Mh Light Reflector
Using Grow Lights for Indoor Soil and Hydroponic Gardening
The use of grow lights for indoor and hydroponic gardens will be of major importance for growing healthy plants. Plants require the energy from light in order to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds via photosynthesis. Indoor soil gardening and hydroponic gardening need this light produced by grow lights. Nowadays the most widely used grow lights for indoor and hydroponic gardens are high-pressure sodium (HPS/SON) and/or metal halide (MH) lamps. The lights from these HPS/SON or MH lamps are generally directed at your indoor or hydroponically grown plants by the use of reflectors. In this way, light is produced for your indoor garden in the most efficient manner.
Many types of grow lights are available for indoor soil gardening and/or hydroponic gardening:
Incandescent lights are typically used to highlight indoor plants and are not “true” grow lights.
- Fluorescent grow lights are useful in growing vegetables such as leaf lettuce, spinach and herbs or for getting a jump on planting season by growing seedlings using this lighting. High output fluorescent lights produce much more light than a standard fluorescent lamp. Compact fluorescent lamps are available. These are smaller and are used both for propagation and for growing larger plants.
- High-pressure Sodium Lamps tend to produce plants that are taller and have longer stem growth. Generally, they are used as secondary lighting in greenhouses where plants get their main source of lighting from the sun rather than grow lights. Plants grown with this type of lighting tend to look pale and washed out but, even so, the plants are generally healthy.
- Combination high-pressure sodium and metal halide grow lights come in dual reflector systems. Manufacturers say these lights produce an ideal spectral blend and high outputs. In reality, this type of lighting is a compromise. The lamps use two smaller lights rather than one larger light, therefore, the distance the light penetrates is shorter.
- Switchable, two-way and convertible lamps can burn either a metal halide bulb or an equivalent high-pressure sodium blue in the same fixture. However, these bulbs must be switched out and cannot be burned at the same time. First plants are grown under the metal halide light for propagating and for vegetative growth. For the fruiting and flowering stages, the switch must be made to the high-pressure sodium bulb.
- LED grow lights are relatively cheap, bright and long lasting. They are attractive to indoor gardeners and hydroponic gardeners, as they do not consume as much power. Today’s technology makes LED grow lights an attractive option.
In conjunction with and to increase light directed to the plants, indoor gardeners and hydroponic gardeners sometimes cover the walls of their growing enclosure with light reflective materials. These can range from painting walls with light-reflective white paint to reflective panels of insulation along with a myriad of other materials. This optimized lighting directed to the plants. The larger plants get the more light they need.
Lighting for various types and sizes of plants should be monitored by the use of a timer. Seedlings need fewer hours of plants than medium or fully-grown plants. Hours of lighting should be started at four to six hours for seedlings and then increased as your plants grow. For medium or fully matured plants, eight hours or more per day is the rule of thumb.
Indoor gardening and hydroponic gardening give people who love working in their gardens twice the amount of gardening time (or more) as seasonal changes do not put limits on growing vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruit, etc. Indoor and hydroponic gardening is a great way for senior citizens to continue gardening as planting beds can be raised to comfortable heights. No more backbreaking digging holes, weeding, and all that bending and stooping.
Grow lights are essential to indoor gardening and indoor hydroponic gardening for production of photosynthesis and they generally accelerate growth of your plants.
About the Author
Karen Jones is an avid convert to Hydroponic Gardening. She is now retired, from the Health Insurance industry and enjoys expanding her Hydroponic Greenhouse.
You may visit our website
Or email me at karen@hydroponicsgardeninghub.com
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600 W 400 W 250 W Digital Dimmable Ballast Grow Light HPS MH YOYO Reflector $169.95 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $336.89 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $397.49 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $458.09 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $463.14 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $523.74 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $538.89 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $387.39 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $447.99 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $508.59 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $513.64 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $574.24 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $589.39 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $362.14 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $422.74 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $483.34 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $488.39 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $548.99 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $564.14 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $397.49 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $458.09 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $518.69 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $523.74 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $584.34 |
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Genesis Grow Light 1000/600/400 watt Digital Ballast KIT w/lamp and reflector $599.49 |
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Hydrofarm SBM175H 175-Watt Mini Sunburst Metal Halide with Lamp $87.67 Plug-and-play: comes with cord and lamp.Highly reflective European specular.Magnetic 175W MH Super quietEasy to hang lightweight and compactIncludes instructions hangers and lighting recommendations… |
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Hydrofarm BUHL1THUVSMG 1000-Watt Agrosun Gold Universal Halides $95.90 This is a 1000 watt Metal Halide replacement lamp to be used with any 1000 MH ballast or light system. Agrosun Halides are spectrally enhanced halides that are the best all-purpose growth and fruiting/flowering light you can use. They contain more red wavelengths of the spectrum than common halides…. |
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Sunmaster 1000 W MH Cool Deluxe $78.00 SunMaster Cool Deluxe has 120,000 initial lumens and a 12,000 hour life-span. For use with 1000W metal halide ballasts only. SunMaster Cool Deluxe Grow Lamps emit balanced light from 5000 to 6500K, making them ideal for strong vegetative plant growth stages. Sunmaster Cool Deluxe Lamps surpass all other HID sources in PAR watts, the most objective measurement of total light energy available for ph… |
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HydroFarm Xtrasun White Air Coolable Grow Light Reflector $90.92 Size:6 The Xtrasun series offers excellent performance at a cost effective price. Solidly built, compatible with all Hydrofarm or Xtrasun ballasts, and priced to fit any budget. Bright & broad light delivery Super air coolable Built in 6 or 8 flanges Low profile design Highly reflective European specular aluminum Built in socket & cord set Completely sealed removable lens system for easy b… |
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Satco S3602 120V Stubby Medium Base 40-Watt R14 Light Bulb, Clear $1.98 FREE SHIPPING! on the 40 Watt Incadescent Med Base R14 Light Bulb – 40R14, model number S3602, by Satco. Use coupon code “clearance” for an extra 5% discount Incandescent 40 Watt, Med Base R14 Light BulbANSI Lamp Code: 40R14Bulb Shape: R14Watts: 40Base: MedLumens: 280Volts: 120Finish: ClearAvg. Hours Life: 1500Maximum Length: (MOL)2 1/4?Filament: CC-2VMaster/Inner Pack: 500/25 Box… |
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Philips 244764 – CDM100/PAR38/FL/3K/ALTO – 100 Watt Metal Halide PAR38 Light Bulb, 3000K $30.00 100 watt 90 volt PAR38 Medium Screw (E26) Base 3,000K 800 Series Universal Burn ALTO Reflector Flood Protected MasterColor Ceramic Metal Halide HID Philips Light Bulb… |
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HydroFarm SBE400 Sunburst Grow Light Reflector $200.34 Wattage:400w Hydrofarm’s Digital Sunburst Reflector with electronic ballast is the perfect combination: the same compact design as the original Sunburst with the latest silent running efficient digital ballast inside.A third less weight than magnetics!High intensity grow light with built-in digital ballast10% more lumens than magneticVirtually silent operationAutomatically converts from Sodium to … |
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Mylar Reflective White Material 7 Mil 4 feet x 50 feet $52.49 You are looking at one roll of 4′ x 50′ (4 feet by 50 feet) 7 Mill Reflective Mylar and White on the other side Film What would be ”lost” light, now is utilized for maximum efficiency. Attach to any surface for ultimate light uniformity. Get creative: mount to walls, poles, pots. Highly reflective. Use either side: Silver or White. Double the thickness of any other type on the market. 7 Mil thi… |
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Hydroponics & Seed Starting | adminbr February 13, 2011