By RQS Editorial Team Reviewed by: Miguel Ángel Garcia

With LED technology rapidly advancing in recent years, more cannabis growers are now switching to LED for their indoor operations. Merely a novelty just a few years back, LED grow lights are now performing as well, if not better, than HID lamps, and have also become more affordable. Due to the many advantages of LEDs, from consuming less energy to being more robust and having a longer life span, they are now a great choice for indoor cultivators of different skill levels. If you grow cannabis with LEDs or plan to make the switch, here are some tips for you.


What to Look for When Choosing a LED Grow Light

Before you go buying a LED grow light, it helps to know what’s available. Currently, there are three main types of LEDs that you can use to grow cannabis, each of which has its pros and cons. The type of LED light you should choose will depend on what exactly you’re looking for, and how much money you’re willing to spend.

3 Main Types of LED Grow Lights  

 

  • Standard (“Purple”) LED

STANDARD (“PURPLE”) LED

These standard LED light fixtures were the first type available for growing, and today, they’re still widely available. These lights contain a lot, sometimes hundreds, of small to medium wattage LEDs (3–5 watts per single LED) in a compact fixture. Cannabis growers sometimes refer to these as “purple” lights, as they often comprise a mix of red and blue LEDs that combine to emit a purple hue. The biggest advantage of these standard LED lights is their price point. Most are manufactured overseas, and you can find them aplenty on eBay and other places online. A disadvantage is that their quality is often lacking; they can be less than reliable, and their light output is often lower than other types of LEDs, leading to lower yields. To remedy this, we’re now seeing standard LEDs begin to include COB LED lights or UV LEDs in addition to the red and blue, which can help with yield and bud quality.

  • Cob LED

    COB LED

    COB means “chip on board”. A COB LED is made of many hundreds of tiny LEDs on one single small chip, as opposed to differently coloured LEDs spread over the entire fixture (as is the case above). COBs are among the most efficient LEDs. They produce a very intense white light that is similar to the natural light spectrum of the sun. One advantage of COBs is that they have good penetration into the plant canopy due to their intensity, resulting in a final yield approaching that of quality HID lamps. They also have a light spectrum that is optimal for healthy growth, and are very energy-efficient. The drawback can be that a quality grow light with COB LEDs is quite expensive compared to cheaper purple lights. Some grow light manufacturers combine several COB LEDs into one fixture, often equipping them with lenses and reflectors. There are also lights available that are comprised of only one single COB. These single-COB fixtures can be a good choice for larger growing spaces, as you can space a number of them evenly for light distribution across the entire area. Most growers use COB LEDs with a light spectrum that works both for vegging and flowering, but you can also find those with a spectrum (“colour temperature”) tuned specifically to vegging or flowering.

    • Spread-style LED

    SPREAD-STYLE LED

    Spread-style LEDs are comprised of a large number of small LEDs that are spread out on a larger panel or board. There are also spider-style LEDs and rack-style LED lights, which are widely used in commercial greenhouses. The spider-style LED lights don’t use flat panels, but spider-like “arms” with LEDs instead. The main advantage of spread-style grow lights is that they are among the most energy-efficient LEDs, which means you can get the most light for the wattage you’re using. A disadvantage is that quality spread-style LEDs, such as the spider-style lights, can be extremely expensive.


    The Advantages of Growing With LED Lights

    We’ve already mentioned that LED lights have several advantages when compared to other types of grow lights, such as HID. Here is a full rundown of why you may want to choose LEDs for your next growing operation.

    1. LED Lights Are More Energy-Efficient

    Compared to HID lights, LEDs are a lot more energy-efficient. They use less electricity, and will cost much less to operate in the long-run. Although high-end LED lights can sometimes cost a good chunk of money outright, the investment is almost always worth it as your savings over time will make up for the higher initial cost. Likewise, quality LED light fixtures will also have a longer life span compared to HID, the latter of which tends to lose performance over time and needs frequent replacement. A good LED light can last you many years with no maintenance needed.

    2. They Run Cool

    LEDs produce a lot less heat compared to HID lights, which can be a big advantage as you won’t require extra cooling systems in your grow room or tent to keep temperatures optimal. This is especially advantageous if you grow in summer or happen to live in a warmer climate. The downside to this is that if you live somewhere cold, you may now need to consider a heater in the colder months. But as LEDs save you money over time, this can make up for the potential costs of running a heater.

    3. With LED, You Can Move Your Plants Closer to the Light

    LEDs produce less heat, which means less stress on your plants—so you can move your lights closer to your plants without any negative effects. Higher light intensity translates to higher yields!

    4. LED Lights Reduce Your Watering Schedule

    With less heat produced by lights, the soil in your pots will stay moist for longer, thus reducing the amount of times you need to water. If you’ve just switched from HID to LED and are used to your plants drinking quite a lot, you now need to be careful with your new watering schedule under LED, otherwise you might overwater your ladies.

    5. You Need Less Nutrients

    When you water cannabis plants, you’ll normally do so with an infusion of nutrients. In addition to watering less, your plants will also need less nutes than they would before. In addition to some nice savings on nutrients, the less-frequent watering and feeding schedule will also decrease nutrient buildup, so there’s a lower risk of nutrient lockoutand plant deficiencies. If your system is purely hydroponic, there is no serious risk of nutrient buildup.

    Growing With LED: What to Consider for Each Stage of Cultivation

    As we touched on earlier, many types of LEDs have a fixed light spectrum that works for both the vegetative (growing) and flowering phases of cannabis. This way, you can just use the same light throughout your entire grow from seed until harvest.

    Although this is convenient for most, there are those who want to fine-tune their lights for best results and optimal efficiency in each growing phase. For this purpose, some commercial LED lights have a switch to activate a veg light spectrum or a flower light spectrum. Here are some more factors to consider throughout each stage of growth.

    1. LED Lights And Seedlings

    Seedling

    As soon as your seeds have sprouted, your soon-to-be cannabis plant will need light to grow. Compared to more mature plants, however, your seedling is much more sensitive to intense light. Because of that, you should be careful when starting out with strong LEDs.[1]

    If your LED has a dimming option, turn your light to a lower intensity. If this isn’t an option, consider moving your lights further up, away from the seedling. On the other hand, ensure that you do not move the lights too far up, as this could cause the seedling to grow spindly and lanky.

    Likewise, if your LED has a switch to activate either a vegging or flowering spectrum, set it to veg, where the light normally emits a “cooler” blueish light, which is optimal for this stage. Set your timer to 18 hours of light per day, with 6 hours of darkness.

    As your seedling grows taller, stronger, and approaches the most robust part of the vegetative growing stage, you can then gradually increase the light intensity. Besides, some studies indicate that you can use full light only if your plants are perfectly hydrated.

    2. LED Lights During Vegetation

    LEDs Veg Phase

    Set your light to 18 hours per day and 6 hours of darkness. Some growers choose to grow with 20–24 hours of light to maximise vegetative growth.

    Monitor your plant’s development; if all goes well, it should grow healthy, strong, and bushy. If it grows lanky and spindly instead, this is likely because your plant is not getting enough light. Increase the intensity by lowering the light toward the plant canopy or turning up the intensity using the dimmer if your light has one.

    How long you want to veg your plant will normally depend on how much space you have available. You can technically let your plant grow under 18–24 hours of light as long as you want, but there will likely come a time when you want to switch to flowering, as the plant would otherwise simply grow too big. Know that some cannabis strains can stretch considerably (up to 2x or more) during early flowering. Take this into account upon deciding when to initiate the switch to bloom.

    3. LED Lights For Flowering

    LEDs For Flowering

    Photoperiodic cannabis starts to flower in late summer when the daylight hours naturally begin to diminish. Indoors, the grower is responsible for inducing bloom by setting the light schedule to 12 hours of light and 12 hours total darkness. If your LED light has a flowering switch, turn it to flowering mode.

    When you flower indoors on a 12-12 schedule, it is important that the 12 hours of darkness are not interrupted. So make sure that your tent or greenhouse doesn’t have any light coming in from outside. This would otherwise revert your flowering plant back to veg or potentially cause other issues such as hermaphroditism.

    If your LED has a dimmer, now is the time to turn your light to its maximum intensity, or lower your light to the recommended distance from your plants for the flowering stage. If you are not sure what this distance is, most grow light producers have recommendations available.

    Important: if you change anything with your lights, such as when you increase intensity and/or lower their position, make sure to do so gradually over several days, rather than in one go. Too sudden of a change can stress your plants too much.

    Autoflowers and LED

    If you’re growing autoflowers rather than photoperiodic strains, you don’t need to bother with initiating flowering by switching your lights to 12 hours on/off. You can just leave your autoflowers at 18–24 hours of light per day up until harvest. Then again, if your LED light has a flowering switch, you should still use it once your autoflowering cannabis is in bloom. This will help increase yield.

    LED Compared to HID Grow Lights

    HID lights, such as MH/HPS grow lamps, are still widely used as they are cheaper than good LEDs, yet are still reliable for growing top-quality weed. Furthermore, grow tent kits often include HID lights, so many new growers start out with these, rather than LEDs. If you’re wondering now whether you should switch to LED, here are some more aspects to think about.

    What is Your Budget?

    Although you can get LED grow lights “for cheap” nowadays, many of these budget versions from overseas are not worth the money you’d save outright from avoiding high-quality fixtures. If you want quality LEDs, you will normally need to spend some good money to get a light that promises good yields and will last you a long time. So if you’re on a budget and don’t want to, or can’t, spend a lot, it makes sense to continue with HID for the time being, rather than settling for a cheap LED. HID lights will still do a splendid job supporting growth and flowering—in fact, they can still outshine a decent amount of LEDs when it comes to performance.

    Heat Produced by HID Lamps Can Be a Pro or Con

    As already mentioned, HID lamps produce a large amount of heat. So, if heat in your grow room is a concern, you definitely want to look into LEDs. This can save you additional money on exhaust and cooling systems. On the other hand, if you grow in a cold environment, you may just want to stick with your HIDs as they keep the grow room cosy for your plants without

    Light Bulb Statistics

    Which Light Grows Better (and More) Buds?

    Are there any differences in bud quality and yield with LEDs compared to MH HID lights? Some growers say that MH lamps give better yields or “prettier buds” compared to LEDs. But there are also those who say that, LED lights make for a better taste and/or overall better quality of weed. Obviously, what is really “better” is open to interpretation.In the end, everything comes down to a good fixture with enough PPFD. This is the final measurement that can help you maximise yields.

    For additional information on how LEDs compare to other types of grow lights, you can also read our article on the pros and cons of different types of lights for cannabis. 

    How to Avoid Problems When Growing With LED

    Modern LED grow lights, for example COB lights, can emit light that is as intense as that from HID. If your plants are too close to your LEDs, this can lead to “light burn”, with discoloured or bleached leaves, nutrient deficiencies, and all sorts of growing troubles. Because of this, it is important to keep your LEDs the proper distance away from your cannabis plants.

    There is no “one size fits all” recommendation for the right distance for all types of LEDs, since this varies greatly by type. It depends on the amount of light your LED is emitting, whether your lamp also uses lenses or reflectors, and so on. The manufacturer of your lights should clue you in to the recommended lamp distance from the canopy, either on the instructions that come with your lights or on their website. As a general rule, however, most LEDs should be about 30–45cm away from the tops of your plants to support healthy and vigorous growth.

    Happy growing!

    External Resources:
    1. Cannabis Grow Lighting Myths and FAQs with Dr. Bruce Bugbee - YouTube https://www.youtube.com
    Disclaimer:
    This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

    Cookies settings

    We are requesting your permission to use your data for the reasons stated below:

    Functional cookies

    Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

    Preference cookies

    Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

    Analytical cookies

    Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

    What are cookies?

    Cookies are small pieces of data from a particular website that get stored on a user’s computer while they’re surfing the internet. Cookies have several different functions. Some of them track browser activity that enables businesses to deliver targeted advertisements. Other cookies serve to remember user login details to different websites to make jumping on social media, or other sites, a more fluid process. Because each cookie has its own unique ID, these pieces of data allow website owners to measure the unique traffic coming into their site.

    Why do we use cookies?

    Cookies come in handy when you visit our website. They ensure you stay logged in, that you can shop safely, and that the items you add to your cart stay there before you make a purchase. But cookies also help us. The data they provide allow us to improve our website and enable us to present you with targeted advertisements that are compatible with your interests.

    What kind of cookies do we use?

    Functional cookies

    Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

    Preference cookies

    Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

    Analytical cookies

    Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

    How can I disable or delete cookies?

    Not a fan of cookies? No worries. You can disable them (with the exception of necessary cookies) in your browser settings. However, blocking cookies may impact your browsing experience and prevent you from enjoying all of the technical features of our site.

    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: