Today, many people take up gardening as their hobby! And since, Hydroponic gardening is a popular choice; many aspiring gardeners take an interest in this gardening as well. Sunlight is an integral element for plant development and growth.
However, when you are opting in for growing your plants inside the house, you will need artificial indoor lighting that can act as a suitable replacement for sunlight and provide the best colour spectrum.
Are you a beginner in gardening? If yes, then selecting the ideal grow-lights for a hydroponic system might well be a very daunting task for you. There are several options available for you to choose from.
You can select based on your gardening structure as well as the plant types that you are growing. There are few lights that can be effective than the others.
So, when you are all set to browse from the top rated hydroponic grow light variants and select the one you like best, you can keep in mind the following pointers.
What do you need to know before you get started?
When it comes to outdoor plants, they need a minimum of six hours sunlight daily. Additionally, they also require indirect light or radiant light for ten hours. You can get this requirement fulfillment by opting in for imitation lighting for a hydroponic garden.
Design your gardening system in a way that it gets radiant light for close to sixteen hours at least. Both light and dark are essential. Make sure that your plants get to be in the dark for twelve hours. It helps the plant to rest as well as metabolize its nutrients.
Do you have perennial plants? If yes, then you need to get extra strict. You need to pay close attention to the lighting plan and know more on the way each grows, develops and produces fruit.
The simplest ways to retain their lighting schedules is by opting in for a manual electric timer. You can invest in this device so that you don’t go wrong in switching the lights on and off.
Different plants have different requirements
You require an electronic timer when you have multiple plants. Even though you can keep in mind the basic guidelines, some plants grow better-making use of the short and long span of light.
When your hydroponic garden has a mix of it all, it’s easy to determine the best lighting schedule for them. You can make use of the electric timer and also manage the same in a hassle-free manner.
And you can change the schedule and add other ingredients to it as your gardening evolves. There are three categories of plants that you need to be aware of before you decide on the grow lights.
- Plants that need more darkness
These plants need long stretches of darkness for being able to photosynthesize the nutrients and also produce the flowers. If these plants get exposed to light for over twelve hours, they will certainly not flower.
Take for instance the chrysanthemums, strawberries, poinsettias and the cauliflower, come in this category. The short-day cycle can mimic the platform in a way for the plants to flower during the spring.
- Plants that need more light
When it comes to the long-day plants, you need to ensure that they receive sunlight for close to eighteen hours daily at a stretch.
Some of the best examples of this comprise of turnips, wheat, potatoes, spinach, lettuce and many more. Long-Day plants need a natural environment to thrive.
- The flexible plants
It is one of the flexible plant types that you can select for your hydroponic gardening. These plants produce fruits regardless of the light they receive. Some of the best examples include corn, rice, roses, and eggplant.
The various light systems that you can opt-in for
Once you are aware of the type of plant you have in your hydroponic garden system, it becomes easy to select the light equipment. You can choose from the options that are discussed below:
Advanced bulbs
It is one of the most commonly used lighting devices for growing hydroponic plants. The wattage usually ranges from 400 to 600 watts.
The majority of the hydroponic gardeners make use of the HID lights as well. Simply put, the HID bulbs send a flash of electric current linking two electrodes enclosed inside a glass. The glass has a blend of metal salts and gas.
Furthermore, the gas helps in the generation of the electric flash that can evaporate metal salts, generating a radiant white light.
Today, two prominent bulbs that you can use as grow lights for your hydroponic garden structure are the MH known as Metal Halide and the HPS, known as the High-Pressure Sodium (HPS).
Furthermore, when you make use of a conversion lamp, you can select from any of the two bulbs.
The reflector hood
It is one of the essential devices for grow lights. Simply put, a reflector hood can be best defined as a reflective encasement that envelops the bulb. Additionally, it also maximizes the efficiency level of the light bulb by effectively dazzling the light at a downwards direction, on your plants, at various angles.
It provides an efficient spread. It also enables you to make use of the light that gives you with lesser heat. Also, there are fewer electric savings and it helps you save on the cooling expenses.
The remote ballast
Simply put, this device is defined as a power box. It enhances the light quality by adding more power. There are times when the ballasts are found in market as a lamp device part.
However, these tend to be heavy and extremely hot as well. Also, the remote ballast is way better for the residence systems. It comprises of the costliest side of hydroponic lighting solutions.
Hence, it is essential to keep it away from the ground to make sure that it doesn’t get wet due to a leak or a flood. Furthermore, the flooding is a risky proposition.
Hence, it’s always better to purchase a ballast to be used with a bulb as the wattage matches.
When you are planning to bring home the best quality grow light for your hydroponic garden structure, ensure to keep these points in mind. This way you can get the best grow lights that will help your plants to grow.