What kind of light is better for high yield cannabis?
LEDs or HPS (high pressure sodium)?
The choice between fluorescent, LEDs, HPS lights can often leave you scratching your head with the following question lingering in your blossoming cannabis cultivating mind:
Can energy-efficient lights enhance yields and produce top-notch cannabis?
Before we delve into the fascinating truths about boosting cannabis yields with LED vs. HPS grow lights, let’s take a quick look at the history of grow lights.
History
For years, HPS lights have reigned as the champions of high yields. However, a new contender has emerged, not just putting up a fight but often delivering the knockout blow.
Meet LED, the unsung hero of cannabis yields we all deserve to know.
Repping the “old way” of doing things,, we have the reliable workhorse, the 600w HPS light, capable of producing a respectable 150 to 300 grams under ideal conditions. That’s about 0.5 grams of cannabis per watt, a benchmark for many growers.
The new light-on-the-block is represented by the formidable LED, a versatile system often yielding impressive results up to 1 to 1.5 grams per watt.
What’s more remarkable? LED lights achieve this while conserving energy, unlike their HPS counterparts, which guzzle it.
Companies like Gavita and Ion Lights lead this green revolution. Their products are not mere lighting fixtures; they are precision tools that use high-quality lenses to focus light from all spectra onto your cannabis canopy.
This means that tiny light particles, called photons, are directed precisely where they are needed most, unlike conventional methods that scatter photons and often fall short when most needed.
The on-paper difference between the two brands is price. Like any other product sold on planet earth, there are differences between the two that you as a home grower will have to decide when a budget is established for your project.
Choosing a product like Gavita or Ion means investing in focused, plant-loving photon power that gives your crops the best chance to maximize yield potential.
Here are four core reasons why LEDs are paramount for any new cannabis home grow.
Quality of the Yield:
Heard rumors that LED lights produce fluffy buds? Dismiss them, for LED lights are not to blame for bud structure.
At the end of the day, good light can’t alter a plant’s DNA, but it can certainly help it reach its full potential. Paired with optimal soil or hydroponic mediums, LED systems are renowned for coaxing out heavenly terpenes and producing impressive flowers.
Let’s look at some quick numbers – typical cannabis flowers boast a terpene level of about 2%. With LED, they’ve cranked that terp dial up to an eye-watering 3.78– almost double the norm.
Remember, terpenes aren’t just about flavor. These little wonders have a fantastic relationship with cannabinoids like THC and CBD. Together, they offer an enhanced spectrum of synergistic benefits.
In the cannabis garden, LED lights might just be your super secret hack to cultivating incredible buds. Forget fluffy – with LEDs, we’re talking sticky, flavorful, aromatic buds that will tantalize your senses.
Capturing the right Light Spectrum
Next, when shopping for grow lights, astute growers look beyond wattage and check the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) value, which indicates the light available for the plant to use.
HPS lights consistently exhibit lower PAR values compared to LED lights. LED grow lights enter the scene once again with their meticulous designs, producing a nuanced spectrum for your plants. With extremely high PAR readings, LED lights can distribute a diverse range of light wavelengths, available for plants to use.
Gavita and Ion LED grow lights are engineered to produce the perfect spectrum for your plants, boasting extremely high PAR readings. This allows the plant to access a wide variety of light wavelengths and utilize them effectively.
As a result, higher yields emerge from the plant’s potent energy source.
CO2 usage
Supercharge your CO2 to get the biggest return on time and light invested. Let’s dive into the science of LED lights and CO2.
Plants require CO2 to convert light into energy. Ah, but there’s a catch: the efficacy of CO2 is directly linked to temperature.
When using high-intensity discharge lights (HIDs), the ideal grow room temperature should be between 72-78 degrees Fahrenheit. However, CO2 performs best at 82-86 degrees, creating a challenging balancing act.
Don’t worry – Gavita or Ion LED Bar Lights come to the rescue and both are ready to tackle this temperature challenge. These lights can easily handle various conditions, whether in a small-scale operation or a grow room resembling a jungle. With these lights, you can maximize the benefits of your CO2.
Why does optimizing your CO2 matter? Paying attention to these details allows your plants to maximize energy use, leading to gigantic yields and super dank crops.
Energy Efficiency
Lastly, LED lights are superior to HPS in terms of energy efficiency. If you live in a warmer climate where A/C expenses are a concern then saving 40% on energy for your grow room seems like a no-brainer.
Additionally, replacing LED bulbs isn’t a thing so the savings on replacements for an HPS system are legit.
Of course, you have to choose the right cannabis seeds:
At Medusa Seed Bank, meticulous care goes into utilizing the best cannabis genetics to provide you the home grower with the best possible start to your new cannabis garden. Whether you prefer to grow with LED lights or HPS, Medusa Seed Bank has the perfect seed for your needs.
The real question when selecting seeds for your indoor grow is whether you should invest in autoflower or photoperiod.
Indoor growing allows you total control so if you would prefer to put your garden on a light cycle that mimics the natural growth cycle a cannabis plant would take if planted outside, then go with autoflower. Try Lemon Gas, Medusa Seed Bank Private Reserve original.
If you want to control your yield and stretch even more, then tinkering with the light cycle with some photoperiod seeds might suit you better. We recommend Glookies, a classic strain found in the Medusa Seed Bank.
Either way, Medusa Seed Bank has got you!
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