Cannabis use is increasing all around the world today thanks to how it has become better accepted for both medical and recreational use. Along with that comes an increase in how much more people demand cannabis. In Canada, there were even seed banks that ran out of cannabis during the early days of its legalization. That is how consumers were quick to demand more of this product.
To avoid running out of marijuana, some users have now become cannabis cultivators in their own right. They now grow their own plants right in their own homes or properties. Some of these guys grow cannabis plants for their own recreational purposes. Meanwhile, others grow it for other reasons such as for profit.
That said, if you want to grow your own cannabis whether it is for profit or not, it is of utmost importance for you to do so in the most efficient of ways. This is true even though you are growing the plants just for own recreational purposes because you do not want to incur extra expenses for something that is not for the purpose of making a profit. In that regard, you need to use tools such as LED grow lights.
What is LED Grow Lights?
Years ago, the most common types of bulbs and lamps used for general white lighting were incandescent lights and fluorescent lamps. Incandescent lights are able to do their jobs well but the problem is that they are inefficient in the sense that they cost quite a lot and have a relatively short lifespan. Meanwhile, fluorescent lamps are much more efficient than incandescent lights but are environmentally hazardous because of their mercury content.
Due to the rise of environmental awareness and the general public’s demand for more cost-effective and energy-efficient lighting sources, there was a need for a new type of bulb that could provide the best lighting at a cost that is both easy on the environment and on the pocket.
In the 1960s, there already existed such a type of bulb. Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs had already been developed at that time. However, the problem was that they only emitted low levels of light that were closer to the red frequencies of the color spectrum. This meant that it was not yet ready to be used as a main source of light.
But, as research on this topic increased, more and more companies were able to develop improved versions of the LED light. In the 21st century, the modern LED light came about and has been adopted as the main source of lighting in most countries. It is far more energy efficient than any other type of bulb and also lasts for quite a very long time.
Since its adoption as the main source of light in public and private places, LED bulbs have also grown in use in other fields. In this case, it has become more popular among indoor cannabis plant growers because of its cost efficiency and its overall efficacy in providing light and heat for their operations.
LED lamps create light by passing electrons through semiconductors instead of burning filament. This means that they produce more light without having to burn anything or emit a lot of heat. That is the reason why LED bulbs tend to be so cool when in use compared to incandescent or fluorescent lamps, which both tend to be hot.
Why use LED Grow Lights?
With the introduction of LED bulbs into the market, cannabis growers have also made use of this relatively new type of lighting technology by applying it to their indoor cannabis operations. It turns out that LED grow lights actually have a lot of advantages for any kind of grower out there. Here are some of the reasons why you should try using LED bulbs instead:
- Low consumption of energy means more savings
This is probably the most important and most common reason why some cannabis cultivators use LED grow lights. LED bulbs to consume more than half of the electricity that the common high-pressure sodium (HPS) bulb does while still producing the same amount of light. That means that you are basically getting the same quality without having to consume more electricity.
If you are simply starting out with your operation or if you just want to minimize your costs because you do not have the luxury of a large budget for electricity, you should really try LED grow lights. In the long run, you will see how much these types of lights will save you on electricity costs alone to make things easier on both your pocket and on the environment.
- Longer lifespan
In relation to the first reason on this list, you will be able to save up a lot of expenses because you do not have to buy more bulbs over and over again. The reason for this is that LED bulbs tend to last for quite a very long time. The average lifespan of one LED bulb is more than 50,000 hours. In comparison to that, incandescent lights last only for 1,000 hours while fluorescent lights last for as long as 15,000.
LED grow lights have such a really long lifespan that, if you keep them on 24/7, it will take more than 2,000 days before they begin to die out. This long lifespan can be attributed to the fact that LED bulbs do not emit a lot of heat. This quality will ultimately help make things a lot less expensive for you and your indoor cannabis operation.
- Controlled wavelength and the full spectrum of light
Other lighting systems produce types of lights (green and yellow wavelength) that are technically useless for your cannabis plants. In that sense, you will be wasting a lot of energy producing light that tends to get wasted. However, using LED bulbs can give your plants a more controlled wavelength because they can produce only the types of light that cannabis can actually make use of.
In that regard, LED bulbs produce a balanced full spectrum of light that can give your plants a pure type of light that does not go to waste. In some cases, there are even LED fixtures that can turn off other wavelengths so that you can focus on producing only the type of light that is actually useful for your cannabis plants.
- Your plant stays healthy
Other types of grow lights produce or emit ultraviolet and infrared that are potentially harmful to your cannabis plants’ overall health. It may eventually be counterproductive to your entire cannabis operation in the long run as they would need more water and nutrients to produce energy to counteract the effects of UV and IR rays.
However, LED bulbs produce limited UV and IR rays. This minimizes the overall adverse effects on your plants’ health. In turn, they will end up using water and nutrients for growth rather than to produce energy to help them stay alive against the harmful effects of UV and IR rays.
- Your indoor operation stays relatively cool
One of the drawbacks of using other conventional grow lights such as HPS is that these bulbs tend to produce a lot of heat. Heat might be an important factor in helping your cannabis plants grow but too much heat in a limited grow room can potentially be detrimental to your plants’ overall health. That is why most indoor cannabis operations make use of exhaust systems that filter the heat out of the room.
But, if you use LED bulbs, you do not have to worry too much about producing a lot of heat. That is because these types of lights tend to operate a lot cooler compared to conventional grow lights. This eliminates not only the risk of burning out your plants but also the need to install cooling systems such as exhaust fans.
- You will be helping the environment
One of the reasons why LED bulbs were developed is that they are a lot more environmentally friendly compared to other light sources. They are energy efficient and are far more long-lasting than any other type of grow light on the market. This means that you will be able to produce more on a cost that is easier for both your wallet and on the environment.
Moreover, LED grow lights are recyclable and free of toxic chemicals that may potentially produce catastrophic effects on the environment. In that sense, your conscience will be a lot lighter if you use LED grow lights instead of conventional light sources such as CFL or HPS.
How to optimize your use LED grow lights?
- Do away with cooling systems
When using LED grow lights, you can do just fine with minimal to no cooling systems. That means that your indoor cannabis operation can thrive well even without a topnotch cooling system. You may even be able to do well with just a few exhaust fans just to prevent things from getting too hot. This is because LED cannabis grow lights, as mentioned, tend to run cool.
However, if you live in a climate that tends to be cool, you may have relied on the additional heat caused by your conventional lighting systems. So, if you are using LED grow lights, you may want to invest in an additional heater not only for yourself but also for your cannabis plants.
- You don’t have to water your plants often
This is in relation to how LED bulbs tend to be cool. Since LED grow lights do not produce a lot of heat, they do not evaporate water in your cannabis plants’ pots at a rapid pace. This means that you do not have to water your plants as often as you would have had you used other conventional lighting systems.
The importance of reducing your watering schedule cannot be overstated. Following your usual watering schedule might flood your cannabis plants with too much water. In that sense, if you water them too often, it might even be counterproductive to your entire operation.
- Put the lights close
Growers usually place their grow lights at a safe distance away from their plants because of the heat that they produce. However, the problem here is that you won’t be able to optimize the amount of light you get from your conventional grow lights because the light tends to disperse when you place them far from the cannabis plants.
When you use LED grow lights, you can actually put them close to the cannabis because they do not emit a ton of heat that can potentially damage your plants. This allows your plants to get the optimal amount of light they need to mature and grow rather quickly. However, you also have to keep in mind that there should be a balance between coverage area and light intensity when putting your grow lights at an ideal height. The best way to know that is to ask the manufacturer.
- Choose the right spectrum depending on the growth phase
The great thing about LED grow lights, as mentioned, is that you can actually focus on a certain light spectrum. In some cases, there are even lights that can eliminate certain color spectrums so that you can focus on the ones that you really want your cannabis plants to make use of. This means that you can give your plants a more focused spectrum of light depending on what phase they are in their growth.
During the vegetative phase, it is best to go for lights closer to UV. That means that you might want to opt for blue and white LED grow lights. However, for the flowering period, it is suggested that you go for ones that are close to infrared such as red spectrum LED grow lights. This gives your plants the specific spectrum of light they need depending on the stage of their lifespan.
- You can do well without using too many nutrients
When using LED grow lights, as mentioned, there will be less heat emission. In line with that, you also do not have to water them too often. Less heat and water means that your cannabis plants tend to use up food and nutrients at a slower pace. In that sense, you do not have to feed them with nutrients as often as you would have had you used conventional grow lights.
This is important because even plants have their limits. It will be counterproductive to your operation if the plants get nutrient-burn or too much food. That said, you should know well that you do not have to feed them a lot of nutrients to avoid building up the food in your substrate or to avoid giving your plants too much for them to handle.
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