ECO Farm MB660 Foldable Grow Light Bar VS Optic LED Slim 650S Dimmable LED Grow Light 650w
Today you’re getting a review of the best LED grow lights that you can currently buy.
You’re also going to become an LED grow light expert in less than 5 minutes.
You’re going to get a simplified buyer’s guide.
Let’s get started with our most recommended LED grow light.
How to Use Cheap LED Grow Lights?
Here is a very brief outline of how to grow a single plant under cheap LED lights. Indoor plants need three things to survive: light, water and nutrients. Indoor plants go through three major stages of development that are universally recognised among growers: planting, vegetative growth and flowering.
To get the most out of LED grow lights and reduce light leakage, you should cover your grow space with a reflective material. This will distribute the light more evenly across the plant, ensuring that no corner is left in the dark. Even the best grow lights cannot penetrate the entire plant on their own, so some reflection is needed.
A reinforced reflector with a firm structure around the lamp can be used to multiply the diffusion power of the lamp. It is also possible to install reflective sheeting to cover different surfaces inside the grow tent. Another option is to use white reflective plastics or, in the worst case, to paint the surfaces with matt white paint that reflects as much light as possible.
Finally, we need to determine how much power we need in cheap LED grow lights, this is where things get interesting. Assuming you are growing a single plant, you need at least 150W of cheap LED power. Although you can play around with the lighting, the optimal cheap LED arrangement would be: 2 x 40W 5000K-6000K bulbs + 2 x 40W 2700K bulbs.
The light penetration of the LEDs lamps is not very strong, so many small cheap LEDs can be more effective than a few large cheap LEDs. For example, using 4 x 40W cheap LED bulbs (160W) rather than a single 200W cheap LED bulb.
Cheap LED Lights for Indoor Plants at Different Stages
Below you will find some useful information about the use of cheap LED grow lights in the different stages of the plants’ life cycle. Pay attention, because these are very useful tips for success with this type of bulb:
Cheap LEDs for seedlings
First of all, seeds have to be germinated or clones have to be planted depending on the type of crop intended. At this stage, the plants should follow an 18/6 light cycle, which means 18 hours of light exposure, followed by 6 hours of darkness, every day. In this case, it is best to use a timer.
Water the plants adequately without over-watering and watch them mature. Cheap LEDs are great for the first few weeks of a crop’s life, especially for seedlings. Regardless of the light setup used later on, many experienced growers prefer to use cheap LEDs in the first few weeks, in order to get the maximum benefits from this type of lighting, saving costs and efficiency.
Cheap LEDs for Growth
At this point, plants need more daylight and therefore require bright white light LEDs, which operate at 5000–6500K on the colour temperature scale.
Water the plant regularly on demand, paying attention not to drown it and adjusting the power of the cheap LED lamps and the height so that they are about 10 cm away from the plants, having the cheap LED closer may end up burning the plant.
Use nutrients for growth, such as nitrogen, and if desired start training your plants to use as much space as possible.
Plants grow quickly at this stage, so give them some space so they do not grow directly around the lamps. A good solution for smaller spaces is to train them. Techniques such as LST can help to control the plant’s height.
Cheap LEDs for flowering
By changing the photoperiod from 18/6 to 12/12, the plant will go into the flowering stage, responding to the daylight hours reduction. This tells the plant that it is time to reproduce because it is going to die soon. At this point, a check should be made to ensure that absolutely no light enter on the grow room during the dark period.
At this point, the plant will require yellow/red light. These are often called “warm white” and are 2700K. These “low kelvin” bulbs are best suited for the flowering stage, as your plant is preparing to flower before the “winter” arrives.
At this stage you need the maximum possible light output, at least doubling the output used in the growth stage and correcting the spectrum towards reddish. LEDs can work wonders at this stage. Just keep them as close to the buds as possible (without burning them).
Keeping the temperature at appropriate levels, temperature control is one of the cornerstones of proper growth. However, the flowering stage requires a little more attention. In flowering it is necessary to have a powerful air renewal system, also if possible, have a small fan blowing gently over the plants.
ECO Farm MB660 Foldable Grow Light Bar
Features:
This ECO Farm LED Grow Light can effectively extend and scientifically control the light required by indoor plants, using 2112 LM301b 3030 white chips + 48 OSRAM 660nm red chips + 4*165W Sosen designed driver, suitable for plants from seedling to flowering growth process. Plants can absorb more than 95% of light energy, increasing yield and crop quality. It’s perfect for a 5 x 5 foot plant area or a 4 x 4 foot flowering area with 6 LED strips. PPF up to 1944 µmol/s while consuming only 660 watts. Simply adjust the height and brightness to the level your plants need for optimal growth, and it can completely replace natural light and promote plant growth. This grow light is designed for personal and commercial grade full cycle horticultural lighting solutions, with a controller to adjust light intensity and time. Aluminum heat sink, gas return design, space between light bars, provide better heat dissipation and reduce heat energy waste.
Optic LED Slim 650S Dimmable LED Grow Light 650w
Features:
The Optic LED grow light gives you more flexibility than the usual LED grow lights. Featuring individual dimmers that control different LED colors, the Slim650S gives you full command over how bright each color can get. Switch from vegetating to blooming with a twist of a knob. You won’t need to adjust the height of the Slim650S when shifting phases, thanks to the independent dimmers. The independent dimmers of the Slim650S also let you change the way your plants grow. Turn up the dimmers to increase the potency and quality of your plants. The Slim650S doesn’t scrimp on components, as it uses 3,098 LEDs from Samsung and a Meanwell Driver. It can also work with the Optic LED Master Controller for a more centralized system.
An Ultimate Buyer’s Guide
When it comes to growing plants in an indoor area, ‘grow tents’ or ‘grow rooms’ play an important role in providing your plants with the necessary growth conditions and temperature. Grow tents are easily portable and hence can be placed anywhere you wish. To keep a regular check on the plants growing inside the tent, you will need an efficient LED light. If it’s both cheaper and efficient, it’s an added advantage. People who grow multiple plants can buy additional LED lights to observe the plant growth. Here are a few useful tips you should consider before placing an order on the cheapest LED grow lights.
Brightness & number of lights
Considering the cheapest LED grow lights, the first thing that comes to our mind is the brightness. The main purpose of installing grow lights inside your grow room is for the brightness to observe what’s going on inside the grow room. So, make sure the intensity of the LED lights caters for your plant requirements. It must not be too bright, as it can disturb plant growth by producing enormous heat. It should also not be dim as you will face strains in observing the plant growth. The light intensity should be at the optimum range, according to the grow room area. After brightness, you should also decide the number of lights you are going to purchase. The number of lights will depend on the grow room area and the number of plants. Single light would be sufficient for a small grow tent, while you’ll need two or more LED grow lights for a larger grow room.
Durability & construction
Next comes the durability of the cheapest LED lights. Make sure the lighting units are of good durable quality for a longer lifespan. You don’t want the lights to stop working after a few weeks or months. See if the lights are made of durable materials. Purchasing grow lights from a brand that provides a warranty is highly recommended as you can claim the warranty in case of any technical failures or repairs. Grow lights of good quality will last for many years. The warranty period can vary between 1 to 10 years, depending on the brand. Expensive grow lights come with a longer warranty period and high-quality materials. There are also affordable grow lights in the market with good durability and a decent warranty period. You can go through the website of the light brand for warranty details.
Light coverage area
There are different kinds of cheapest LED grow lights in the market. The coverage area of the grow lights depends on the grow room size or dimensions. The grow area size depends on every person. Some might grow plants in 4’ x 4’ area while some might grow in 8’ x 8’ area. You should buy lights according to your grow room space or size. Some of you might be confused and unaware of what kind of lights you should buy for your grow room area. In such scenarios, you can consult a professional for advice or ideas. You can also check the PPF reading and PAR chart of the manufacturer to decide the light intensity and coverage.
Conclusion
Ultimately, full-spectrum LED grow lights are the key to unlocking your plants’ crop’s potential.
By harnessing the usable (PAR) range of light that matters to indoor plants, you’ll yield bigger buds that are drenched in trichomes and terpenes.
