HID Lighting

HID lighting has become a great tool for gardeners all over the world. These high pressure sodium and metal halide set-ups closely mimic natural sunlight with one important distinction: we have the control over the intensity, color and photoperiod. This means that you can control the entire life cycle of your plants– no matter what the season!

All of our grow lights come complete with bulb, ballast and reflector. The ballast is need to transform the electricity so that the gas in the bulbs can ignite and glow for your plants. Each of these ballasts will plug into a 3 pronged, 120v outlet in your home. They are also available in 240v – something for everyone!

Why do you need a ballast? You need a ballast to ignite your bulb; without it, the bulb will not emit light. The high pressure sodium (HPS) and metal halide (MH) bulbs do not screw directly into a household socket. Like fluorescent lighting, these bulbs require a ballast to transform the electricity and ignite the bulb. The ballast connects easily to the hood (i.e., reflector) and plugs into the wall.

When it comes to choosing the correct wattage for your grow light, it is important that you know how much area you are dedicating to your garden. Simply put, a 400w grow light covers a 3’x3’ – 3’x4’ area for most plants; a 600w grow light a 3’x4’ – 4’x5’; and a 1000w grow light a 4’x5’ – 5’x8’ area.

So, which light is correct for me? Well, typically the breakdown goes like this: metal halide (MH) has the correct spectrum for green, leafy growth and is therefore used for vegetative growth. Metal halide has a white, blue cast when lit. This is also a good grow light for non-flowering plants. High pressure sodium (HPS) is the grow light generally used for the fruiting and flowering stage. This has an orange cast to it and makes a perfect light to alert plants to begin the reproductive phase of life.

Notice that Hydroponics Garden carries mostly “switchable” ballasts. This means that the ballast has a MH/HPS switch; a person simply screws in a Metal Halide or High Pressure sodium bulb and selects the appropriate setting on the ballast. This gives the best spectrum for the plant in all phases of growth.

Along with changing the spectrum, you should change the photoperiod. This is similar to the difference in amount of light in spring to fall. The metal halide is usually on for 18 hours and off for 6 while the high pressure sodium is on for 12 and off for 12 hours.

Grow lights have gained in popularity over the years, especially in areas where there is a short growing season. They are now the most affordable and advanced they have ever been! All of our lights come complete with bulb, ballast, and reflector to brighten your living area. We have a great selection of bulbs, ballasts and reflectors to complete your garden set - up.

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