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Functional cookies

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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:

  • First and last name
  • Home and billing address
  • Telephone number
  • Gender
  • IP address
  • Email address
  • Date of birth

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:

  • First & last name
  • Gender

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).

  • Email address

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:

  • Revoke the consent you have granted;
  • Access personal data;
  • Rectify personal data;
  • Delete personal data;
  • File a complaint or a writ for the protection of your rights before the Spanish Data Protection Agency;
  • Be notified of any security incident that may affect your rights;
  • Limitation of processing;
  • Portability.
By Luke Sumpter


Growing top-shelf cannabis is a science that involves providing the right amount of light, nutrients, water, and other environmental factors to ensure success. Providing the correct distance between your grow light and the plant canopy is of massive importance for indoor growers, greatly impacting how the plants perform and helping to avoid mistakes while maintaining healthy plant growth.

This article provides a detailed yet easy-to-digest guide to hanging your LED grow lights at the optimal distance for growing cannabis. We’ll explain the ideal light spectrum for each stage of growth, necessary equipment for checking PAR levels, a grow light distance chart, and other expert tips.

Why Grow Light Distance Matters for Plant Health

Cannabis plant with grow light and measuring tape, highlighting the importance of light distance for plant health on a dark green background, ideal for cannabis growing tips.

Cannabis needs lots of direct light to grow from tiny seedlings or cuttings into healthy, high-yielding plants. Weed plants absorb light through pigments known as chlorophyll, which gives them their green colour. By absorbing blue and red wavelengths of light, chlorophyll also allows plants to perform photosynthesis and convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and water into glucose.

Unfortunately, incorrect light distance can interrupt or hamper photosynthesis and other important plant processes, promoting unwanted stretching, a bleached or burnt canopy, and low yields.

Key Factors Affecting LED Grow Light Distance

The ideal distance for hanging LED grow lights for cannabis depends on various factors. Below is a breakdown of how the light spectrum and intensity, stage of growth, and type of LED light influence the proper light distance for growing weed.

Light Spectrum and Intensity

LED grow lights come in different types—some emit a fixed white light (measured in Kelvins), while others offer a full spectrum with distinct spectral peaks. Here's what each type does:

3000 K (Warm White LEDs)

  • Emits more red and far-red wavelengths
  • Best suited for the flowering stage
  • Can support vegetative growth, but not ideal for seedlings
  • Common in fixed-spectrum LED panels

5000 K (Cool White LEDs)

  • Emits more blue light, mimicking natural sunlight 
  • Promotes compact, leafy vegetative growth
  • Suitable for seedlings and early vegetative stages
  • Found in T5 strip lights or early-stage veg lights

Full-Spectrum LEDs (With Targeted Wavelengths)

  • Combine blue (400–500 nm), red (600–700 nm), and often far-red (700–750 nm)
  • Designed to emit light within the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) range
  • Enable growers to support all growth stages with a single adjustable light
  • Ideal for cannabis and other light-sensitive crops

Red Light (600–700 nm) & Far Red (700–750 nm)

  • Red light boosts bud formation, resin, and cannabinoid production
  • Far-red light helps regulate flowering timing, stretching, and stress response
  • Typically found in custom-spectrum or high-end full-spectrum LEDs

Stage of Growing Cycle

Cannabis plants progress through three main stages before harvest: seedling, vegetation, and flower production. Below is an explanation of the different requirements regarding light intensity for each stage, measured in μmol/m²/s.

  • Seedlings: 100–300 μmol/m²/s

The seedling stage is when cannabis plants are the most delicate and do not need high levels of light intensity. It lasts 2–3 weeks, and it is essential to provide a low level of intensity between 100–300 μmol/m²/s while maintaining a light cycle of 18–20 hours per day. The best way to provide your cannabis seedlings with the correct light level is to use a T5 strip light, a low-powered LED, or a dimmer (if your light has one).

  • Vegging plants: 400–600 μmol/m²/s

Once a cannabis plant is around 3 weeks old and features several nodes and true leaves, it enters the vegetative stage. At this stage, light intensity can be increased to 400–600 μmol/m²/s to promote the production of leaves, branches, and stems. Indoor growers can keep their plants suspended in a vegetative state for a long time under an 18/6 or 20/4 light cycle.

  • Flowering plants: 800–1000 μmol/m²/s

Changing your light schedule to 12/12 will trigger your plants to flower. At this time, you can increase the PPFD to 800–1000 μmol/m²/s. Full-spectrum grow lights use red light to encourage bud, terpene, and cannabinoid development, and also emit far-red wavelengths—essential for triggering budding and promoting vertical stretch during the flowering stage.

Type of LED Grow Light (Wattage, Design)

LED grow lights for cannabis cultivation are available in different styles, including panel, bar, and COB. Below is a brief explanation of each and how they differ.

  • LED panels: These typically house diodes inside square or rectangular casings. Ranging in size and wattage, from 200 W to 800 W, panels can be considered inefficient compared to bar lights in terms of light coverage.
  • LED bar lights: Bar lights use one or more LED bars mounted together on a frame. These lights typically use between 300 W and 1000 W of power, and are optimal for use in grow tents for potentially all stages of plant growth.
  • COB LED: Chip-on-board (COB) refers to a method where manufacturers print integrated circuits onto a chipboard. Usually ranging in power from 50 W to 300 W, COB LEDs are compact and powerful but tend to produce more heat than bar-style lights due to their concentrated diode arrangement.

Full-Spectrum LED Grow Light Distance Chart

Below is a full-spectrum LED grow chart that highlights the correct distance to hang your grow lights during the different stages of a cannabis plant's life cycle. Keeping within the distance provided below will promote greater efficiency and avoid heat stress and stretching.

It’s better to start at the further end of the distance range to ensure your plants are responding well. If so, you can consider lowering them a bit. Another important note—check your light manufacturer’s specific PPFD map to make sure you’re using the correct distances. Every grow light is different.

Seedlings
150 W (FC 1500) Distance / PPFD 25 cm / 100–300 μmol/m²/s
300 W (FC 3000) Distance / PPFD 25 cm / 150–300 μmol/m²/s
480 W (FC 4800) Distance / PPFD 30 cm / 200–300 μmol/m²/s
Vegetative Stage
150 W (FC 1500) Distance / PPFD 45 cm / 300–450 μmol/m²/s
300 W (FC 3000) Distance / PPFD 45 cm / 400–600 μmol/m²/s
480 W (FC 4800) Distance / PPFD 60 cm / 500–700 μmol/m²/s
Flowering Stage
150 W (FC 1500) Distance / PPFD 30 cm / 600–750 μmol/m²/s
300 W (FC 3000) Distance / PPFD 45 cm / 700–850 μmol/m²/s
480 W (FC 4800) Distance / PPFD 45 cm / 800–1000 μmol/m²/s

LED Grow Light Distance by Plant Growth Stage

Cannabis plant with LED grow light and measuring tape, showing optimal light distance by growth stage on a dark green background, ideal for cannabis cultivation guides.

Below is a breakdown of how many centimetres above the plant canopy you should hang your LED lights during a plant's different stages of growth. Getting these distances right will help you achieve maximum yields and overall crop quality.

Seedlings

Cannabis seedlings need care and attention in order to develop a strong root system, stem, and foliage. Therefore, it is essential to position your lights at an appropriate distance to prevent seedlings from becoming stressed or leggy (etiolation) and potentially burning.

The ideal LED light distance for seedlings is 25–30 cm above the canopy. We recommend feeling the temperature of your grow light using the back of your hand to get a sense of the heat level (more on this later).

Vegetative Stage

The vegetative stage occurs once seedlings develop several fan leaves and nodes. It’s during this stage that plants develop robust branches and lots of foliage, setting the stage for ample bud development later on. As such, during vegetation, growers should increase the light intensity while also increasing the light distance to 45–60 cm as plants continue to grow taller.

Flowering Stage

Once you decide to induce flowering, the plants will experience a change in growth hormones, causing them to stretch dramatically—sometimes doubling or tripling in height—before transitioning into full reproductive growth focused on bud production.

During this all-important stage, it is best to keep the grow light 30–45 cm from the top of the canopy. This will help to prevent light-related burning or bleaching, and will help drive bud and trichome growth.

How to Measure and Adjust Grow Light Distance

How you set up and hang your LED grow light will determine how high you must raise it as plants grow. The easiest way to determine the optimal distance is to use a measuring tape and, each day, check the distance between the topmost part of the plants and the LED light.

Here are some key tips to ensure success.

Using a PAR or PPFD Meter

PAR, or photosynthetically active radiation, measures how many light photons a source produces for photosynthesis. Knowing the PAR levels of your indoor grow area will allow you to check that you have the ideal range for each stage of growth while helping to achieve peak photosynthesis and plant development rates. PAR meters are designed to measure sunlight or artificial light, and will give you a precise reading in μmol/m²/s.

  • 100–300 μmol/m²/s for seedlings
  • 400–600 μmol/m²/s for vegetation
  • 800–1000 μmol/m²/s for flowering

Hand Test Method for Light Heat

If you cannot buy a PAR meter, you can use the hand test method as a backup. Of course, it will not be as efficient and reliable as a PAR meter. However, it will allow you to detect how much heat and light output there is in a set space. Move your hand across the centre and edges of your grow space to gauge how evenly the light is distributed, how bright it is, and whether it feels too hot or comfortably cool.

Common Mistakes When Setting Grow Light Distance

Cannabis plant with grow light and measuring tape, illustrating common mistakes in setting light distance on a dark green background, ideal for cannabis growing tips.

Setting up your lights is a simple task. However, there are some variables to consider to help you avoid mistakes and maintain optimal plant growth, health, and yield.

Placing the Lights Too Close

If you place your LED grow lights too close to the top of the canopy at any stage, you will inhibit plant growth by inflicting potential heat stress, negatively affecting transpiration and vapour pressure deficit, and exceeding the recommended levels of light intensity the plants require.

Placing the Lights Too Far Away

When your LED grow lights are too far away during the seedling or vegetative stages, the plants will stretch as much as possible to get closer to the source. The result is tall, lanky, and thin stems, which will prevent the lower parts of the canopy from receiving enough light to develop well.

During flowering, keeping the lights too far away will dramatically affect the size and density of buds, as well as trichome, resin, and cannabinoid production.

Not Adjusting the Distance Over Time

As your plants grow taller, it's crucial to check and adjust the light height regularly—ideally every few days—to maintain optimal PPFD levels. Failing to do so can lead to issues like light burn, heat stress, and poor bud development due to uneven canopy exposure.

Ignoring the Manufacturer's PPFD Map

LED lighting manufacturers create PPFD maps specific to their products. Ignoring this map is not advised—use it as a guide.

Set Your Grow Lights Right for Maximum Yield

LED grow lights are energy efficient and provide cannabis plants with a full light spectrum and optimal PAR levels. Awareness of what cannabis plants require during the seedling, vegetative, and flowering stages will help you become a better indoor grower.

Keeping your LED lights at the proper distance using a measuring tape, adjusting the height accordingly, and owning a PAR meter will help you get the most out of your cannabis plants during the seedling, vegetative, and flowering stages. To achieve the very best results possible, explore our range of full-spectrum LED grow lights!