How Hydroponic Lighting Works
How Hydroponic Lighting Works
All plants rely on light to thrive. While exposure to sunlight is ideal, it's not always possible if you're nurturing an indoor garden. Your plants may be situated in a space that lacks natural light, or you might not be able to provide them with an adequate amount to support their growth needs.
An easy way around this is to use hydroponic lighting. Often referred to as grow lights, they replicate the right type of illumination that indoor plants require during various stages of their life cycles. Since plants outside thrive based somewhat on their natural exposure to light, it's crucial to provide indoor greenery with the same degree of exposure.
This is key to triggering a response in the plant that releases the vital chemicals responsible for its growth. Choosing the right hydroponic lights is key to that process since all plants have different needs. A few factors play into selecting the right lighting, including the size of the indoor garden and the types of plants that you're raising.
The Importance of Hydroponic Lighting
It's helpful to understand the important role that hydroponic lighting plays by relating it to what the sun does naturally. The average gardener determines the appropriate location for planting based on the plants' exposure to the sun. Most outdoor plants call for up to eight hours of direct sunlight each day and/or up to 10 hours of indirect exposure per day.
The hydroponic system is designed to imitate this process to support the natural growth pattern of indoor plants. This helps them thrive, develop strong root systems, and supports everything from flower to fruit production. It also minimizes the chances that they'll develop diseases that may otherwise impact their long-term integrity.
What's nice about hydroponic lighting is that you can customize it to meet the unique needs of each plant in your indoor garden. That's unlike sunlight, over which you have no control. You simply must be confident that you've planted your greenery in a location that supports its chances to grow healthily.
By contrast, using grow lights allows you to monitor how well your plants perform when exposed to certain types of light for certain periods of time under certain conditions. You can do anything from changing the light source to adjusting the lighting temperature if you detect that your plants aren't responding well to your current setup.
How Hydroponic Lights Differ from Standard Bulbs
Hydroponic lights are not standard light bulbs. Standard lighting doesn't mimic the powerful effects of the sun on plants, which is why it's crucial to select a hydroponic lighting product that is designed specifically to support healthy growth through the various stages of a plant's life. Grow lights are available in a variety of spectrum ranges, which is more in line with the sun's behavior — sometimes it's especially bright and intense, and sometimes it's partially covered by clouds.
Grow lights also differ from regular bulbs in that they don't get hot to the touch. This is vital, as a hot bulb could easily cause leaves to burn and leave behind dreaded scorch marks that ultimately lead to the demise of the plant. You can even program your hydroponic lighting system based on your plants' needs, an important feature that can save you time while ensuring that your indoor garden receives the attention that it needs.
The Effect of Hydroponic Lights on Plants
Light is hard to classify as anything more than a "glow," but it's simply a beam of light that consists of photons that produce the visible light spectrum. This is the light that you can actually see — the visible light that the average human can detect at wavelengths up to 700 nanometers.
The average light bulb produces a spectrum of about 300 nanometers, but that number can be as high as 1,400 nanometers. By contrast, hydroponic light allows you to control light spectrum emissions. That's vital to your plants' various stages of growth. You'll develop an understanding of how different emissions can benefit your plants and their respective needs as you become more versed in the fine art of indoor growing.
For example, at 400 to 500 nanometers, grow lights can support leaf development and strengthen your leafy plants. Set at 600 to 700 nanometers, though, they stimulate complete growth while ensuring the stems remain healthy. Because all plants have different requirements, and because those needs may change dramatically from one stage to the next, it's important to understand what they need before you make an investment in a hydroponic lighting system.
Types of Hydroponic Lighting Products
There are several different types of grow lights available. The most common are light-emitting diodes, popularly known as LEDs. An important option if you're raising a larger indoor garden and want to conserve energy, these lights offer the benefits of longevity and low-heat exposure.
A full-spectrum LED light that supports both the vegetative and flowering stages of your plants is ideal, especially if you're a beginner and just learning the basics of hydroponic systems. Keep in mind you'll need to reposition your grow lights depending on the lighting phase you use. During the vegetative period, for example, the lights should be situated at least a foot to two feet from the plants, which allows more room for photosynthesis.
Plants will need less light as they begin to thrive, so at this point, the lights can be moved back anywhere from 16 to 36 inches. That will support flower and fruit production, and you'll notice that they begin to grow taller, too. Avoid positioning the light too close, as that could affect the plants' growth pattern and cause them to sprawl outward. It could even cause long-term damage.
Another popular option is the metal halide (MH) bulb. These are particularly well-suited to long-day plants or those that call for at least 18 hours of consistent sunlight exposure each day. They're vital if you're growing vegetables, such as turnips and lettuce, and are vital to the early growth of your plants.
MH bulbs essentially replicate the intensity of the summer sun. While most plants can benefit from this during their growth period, in particular, your herbs and vegetables can often thrive with just MH bulb exposure alone.
During the flowering period, many plants benefit from high-pressure sodium (HPS) bulbs. They're warmer than their LED and MH counterparts, providing your plants with the same type of illumination they might receive in the fall. It's important to switch to these at the first sign of flower or fruit growth. It's suitable to use both MH and HPS bulbs to support various stages of a plant's growth in some cases.
What You Need for Effective Lighting
It's not enough to simply settle on the right type of hydroponic lighting to grow your indoor plants. You also need to be certain that you have the right components in place. The first is the reflector hood, which is a casing that surrounds the bulb. This creates a channel for the light to aim directly at the plants, ensuring that the illumination reflects only on your indoor garden instead of spreading elsewhere in the room. In addition to concentrating light exposure, it minimizes heat buildup — which will keep your energy costs down in the long term.
You will also need a ballast or a box that supports the lights. Its primary role is to manage the amount of energy and light distributed through your system. While you might think you can perform the same task with a light switch, it's crucial to invest in a solid remote ballast since the entire process of illuminating plants calls for a considerable amount of power. Proper management will help you avoid energy waste. Since your ballast and your grow lights must be compatible with one another, it's ideal to select them at the same time.
The final component for your setup is the timer, which is a critical part of the entire process. Without a timer, you can't be certain that your plants have precisely received the light they need for the right amount of time. Hydroponic timers can be automated to turn on and off at specific intervals, ensuring that you have complete control over your plants' needs. They'll also support your own schedule since you don't have to worry about checking on the lights continually.
The Benefits of Implementing Hydroponic Lighting
Your indoor garden benefits tremendously from hydroponic lighting. They're vital to the health and vitality of your plants, helping you nurture and develop an indoor garden that remains in great condition for years to come. They're energy-efficient, so you don't have to worry about your utility bills spiking.
At the same time, hydroponic lighting supports a year-round growth plan. That means you can comfortably raise your indoor garden even during the coldest months of the year when you would normally take a break from outdoor gardening due to the weather. With optimal lighting and the right temperature, you can raise your plants throughout the year.
You'll notice a difference in the speed at which they grow, too. Hydroponic lighting is concentrated and structured in a way to provide your plants with precisely the amount of illumination they require to thrive. If your goal is to grow larger plants, you can rely on grow lights to generate results. More robust flower and vegetable growth is another positive effect of using hydroponic lighting.
If you need assistance choosing the right type of grow light for your indoor garden, you can rely on the professionals at your local garden center to provide guidance. With the right tools in place, you can be certain that your plants will thrive.
