Starting an indoor garden can be very exciting. Whether you want to grow during colder seasons or you just don’t have a large enough yard, the process of setting up a space for living things to thrive inside your home is as rewarding and complicated as having pets. Since plants live and grow through a process called photosynthesis, it’s necessary to provide them with a certain amount of light. That’s where grow lamps come in.
This website is supported by readers. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We’ll look at three popular options for grow lamps and try to discover which one is the right choice for you. All three are LED grow lamps, and while there is indeed plenty of debate concerning LED, HPS, CFL, and a few others. We’ll briefly touch on the efficiency of LED lamps, but you can always find more information about the differences between these types of grow lamps on other sites. Mainly, we want to provide you with a breakdown of the essential features offered by each model.
LED Wattage and Efficiency
BESTVA DC 2000W LED
This grows lamp provides the most wattage out of all three. At 2000 watts, this lamp packs a large punch and is ideal for a larger growing area, which we’ll explore in the next section. This model uses twenty rows of ten lamps each. What’s interesting about BESTVA’s dual-chip system, however, is that each of these LEDs contains two 5W chips. That means that each LED has an output of 10W. That’s energy efficiency.
VIPARSPECTRA Reflector Series 300W LED
Providing significantly less wattage than the BESTVA, this grow lamp is for a smaller growing area. It’s important to note, however, that this unit has a daisy-chain outlet built-in. This means that you can string a few of these 300W lights together to achieve the wattage that you need.
Mars Hydro 300W LED
This unit is similar to the VIPARSPECTRA in that it provides 300W and includes daisy-chain capability. It also utilizes a 12-band full spectrum including infrared, which encourages maximum photosynthesis response. It would be relatively easy to string six or seven of these together to get the same coverage as the BESTVA.
Verdict: Your circumstances will determine which of these lights is best for you. If you need 2000W right off the bat, the BESTVA is undoubtedly your best bet. If you’re slowly expanding your indoor grow operation, however, you may want to invest in either the VIPARSPECTRA or the Mars Hydro. These two models give you the option to daisy-chain, meaning that you can always add more light to your space as you do more planting. These lower wattage models offer more flexibility in the long run.
Growing Space
BESTVA DC 2000W LED
The 2000W that this model provides will give you the best results over a growing space of around 7.8 x 7.5 feet. A little more or a little less is also fine. Using the four-square-foot rule of thumb, that means about twelve medium-sized plants adjusted during their various stages of development.
VIPARSPECTRA Reflector Series 300W LED
Similar in its rectangular shape to the BESTVA, but smaller because of the wattage provided, this model is best suited to a growing area of about 2 x 2 feet. Again, here you’re talking about one or maybe two plants depending on their sizes.
Mars Hydro 300W LED
While the Mars Hydro has the same wattage as the VIPARSPECTRA, its square shape makes it suitable for a 1.7 x 1.7 foot grow area. At this point, you probably don’t want to put more than one medium-sized plant under this lamp.
Verdict: As with the wattage category, your specific situation is important here. If your indoor garden will have twelve medium-sized plants, the BESTVA is the most cost-effective and energy-efficient solution. Even if you’re only working with eight plants but plan on expanding, it might be wise to invest in a one-lamp setup. If you are starting with one to four plants, however, you might be best served to buy a couple of 300W lamps. In this case, the VIPARSPECTRA wins because it can deliver the same power to a larger area.
Cooling
BESTVA DC 2000W LED
This model provides a cooling fan system that will protect both your plants and the materials in your grow area. Using holes on the aluminum panel, optimal airflow can cool this fan down to 50° or 60° cooler than most other units.
VIPARSPECTRA Reflector Series 300W LED
The cooling system in this lamp is similar to the BESTVA. It uses high-speed fans to dissipate heat quickly and quietly. Additionally, aluminum cooling heat sinks speed up the process and make sure everything runs smoothly.
Mars Hydro 300W LED
While this model’s cooling system works just as well as its competitors, it can be a bit noisy at 49DB. This might not be a problem depending on where your indoor garden is located, but you probably don’t want to have dinner parties anywhere near this unit.
Verdict: This category ends up being a tie between the BESTVA and the VIPARSPECTRA. Both cooling systems seem to work just as effectively, and they’re pretty also pretty quiet overall. The main issue with Mars Hydro is the noise. When you’re designing your indoor garden, you want it to be a place where you can enjoy yourself. If fans don’t bother you, then you probably won’t have a problem. But if you like to tend to your plants in peace, the quieter models are your best bet.
Conclusion
There’s a big difference between the BESTVA and the other two lamps we’ve looked at. 2000W and a growing area of 7.8 x 7.5 feet will suit a specific type of indoor garden. If you’ve already plotted out your grow area to include even two-thirds of that capacity, you’re probably wise to invest in the larger lamp. On the other hand, if you just don’t have the space for that type of operation, the BESTVA isn’t for you.
The other two models are smaller but versatile with their daisy-chain capabilities. If you’re just starting with one or two plants, something in the 300W range will suit your needs much better. Once you decide to expand, you can simply buy another unit and attach them. Out of these two, the VIPARSPECTRA wins because of its quieter fan and more extensive coverage area. The rectangular shape makes it ideal for two medium-sized plants, while the Mars Hydro is better suited for one. At the end of the day, the VIPARSPECTRA 300W LED is the most versatile grow lamp for a small indoor garden with room to grow.
Grow Light System | Recommended
Last update on 2024-04-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This website is supported by readers. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
If you have any questions or do you spot any mistakes, please add them below.