By Ryan Najjar Reviewed by: Miguel Ángel Garcia


With seeds ready to be germinated, pots ready to be filled, and your grow room ready for a long, rewarding season, you may be feeling ready to cultivate some cannabis. You’re just missing one more vital component: the lights!

It may seem like you can just use any sort of grow light and achieve sufficient results, but that’s far from the truth. Different lights are calibrated for different plants and grow spaces. Some may not provide enough light, causing wilting and poor development, while others exude too much heat and cause burning. Others still may hit the sweet spot in terms of supporting growth, but bleed cash in terms of energy efficiency.

It can take quite some time to do research on the right types of lights for cannabis, especially when you don’t have much experience growing. Thankfully, we’ve taken care of the legwork for you, and we’re happy to walk you through what makes a perfect grow light for beginners.

Why Is Light Important for Growing Cannabis?

Light is vital to photosynthesis, and thus essential to the growth of almost all plants. But, the specifics of how cannabis plants receive light are especially important.

For instance, photoperiod cannabis (non-autoflowering cannabis) grows best when it receives a particular amount of light hours per day, usually 16 or more, during the vegetative stage of growth. Once plants hit the flowering stage, that light requirement changes to around 12 hours per day. This, of course, is in line with the shift in sunlight hours that occurs in the spring, summer, and autumn.

With that external signal, female cannabis plants (that haven’t been pollinated) know to start shifting their energy towards producing resin-loaded buds. If they don’t receive that signal, however, they won’t know how to distribute the energy they take in from the sun, and your yields will end up smaller than they otherwise would.

In turn, if you’re growing your weed plants indoors, it’s vital to ensure that your grow lights not only simulate the sun’s energy output, but shine on the same schedule as well.

Why Is Light Important for Growing Cannabis?

What's the Best Type of Grow Light for Beginners?

Considering just how important light is in the growing process, beginners should focus on getting a light that not only helps them achieve high yields, but saves them money as well. After all, starting up an indoor growing operation at home can be expensive, even on a small scale.

So, what lights fulfil that role? Well, there are plenty out there that will deliver fine results, and plenty others that’ll save you money, but the only ones that balance both efficiency and power are lamps fitted with LEDs, or light-emitting diodes.

The Benefits of LEDs for First-Time Cannabis Growers

As we just mentioned, there are many benefits beginners can enjoy if they opt for LEDs. Below, we’ll break them down in full.

  • LEDs Run Cool Despite High Energy Output

With LEDs, depending on which you select, you can achieve comparable energy output to HID, but without nearly as much heat! Thanks to the efficiency of the system, which we’ll speak more on later, all the energy it takes in is directed through hundreds of little lights. Far less gets wasted.

  • Less Heat Leads to Decreased Water Usage

If you are managing a hydroponic system with no substrate, your irrigation programme should also be questioned, as LED lights cause less evaporation. Thanks to minimal heat in the growing room, you can also expect the water you give your plants to last longer than it normally would. Since you don’t have to deal with rapid evaporation, your watering schedule will not only decrease, but become more efficient.

If anything, all you have to worry about when growing with LEDs is overwatering.

  • Decreased Water Usage Leads to Fewer Nutrients in Turn

Make sure to check the nutrient density with your EC meter. By using your EC meter at several points (drains, main tanks, etc.), you can optimise your plants’ nutritional needs.

For example, it is common for an EC reading to go up simply because water evaporation is increasing, resulting in a greater concentration of nutrients in the solution. This can then be corrected by adding more water. 

Since many growers include their plant’s nutrients in their water, decreased water usage will also lead to decreased nutrient usage. That, again, is thanks to the fact that plants are able to use said water and nutrients more efficiently.

  • LEDs Allow for High Light Intensity

The low heat output of LEDs allows for yet another benefit: the potential to offer your plants higher light intensity. See, rather than intense light, it’s intense heat that is the main culprit behind burning plants. If the plants can enjoy more intense light without worrying about heat, however, they can take in a lot more energy.

And more and better energy means bigger yields.

Light intensity for cannabis plants is measured in PPFD and DLI values (regarding light parameters).

PPFD = photosynthetic photon flux density
DLI = daily light integral

  • LEDs Are More Energy Efficient Overall

Lastly, thanks to the fact that far less energy gets wasted on creating heat, LED lamps are the most energy efficient option (relative to their power) of any type of grow lamp. Along with that, you don’t need to have as powerful of a vent or cooling system to account for heat, which you’d need with HID lamps, so you take up even less energy as a result.

What's the Best Type of Grow Light for Beginners?

What Size Grow Light Do You Need for Cannabis?

The next thing you might be wondering about, then, is what size light you should get. Now, this will depend on the actual energy output of your LEDs (which can vary), along with the quality of your lamp, but there’s a good general outline you can follow as a starting point.

Specifically, assuming you have a decent-quality lamp, you should ensure you get a light with a coverage area of 50 watts per square foot (538W/m²) of growing space. If you were growing in a space that was 5 feet long and 5 feet wide, you’d need a 1250W LED light. That isn't an exact measurement, of course, and you’ll still need to verify the specifics of your lamp and grow space. In turn, you should check the manufacturer’s guide, and see how they describe their product’s performance.

How Much Do Grow Lights Cost?

Speaking of one’s lamp of choice, though, how much should you expect a grow lamp to cost? Well, keeping the focus on LEDs, you’ll see a great amount of variation in cost.

You can find certain lamps that are cheaper than the vast majority, coming in at well under €100, but they’ll often be low-quality and prone to early burn-out. There are plenty of high-quality LEDs out there, though, some of which can last up to a decade. However, you can also expect to pay quite a bit, sometimes in the €1–2,000 range, for the best and largest options.

In turn, you also have to consider what running the light will cost you once you instal it. Cheaper lamps won’t take up that much energy, but they also won’t offer especially powerful light, so you’ll end up paying more, in a sense, by missing out on optimal yields.

Higher-quality lights may be more expensive out the door, but you’ll know your plants are getting plenty of light, which they’ll be able to convert into massive amounts of buds. You’ll also not have to worry about the increased energy cost of plugging in multiple weaker/low-quality lights.

However, more powerful lights will naturally need more energy to run, and especially powerful lamps will emit enough light to warrant a cooling and ventilation system. That, of course, will lead to a significantly higher energy bill than otherwise.

Beginner-Friendly Lighting Accessories

With your mind more settled on what sort of lamps you’ll be getting, it’s time to think about what accessories you’ll need to install and help them run efficiently.

  • Adjustable Rope Hangers

Before you get your growing operation off the ground, you need to get your grow lights off the ground. In that moment of need, you should seek out some adjustable rope hangers to carry your lights to the top (of your grow room).

Adjustable hangers are especially useful, as you can adjust the light intensity your cannabis receives depending on its phase and development. If your plants need some extra shine, you can lower the lights towards them, then bring them back up when things get a bit too warm.

Adjustable Rope Hangers

  • Wi-Fi Timer

Timing is another major responsibility that comes with your grow lights, and sometimes you can’t trust yourself to turn them off and on at the right times. When the rest of the growing process gets too overwhelming, consider getting a Wi-Fi-linked timer to turn your lights on and off at precise intervals.

As we’ll further explain in a bit, this sort of timer is especially useful when you need to adjust the light hours between the vegetative and flowering stages of growth. There’s no need to worry about forgetting the schedule when your timer remembers it for you! If you do not find a Wi-Fi linked timer, consider using a common timer, as that will get the job done as well!

Wi-Fi Timer

How Much Light Do Indoor Cannabis Plants Need?

There are different requirements depending on whether you’re growing photoperiod feminized strains or autoflowering strains, and we’ll discuss them accordingly.

Feminized Strains

If you’re growing a photoperiod feminized strain, you’ll need to change your light schedule based on the phase of development.

During the vegetative stage, they’ll need anywhere from 16–20 hours of light per day. The short nights tell your plant that it needs to spend its energy on getting tall and spreading its leaves, allowing it to efficiently gather energy later on.

Then, when it’s time for them to begin the flowering stage, you should shift their schedule so they receive just 12 hours of sunlight per day. Noticing the longer night (mimicking the change of seasons), the plant takes the signal to shift energy from developing foliage and branches to sprouting buds.

Autoflowering Strains

If you’re growing an autoflowering strain, however, light schedules are a different (and much simpler) story.

See, their name comes from the fact that they don’t rely on light signals to start flowering (unlike photoperiod varieties). Rather, it happens automatically after a few weeks into the vegetative process! Considering that, many growers will leave their autoflowers under the light for 24 hours a day, never turning their lamps off.

However, others argue this is too much for them, and will instead give 18–22 hours of daily light. They do this because plants can get a fair amount of their growing done when they stop taking in energy. Turning off the lights, of course, stops that taking-in process and signals them to focus on growth. This way, plants have enough light to develop impressive results, without your energy bill spiking from constant use.

Don't Forget to Adjust Your Grow Light

Before we let you go, we want to emphasise again that photoperiod plants will only thrive if they’re on the right light schedule for the vegetative and flowering stages. To assist in that effort, many LED light manufacturers will include a dial, switch, etc. that allows you to switch between modes for each stage.

Along with making that switch, be careful to ensure that you’re raising your lights up in proportion to the vertical height of your plants. The lamps may not generate much heat, but you still want to avoid the risk of burning them.

Other than that, just focus on having a good time!

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: