To achieve the best lighting results, hydroponics lighting sometimes uses a combination of 2 or more varieties. If for some reasons, natural sunlight is utilized in hydroponic gardening, the grow lights are still used to supplement the natural light.
However, if the source of illumination is solely grow lights, the system must be installed properly.
In setting up the hydroponic lighting system, the farmer or cultivator should be knowledgeable about the color temperature of lights. The color spectrum of the bulb is indicative of its temperature.
The warmest hue is red to orange light with 2000 Kelvin degrees and the coolest hue is blue with 6000 Kelvin degrees.
Between these two colors, the blue light is considered to be the closest to resemble the normal sunlight and which is the best for full-vegetation plants. The warmer color temperature is best for fruit or flowering plants.
During the flowering or reproduction phase, the plants draw light from the red-orange spectrum. To attain the most favorable lighting installation, the lighting should cover the range between red-orange and blue.
There are many types of grow lights used to mirror or supplement the sunlight. The most common type is the Metal Halide bulb, a High-Intensity Discharge or HID grow lights that leans toward the blue hue of the spectrum, resembling direct sunlight.
It is also the most preferred lighting for all growing situations and the best for leafy and full-vegetation cultivation.
More powerful than fluorescent, the Halide lights are ideal for larger or mature plants. Its light is no unpleasant to the human eyes, thus, they are common whenever there are plant exhibits.
However, the Halide lights are not ideal for flowering or fruit production stage of edible or ornamental plants.
Sodium lights, with warm orange color are popular for flowering or fruit production phase of plants. The high pressure sodium bulb is also HID with 2200K color temperature.
Nevertheless, sodium lights are not efficient as an artificial lighting hence too they should be used in combination with natural sunlight or other grow lights.
The fluorescent lighting is the third alternative. They are less expensive and emit less heat. Therefore, they can be positioned closer to the plants.
Other choices of hydroponics lightings are incandescent lights and LED lights.
No matter the choice for hydroponics lighting, the significant consideration is the impact it has on the plants. Also, the environmental conditions could somehow impact and influence the effect of lighting systems.
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