While it may be tempting to take a lamp out of your spare room and position it over your marijuana plants, regular lights just won’t cut it. We’ve already highlighted the importance of light coverage and spectrum for cannabis growing, but you’ll also need to factor in light intensity.
Most regular lights mimic natural daylight, not only making them weaker than a grow light (low-wattage), but lacking in a full spectrum of visible colours. Grow lights are engineered specifically to provide the conditions cannabis plants need to thrive. By having a higher wattage than regular lights, grow lights give off a much brighter, more intense light that not only drives photosynthesis, but penetrates deep into your cannabis canopy for improved exposure.
Trust us when we say that no matter how many standard bulbs you position above your weed plants, they will never match a dedicated grow light’s efficiency and power.
CALCULATING YIELDS BASED ON WATTAGE To emphasise how crucial the right light is for cannabis growing, many use a simple calculation involving wattage to estimate their crop’s final yield:
• Every watt of power equates to a certain number of grams (of bud), depending on the grow light’s specs.
For example, if you buy a 200W LED grow light (remember to use the true power draw), the final yield should be around 100–360 grams.
Estimated Yield per Light (Grams per Watt) • LED: 0.5–1.8g/watt • CFL: 0.3–0.5g/watt • HID: 0.5–1g+/watt • LEC: 1.5g/watt
These calculations are by no means a guarantee, as the final output also depends on grower skill, conditions, and strain. Instead, think of them as targets to work toward.
GROW LIGHT VS REGULAR LIGHT: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
While it may be tempting to take a lamp out of your spare room and position it over your marijuana plants, regular lights just won’t cut it. We’ve already highlighted the importance of light coverage and spectrum for cannabis growing, but you’ll also need to factor in light intensity.
Most regular lights mimic natural daylight, not only making them weaker than a grow light (low-wattage), but lacking in a full spectrum of visible colours. Grow lights are engineered specifically to provide the conditions cannabis plants need to thrive. By having a higher wattage than regular lights, grow lights give off a much brighter, more intense light that not only drives photosynthesis, but penetrates deep into your cannabis canopy for improved exposure.
Trust us when we say that no matter how many standard bulbs you position above your weed plants, they will never match a dedicated grow light’s efficiency and power.
CALCULATING YIELDS BASED ON WATTAGE
To emphasise how crucial the right light is for cannabis growing, many use a simple calculation involving wattage to estimate their crop’s final yield:
• Every watt of power equates to a certain number of grams (of bud), depending on the grow light’s specs.
For example, if you buy a 200W LED grow light (remember to use the true power draw), the final yield should be around 100–360 grams.
Estimated Yield per Light (Grams per Watt)
• LED: 0.5–1.8g/watt
• CFL: 0.3–0.5g/watt
• HID: 0.5–1g+/watt
• LEC: 1.5g/watt
These calculations are by no means a guarantee, as the final output also depends on grower skill, conditions, and strain. Instead, think of them as targets to work toward.