When Do I Use Grow Lights for Indoor Plants? I am just starting my Aquaculture system, and am using both aquaponics and hydroponics together. I want to grow the plants in a hydroponic environment inside close to the aquaponic system that I am building. However, the place that I have available will not get a full 8 hours of sunlight. Also, we want to start producing in stages to provide for a constant harvest of produce.
With that in mind, these are the items that could be a concern, as we experimented with hydroponics growing indoors in the early 1980’s.
- What is the life cycle of the plants you are growing?
- What is the UV absorption and rest periods needed during all phases of growth?
- What temperatures do the plants need to flourish?
- How do we conserve electricity with the lights?
- Are there solar and battery powered lighting systems available?
Alternating light and dark conditions are extremely important to indoor growing. With Aquaponics, the nutrients needed can be more readily available to the growth cycle in a hydroponic growth environment. Regular light is important to the growth and development of any plant, but so is the rest or dark cycle of the light equation. Most plants need light cycles that correspond to certain grow cycles inherent to the plant itself. The night shade family of plants tend to store up light during the day, and tend to grow more in the dark cycle.
Some plants can withstand 24-hour light while seedlings and during vegetative growth cycles, but most plants require shorter light times while flowering, producing fruit and ripening. Plants need light to photosynthesize, but darkness is just as important to give a plant time to convert photosynthesized nutrients into plant growth. Remember to research what plants you want to grow, and what their specific light cycle is for them during different stages of growth.
Temperature also plays an important part of the growth cycle.
There is a natural flow of temperature changes during the day and night cycle of plants. The Circadian Clocks, which is a name for a natural phenomenon, provide organisms with a means of temporally organizing their daily metabolic and physiological activities relative to the day/night cycle. You need to remember that some plants and fruits will not even produce their best until after a frost.
All of these things come together in Aquaculture as well as hydroponics or any production of plants that you are looking to produce the healthiest most nutrient rich product for yourself and your customer. During the breeding cycle of horses, we would bring the mare into the barn at night, and change the length of light to help with the horses breeding cycle. Even the birthing of their foals can be adjusted with the proper lighting in the birthing cycle also.
Now How about the important thing that we always work to get less of? That is right, electric bills for when you use your grow lights for indoor plants! As we discussed earlier, there are different cycles of light and dark as well as temperatures for your plants. Wow, Lots of stuff, but that is the fun part of creating your own mini-ecosystem! You control it all! So lets talk about controlling your cost of your grow lights power consumption.
LED Grow Lights For Indoor Plants Cost Comparison to HID Lighting
To save you time, and allow you to do some research on your own also, I am giving you this link and sharing the information from LED Grow Master Global.
I have never used LED grow lights, but I do see an experiment in the making!
Grow lights for indoor plants are always in the research and development stage, even as new products are being produced. It is a life cycle for businesses that care for their customers.
Look at these state on the comparison of different items.
Heat Management
LED Grow Master lighting puts off only trace amounts of heat. High pressure sodium lighting creates a great deal of waste heat that must be ventilated in warm weather when the price of electricity is at its peak.
Disposal Costs HPS and fluorescent lighting are considered hazardous waste and require special disposal that includes disposal fees. LED Grow Master lighting contains no lead, mercury, or glass parts. This not only saves money in disposal fees but also makes them a safer lighting option for gardeners and the environment.
Water Use
Plants will use far less water under a non-radiant light source.
Nutrient Use
We recommend cutting nutrient use in half when gardening under LEDs. Again, I shared that I have not grown with these lights yet, but I do love the reduced electric bills!
Question is this though: Can You use them in your Aquaculture , hydroponic or indoor growing system? That is for you to decide. Oh yes, one more answer on electricity. You CAN have a solar,water, wind or combination of power generation to supply all of your needs. I know that I am going to tell you your favorite words, it depends upon your resources, both monetarily, creatively and environmentally.
I will share more about power in a future post for you.
As all of life is a cycle, I would like for you to consider investing in your knowledge base. By going to this link here and learn about the 4Brothers and how when we are aware of these cycles in our lives, we prosper in all areas of our life.
Turning Your Dreams into the Life of Your Dreams
Founder hisfarm.org and Ambassador of Natural News and Sustainable Living on How to Live on Purpose.com
