Grow Lamps in Hydroponics

!±8± Grow Lamps in Hydroponics

Introduction

Grow lamps are vitally important in the world of hydroponics as without them, plants wouldn't be able to grow. They provide the electromagnetic spectrum appropriate for photosynthesis that stimulates plant growth. This is all very crucial to the growth of the plant as the light produced from the grow lamp is very similar to that of the sun.

The Light Spectrum

An important process of growing plants and vegetables using hydroponics is getting the light spectrum correct at the different stages of a plants growth. For example in the initial vegetative stage the blue spectrum of light is required and then when the flowering stage is met a red-orange spectrum is usually required. In contrast to buying multiple bulbs that cater for different spectrum colours there are a few companies that produce a full spectrum bulb that caters for all stages of growth.

The Different Types

There are a number of different types of grow lamps available to use for you hydroponic needs, I shall be focusing on the following three.

· Incandescent Grow Lights

· Fluorescent Grow Lights

· High-Pressure Sodium Lamps

Incandescent Grow Lights

These grow lamps have an average life span of 750 hours, they are generally less energy efficient than fluorescent or high-intensity discharge lamps. This is because it converts much of the electricity consumed into heat and not light. They have a red-yellowish tone and low colour temperature. In addition to this this type of grow light can attract unwanted attention from pests due to the illumination given by the light.

Fluorescent Grow Lights

These indoor grow lights are generally used for growing vegetables or for starting seedlings. They are very much suited to this as they are available in any colour temperature in the range from 2800 K to 6000 K. Compared to Incandescent grow lamps they have a much longer life span (20,000 hours) and they produce twice as many lumens per watt of energy consumed. High Output Fluorescent Lamps are available with a slightly shorter life span (10,000 hours) but producing twice as much light.

High Pressure Sodium Lamps

There are clear advantages and disadvantages to these grow lamps -

Advantages

· If used for vegetative phase, plants will usually grow slightly more quickly.

· In the horticultural industry they enhance the fruiting and flowering process in parts.

· They have a very long life span (up to two years).

· Brilliantly efficient (up to six times more light output per watt of energy compared to a standard incandescent bulb).

Disadvantages

· If used exclusively throughout a plants growth process the plant tends to be taller and leggier with a longer length.

· They do not appear very healthy (even though they are) due to the poor colour rendering of high pressure sodium.

As well as these three there are other types of grow lamps such as LED, Combination HPS/MH Lamps and Switchable, convertible & two-way lamps.

The biggest factor in determining what grow lamp is best for the job all depends on what plant or vegetable you are trying to grow, as to get the optimum growing you will need to mimic the plant or vegetables natural environment (light source). In indoor hydroponics one of the most important aspects is light density, measured in lux. Light density is the amount of light falling on a given area.