Indoor gardening is a hobby that is catching on in America, especially in extremely cold or hot climates where outdoor gardens are not possible. It is a fun pastime that can also yield delicious results. A hydroponic indoor garden is a garden that is grown without the use of soil as a growing medium. Hydroponic gardening depends on the gardener’s ability to control the temperature, air circulation, and light within the grow room. Plants that grow under grow lights in a hydroponic garden are often of better quality than those grown in a soil based garden outdoors.
Grow lights
Grow lights are lights that used to replace the job of natural sunlight. Plants need photosynthesis to develop and for that to happen there needs to be light. Grow lights provide the crop with the kind of light they need for healthy development, however, a few factors need to be met. First, the light needs to be strong enough to allow for proper growth and second, it cannot emit too much heat, otherwise the balance of the grow room will be thrown off. Over the years, many different kinds of lights have been used in hydroponic systems. Led grow lights are the latest to hit the market.
The advantages of advanced led grow lights
Led grow lights have three very clear advantages over traditional forms of grow lights. While speculation exists as to the exact pros of led lights as grow lights, there are some very un-debatable advantages that need to be mentioned. Many indoor growers are moving towards using these lights for these reasons:
1. It is an energy saving light technology
Led lights have an amazing capacity for energy saving. A 30 watt led grow light will output more light than other lights utilizing the same wattage. If you switch to led technology you will find you save up to 50% on power. While this may not really matter in a small grow room, over time when you expand your garden, it will begin to make a big difference.
2. Led bulbs do not produce much heat
The heat factor is very important. When light is emitted from an artificial source, it is usually accompanied by heat. That was the case with almost all previous forms of grow lights. Because most other lights produce so much heat, a system of ducts and fans were needed to cool them down and carry the exhaust heat out of the room. The best led grow lights hardly produce heat, making them safe to use without any exhaust fans.
3. Almost five times the life span of traditional grow lights
These lights last longer than their competitors. While you should ignore claims of exaggerated life span, it is worth taking note that most grow led light bulbs last from 40,000 to 80,000 hours. So over time, despite their high investment cost, they end up paying for themselves.
