Light is an important part of the growing process. Whether it’s natural or artificial, every green crop needs it for photosynthesis, growth, and full development. Recently, indoor plant cultivation installations have become popular. What they are, how to use them and which lamps are suitable for a growbox and our article will tell you.
The meaning of lighting in a growbox
To understand the importance of lamps in the cycle of growing crops, in this installation, it is necessary to understand in detail what it is. Basically, it is a multifunctional device consisting of:
- A special dome (tent), which is referred to as a grow tent. It is made from high-strength, refractory material. The latter is characterized by increased tightness and makes it possible to create an ideal microclimate for plants. On the inside, the grow tent is equipped with a reflective surface, which contributes to an even distribution of the light emanating from the lamps.
- Ventilation ducts that control the access and outflow of air masses. The latter are pumped in by means of a fan. There is also a thorough filtration system, which is designed to get rid of the pungent odor.
- A nutrient medium for direct cultivation. It can be hydroponic-based or drip-fed growbags.
- Luminaires consisting of specially designed lamps.
Types of lamps
What are the best lamps for your growbox? This question is more than relevant among thousands of owners of such installations. After all, a standard incandescent lamp that illuminates premises for a person is not at all suitable for growing green spaces. Due to the insufficiently bright radiation, the process of photosynthesis will not occur with it. If it is placed in close proximity to the culture, then it will burn and dry the latter, since it has a high temperature during operation.
Lamps designed for grow boxes are varied – they can differ in shape, spectral radiation and according to the principle of operation. The following categories are distinguished:
- Fluorescent lamps, often referred to as ECL or CFL;
- Gas-discharge sodium lamps of high and low pressure (HPS and HPS);
- LED lamps – abbreviation LED.
Which type of lamps from the above will be the most effective for your installation directly depends on its area. Each category has its own calculation system, based on the data of which, the type of equipment is determined. It is known that the larger the territory, the less expedient the use of fluorescent lamps. On large areas, sodium discharge lamps perform better. At the same time, ESL can be used in miniature grow boxes. The only requirement for their use will be a well-equipped ventilation system, since they get very hot and raise the temperature in the installation.
Another parameter that is usually guided when choosing lamps is light output. It is calculated by the ratio of Watts to Lumen. The most effective, based on indicators, are sodium gas discharge and LED lamps. Luminescent counterparts are slightly inferior in light transmission, but they are very popular due to their simple design and affordable price.
ESL
Lamps for growbox, energy-saving, they are also luminescent, function according to the following scheme: an arc discharge occurs between the electrodes, which passes through mercury vapor, as a result of which ultraviolet radiation appears. The latter is transformed into light, familiar to us, with the help of a special coating applied to the walls of the glass tube – a phosphor. It absorbs the emitted energy and converts it into light of the required spectrum. According to standards, such a lamp produces 50-75 lumens per watt of power.
The phosphor coating directly affects the spectrality of light fluxes. The most common lamps emitting light are in:
- 2700 – 3000K – ideal lighting for crops at the time of flowering;
- 4100 – 4200K – a universal solution for illuminating green spaces for the entire growing period, this light is called “daylight”;
- 6500K – cold glow lamps are used for germination and the phase of active growth of agricultural crops.
A significant disadvantage of using ESL is their temperature – during the operation of the devices, it increases significantly. If the lamp is placed too close, the plant may dry out and die. It is for this reason that a grow box with such lighting should be equipped with an acceptable ventilation system.
The advantages of such lighting products include:
- Affordability – the cost of lamps is in the price segment below the average.
- Durability – their service life varies and can reach from 7 to 15 thousand hours of active work.
- Low energy consumption.
- They do not require a starting device, they are simply mounted, connected directly to the network.
This type of lighting is recommended for use in small areas, as well as for novice gardeners.
ДНаТ
High pressure sodium lamps are among the most popular in the world among amateur gardeners and agricultural professionals. DNaT, literally stands for “arc, sodium, tubular”. Structurally, this electrical device is a glass tube, ellipse-like or cylindrical, in the middle of which there is a burner mounted on a support. As a rule, bulbs are equipped with threaded sockets for easy mounting. The burner is made of polycrystalline aluminum alloy. Its end part is soldered with electrode conductors, and it itself is filled with a special sodium solution. In the process of operation of sodium lamps, molecules of the same name take part.
The spectral wavelength of these grow box lamps gives off a yellow-red glow, which is very good for plants. The devices have the highest luminous efficiency among gas-discharge analogues. With long-term operation, a slight decrease in light flux is noted, but this does not affect efficiency.
HPS should be equipped with a ballast, which consists of a pulse igniter and a choke, as well as a medium capacitor.
The main advantage of such lamps is the price / efficiency ratio. This quality makes them the first in the grow box lighting industry. They also have a high luminous efficiency, which lies in the range from 97 to 155 lumens per watt of power and a rather long service life from 11 to 23 thousand hours of active operation. There are models with a dual wavelength spectrum.
The disadvantages include slow ignition (delay up to a couple of minutes) and high heating temperature during operation.
LED lamp
LED growbox lamps are an innovative technological solution that has appeared on the market not so long ago. They are light emitting modules that consist of a large number of LEDs and semiconductors. When a current passes through them, quanta of photons (light) are released. The latter are suitable for plants during any growing season. As mentioned above, a variety of semiconductor components are actively used in such products. This makes it possible to obtain beams of light with different wavelengths.
The LED lamp has a number of undeniable advantages:
- Cost effective as they consume a minimum of electricity.
- Do not heat up. With this type of lighting, it is much easier to regulate the microclimate in the installation.
- Emit light of any spectrum required by the plant. The ideal option is to purchase two sets of similar lamps – one for the growing season, the other for flowering.
- Durability. The service life of such lamps for a grow box is quite long, with proper use, several years or more.
Like any other product, LED lamps have a disadvantage – their high cost. The modern market for electrical products offers both relatively budget models and exclusive expensive devices.
The first ones are equipped with a minimum of different spectral infrared diodes, with a light output of 2000-3000K. These luminaires are suitable for the simplest installations, they can illuminate plants during the flowering stage, fully illuminate the stem from bottom to top and increase yields.
Expensive devices are high-tech and powerful. They include a temperature control system in the form of a radiator and several coolers that accelerate heat flows. These installations use chips. The angle of their reflection is 120 degrees. The light transmission is directed not scattered, but collected in separate beams.
How to install lighting in a growbox
Installing lamps is one of the mandatory steps when arranging a closed area for growing green crops. Its attachment can take place in different scenarios. One of them is fixing the appliance together with the reflector and the exhaust mechanism on a special stand. This method will provide a free area for easy movement of pots with plants, as well as their uniform lighting.
The lamp inside the growbox must be positioned so that it can be quickly moved.
This is important, since, depending on the growing season, different intensity and angle of incidence of light are needed.
Competent organization of lighting in a grow box is the key to the correct operation of the entire system and, as a result, a high yield. Lamps should be selected based on the area of your installation as well as the budget allocated.
