Hydroponics Lighting Options

By Author: Adam Nicolson
Total Articles: 475
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Hydroponics is a system of growing plants which does not use soil. Instead, plants are cultivated in growing nutrients such as nutrient rich water or a nutrient rich, soil free environment. Not having to rely on soil for their nutrition helps plants to grown more quickly and in a much healthier manner. It also allows plants to be grown in a wide range of environments and conditions.

One of the most important pieces of equipment needed when growing plants with hydroponics is good hydroponics lighting. If you are growing plants indoors, then you need to ensure that they have a good source of lighting, which mimics the light of the sun and hydroponics lighting is designed to do just that.

Hydroponics Lighting

When it comes to choosing hydroponics lighting, things can get a bit confusing. There are lots of different lighting options and different plants will have different lighting requirements, so a bit of research needs to be conducted if you are to grow your plants in the best possible environment.

Plants require light from many different parts of the spectrum and this means that several types of hydroponics ...
... lighting may need to be used at different stages in a plant’s development.

Which Light?

If your plants are going to be grown in an area where there is no natural light, then high intensity discharge bulbs are ideal. They cover the blue portion of the spectrum, which is something plants will really miss if they have no access to natural light. Metal halide bulbs, in particular, are fantastic for plants which don’t seem much of the sun’s light.

Fluorescent bulbs are useful for young seeds which are in the initial stage of growing, as are LED lights, which can be used widely in hydroponics but, which are not the most cost effective option out there.

Sodium bulbs produce light which is on the red and orange spectrums, which makes them great for use in conjunction with metal halide bulbs, as they will, when combined, produce the whole spectrum found in natural light. When used alone, sodium bulbs will cause plants to grow unusually talk and thin.

Hydrohobby Hydroponics is the UK’s biggest and best online hydroponics store. Visit their website to find out more about hydroponics lighting and to browse their fantastic selection of high quality lighting solutions.