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Hydro 101 with Deonna Marie: Lighting & Grow Bulbs, Part 2

By Deonna Marie | 929 views | Comments

The right grow lighting makes the difference between an mediocre yield and a huge yield.

Last week we ran down some good options for lighting your grow room. Beginners often underestimate how important good grow bulbs are to the health and size of your yield, so we’re laying it all out here in Hydro 101. Last week we talked about T5 and metal halide bulbs. This week, we’re exploring more options.

One of those options is a high pressure sodium (HPS) bulb. Because these bulbs are designed for the bloom cycle, they put off a red spectrum that encourages flower growth. But hold up - don't think that your plants will begin to flower just because you have switched to an HPS bulb. In order for most plants to produce flowers you will need to employ a light cycle that is 12 hours of light and 12 hours of complete darkness.

You can flower your plants with any spectrum bulb, including a metal halide, but to get the best yield, you need the red spectrum that the HPS bulb puts out for the bloom cycle. The cost of running any of these bulbs ranges from $10.00 a month up to around $40.00 a month depending on your location. Your veg cycle will cost a bit more than your bloom cycle because you will be running your lights anywhere from 18 to 24 hours a day.

Your veg cycle will cost a bit more than your bloom cycle because you will be running your lights anywhere from 18 to 24 hours a day.

One of the newest technologies catering to indoor growers is the L.E.D grow light. L.E.D.s just might be the future of grow lighting. They have blue and red spectrums built in, so you can use one L.E.D fixture from the vegetative phase through the bloom stage. They also create very little heat and use less than half the electricity of traditional grow bulbs.While they cost a little more than traditional lights, they also eliminate the need for extra fans, ducting and duct boosters, not to mention how much you save each year on your electric bill.

This is still one of those technologies that sparks great debate, but sometimes it just boils down to preference. I personally prefer the Stealth LED to any other on the market. It’s a great product with amazing results!

One last important factor is how safe it is to use a hydro setup. A question I always get at the shop is, “How can I prevent any safety problems with the lights and electricity in my grow room?"

When using any type of H.I.D, florescent or L.E.D. light, ou need to plan ahead in setting up your grow room since you will be working with water and other liquids, such as nutrients and foliar sprays.

First of all, never leave any electrical cords lying on the ground; use zip ties and/or eye hooks to suspend the cords and keep them off the ground. This is especially important if you’re using a hydroponic setup because many problems can occur when you have one system feeding numerous plants. You don't want to short anything out, so do the best you can to make sure your indoor grow room is safe.Remember you can always ask your local hydroponics shop any questions you may have when purchasing lighting.You’re making an investment and you want to be sure you have the best set-up and gear when trying to achieve a healthy and bountiful harvest. Until next time, Grow Big Or Go Home!!