Hydroponic Lights for Hydroponic Systems

Hydroponic lights, also referred to as grow lights, are used, sometimes in combination with one of its other varieties, to achieve the best lighting results. If you're using natural sunlight in any way, the grow lights shall be used to supplement natural light; if you are using strictly artificial lighting, your setup would naturally be a bit more complicated.

It is essential to understand the principle of color temperature and its effect on plant life if you're setting up hydroponic lighting. Not to be confused with heat/cold, color temperature refers to the color spectrum of light, and is measured in degrees Kelvin. Higher color temperatures are regarded as "cooler" blue light being the coolest at approximately 6000K and red-orange light being "warmer" (2000K range). In general, full-vegetation plants do well with the darker blue spectrum (closest to normal sunlight at 6000K), while fruit/flowering plants thrive with slightly warmer color temperatures (4800K). In addition, know that plants draw from the red-orange part of the spectrum in the reproductive stage. In an ideal setup, though, your hydroponic lights must be a combination of different colors to best suit your plants' needs.

Hydroponic lights are one of the most discussed, misunderstood parts of hydroponic gardening. More important than the type of light is the color temperature of the light.
The most common type of bulb utilized in hydroponic lighting is the Metal Halide (MH) bulb. Because this High-Intensity Discharge (HID) light mimics direct sunlight the most - leaning more towards the blues - this is most preferred in any growing situation. As such, this bulb works best with leafy, full-vegetation plants.

The High Pressure Sodium (HPS) bulb is another HID bulb. Unlike the MH bulb, the HPS bulb is more veered towards the orange-red part of the spectrum - ideal for flowering plants. It should generally be used together with natural sunlight or other artificial bulbs.

A third alternative is fluorescent lighting. The advantage with fluorescents is that even if they're less intense, they are cheaper, can be placed close to the plants because of their low emission of heat, and in combination with one another, can cover the color temperature spectrum perfectly.

Still, you have even more options: (1) incandescent light which isn't as intense and would get too warm when placed too closely to the plants and (2) LED lights, which can cover the spectrum well without emitting heat but are a bit too expensive.

As shown above, you actually have a wide range of hydroponic lights from which to choose from. Inquire from your retailer about the best combination for your specific needs.

Hydroponic gardening (growing plants and food without soil) is gaining a lot of attention among consumers, as more people take an interest in it. As such, several hydroponic systems have come out - each made to help grow plants in various quantities. Sometimes, these methods are pre-designed and sold as a unit or kit (a good alternative for beginners); more experienced growers usually buy components and design their own systems. This write-up will discuss few of the more common hydroponic applications and their respective functions.

In this most common system of hydroponics, plants are placed in a growth tray over a nutrient container, and a pump is utilized to "flood" the tray(s) with the nutrient solution. The good thing about this system is that those that aren't absorbed by the roots are drained into the reservoir and are recycled. The Drip System, where a pump continuously drips nutrient solution into the growth tray, is a variation of this System.

How to choose the right hydroponic systems for your growing needs.Here, the roots of the plants are suspended in a constant "film" of nutrient solution; a pump sends this flow into one end of the tray, and empties it out to the other end into the reservoir. This method is great at nourishing roots but this is also seen as too technical and high-maintenance since the roots are not anchored in a medium.

The oldest hydroponic systems, and one of the simplest, a platform of planters simply floats in the nutrient reservoir while the plant roots dangle in the solution. To oxygenate the system, often, an air pump is utilized. The Water Culture System is definitely an easy and inexpensive way to start a hobby in hydroponics.

This is one of the few methods that does not use a pump. The nutrient solution from the reservoir is drawn by a wick, such as an oil lamp or candle wick, and is absorbed by the roots. Yes, this is passive and low-maintenance but the danger of this system is that sometimes, this can over-soak the roots, endangering the yield outcome.

This is probably the most effective, and the most technical of the hydroponic systems. The plant roots are continuously sprayed with a vapor-mist solution and aren't anchored on any medium, exposing them to air at all times. When done properly, this method can generate large, quick-growing plants and lots of fruit.

These hydroponic systems are proven methods of growing plants without soil. Some are more efficient than others; some are more complicated. Which method you use depends on your budget, time factor and overall needs.