Which LED Grow Lights Work for Cannabis?

Last updated Nov 03, 2023

by Nebula Haze

Click for list of recommended LED grow lights for growing cannabis in 2023.

3 cannabis plants grown under a Mars Hydro LED grow light


11/3/2023 – This Page Under Construction

This article was originally written in 2020. Check back soon for a massively updated page that is current with the latest LED grow light technology.


Table of Contents

Introduction – LEDs yield 0.5 to 2g/watt of electricity (average 0.5-1g for beginners)

3 Main Types of LEDs

Trusted LED Grow Light Companies for Growing Cannabis

Recommended LEDs for Growing Weed – I have personally tested these LED models on growing marijuana plants.

  • Spider Farmer
  • Mars Hydro
  • HLG (Horticulture Lighting Group)

Other Popular LED Brands for Growing Weed

  • ViparSpectra
  • Kind LEDs
  • Phlizon
  • Vivosun

More About Growing with LEDs

 


 

Introduction: Are LEDs a Good Choice for Growing Cannabis?

LED grow lights are relatively new to the cannabis growing scene, but they have become wildly popular over the last few years with their ability to produce great yields while staying cool and using a reasonable amount of electricity.

Yields! With a quality LED grow light and an average-to-good grow, you can expect yields of about 0.5 to 1g/watt

Healthy, fast growing cannabis plants growing under an LED grow light

The final yield depends a lot on strain and grow skill, as well as the quality of the lamp itself, but that’s a good rule of thumb for most models. For example, a 200W LED (200W true power draw, not an “equivalent” wattage) would yield about 100-200 grams on average, or 3.5 to 7 ounces.

Today’s LED models are much better for growing cannabis than the ones available even a few years ago. Many modern lamps are full spectrum or “wideband” spectrum (instead of only red and blue light diodes, which product a bluish purple light and are sometimes called “blurples”). Full spectrum light is easier on the eyes and adding at least some amount of green light to blurples typically results in healthier growth. Other spectrum colors like red, far red, and infrared are important for the budding/flowering stage. LED manufacturers have developed specialized lenses to point light directly to the plants and increase penetration, resulting in bigger yields for the same amount of light compared to older models. There are also many different form factors, with everything from the casing to the size of the diodes varying from model to model.

Modern LED grow lights can produce impressive results. These cannabis plants were grown completely under LED grow lights from seed to harvest!

Example of cannabis plants grown from seed to harvest under LED grow lights!
Pic by Joe “Nunyabiz” Nunya, an avid LED grower who uses ViparSpectra LEDs

 

3 Main Types of LED Grow Lights

There are 3 main types of LEDs that are most commonly used for growing cannabis. Each type of model has its pros and cons, so there isn’t yet a “best” LED type. Some are better for some situations than other.

 

1.) Spread Style (Ex: Quantum Board, Rack, or Spider)

Many smaller LEDs are spread out over a large area. Examples of this style include Quantum Boards, Rack and “Spider style” LED grow lights.

Quantum Board 

The name “Quantum Board LED grow light” originated from Horticulture Lighting Group, though the term is now sometimes used for any LED in this style. They tend to have relatively low wattage diodes which are spread out over a large area on a board. These are becoming more popular lately, and seem to offer particularly good results for the amount of wattage used.

Spider LED

The “spider style” LEDs are similar to Quantum Boards in that the individual diodes are spread out and tend to be on the smaller side, but they are set on a panel with “arms” like a spider as opposed to a solid board. One very popular example is the SPYDRx line of LED lights. These typically have an extremely high price, but growers who use them swear they get better results than any other type of LED grow light.

A Fluence SPYDRx LED grow light is great for growing cannabis but can be EXPENSIVE!

 

2.) Traditional Panel

The standard panel LEDs have small to medium wattage diodes and the lamps tend to be more compact. Most LED grow lights available today are in this style. They are sort of halfway between a Quantum Board and a COB Style light, with a mix of features from both.

 A VIPARSPECTRA 450W LED Grow Light available on AmazonGet this Kind LED grow light on Amazon.com!

I’m also seeing lots of new “hybrid” LED grow lights appearing, that contain a mix of big and little LEDs, and unique form factors that mix and match between all the styles.

 

3.) Compact Style (COBs)

These grow lights use huge COB (Chip on Board) LED “bulbs”. Each COB is incredibly bright and intense because they contain multiple LED chips in a small area. COBs produce more intense light than other types of LEDs, and each COB uses a significant amount of electricity. Cree is most popular brand of COBs.

Instead of having dozens of small diodes, COB style LED grow lights typically only have a handful of huge COBs, each with strong lenses to direct the light down into the plant. These are rapidly gaining in popularity and are known for having deep penetration into the plant canopy.

   Example of a COB LED grow light that is suitable for growing cannabis  

AutoCOBs

It’s also common to see LED grow lights that only have one COB per lamp. These make it easy to spread out your light over a grow area, one lamp at a time. Sometimes known as “AutoCOBs”.

Some LED grow lights have a single COB LED. Multiple units can be spread out as needed.

Each COB has its own spectrum, so you can create a custom spectrum for your plants by combining multiple AutoCOBs together. They are very configurable if you have an unusually shaped grow space, or want to be able to accommodate different plants of different sizes at the same time.

Some COB LED grow lights can be plugged into regular light sockets

 

Now that you have a basic understanding of the different types of LEDs, lets talk about using them for growing cannabis.

LEDs are often compared to HPS grow lights and each type of grow light has pros and cons for cannabis growers. Here’s the quick summary to help you decide whether LEDs are a good fit for you, and you can also read more deeply into the differences between LED and HPS here.

 

Choose LED grow lights if…

  • You want to use the most cutting-edge indoor cannabis grow lights with a customized spectrum of light

  • You are willing to do some research to determine the best LED grow light for your space (this article will help guide you)

  • You have some extra money to spend on your initial setup (some of the best LED grow lights have a high initial cost)

  • You don’t want to deal with an exhaust system or ducting, and would prefer to just hang your grow light over your cannabis plants and let the lights cool themselves
  • Quality (potency, smell, trichome development) and ease of use are important to you

 

Which LED grow light brands can be trusted?

This is a very short list, and is not in any way meant to be comprehensive. There are hundreds if not thousands of brands of LED grow lights, and a lot of them are great, but I’m only listing brands that I personally know for certain will work well for growing cannabis. These LED grow lights have actually been tested and given the seal of approval by real cannabis growers.

Get breakdowns of their best models for growing cannabis:

 

ViparSpectra LED Grow Lights

Get a ViparSpectra 450W LED grow light on Amazon.com!In our growing forum, many members have experimented with different grow lights for growing cannabis. Over the last few months, it has become apparent that one of the most popular brands for LED grow lights is an emerging company known as “ViparSpectra.”

I hadn’t heard of them until relatively recently (it seemingly started becoming very popular around late 2016 or early 2017).

Since growers are getting such great results with these lights, and they come at surprisingly reasonable prices for LED grow lights, I knew I needed to highlight this company as our most recommended LED grow light!

Example of a Cannabis Cola Grown Under ViparSpectra LED Grow Lights from Seed to Harvest – Buds Are Dense, High Quality and Potent

Example of fat cannabis cola that was grown under ViparSpectra LED grow light

I will be adding moe pictures of real cannabis plants growing under these lights soon, to help you know what to expect. Keep checking back!

Breakdown of Different ViparSpectra LED Models:

Here is a breakdown of their different models. This list doesn’t include all their models, just the ones that seem to be performing the best. We omitted a few that just don’t seem as good as the others for some reason (as one example, the pro version of the 1200W seems to be getting some bad reviews based on its light footprint, despite the fact that all the other models in the series perform very well).

Recommended ViparSpectra Models:

  • “450W” – 200W actual wattage
  • “450W” (pro series)  – 210W actual wattage <– great choice for first-time growers!
  • “600W”  – 274W actual wattage
  • “700W” (pro series)  – 326W actual wattage <– good mid-size
  • “1200W”  – 524W actual wattage<– for advanced growers only

Note: Unlike a lot of other brands, ViparSpectra LED grows lights have both a heatsink and built-in fans to help keep grow lights cool.

Example of cannabis plants grown from seed to harvest under LED grow lights!
pic by Joe “Nunyabiz” Nunya, an avid LED grower who uses ViparSpectra LED

The following marijuana plants were grown under Vipar Spectra LED grow lights

Example of several marijuana plants that are growing under two 300W ViparSpectra lights

Why are these buds purple?

Example of a purple cannabis plant that was grown under a 300W ViparSpectra LED grow light

Cola produced by ViparSpectra LEDs

A marijuana cola grown under a ViparSpectra 300W LED grow light

Example of a cannabis harvest under a ViparSpectra LED grow light

ViparSpectra “450W”

  • Price: $120
  • Grow Space: 2.5×2.5’ coverage at 24” (suitable for vegetative stage) and 2×2’ coverage at 18” (suitable for flowering stage)

  • Actual Power Consumption: 200W

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 24″ is the recommended starting distance from the plants.

  • Average Yields: 3.5-4+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields

Get a ViparSpectra 450W LED grow light on Amazon.com!

ViparSpectra PAR450 (Dimmable, Pro Series)

  • Price: $180
  • Grow Space: 2.5×2.5’ coverage at 32” (suitable for vegetative stage) and 2×2’ coverage at 24” (suitable for flowering stage)

  • Actual Power Consumption: 202W

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 32″ is the recommended starting distance from the plants.

  • Average Yields: 3.5-5+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields.

Get a ViparSpectra 450W (Dimmable, Pro Series) LED grow light on Amazon.com!

Examples of buds grown under the ViparSpectra PAR 450 by “M”

Cannabis cola grown under the PAR450 Viparspectra LED panel Marijuana cola grown under the PAR450 Viparspectra LED panel

ViparSpectra PAR600

  • Price: $230
  • Grow Space: 2.5×2.5’ coverage at 34” (suitable for vegetative stage) and 2×2’ coverage at 26” (suitable for flowering stage)

  • Actual Power Consumption: 274W

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 34″ is the recommended starting distance from the plants.

  • Average Yields: 4.5-6+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields.

Get a ViparSpectra "600W" LED grow light for growing weed on Amazon.com!

This cola was produced under a ViparSpectra PAR600 LED grow light

Example of a cannabis cola that was grown under a 600W ViparSpectra LED grow light

These marijuana plants were grown under a ViparSpectra 600

Example of a marijuana flowering harvest - plants were grown under 600W ViparSpectra LED grow light

ViparSpectra PAR700 (Dimmable, Pro Series)

  • Price: $300
  • Grow Space: 2.5×2.5’ coverage at 36” (suitable for vegetative stage) and 2×2’ coverage at 28” (suitable for flowering stage)

  • Actual Power Consumption: 328W

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 36″ is the recommended starting distance from the plants.

  • Average Yields: 5.5-8+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields. Some growers are getting even better yields with this light, it seems to be performing very well in tests.

Get a ViparSpectra 700W (Dimmable, Pro Seires) LED grow light for growing cannabis on Amazon.com!

ViparSpectra 1200W

  • Price: $340
  • Grow Space: 4.5×4.5’ coverage at 32” (suitable for vegetative stage) and 3.5×3.5’ coverage at 24” (suitable for flowering stage)

  • Actual Power Consumption: 520W

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 32″ is the recommended starting distance from the plants.

  • Average Yields: 9-14+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields.

Get a ViparSpectra 1200W LED grow light for growing cannabis on Amazon.com!

 


 

Horticulture Lighting Group (HLG) LED Grow Lights

HLG first coined the term “Quantum Board” for an LED grow light with the diodes spread out over a large area (on a board). The board style LED grow lights have become very popular almost as soon as they appeared on the scene. Growers are reporting results that may beat even other LED grow lights when it comes to the amount of yield for the electricity used. I was impressed when I tried one myself. It’s probably too early to call it the winner just yet, but it’s undeniable these are some of the best LED grow lights available today!

Breakdown of Most Popular HLG LED Models:

HLG 65 V2 Quantum Board (all versions work well from seed to harvest)

  • Price: $99
  • Grow Space: 2′ x 2′

  • Actual Power Consumption: 65W

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 10-12″ away

  • Average Yields: 2-3+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do will make a huge difference in your final yields.

Here’s a Pineapple Chunk plant I’m growing under the HLG 65 (4000k version) right now. Look how big the buds are at only week 5 of flowering!

HLG 100 V2 Quantum Board (3000k version recommended from seed to harvest)

  • Price: $149
  • Grow Space: 2’x2′

  • Actual Power Consumption: 95W

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 12-14″ away

  • Average Yields: 3.5-5+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do will make a huge difference in your final yields. This LED model has performed better than most others I’ve tried so far.

Here are some plants I grew under the HLG 100 (3000k version)

At harvest

Example of Nebula's Microgrow - this mini grow tent was 2'x2'x3' with 4 autoflowering plants and used a HLG 100 LED grow light

HLG 300L Quantum Board (R-Spec version recommended)

  • Price: $450
  • Grow Space: Up to 4′ x 4′ in the vegetative stage. It’s listed to cover between 2.5′ x 2.5′ to 3′ x 3′ in the flowering stage, but the rectangular shape actually makes it perfect for a 2’x4′ grow tent.

  • Actual Power Consumption: 270W at full power, and can be dimmed down to 90W for younger plants

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 20-28″ for the vegetative stage. 18-20″ away in the flowering stage.

  • Average Yields: 8-16+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do will make a huge difference in your final yields. This LED model has performed better than most others I’ve tried so far.

I grew these cannabis plants under an HLG 300 V2 R-Spec LED grow light (view the grow journal). The 300L is the same light but longer (where the “L” comes from) to improve light coverage and they also added a spiffy red border.

Cannabis plants grown by depthchargeseeds under an HLG 300 Quantum Board LED grow light (check out their Instagram profile!)

Cannabis plants growing under a Quantum Board LED grow light (HLG300) by depthchargeseeds

HLG 550 Quantum Board (R-Spec spectrum recommended)

  • Price: $850

  • Grow Space: Up to 6′ x 6′ in the vegetative stage. Between 4′ x 4′ to 4.5′ x 4.5′ in the flowering stage.

  • Actual Power Consumption: 500W at full power, and can be dimmed down to 200W for younger plants

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 20-28″ for the vegetative stage. 18-20″ away in the flowering stage.

  • Average Yields: 10-20+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields

Example of cannabis plants grown under the HLG550 LED Grow Light

Quantum Board LED grow light (HLG550) by cannabichiro
Cannabis plants grown by cannabichiro  under a HLG 550 LED grow light (check out their Instagram profile for more!)
DWC-grown cannabis under an HLG500, grown by rumplenuggrower
Cannabis plant in DWC grown by rumplenuggrower  under a HLG 550 LED grow light (check out their Instagram profile for more!)

 

 


 

Electric Sky LED grow lights (The Green Sunshine Company)

This company makes “Quantum Board” or “Spread Style” LED grow lights. Normally I only recommend products that can be found consistently on Amazon.com, and sometimes these ones are available there, but typically you need to order directly from their website. However, I still included them on this list because the results are impressive. This particular company goes above and beyond as far as customer service and gives you detailed instructions on how to use their LEDs to get the best yields and results. The company supports cannabis growers and will answer questions about plants. They are constantly testing their lights and the results show it. As a result, I highly recommend this company for anyone looking for a high-quality LED.

Our plants growing under two Electric Sky 300 LED grow lights

Six cannabis plants flowering under 2 x Electric Sky 300 LED grow lights

Breakdown of Different Electric Sky LED Models:

ES180 grow light

  • Price: $420
  • Grow Space: Between 1.5’x3′ to 2’x4′ grow space

  • Actual Power Consumption: 180W

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 12-18″ away from tops of plants

  • Average Yields: 3-7+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields

ES180 found on Amazon (sometimes) or order directly The Green Sunshine Company website

Electric Sky 180 LED Grow Light (ES180)

ES300 grow light (Recommended)

  • Price: $700
  • Grow Space: Up to 3’x5′ in the vegetative stage, 2’x4′ in the flowering stage

  • Actual Power Consumption: 300W at full power, dimmable

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 36” away in vegetative stage, 18″ away in flowering

  • Average Yields: 5-11+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields

ES300 found on Amazon (sometimes) or order directly The Green Sunshine Company website

Electric Sky 300 LED grow light (ES300)

Picture of ES300 when turned on (unique spectrum is efficient for plant growth)

ES300 LED grow light showing off its unique spectrum

Six plants in a 4’x4′ grow tent, grown under two ES300 lamps

Six cannabis plants growing under two ES300 LED grow lights by Electric Sky

Here are those same plants at week 6 of flowering under the ES300 LEDs

Flowering cannabis plants being grown under two Electric Sky 300 LED grow lights

 

 


 

Advanced Platinum LED Grow Lights

A relatively new name on the scene, Advanced Platinum is selling professional LED grow lights for less money than many other LED lamps of the same quality. Despite the cheaper price tag, they have a wider light spectrum than most LEDs, which helps plants grow faster with fewer of the leaf problems and deficiencies than you see with LED models that only have red and blue diodes. They’re making a good name for themselves in the cannabis growing community because their LED models are getting really great results when it comes to both quality and yields.

This company is known for great customer service and a 5-year warranty on all their lights.

Breakdown of Different Advanced Platinum LED Models:

Advanced Platinum P300

  • Price: $370
  • Grow Space: 2’x2.5′ or 2.5’x3′

  • Actual Power Consumption: 93W in veg, 185W in flowering (this model has a separate vegetative and flowering mode)

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 24-38″ is the standard starting distance for the vegetative stage. You can move it to 18-20″ away in the flowering stage, or possibly even a few inches closer for light-loving strains.

  • Average Yields: 3+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields

Get a P300 LED grow light from Advanced Platinum on Amazon.com!

Advanced Platinum P450

  • Price: $540
  • Grow Space: 2’x3′ or 3’x3.5′

  • Actual Power Consumption: 137W in veg, 255W in flowering (this model has a separate vegetative and flowering mode)

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 24-38″ is the standard starting distance for the vegetative stage. You can move it to 18-20″ away in the flowering stage, or possibly even a few inches closer for light-loving strains.

  • Average Yields: 4+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields

Get a P450 LED grow light from Advanced Platinum on Amazon.com!

Advanced Platinum P600

  • Price: $660
  • Grow Space: 3’x4′ or 3’x5′

  • Actual Power Consumption: 184W in veg, 368W in flowering (this model has a separate vegetative and flowering mode)

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: 24-38″ is the standard starting distance for the vegetative stage. You can move it to 18-20″ away in the flowering stage, or possibly even a few inches closer for light-loving strains.

  • Average Yields: 6+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields

Get a P600 LED grow light from Advanced Platinum on Amazon.com!


 

Kind LED Grow Lights

Kind LED panels have recently been becoming very popular on the cannabis growing scene and seem to be getting great results especially when it comes to yields. However, they are definitely pricey even for LEDs, so that is a big consideration!

View Kind K5 grow journal (multiple Kind lights) with a 1.3 lb (0.6 kg) harvest!

Two cannabis plants growing under an LED grow light in a grow tent

Breakdown of Different Kind LED Models:

While Kind LEDs offer several additional models of LED grow lights, because of the price tag on these lamps I’m only listing the ones I’ve seen used by actual cannabis growers, though I’m sure the other ones are likely just as good. That being said, the following models have been proven to work really well for growing cannabis!

Kind LED Grow Lights “K3 L450”

  • Price: $750
  • Grow Space: 2.5’x3.5’’

  • Actual Power Consumption: 270W

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: The manufacturers of this Kind LED grow light recommend that the lamp be kept at least 36″ from the tops of your plants for the best results. This model is very, very powerful and keeping it too close will give your plants light burn!

  • Average Yields: 4+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields

Get this Kind LED grow light on Amazon.com!

Cannabis plants grown under the L450 Kind LED grow light

Marijuana plant growing under the Kind K3 L450 LED grow light

Cannabis bud under Kind K3 L450 LED grow lightPurple marijuana buds growing under the Kind K3 L450 LED grow light

Newly harvested purple buds from cannabis plant grown under the Kind K3 L250 LED grow light

Kind LED Grow Lights “K3 L600”

  • Price: $600
  • Grow Space: 3’x4′

  • Actual Power Consumption: 320W

  • How Far to Keep from Plants: The manufacturers of this Kind LED grow light recommend that the lamp be kept at least 36″ from the tops of your plants for the best results. This model is very, very powerful and keeping it too close will give your plants light burn!

  • Average Yields: 5+ ounces – keep in mind that the strain (genetics) and any plant training you do makes a huge difference in your final yields

Get this Kind LED grow light on Amazon.com!

Cannabis plants grown under the L600 Kind LED grow light

This cannabis plant has been grown under a Kind L600 LED grow light. This shows what the plant looks like in the purple light of the LED grow light.This marijuana grew under a Kind L600 LED grow light. The pic is what the plant looks like in natural light, with the LED grow light turned off.

These lush and healthy weed plants growing under a Kind L600 LED grow light
pics by the very talented LED grower Laughing Buddha!

 


 

Are there other LED grow lights that work for growing cannabis?

There are certainly more LED grow lights out there which will probably work great for growing marijuana! But so far these are the only ones I’ve seen getting good results after being extensively tested on real, live cannabis plants. If you’ve got an LED grow light and would like to share information and pics about your cannabis grow (including final yields!), we’d love to hear from you!

As more LED grow lights appear on the market, we are testing LEDs and looking for other cannabis LED testers so we can share our knowledge!

You might be interested in…

5 Barriers to Total LED Grow Light Domination!

Marijuana plants in the flowering stage fattening up under Advance Spectrum LED grow lights

 


 

LEDs vs Other Popular Cannabis Grow Lights

LEDs vs CFLs

  • LEDs get better yields for the same amount of electricity than CFLs. This is because LEDs are more electrically efficient (produce more light for the same amount of electricity)

  • Unlike CFLs, LEDs don’t need to be adjusted almost daily

  • LEDs give off less heat than a CFL setup with the same amount of electricity, and LEDs also come with additional cooling options like heatsinks and sometimes even built-in fans, which pushes all the heat up and away from the plants, making it easier for growers to maintain comfortable temperatures.

  • LEDs need to be kept much further away from plants than CFLs, which means that CFLs are better suited to short grow spaces without a lot of available height. LED grow lights generally need to be kept 12-18+” away from the tops of plants, while CFLs can be kept just a few inches away.

Growing cannabis with CFL grow lights vs Growing cannabis with LED grow lights

LEDs vs MH/HPS

I’ve seen many growers choose to mix LEDs with their HPS bulbs. In fact, combining MH/HPS with a quality LED panel may be a great way to improve the quality of your harvested buds. There are lots of growers who claim that LEDs increase potency and density, as well as bring out the natural smell/taste of your strain. On the flip side, some growers believe that HPS tends to produce “prettier” buds.

  • If you’re most concerned with improving your yields/watt, skip the LEDs and get an HPS grow light for your flowering stage. Although LEDs are catching up and there are some really great LEDs out there that get comparable results, HPS still tends to give you bigger yields when it comes to how much electricity is being used.

  • LEDs can get pretty pricey, though not all brands! In fact, some great brands are actually some of the cheapest!

  • Several growers believe LEDs produce higher quality buds (more trichomes, higher potency, and bring out the natural taste and smell of buds). They also tend to bring out colors.

  • LED grow lights come with built-in cooling systems and heat sinks which vent air up and away from plants. This can make it so that you can hang the LED grow light in your tent and not necessarily need an exhaust system to control the temperature

  • LEDs are plug-and-play which means you can plug them directly into a wall without a ballast

What’s the difference between buds grown under LED grow lights compared to buds grown under an HPS grow light? Do the buds look/taste/smell different?

Although this is just one example, this is pretty typical of LED grow lights in that they tend to bring out colors. This Eldorado plant was bloomed under two light sources, an HPS on one side and an LED on the other. Nothing scientific, no partitions, so there was light overlap. At harvest the color difference was surprising (see below) and after curing 2 select pieces from each side of the plant, the aromas are slightly different as well.

Eldorado - bud from the HPS sideEldorado - bud from the LED side

View video of this Eldorado plant by Endive
(check out Endive’s website)

Learn more about growing with LED grow lightsLED grow lights are a great choice for growers who are dealing with hot HPS lights and want to change to something that’s going to run cooler. Although LED grow lights do produce heat, the smaller models might not bring up the temperature of your grow space.

Even the more powerful models of LED grow lights that produce a lot of heat still have built-in cooling systems to help prevent the heat from beaming directly down onto your plants.

Which LED grow lights are best for growing cannabis? (get a short list of a few trusted brands)

How to Use LED Grow Lights for Growing Cannabis

With LED grow lights, you will generally get better results with many smaller LED panels, as opposed to a few big LED panels. For example, you will often get better results with 2 x 125W LEDs (total 250W) than you would with a single LED model that produces 250W. This is because more panels often make it easier for you to spread the light to where it’s needed.

When it comes to growing cannabis, LED models with 3W chipsets (each individual bulb is 3W) seem to get some of the best yields/watt of all LED models without a lot of worry about light-burning your plants.

With LEDs, always look at the “actual power draw” or “actual power consumption” which is the amount of electricity the LED panel actually pulls from the wall. When comparing different LED grow lights, this is the closest you get to a side-by-side comparison.

Generally, your goal with LED panels should be 50-60 watts per square foot of grow space to get the best results.

The most important thing to remember about choosing LED grow lights….

Do Your Research!

Fat cannabis buds under BlackStar LED grow panels

How to Avoid Problems with LEDs

The most important thing to learn about your new LED grow light is the proper distance to keep it from your growing cannabis plants. The recommended distance varies greatly from LED model to model, but getting it right will make a huge positive difference in your results! So many growers unintentionally hurt their plants by keeping their LED grow light too close.

Best Way to Avoid Problems with LED grow lights: Keep them the right distance away!

If kept too close, LEDs may cause cannabis leaves to look discolored similar to a nutrient deficiency, even if nutrient levels are fine.

This is especially common in the flowering/budding phase, especially towards the end of flowering when the same leaves have been directly under the LED for months. Discolored leaves don’t necessarily mean you’ve done anything wrong, especially if the LED grow light is being kept far enough away, but if you’re noticing it particularly near the lights, it’s a good indication it might be light burn. Most modern LED grow lights need to be kept at least 12-18″ away to prevent light burn.

These leaf symptoms are caused by light burn (grow light too close), not a nutrient deficiency

Yellow leaf with brown tips caused by light burn

No one likes nutrient burn...

In addition to discolored leaves, too much light can also “bleach” the tops of buds

Text-book example of light bleaching cannabis making the buds white - this bleaching was caused by high-intensity LED grow lights

There’s no “set” distance LED lights should be from the tops of your plants, but a good rule of thumb is 12-18+ inches.

Each model is different based on the size of its bulbs and the lenses used to reflect light down. It’s important to ask the manufacturer how far to keep LEDs from your plants. Smaller LEDs with 1W chips almost always need to be kept at least 12″ away. However, most LEDs with 3W chips or bigger need to be kept 18″ away or more to get the best results and prevent light burn. Check with the manufacturer to figure out the right distance for your particular model of LED grow light. How can there be too much light if the heat is under control?

If just the tops of your plants are showing symptoms, chances are that your LED lights are too close.

Notice how the leaves closest to the light have turned completely yellow, while the leaves further down from the light are still green and healthy

Leaves are getting light-bleached from too-close grow lights

This plant was green and healthy through the vegetative stage under an LED grow light, but the leaves started dying soon after flowering started. It ended up that the LED was too close.

The yellow leaves and brown edges/tips are caused by LED grow light burn - the lights were kept too close, which burned the plant

These plants seem apparently healthy, but the top leaves keep getting lighter and lighter because the LED grow light was too close. If you don’t realize it’s light burn, the symptoms are inexplicable!

LED light burn is causing yellow leaves at the top of these cannabis plants in the flowering stage

LED grow lights need to be used properly to get the results, but if you know what to expect they pay you back with built-in cooling that allows a grower to hang their lights directly over their plants without worrying about fans, ducting or ballasts. They are easy on the electricity bill and don’t cause a lot of heat problems.

Additionally, buds grown under LEDs are known for producing colorful, sticky, strong and smelly buds! And isn’t producing quality buds the reason we do it all?

Check out an LED grow journal where the grower harvested over a pound of bud!

Advance Spectrum LED grow lights in action - cannabis plants in the vegetative stage

 


 

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