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Grow Lights & PPFD Guides

Lighting is the single biggest driver of yield and the easiest place to overspend or underspend without knowing it. These guides cover PPFD and how much light your crop actually needs at each stage, LED versus HPS for Australian conditions, and direct comparisons between specific fixtures so you're buying based on real output data rather than marketing wattage.

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SANlight EVO 4-120 vs Mars Hydro, Vivosun and Hortitek: Which LED Grow Light Is Right for a 120x120cm Tent
SANlight EVO 4-120 vs Mars Hydro, Vivosun and Hortitek: Which LED Grow Light Is Right for a 120x120cm Tent
Quick Answer: SANlight EVO 4-120 vs Mars Hydro, Vivosun and Hortitek The SANlight EVO 4-120 draws 265W and delivers above 3.0 µmol/J efficacy, making it the most efficient fixture in... Read more...
LED Lighting for Growing Plants: How to Choose the Right Grow Light in Australia
Quick Answer: LED Lighting for Growing Plants Australia Full spectrum LED grow lights cover all the wavelengths plants need from seedling through to harvest in one fixture. Efficacy measured in µmol/J is the most useful number. Above 2.5 µmol/J is high efficiency. Below 2.0 µmol/J and you are paying more to run the light than necessary. Match fixture coverage to your tent footprint first, then look at wattage. An oversized light in a small tent adds heat without improving yield. Hardware store LED grow lights are not suitable for flowering... Read more...
Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights Australia: What It Means and How to Choose
Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights Australia: What It Means and How to Choose
Quick Answer: Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights Australia "Full spectrum" means a light produces wavelengths across the visible range, not just the red and blue peaks older grow lights focused... Read more...
SANlight EVO vs Spider Farmer: Which LED Grow Light is Right for You?
If you have spent any time researching LED grow lights for an indoor setup, you have seen both names. SANlight comes up in conversations about professional and serious home growing. Spider Farmer comes up as the accessible, well-reviewed option on Amazon. Both make full spectrum LED grow lights, though efficacy is what actually separates a good fixture from a mediocre one, not the full spectrum label alone. Beyond that, the comparison becomes more specific than most reviews make it. If you are coming from hardware store lighting, our grow lights... Read more...
HPS to LED Grow Lights: The Complete Transition Guide for Australian Growers
Switching from HPS to LED is one of the biggest decisions an indoor grower can make. This guide covers the key differences, what to expect from your first LED run, and how to optimise your setup for better yields and quality. Read more...
Can You Use Bunnings Grow Lights for Hydroponics?
Quick Answer: Grow Lights vs Bunnings LEDs, the Real Difference Hardware store grow lights typically output 50 to 150 µmol/m²/s, adequate for seedlings and low-light herbs only. A productive hydroponic grow requires 400 to 600 µmol/m²/s in veg and 600 to 900 µmol/m²/s in flower. Efficacy (µmol/J) is the key metric: Bunnings fixtures run 0.5 to 1.2 µmol/J vs 2.8 to 3.1 µmol/J for quality LEDs. Dedicated grow lights use full-spectrum diodes tuned to the 400 to 700nm range plants actually use for photosynthesis. Running a hardware store light longer... Read more...
SANlight EVO vs Medic SS420+: Which LED Grow Light Is Right for Your Setup?
A practical comparison of the best LED grow lights for indoor hydroponics in Australia in 2026. Covers efficacy ratings, PPFD coverage, heat output and value per watt across the SANlight EVO and Medic SS420+ ranges. Read more...
How Much PPFD Do You Need?
PPFD is the metric that tells you how much usable light is actually reaching your plants. Understanding it removes the guesswork from light placement, helps you choose the right fixture for your space, and explains why two lights with identical wattage can produce very different results. It also explains why the grow lights sold at hardware stores cannot support a productive hydroponic grow, something we cover in detail in the grow lights vs Bunnings guide. This guide covers what PPFD measures, the target ranges for different crops and growth stages,... Read more...