The Best Lights For a Closet Grow Operation

When it comes to growing cannabis, most of us are limited to small spaces. Luckily, there are many lighting options available when growing in compact areas. Marijuana is a resilient plant and will thrive under CFLs and LEDs. Join us as we dive into the best grow lights available for a closet grow operation.

Necessary Considerations Before Choosing a Light

The first and foremost consideration when beginning a closet grow op is to determine the useable grow space. Although you may have a 2’x2’x4’ closet, this overall space will be reduced because of the necessary equipment that’s placed in the room beside the plants.

Does the door open to the inside, outside, or does it slide? Is the closet space located in an attic or a basement? Is it easy to vent air out of the closet? These are all questions you need to ask yourself when determining what light you’ll eventually use. The primary consideration here is the required light footprint and heat accumulation.

Once you understand the basics of your space, you’ll be able to determine if you require a small 100-watt LED or a 2’ 200-watt T5.

The Best Lights For Small Spaces

The three best lights for limited areas are T5s, LEDs, and CFLs. We’re not including HIDs because they consume too much power and emit far to much heat. The additional heat emitted by HIDs will increase electricity costs associated with cooling down the room. Let’s compare and contrast the three top choices.

T5 Lights

T5 lights are an excellent option for a closet grow operation because of their adaptability. They come in a wide range of sizes, light output, and weight. Most modern T5s also come standard with a dimming option, which means you’re able to turn one or more of the bulbs off to reduce electricity costs or heat.

The most common T5 for a closet grow space is the 2’ by 2 bulb option. For an added boost in the grow room, you can purchase a 2’ by 4-bulb fixture that will pump out lumens while keeping your heat accumulation manageable.

This is why it’s essential to measure the space where your plants will eventually grow in. You’ll more than likely keep your T5 roughly 6-12” above the plant canopy. You’ll notice if the outskirts of the area are being covered by light or not. If your space isn’t adequately covered, you’ll know that you need to either decrease your plant count or increase the light output.

T5s are similar to CFLs and LEDs in the sense that they emit very little heat and are very efficient with the power they consume. You won’t receive an eye-popping electricity bill that’s usually associated with HIDs.

T5s differ from LEDs by easily replacing bulbs and overall lower costs. T5s are similar to CFLs because you can go to your local hardware shop to purchase a new lamp if needed.

T5s are also efficient because they can be used in every stage of growth, from initial seed germination to harvest.

cfl lIGHTING

CFLs are considered the most budget-friendly option compared to LEDs and T5s. These minimalistic bulbs produce negligible amounts of heat and electricity costs. Although they’re perfect for keeping your grow closet temperature low, they generally lack the high lumen output found in LEDs and T5s.

Luckily for you, many CFL manufacturers understand that their bulbs are being used for cannabis production. It’s becoming more common to find 100-watt CFL bulbs in local hardware stores, making CFL lighting an attractive option.

CFL lighting shines with its adaptability in the grow room. Contrary to LEDs and T5s, CFLs can easily be purchased and placed in various locations in your grow closet. When you notice an area that isn’t receiving enough light, you can fix the situation by merely buying another bulb.

CFLs produce such little heat that you can confidently place your lights 1-4” above your cannabis crop. This is the ideal scenario, especially when growing in your closet area. You want to maximize the available room with plants for an efficient harvest, and keeping the bulbs just above the canopy will generate healthy flowers.

Efficient gardeners consider the grams produced per watts used. The goal is to reach the optimal 1-gram of flower per watt of light, and as you gain experience with CFLs, this number is a possibility.

LED Lighting

LED lighting is seen as the next-generation method for cannabis growth. The last 10 years have shown significant interest in this revolutionary technology, and many cultivators are beginning to switch over from costly HIDs.

LEDs used to be seen as a fad due to their poorly built designs. Many LED manufacturers were using homemade models, and they lacked a clear standard that’s found in more traditional HPS and MH varieties.

Fast forward to now, and it’s common to see LEDs ranging between 100-1,000-watts. LEDs are now direct competitors with HIDs at a fraction of the electricity and heat outputs.

As you scale up the number of watts used in a LED, you’ll find that it emits more heat than a T5 or CFL. As long as you choose an appropriate LED, these can prove to be your best option in a closet grow operation. It’s unlikely that you’ll need to utilize 1,000-watts in a small space so your best choices will range between 100-watts up to 400-watts. Anything above these numbers and your efficiency may begin to dwindle.

LEDs have a major benefit over T5s and CFLs by being digitally operated. Many have remote controls that allow users to dim their LED system between 10-90%. This is a significant range and empowers you to have full control over the amount of light that the LED emits.

LEDs also have the option to change the colors of their lights on-demand. This means that from the touch of a button, you can switch every LED diode into the red color spectrum for flowering. Alternatively, you can easily change the diodes into the blue range for seedlings and the vegetative phase. In comparison the T5s and CFLs, LEDs are the clear winner in terms of adaptability.

The major downside of LEDs is that they cost significantly more than T5s and CFLs. You’ll routinely find LED systems that cost between $500-$1,000. The efficiency of LEDs come at a steep price, but they may pay for themselves throughout a growing cycle in terms of the money saved from electricity costs.

Three Ideal Options

Since each grow room is different, we can’t say one of the three light types is vastly better than the rest. LEDs, CFLs, and T5s all have advantages and disadvantages. They’re all readily equipped to grow high-quality marijuana in small closet spaces. These three options cut down the costs of running a cannabis grow operation by reducing electricity bills.

Additionally, these three light types reduce the amount of equipment needed in your grow space. HIDs usually require high-performing inline fans, hoods, and even air conditioners to keep the temperature in check. With LEDs, CFLs, and T5s, you’ll need far smaller fans to keep adequate air circulation in the room.

When choosing any of these options, it comes down to your environment and grow style. Regional climates play a significant role as well, and a closet grower in Minnesota during the winter will need vastly different requirements than a grower in Southern California. The main advantage of these three lighting options is that they’re incredibly adaptable and straightforward to use so that you can optimize your grow closet operation with ease.