Grow Lights

How To Handle Excessive Grow Tent Heat

Managing grow tent heat is one of the more difficult, frustrating aspects of indoor growing.

Not too hot and not too cold; many of the plants we grow are just like us and prefer similar temperatures - between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

They also hate temperature fluctuations, which means you need to do your best to keep your daytime/nighttime temps relatively similar. There will be some difference, but huge swings can stress them out as plants have to adjust.

Failing to fix an issue with your grow tent being too hot will weaken your plants nutrient uptake and leave them more susceptible to diseases before they eventually die.

Let's take a look at some common grow tent heat problems, and how to remove this heat from your grow tent or grow room.

Different Types of Grow Light Bulbs

There are many different types of grow lights and grow light bulbs on the market. Different factors will affect which grow light bulb is best for you. The two main factors you should consider are wattage and spectrum.

Bulb Wattage

Figuring out the wattage you need will depend on tent size, plant coverage, and light type. The last one is important to remember and not all light wattage is created equally. A 200W HID delivers lights much more efficiently than a 200W CFL.

As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want a minimum 23-30 watts of light per square foot. If you have a grow space that is 4’ by 4’ you’ll want at least 400 watts to fill the space. Since fluorescents are weaker you’ll times that by 5, so 115-150 watts per square foot.

Bulb Spectrum

Color temperature has a strong influence overs plants and different temperatures will affect plants in different ways. A blue or bright white found in the temperature range of 5000 K is recommended for plants in the vegetative stage as it keeps them short and bushy.

The temperature range around 3,000 K that produces a yellow or red light is strongly recommended for flowering plants. If you can only afford one temperature for the entire growing period, it’s recommended to stay in the lower range of 3,000- 4,500 K.

How to Hang Your Grow Lights

How do you hang your grow lights? With the right tools, it is actually very easy!

When you are hanging your grow lights, there are several different methods that you can use. The one you choose will be determined by the setup you have in place, and whether you have any available beams for your growing room.

Those who have beams can install the lights, or a grow light mover system, right onto the beams.

It is possible to use screws and hooks added directly to the beam. Just make sure they are strong enough to hold up the lighting system you plan to use.

Those who do not have beams will want to purchase a frame that they can place over the top of the lights, to which they can then affix the lights.

While this method might be more expensive since you will have to buy a frame, or frames, you will find that it provides you with more freedom, as you can more easily move the entire setup to a new area if needed.

Growing with LED Grow Lights

LED stands for light-emitting diodes. LED grow lights have rapidly come down in price and home growers everywhere are starting to make the switch to solely using them as their lighting option.

Maybe you don’t care about leading the charge, and you simply want a lighting system that produces extremely low heat, comes ready to plug-and-play, and can produce high yields with incredible energy efficiency. If so, look no further because LED is the perfect lighting option for you.

For calculating cost, expect to spend $1.50-$3 per watt depending on quality and brand. Remember that while most LEDs cost more per watt than HID lamps, they do not require a reflector or ballast. As well, LED lights last for decades where HID bulbs will often need to be replace every couple of years.

Grow Tent Grow Lights

The main factor you will be shopping by when picking out a grow tent is the lighting system you will be using.

Choosing a grow light for your grow tent kit is easy!

Take away the stress, leave the headache for another day, and set yourself up for gardening success with our complete grow tent kits.

All of our grow tent packages include grow tents, grow lights, ventilation, and more. That’s right, our grow tents come with lighting packages that not only come with your choice of grow light - HID, CMH, LED, and Fluorescent - but come with every component you need to get them up and running.

Our grow tent packages are designed so you can make one purchase and have everything you need to go grow from seed to harvest. Our tents come in sizes that will comfortably fit in your closet, all the way up to ones that fill your garage.

Whether you’re a new gardener that’s looking to start your first grow or a pro that’s looking for a change, at Hydrobuilder we’ve got you covered. Continue reading →

Automating Your Grow Lights With Controllers, Movers, & Meters

Do you enjoy constantly running to your grow room to turn on/off your grow lights, and the equipment that works with them?

There really is no reason for you to manually control your grow room lighting with the technology available today, such as grow light timers and controllers, light moving systems, and light meters.

Grow lights are one of the most important aspects of your indoor garden's environment, and there are no shortage of accessories and upgrades available for your current light fixtures.

With so many options available, it can be difficult to decide which upgrades are best for your grow, and how to utilize them.

Today, we are going to explain in the simplest terms how to automate your grow lighting system.

Review Of The California Lightworks SolarSystem 550

The SolarSystem 550 comes with some impressive features at an excellent value. When paired with the SolarSystem Controller, the options are out of this world!

Grow Light Reflector Cords and Sockets

There are two main types of reflector cord socket types used on HID lighting fixtures, "standard" and the proprietary "Hydrofarm" type.

How to Install a Double-Ended HID Bulb

Unlike standard "mogul" based bulbs, Double-Ended bulbs do not simply screw into a socket. Instead they, are installed into brackets that must be fully closed after inserting the bulb. It's VERY IMPORTANT to do this process correctly or a dangerous fire hazard could result.