces a yellow light that promotes better bud production. HPS grow light come in different sizes, which makes it flexible to any garden size. It is a powerful type of lamp that definitely gets the job done at the cost of high power consumption and heat production.
4. MH
Metal Halides (MH) are a type of HID lights primarily designed as headlights and streetlights. However, after a few improvements, they have transitioned into lights made for growing greens. MH lights produce a blue light which is beneficial for plants in their vegetative stage. The blue light promotes healthier and stronger branches and stems in bud growth preparation in the flowering stage. Without the blue light, the plant’s stalks and stems may break when the buds grow bigger, nearing the harvest.
5. CMH
Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH) is a variation of the Metal Halide with the technology of HPS in mind. Instead of using quartz for its tubing similar to an MH, it uses a ceramic arc tube identical to an HPS. Changing the tube from quartz to ceramic allowed manufactures to make distinct variations on the light spectrum. A CMH has a more balanced light spectrum, unlike MH, which usually produces blue light.
6. CFL
Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) is a quick and easy light source for cannabis plants indoors. They produce only the right amount of light, not as strong as HID or LED, without making as much heat. They don’t offer a full spectrum. However, the daylight variant is best for the vegetative stage, while the soft white variant works best for the flowering stage.
1. LED
LED lights are the most efficient type of grow light. Although they are a newer grow light type available in the market, they last longer than most grow lights. In terms of the light spectrum, there are LED lights that produce a full light spectrum for the vegetative and flowering stage. A full spectrum light is cost-efficient because there is no reason to change into a new light setup every growth stage. 9 out of 10 times LED’s are the best choice for home growing.
2. HID
Manufacturers primarily created HID lights to produce extreme light for illuminating stadiums, street lights, and vehicular headlights. It makes a blue and yellow light that aids the plants in their vegetative and flowering stage. However, due to their primary function, these lights tend to produce high temperatures that may cause light burn in plants and have to maintain distance from the plants.
3. HPS
HPS lights produce bright lights, but they also have heat. It is not advisable to use HPS lights in a small grow space. It requires a minimum distance of a meter away from the plant. However, HPS lights are the "golden standard" for growing cannabis due to their consistency in producing excellent yields and results.
4. MH
MH grows lights are best for keeping your plants from growing tall. An indoor grower might not have enough space in a growing area to accommodate tall cannabis plants. MH lights prevent the plants from stretching or growing tall since stretching occurs when the plants don’t receive enough sunlight or blue light. Since MH produces blue light, the plants become abundant with it, preventing elongation over each other.
5. CMH
CMH lights provide a more balanced light spectrum compared to HPS and MH lights. Using them as a seed-to-flower light may be better than using either HPS or MH. It also has a lower upfront cost compared to its high-powered light counterparts. At a lower wattage, you get the same amount of light at a lower power consumption cost. Overall, CMH lights last longer than HPS and MH lights.
6. CFL
CFLs are known for being cheap, grow lights. They are not as expensive as the other types of grow light, but they perform as much. But their downside is the need for more CFL bulbs than other grow lights, which only require one or two. The number of bulbs makes up for a single CFL bulb’s lack of power and brightness.
Each light has a maximum range of coverage. The ideal wattage per plant is within 30W to 40W. Therefore, a light’s wattage divided by 30W to 40W is the number of plants it can accommodate simultaneously given that . For example, if you have a 1000W LED light, it can technically accommodate 25 to 33 plants simultaneously given that the light angel and distance between the light and plants allow it.
Investing in a trusted brand is almost always the best route to take. However, it will be best for novice growers to purchase a grow light within your budget. It doesn’t hurt to start small and transition into something better after gaining experience. For LED’s especially the manufacturer of the diode is more important than the brand of the Pannel. You can never go wrong with Samsung LM301H diodes!
A grow light should also provide your plants with the right light spectrum, depending on their needs. A full-spectrum type of grow light is more cost-efficient than having two different lights for the flowering and vegetative stage. But then, if you have a specific target in mind, such as healthier plants or a more significant bud production, getting extra help from single-color has its place too.
If you want to find out more about the light spectrum check out my post: "How to grow weed?"
Grow lights should both be durable and cost-efficient. There are grow lights that are more luminous but use lesser wattage than others. Often, a higher wattage does not equate to brighter light. Make sure to read the grow lights’ label, and both check the wattage and the lumens indicated for it. The more lumen the better. Anyhow 20000 lumen are fine for the average hobby grower. Just keep in mind that with extra lumen you get a larger more potent harvest.
Lumens (lm) is a measurement for how bright a grow light is. On average, cannabis plants needs to receive 2500-3000 lumens per square foot.
Light spectrum refers to the range of waves within the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. Often represented by the colors of the rainbow, the most common light spectra are blue and red. Blue light helps plants during their vegetative stage to grow stronger and healthier. Meanwhile, red light helps in promoting bud production during the flowering stage.
Outdoor plants receive the entire light spectrum provided by the sun. A specific light spectrum intensifies and works with the plants to produce results through a change in season. Spring intensifies blue light, and Summer allows more light to penetrate. Autumn intensifies red light for plants to flower before Winter comes. Mimicking the light spectrum that the sun gives off in an indoor grow space is crucial for plant growth, development, and yield production using only artificial light.
Grow lights have different light spectrums. LED lights can have a blue, red, or a whole range. HID lights such as HPS and MH produce yellow and green light, respectively. CLF has both red and blue hues but has a stronger blue light.
Choosing a light with a full spectrum will be more cost-efficient as there is no need for changing light setups at every stage of the cannabis grow. However, if you have a specific target in mind, like healthier plants and bigger buds, opting for a different light per growth stage might suit you best. But keep in mind that this will cost you more as changing light setups will require you to purchase other lights, and that, of course, will cost you more.
Horticulture Lighting Group has a reputation for their grow lights in the market. One of their latest additions to the brand is their new LED grow lights using the most recent LED bulbs from Samsung. One of which is the Scorpion Rspec 600W LED Grow Light. Built for low ceiling heights and vertical racks, the Scorpion grow light provides a full spectrum of light over a 6’x6’ grow space enough to provide light for nine plants in total.
Prism Lighting Science brings growers this 4-bulbed fluorescent grow light setup. Easy on the heat, easy on the power consumption, but as good in providing a bright light to an indoor growing space. Buyers can purchase other bulbs that have different light spectra if white light isn’t enough for their preference.
If you prefer using fluorescent lights for growing weed, there are bulbs in a different light spectrum to adjust to your plant’s needs depending on the growth stage. Available as an add-on, you can buy blue or red lights per piece to add to your current light setup.
There is a wide-array of grow lights to choose from the varying types. However, LED grow lights are the best for growing weed because they are cost-efficient but provide the best amount of light with a full spectrum. LED grow lights may be a newer type of light, but it has proved that something new can be the best.
LED grow lights produce lesser heat which is good because higher temperatures often damage cannabis plants, affecting their potency and cannabinoid production. It has a total light spectrum that supports both red and blue light production. Light spectrum indoors is crucial for mimicking the sunlight for the plant’s optimum growth. Red light helps in the production of more buds that are bigger. Meanwhile, blue light assists in the weed’s vegetative stage by producing luscious greens and stronger stems and branches.
Overall, LED grow lights lead the other grow types as the all-around grow light type. It is efficient, it provides what a plant needs from seed-to-flower, and it is a general lighting type for indoor growers. Despite its upfront costs, investing in a good LED grow light from the beginning will save you more money in a long time than picking a cheap grow light.
