A great indoor garden requires a good grow light. It could mean the difference between success and failure. Having the right hydroponic light is the single-most important and costly decision in setting up your garden.
Incandescent lights
These are the usual lights found in homes. They are generally a poor choice for garden grown lights because of their limited light spectrum and inefficiency.
HID (High Intensity Discharge) grow lights
Producing more light (up to 10x more lumens/watt than an incandescent light),are more efficient. Drawbacks would be, they produce more heat, generally more expensive than incandescent lights and requires the additional expense and maintenance with ballast. It takes around 100 hours before hydroponic HID grow lights reach their optimum working conditions, or until they reach light intensity and color stability.
Natural Sunlight
Expense for acquiring artificial lights can be skipped by using sunlight. This is done with the use of solar room, greenhouse or large windows which allows plenty of sunlight. Or you can do this outdoors; hydroponics does not necessarily mean the cultivation of plants indoors but it growing plants without the use of soil.
These are the materials that mimic the soil in everyday gardens. It serves as a support system for your hydroponic indoor garden. They function mainly for anchoring the roots and a reservoir for water and nutrient solutions. Special attention is also placed on aeration or proper plant respiration and drainage. A balance must be kept between keeping the plant nourished and over saturating the roots.
Choice of a specific growing medium mainly depends on the type of growing system to be used. Certain systems have no mediums used because plant growth is best when roots are suspended in air or water. Improvement made with newer growing medium mixtures has been introduced for optimum plant growth in certain systems. Ideally, an equal mixture of water and air is advised making it available for the roots to utilize at all times. Water by gravity always moves downward through coarse mediums only to be deposited in the bottom of the container. This is eliminated with the use of a hydroponic system as water is constantly circulated in the system. The only system that this would not work would be the Ebb and Flow Systems.
Temperature is a gauge for optimum production for every plant. When plants are exposed to extreme ranges of temperature, stunted growth and poor fruit yields are the result. Plants have specific temperature ranges for their ideal growth. Warm-season vegetables and most types of flowers have 18o C and 260 C as an ideal temperature range. Cooler season vegetables like lettuces have a 10o C to 18o C range.
Garden Climate Controller
Environment greatly affects plant growth. Environmental factors such as temperature, climate and CO2 levels are just examples. Garden climate controllers give you control over this variables and keep them at ideal ranges for optimum growth of plants.
Basic Garden Climate Controller
The cheap and basic garden climate controller usually control temperature and humidity and turn exhaust fans when needed. CO2 controls could be installed together with them for a small additional charge. This combination is more economical allowing you control over all environmental factors without spending hundreds of dollars for more sophisticated setups not needed. Indoor hydroponic garden systems can be maintained with this basic setup.
Complete Garden Climate Controller
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Often neglected as to their importance, grow light reflectors play a major role in a good indoor hydroponic garden system. Light plays a great role or the most important role in photosynthesis. The use of grow light reflectors in your garden enhances light distribution and ensures uniform distribution. Discounts on quality grow light reflectors are easily available and a super cost effective way of improving your personal garden productivity and efficiency. With effective planning, the use of the right lighting system together with grow light reflectors greatly expands your garden area.
Size and shape are important factors when considering the right grow light reflector. Grow lights and their configuration and personal preference for the amount of light needed to grow your plants are taken into consideration. Horizontal placement of the lights and reflectors are effective ways of mounting this system. Garden size also determines what shape and size of grow light reflector to be used. Smaller grow light reflectors produce higher intensity light beams because of their shorter travel distance.
Inexpensive and readily available in hardware stores and be utilized with regular light sockets. Producing less heat or none at all compared to full-size fluorescent grow lights.
Not just because of its small size and low heat output; compact fluorescent lights also produce the widest range of color spectrums to any type of lighting. It is ideal for shelf gardening due to their low heat output making the use of multiple shelves on top of each other possible. Compact fluorescent lights can be used with seedlings and small plants in a well designed hydroponic system indoor garden.
Common Problems with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Problems with compact fluorescent light bulbs like inefficiency and poor light penetration are common. Several compact fluorescent bulbs maybe used and consume energy as that of one HPS bulb, but do not produce the same useable light for the hydroponic indoor garden.
Optimizing Fluorescent Grow Lights
With the disadvantages of comparative inefficiency compared to HID lights, several things maybe done to counteract this.
Properly matching lights to the corresponding growth cycle.
Increasing Watt ratings increases light penetration
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Systems
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as described in the previous paragraphs is one of the most important elements needed for plant growth. CO2 is combined with nutrients, water and energy from light (grow lights/ sunlight) is utilized during photosynthesis producing essential sugars that provide energy for the plant. Any factor missing needed for photosynthesis will limit the plants growth potential. In order for a plant to grow to its utmost potential and for it to yield the best results all of the elements must be present.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Injectors
One of the most cost effective way of adding CO2 to an indoor hydroponic garden system is with the use of CO2 injectors. A valve, regulator and gauge are used to measure CO2 levels injected to the air. Sophisticated CO2 injectors are also used to control CO2 release. CO2 tanks are readily available from medical supply outlets and restaurant supply stores.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Generators
Investing in CO2 generators would also be wise for long time use in your indoor hydroponic garden systems for several crops. CO2 generators burn propane, natural gas or other carbon based fuels to produce carbon dioxide. More expensive than CO2 tanks, they provide a more convenient way of producing CO2. Long period and continuous use of CO2 generators has proven to be more efficient and economical than purchasing injectors and many tanks.