One of the most popular light types to use when growing plants indoors is a full spectrum LED grow light. These lights feature all the needed colors (such as blue and red) that plants need in order to survive when grown indoors. Besides these though, full-spectrum grow lights also include IR and UV bulbs which help with the blooming and flowering stages of your plants. This article will highlight some of the tops LED full spectrum grow lights you should be using in your growing space.

WHY DO YOU NEED A GROW LIGHT?

The first and foremost question that many growers tend to ask is - why do you need an LED grow light? When you are growing your marijuana indoors, you do need an LED grow light because this is what will replace the natural light of the sun indoors! Since sunlight is the most essential thing required to grow a plant and since it cannot be provided naturally indoors, you would require to buy a grow light.

The grow lights are needed by growers to grow marijuana indoors because it is in the direction of these grow lights that the stem of the plants will grow and it is with the help of these grow lights that the process of photosynthesis will be able to take place. Photosynthesis is really important for the healthy growth of any plant as that is the process via which plants convert sunlight into energy! Hence, if there are no grow lights the plant will not be able to survive as it will not be able to generate energy! This is primarily why grow lights are important.

HOW FAR SHOULD LED GROW LIGHTS BE FROM PLANTS?

LED grow lights need to be kept at an appropriate distance from the plants - keep them too near the plant and you risk burning it and keep it too near and then you would risk not providing adequate light to the plant (particularly the lower portions). Hence you need to ensure that you keep the lights hung at just the right distance. The most basic way to do this is known as the 'back of the hand test'. Place your hand on top of the plant and keep moving the light slowly downwards till you begin to feel hot and then move it significantly upwards. The light, as a rule of thumb, needs to be farther from the plant during the growth phase buy nearer during the flowering phase. The distance should be adjusted till you come to the perfect position.

AGLEX M600 LED Grow Light Bar

Features:
AGLEX M600 led grow light comes with upgraded SMD 3030 chips and 6 efficient aluminum bars, ensuring higher efficacy PPE 2.8umol/J and better heat dissipation, longer lifespan. Max 2.8g yield per wattage with 30% higher average PPFD and 50% greater yield & quality compared with the old plant lights. Only consumes 600w with1332 LEDs, perfect coverage for 6.5x7ft, The 600w led grow light M600 will help you achieve maximum quality and quantity. The grow light consists of full-spectrum White 3000K 5000K, Red 660nm, and IR 740nm. Excellent spectrum applies to the whole stages of the indoor growing plants. No fans zero noise design, very quiet. The led grow light 600w is ideal for greenhouses, grow tents, stand racks, vertical farming, etc.

GeekBeast 630w Pro

Features:
GeekBeast 630w Pro LED Grow Light is a six-bar fixture. Each LightBar is Made up of 272, including Samsung Full Spectrum White Light Diodes, 660nm Red Diodes, and IR+UV Diodes on independent controls. Totaling 1,632 diodes per light. Geeklight GeekBeast Pro is a luminaire Quantum Bar LED Grow Light used for full-cycle commercial plant cultivation, the light is tuned to 3000k output, covering the vegetable to flowering stages. The light features a unique Quantum Bar design that spreads light over a larger area whilst simultaneously reducing excess heat. The light can be controlled by Bluetooth and daisy chaining is a doddle with the ability to link up to 100 units. The fixture is robust and incredibly well made. It is passively cooled and has no moving parts which means that it is silent in operation and has a much longer lifespan than older style lights.

What Makes A Good LED Grow Light?

Here are some important things that you should look for in a good LED grow light:

1. Full spectrum ( including IR and UV )
A full spectrum LED grow light will give your plant every wavelength of light it requires to maximize its growth ( bigger yields ).

Most manufacturers will provide details or charts about their light's spectral output. Look for blue lights between 430nm-450nm for the vegetation stage and red lights between 640nm-680nm for the flowering stage.

You should also look for an LED grow light that includes UV ( ultraviolet ) and IR ( Infrared ) diodes.

Ultraviolet light has been shown to make your plants react defensively and produce more trichomes. This leads to an increase in THC levels ( higher potency )

The benefits of Infrared are a little more debated, but many experts believe that it promotes larger leaf growth and increases yield size.

2. High PAR output
PAR ( measured in umol/2/s ) is the spectrum of light that your plants use for photosynthesis, so you want to feed them a lot of it.

Most good manufacturers will provide you with a chart showing you how much PAR your plants will get at various heights.

Between 200–400 umols is perfect for seedlings. Between 400–600 umols is perfect for late vegging cycles, and 700–900 umols is the perfect amount for flowering.

3. Daisy Chaining Functionality
A very useful feature if you need to buy multiple lights.
This functionality allows you to plug one light into another light so that you only need one power chord.

This makes it easier to hang your lights side-by-side, keeps your grow space organized, and frees up socket space.

4. Veg & Bloom Switches
Veg & Bloom switches allow you to optimize the intensity of your lights for the different stages of your grow cycle.
This prevents your young plants from getting light burn and saves you money on your electricity bill.

5. Good Warranty
Make sure you pick a grow light with a warranty of 2–3 years.
LEDs should last for more than 10 years, but having a decent warranty will give you peace of mind that if anything goes wrong, you will get a replacement or refund

6. Responsive Customer Service
This is vital. If something goes wrong with you're light, you want to have purchased from a company that will get back to you quickly and makes things right.

7. High Actual Wattage
Many manufactures name their grow lights after the total wattage of LED chips inside the light.

For example, a grow light with 120 5w LED chips might be advertised as a 600w grow light. The actual power is the wattage that it draws from the socket. Keep an eye out for text like "consuming only 160 watts!" - this is the light's actual wattage as opposed to the LED chips.

Conclusion

Indoor gardens can be a rewarding and fun hobby. It's easy to be successful when you have the right tools at hand. LED lights specifically designed for indoor plants make this an enjoyable process. There are many systems to choose from as well as various price points, so there is something for everyone.