Using the best LED lights for weed is essential for your indoor grow. Investing in the best grow lights will help maximize bud quality and yields from your harvest.
Not all grow lights are created equal, and some are substantially better for growing cannabis. LED grow lights have become the most popular among growers, offering several benefits over traditional grow lights.
Although LEDs are among the best indoor grow lights available, there are so many of them that it can be difficult to distinguish between reliable brands and models and cheap, dubious ones. The best LED grow lights offer all the wavelengths required to produce big, beautiful buds. In this article, we’ll review the best LED lights for weed.
Why Use LED Grow Lights instead of HID Grow Lights?
LED lights produce more light and less heat than High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lights. Less heat in general combined with dimming options provide better control over light intensity and temperatures in your grow space.
Compared to HID lights, LEDs are more energy efficient. LEDs pull approximately 32 watts from the wall per square foot of coverage while HIDs pull around 40 watts. This allows for more light while using less energy. A full 4×4 foot grow tent can produce a quality harvest with an LED light as small as 400 watts.
The full light spectrum produced by LED lights have been shown to produce higher yields and quality than traditional lights.
Can Any LED light be used as grow light?
Your home might already have a few LED light fixtures. But can any LED be utilized as a plant grow light? Technically, yes, but the quality and yields will suffer.
Regular LEDs typically don’t produce enough light to support larger plants. Additionally, regular LEDs typically lack the ideal light color spectrums needed for proper growth.
Much of light produced by household white LEDs is not usable by plants. Utilizing a proper LED grow light with the right proportion of red, blue, and other wavelengths that plants prefer is ideal.
What Size LED Light is Needed for Growing?
The size of the LED grow light is determined by the size of your grow space. This is a better indicator than the number of plants being grown since even just one plant can usually be trained to fill an entire grow space.
The general recommendation is 32-50 watts per square foot of grow space. This is wattage being pulled from the wall. So a 4×4 foot tent would need a light that’s approximately 512 watts or you risk lower yields. In my experience, a light as small as 400 watts is fine for a 4×4, but never go below 100 watts per plant.
If you don’t plan to fill out your entire grow space, then using an LED grow light with a minimum of 100 watts per plant is sufficient. This should easily cover the two square feet minimum for one plant.
Best LED Grow Light Brands
The popularity of LED grow lights has led to many products and manufacturers flooding the market. We explore the most respected and notable brands below.
Mars Hydro
Mars Hydro was founded in 2009 and is a leading manufacturer of LED grow lights. Their lights are used by professional growers and hobbyists alike.
In addition to LED grow lights, Mars Hydro manufactures COB LED bulbs, HPS, and MH bulbs. They also produce high-quality grow tents and grow kits at affordable prices. Mars Hydro also offers various accessories, including heat mats, fans, and light stands.
All of their products are backed by a satisfaction guarantee. Mars Hydro is known for its high-quality lights and customer service. Their lights are available in both retail and wholesale quantities.
Spider Farmer
Spider Farmer was founded in 2014 to provide high-quality, affordable LED grow lights to the indoor gardening community. They offer a wide range of products, from small, compact lights perfect for small grow tents to large, powerful lights capable of illuminating large grow spaces.
Spider Farmer also offers a variety of other grow products, including soil amendments, grow tents, hydroponics supplies, and water filtration systems. Their lights are some of the most affordable LED grow lights on the market, making them an excellent option for small to medium-sized grow spaces.
ViparSpectra
ViparSpectra was established in 2011 to provide affordable indoor gardening lights and accessories. Their LED grow lights are some of the most popular grow lights on the market today. They offer a wide range of sizes and wattages to fit any need or budget.
In addition to grow lights, ViparSpectra also offers aquarium lights, reptile lights, and nightlights. They offer other products, including grow tents, media, and light accessories. ViparSpectra is known for its high quality, energy efficiency, and long lifespan.
Vivosun
Vivosun is a company that offers various types of lights, including LED grow lights. Vivosun offers high-quality lights at affordable prices, making them one of the most popular choice for grow rooms on a budget. My first grow light was a Vivosun.
They have been in business since 2009 and offer a huge range of products. In addition to lights, they produce grow tents, grow kits, ventilation equipment, and accessories.
AC Infinity
AC Infinity is a manufacturer of lights and other grow products. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Los Angeles, California.
AC Infinity offers a variety of lights, including LED lights, fluorescent lights, and halogen lights. The company also provides a variety of lighting accessories, such as light bulbs, light fixtures, and light switches.
Best LED Grow Lights for a 4×4 Tent
Best LED Grow Lights for a 2×4 Tent
Conclusion
If you want the best yield and bud quality from your cannabis plants, you must invest in a high quality LED grow light. Not all grow lights are created equal, and some are better than others for growing cannabis.
LED grow lights are becoming increasingly popular among growers, offering many benefits over traditional grow lights.
Rocky Horton
Author
Rocky Horton is an experienced cannabis grower and the founder of IndoGrow. The IndoGrow editorial team has over four decades of combined growing experience. Learn more.