High intensity discharge grow lights have provided great results for indoor growers during many years. There are two types of HID bulbs: metal halide and high pressure sodium. Before getting one or the other you need to evaluate your situation. In this article we’ll talk about the properties of both, so you can determine which one is better for you.
The only thing that’s not so great about HID grow lights is that they consume plenty of energy. If this is an issue for you we suggest using fluorescent grow lights or LED grow lights. These strike a good balance between effective plant growth, and energy efficiency. If you select LED grow lights you should know that in order to get the best product, you have to research and read about other people’s experiences.
To get the best possible results it’s important that you investigate about the requirements of your plant specimen. One thing that’s for sure is that the more brightness you provide, the better it will be for your plant. HID grow lights will surely provide this, so it’s most likely the best choice for any type of plant.
Metal halide
Metal halide bulbs are the best growing option after the Sun. They produce a great deal of light in the blue spectrum, which is good during any growth stage of a plant. It’s especially beneficial for seedlings to make sure the grow out to be strong. This bulb will last you 10,000 hours, and even if it doesn’t burn out after that we recommend that you get a replacement. The reason for this is that the brightness produced (125 lumen per watt) will fade over time.
High pressure sodium
This type of bulb will work great as a secondary light. It will emit light in the orange-red spectrum, which will work best for plants in their flowering stage. If this is used for seedlings, they will grow fast, but the will end up being thin and weak. It’s better to use this bulb in addition to another source of light, such as the Sun, or a metal halide bulb that produces blue spectrum light.
A brand new bulb produces 140 lumen per watt, which lasts about 18,000 hours. After this time passes they will begin to produce less light and consume more electricity than what’s advertised on the box.
A metal halide bulb will most likely be useful to you, but a high pressure sodium might work if you have a greenhouse, or if you want to get the best results by using the to in combination. If you are worried about the electricity costs of HID lights, you should definitely consider buying LED grow lights or fluorescent grow lights.