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Choosing the Right HID Light for Your Indoor Garden |
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• Determine the Size of your Growing Area
• Choose the Appropriate Ballast and Lamp Holder
• Lamps
• Reflectors
• Accessories
• Additional Considerations and Estimated Operating Cost
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With hundreds of possible system configurations,
we know our selection of HID (high intensity discharge) lighting products can be overwhelming,
even to the most experienced indoor gardener. Let our modular approach to lighting help
you create your own custom light system. Simply follow the steps below to select just
the right ballast, lamp, lamp holder and reflector to fit your budget and specific growing needs. |
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Step 1: Determine the Size of your Growing Area
Consider the amount of space your plants need and fill that area with light based on the diagram below.
Step 2: Choose the Appropriate Ballast and Lamp Holder
What kind of plants do you want to grow? If it’s mostly vegetative growth you’re after
(think houseplants and leafy greens), you’ll want a metal halide ballast to produce light similar to
the sun’s rays in spring and summer. If you want to encourage plants to fruit and flower indoors,
you’ll want to simulate the sun’s light in fall with a high pressure sodium ballast. Want the best
of both worlds? Two-way and electronic HID ballasts can ignite metal halide and high pressure sodium
settings depending on your needs at the time.
In order for the ballast to power your lamp, you also need the proper cord set or lamp holder.
This component plugs into your ballast and secures your HID lamp in the reflector of your choosing.
For your convenience, we’ve listed our most popular ballasts below along with their compatible cord
set or lamp holder.
Sunleaves
Pulsar Ballasts — Sunleaves Cordset
eLux Electronic Ballasts — Sunleaves Cordset
Sunleaves
Pulsar 2.0 Ballasts* — SunBrite Lamp Holder
eLux 2.0 Electronic Ballasts* — SunBrite Lamp Holder
Sunleaves
Luma 2.0 Ballasts* — SunBrite Lamp Holder
Future
Brite Electronic Ballasts* — SunBrite Lamp Holder
*It is possible to use a Sunleaves Cordset with ballasts marked with an asterisk (*),
however a Future Brite Multi Adapter is necessary to make the conversion.
Step 3: Choose
Your Lamp
| Bulb
Orientation? |
Bulbs
marked "BU" (Base Up) can
operate only in a vertical position.
"U" (Universal) bulbs can operate in horizontal or vertical position.
"H" (Horizontal) bulbs can only operate in a horizontal reflector.
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In part, what lamp (or bulb) you need will depend on the type and size of ballast you have chosen,
and no matter what type of ballast and lamp you choose, it is imperative that they are of the same
wattage (i.e. 400-watt ballasts = 400-watt lamp).
Use metal halide lamps in metal halide ballasts to produce light which is mostly in the blue range of the light spectrum—that’s
what you need to grow lettuce, basil, and other leafy greens. If you have chosen a high pressure sodium ballast, you’ll want
to use a high pressure sodium lamp. High pressure sodium bulbs emit light from the red-orange region of the spectrum—this
promotes fruiting and flowering.
If you’ve decided to go with a dual purpose (two-way) or electronic ballast, choose one regular metal
halide lamp and one regular high pressure sodium lamp. If not, metal halide and high pressure sodium
conversion lamps are two other options to afford extra flexibility. If, for instance, you have a metal
halide ballast, you can use a high pressure sodium conversion bulb to emit red spectrum light. Conversely,
if you have a high pressure sodium lamp, you can use a metal halide conversion bulb in your system to emit
light from the blue part of the spectrum.
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Sunleaves OptiLUME Metal Halide
The Sunleaves OptiLUME Metal Halide Lamps emulate natural sunlight and promote bounteous vegetative growth as they distribute
light energy concentrated in the blue-yellow portion of the spectrum. Universal design allows horizontal and base up operation
while a one-year warranty on each lamp assures dependable performance.
Hortilux Metal Halide
Hortilux Metal Halides provide optimum spectral energy required for vegetative growth. The basic series provides high initial
and maintained lumen output. These lamps are 100% lead free.
Hortilux Blue Metal Halide
Some of our best sellers, Hortilux Blue lamps are designed to provide a fully-balanced light spectrum that replicates natural
sunlight. The exclusive Iwasaki chemistry provides levels of red, blue and green spectral energy to optimize plant growth and
yield.
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Sunleaves OptiLUME High Pressure Sodium
These efficient Sunleaves OptiLUME High Pressure Sodium Lamps emulate natural sunlight and promote
bud set, flower formation, and fruit and vegetable production as they distribute light energy
concentrated in the red-orange portion of the spectrum. Universal design allows horizontal and
base up operation, and the one-year warranty on each lamp assures dependable performance.
Hortilux Super HPS High Pressure Sodium
Hortilux Super HPS grow lamps fine-tune lighting systems to provide optimum spectral energy levels that promote vigorous growth.
These lamps provide 17% more total energy and 25% more energy in the violet, blue and green spectrum than standard high pressure
sodiums. Hortilux Super HPS lamps are environmentally-friendly and pass EPA, TCLP test criteria as non-hazardous waste.
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Step 4: Choose Your Reflector
When choosing a reflector, consider the area you would like to cover and the required light intensity of the
plants you’re growing. Keep in mind that a deep reflector will concentrate the light source on your garden
below. A shallow reflector will disperse light over a wider area but it will be less intense where it falls.
To eliminate heat build-up in the grow room, look for a reflector with vents and a tempered glass lens.
A lens will also protect your lamp from dust and water.
Here are a few of our favorites:
Sunleaves Lightwave
Practical, inexpensive and extremely lightweight, the Sunleaves Lightwave is the perfect choice for beginners looking
to boost lighting efficiency. Dimensions for the Lightwave are 19 3/4" x 13 3/4" x 6 1/2".
Sunleaves Aurora Six
These top-of-the-line reflectors have a unique aluminum interior to distribute light evenly. Multiple reflectors
can even be interconnected to achieve optimal lighting in virtually any size room with no hot or dark spots. The Aurora
6 features built-in flanges and a sealed safety lens, making it ready for additional units or use with supplemental CO2.
Dimensions: 17 3/4" x 13 1/4" x 11".
Sunleaves ArcticSun
The ArcticSun is fully self-contained and includes built-in, six-inch flanges and a safety lens which seals to
the reflector to create an airtight system. Unit features a specular aluminum interior and measures
18 1/8" x 15 1/4" x 8".
Sunleaves Sunspot
The Sunleaves Sunspot Reflector offers high-end benefits without the high-end price. Units have a heavy-duty
housing, enamel-coated white exterior and specular aluminum interior for maximum reflectivity. The Sunspot
Reflector accommodates the optional Sunleaves Sunspot Lens for added safety as well as the Sunspot Flange
Kit for active ventilation. This reflector measures 19 1/2" x 21 1/4" x 8".
Ultra Cool XL
The 8” Ultra Cool XL Reflector has a tempered glass safety lens, built-in eight-inch flanges and a
pebble-finish interior for a 95% rate of reflection. With the installed flanges, the Ultra Cool XL measures
28” x 24” x 9 3/4”.
Max Tubes
Great for confined spaces as well as quick-and-easy inline ventilation, Max Tubes feature a six-inch
diameter and maximize lighting output with external reflectors (optional installation). Designed for
tubular-shaped HID lamps, Max Tubes are unique in that they can hang vertically or horizontally. Max Tubes
are available in varying lengths, up to 60”.
Step 5: Choose Accessories
Steps one through four cover the bare essentials to completing an HID lighting system, and just like a
new car you can keep adding options to your heart’s desire. Some items maximize performance and protect
your investment while others simply make your life easier.
You can prolong the lifespan of your lighting components by keeping them cool during operation. With flange
kits, you can safely and easily ventilate reflectors and, in some cases, ballasts, too. And when your
reflector is fitted with a protective lens, plants can grow closer to your light source without scorching.
What's more, the lens shields your electrical components from water-induced short circuits and protects
your bulb from stray water droplets. Lighting accessories such as mylar, light meters and timers can
also help maximize your indoor garden lighting performance.
See our listing of Garden Lighting Accessories for additional ideas for your garden.
Additional Considerations
What's the Estimated Operating Cost for an HID light system?
Use this handy rate calculator to get an idea of what the operating cost of a light system would be. Follow the link and click on the "Cost" button of the calculator.
What about the heat generated from an HID Light System?
Higher wattage systems will generate
heat and may need to be ventilated with an exhaust blower or
air vent. A reflector cooling kit is available to help you
customize a heat exhaust setup for your light system. During
the winter months, you can use the heat generated from your
system to heat your grow room.
How important is a light mover?
A light mover helps you get the most out of your lighting
system by evenly distributing the light across your growing
area. Check out the Light
Rail 3.5 light movers, available in both six-foot and nine-foot
models.
Worm Tip: An indoor gardener using a
system that is 250 watts or less will not benefit from using
a light mover because the growing space is much smaller than
those afforded by larger systems.
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