Will a 315w CMH produce bigger better buds than an LED using the same watts?
Over the past twenty years, grow lights have evolved. We have an array of modern light systems that can grow plants, like Ceramic Metal Halides (CMH) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) systems.
There are a lot of nuanced differences between the two light systems, and I’m going over as much as I can in this quick overview. We’re going to cover light spectrum, canopy penetration, cultivation size, environmental control, investment cost, and budget.
For growers who are looking to harvest ½ half to one ounce of cannabis each month, LEDs may be your best choice. At this size, LEDs are energy efficient, run cool, and need little to almost no setup! They get better yields than fluorescents, but don’t run as hot as an HPS of similar wattage.
There are a lot of nuanced differences between the two light systems, and I’m going over as much as I can in this quick overview. We’re going to cover light spectrum, canopy penetration, cultivation size, environmental control, investment cost, and budget.
For growers who are looking to harvest ½ half to one ounce of cannabis each month, LEDs may be your best choice. At this size, LEDs are energy efficient, run cool, and need little to almost no setup! They get better yields than fluorescents, but don’t run as hot as an HPS of similar wattage.
- With no heat output, it is easier to deal with, and you don’t need to purchase extra equipment for ventilation/cooling.
- Have built-in cooling that pushes heat up and away from the plants. It is an easy set up, as the smaller sized LEDs simply need to be plugged into the wall and hung up over your plant.
- Some growers believe LEDs produce more resinous bud. Combining LEDs with HPS grow lights has produced great results for some growers, though more testing is needed.
CMH fixtures put off quite a bit less heat than HPS grow light, but still produce heat. You are going to want to place them higher than you would with LED. Recommended height is 24 inches from the canopy of your plants to avoid bleaching or burning your leaf’s. CMH grow lights are not air-cooled and will direct heat generated down towards the plant canopy. Proper ventilation and airflow are one of the most important parts of a successful grow, regardless of which lighting you choose. Oscillating fans and intake/exhaust fans are highly recommended.
On the other hand, if you are restricted in your height, LEDs can be placed much closer to your canopy. The recommended distance is 12-18 inches from your canopy. The back end of the diodes produce heat through a heatsink. The heat sink hits the aluminum reflector of the fixture to help disperse the heat over a larger area.
LED grow lights are budding with newfound popularity because growers are learning to manipulate the LED light spectrum. Growers can now create custom-designed spectrums with LED that use the ideal ratio of blue to red light needed to yield lush and potent marijuana flowers. And when growers can control the light spectrum, they can grow better plants with less energy.
LED lights also offer better overhead heat coverage for indoor growth. Growers need an even canopy to grow marijuana properly, and LED reduces the risk of hot spots and dead zones in the cannabis canopy.
Through it all, though, there’s still one factor that seems to stand out from them all: cost. LED’s are great at getting your plants where they need to be, but the problem is they’re expensive.
CMH’s, on the other hand, is far more cost-effective than LED’s. Sure, you may have to combat heat eventually, but compared to the output of an HPS or MH grow light, you’ll still be saving money on in the long run compared to other lights on the market. At the end of the day, you’re going to have to spend money on a grow light. CMH’s are better priced for personal grows as well as warehouses, and everything in between.
The light features a best lens to increase light performance and this helps plants grow faster and stronger. The light has full spectrum can grow from seeding and young growth to the blooming stage. The light provides big coverage area. The unit is well built and easy to use and comes with full instructions and a 3-year warranty. It is also quiet and cool in use.
Each ballast includes state of the art technology that provides a soft start feature. This feature reduces the wear and tear on grow light bulbs and increases their life span. In addition, the built-in ballast also enables the fixture to produce extremely high PAR levels which is excellent for improving flower growth and size.
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