Doesn’t every indoor gardener dream of bringing the Sun into their grow tents?
And technology has made that possible, thanks to LED lights for grow tents. Spending tons of time in my outdoor garden post-retirement, I wasn’t familiar with this equipment for the longest time. But once I came across them, there was no turning back, and I decided to venture into indoor gardening without wasting another moment.
However, I couldn’t just randomly pick up any model (despite knowing the tent size). With so many options up for grabs, I thought it’d be sensible to do some research and shortlist at least 5 names. Sounds like a job half done, right?
Hi! I am Stacy, and today, I have curated this guide to help you choose the best LED light for 4x4 grow tent.
Now, let’s get started!
Top 5 LED Light For 4x4 Grow Tent Reviews
1. VIPARSPECTRA Pro Series P2000 LED Grow Light
One of my top choices is the Viparspectra Pro Series P2000 LED Grow Light. The newest addition to the brand’s Pro series, this model brings its A-game forward with its design and performance for optimum efficiency.
Product Highlights
There are plenty of reasons why this unit has been showered with praises by first-time and experienced users. For one, the board is integrated with large areas of solid aluminum heat sinks for adequate heat dissipation. This, in turn, prolongs the service life of the lights.
Moving on to the specifications, the P2000 has the newest SMD LED technology, delivering high PAR output with around 2.7 umol/J while consuming merely 200W. Simply put, the more output per watt consumed will save on your power bills.
Moreover, it features a wide range of the white light spectrum from 3000K to 5000K, including 60nm of red light. As a result, it caters to the natural light requirements for plants of all stages.
The IR stream, in particular, is vital for speeding up bloom time and increasing yield for flowers like violets, tomatoes, herbs, peppers, roses, etc. Beyond that, the dimmer knob facilitates adjusting the brightness to comply with the requirements of different growth stages.
What’s There To Like About It?
I absolutely loved the fanless design for zero noise inconvenience. The last thing you’d want is for your plant unit to hammer your eardrums all day long! Besides, the heat sinks compensate very well for the absence of a fan.
The dimmer knob provides immense versatility, changing the brightness anywhere between 5% and 100% to suit the requirements of various plants. In hindsight, it’s more effective than a switch as it offers seamless control, which is especially beneficial for first-timers. Lastly, the product comes with a 3-year local warranty for greater peace of mind.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
Not more than a couple of things. Firstly, the P200 uses a cooler spectrum (more blue than red), meaning it may take longer for blooms to appear. Secondly, the unit doesn't use components from popular brands like Samsung or MeanWell, so finding replacement parts may be a bit challenging. But considering the affordability, these aren’t deal-breakers.
Pros and Cons of VIPARSPECTRA Pro Series P2000 LED Grow Light
Pros
Cons
- NEW DIODE LAYOUT: VIPARSPECTRA Newest upgraded P2000 grow lights for indoor plants seed starting veg bloom with more scientifical diodes distribution and high-safety performance LED driver to ensure the most uniform PAR map and the deepest canopy penetration, greatly improving the safety and reliability of the light while maximizing plant yield.
- OPTIMAL FULL SPECTRUM GROW LIGHTS & AMPLE COVERAGE: Consists of 660nm of red light, 3000K and 5000K of the white light spectrum, the P2000 growing lights for seed starting provides plants in all stages from veg to flower with everything they need in the natural sunlight. Perfect for 4'x3' vegetative coverage and 4'x2' flowering coverage. Remember to properly adjust the height and brightness accordingly to your plants desired level for optimal growth.
- ACCURATE DIMMER FUNCTION & DAISY CHAIN FEATURE: An added dimmer knob is featured to precisely manipulate the brightness level of the light, obtaining perfect growth performance for each growing phase. It can completely turn off the light! Daisy chain function allows you to connect up to 20pcs P2000 grow lights for your commercial growing, horizontal and vertical farming, greenhouse planting and hydroponics etc.
2. Bloom Plus BP3000 LED Grow Light
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Next up, I’d like to introduce the Bloom Plus BP3000 LED Grow Light. This quantum board LED grow light sports a durable aluminum construction with reliable Samsung diodes for reinforced light transmittance.
Product Highlights
The Bloom Plus BP3000 LED Grow Light is pretty similar to the Viparspectra P2000 in its designs and functions, and that’s what got me interested in the first place. To begin with, it has the same 2.7 umol/J, highly efficient light transmission for wider coverage- all this at a low power consumption of only 300 watts.
But unlike its predecessor, this unit is integrated with 1174 pieces of Samsung 2835 diodes, which will appeal to users who associate quality with brand name. Plus, it's easy to find replacements for such components.
Talking about the light spectrum, you will find everything from 3000K warm white light to a more bluish 5000K light. While the former is meant to grow bigger flowers or fruits, the latter aids fast development at the initial stages. On top of that, the 660nm red light can be combined with the blue light to promote foliage growth.
Complete with a dimmable driver, the Bloom Plus BP3000 LED Grow Light leaves very little room for complaints.
What’s There To Like About It?
For a quantum board with this high an output, it's only fair that a thick aluminum heat sink will passively cool the base. Simultaneously, it reduces light loss, increasing the intensity by about 20% compared to some other models in the price range.
Furthermore, there’s a special 730nm IR light stream that serves various purposes like strengthening stem growth, proper placement of nodes, and boosting flower yields. And you can adjust the brightness by removing the rubber plug of the driver located at the back.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
If I had to change one thing, I’d probably make the dimmer control more convenient to use as it can only be operated with a 3mm Phillips screwdriver. Sure, it doesn’t cost a fortune to buy a screwdriver, but a more user-friendly control wouldn’t have hurt!
Pros and Cons of Bloom Plus BP3000 LED Grow Light
Pros
Cons
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3. Phlizon 2020 Pro Series 2000W LED Grow Light
Another one of my top recommendations is this 2000W light board from Phlizon. Featuring a distinct design with separate LED rods, it accounts for a larger irradiation area to fast-track the growth of plants without compromising quality.
Product Highlights
Getting straight into the design, allow me to appreciate how minimal and neat the grow tent looks with this board atop! Unlike conventional quantum boards, it has interspaced rods of 720 pieces of SMD light beads integrated into the all-aluminum alloy frame. Not only does this make the unit lightweight, but it also makes the board durable and long-lasting.
On that note, the light distribution is such that it contains 432 pieces of 3000K beads, 192 pieces of 6000K beads, and 96 pieces of 660nm red beads. Long story short, it ensures a good mix of the warm and cold spectrums to suit the varied requirements of different plants.
Additionally, the light board has a sealing technology to safeguard all the components from moisture-related damages. Hence, you don’t have to worry about using it in a humid grow tent. Finally, there’s a handy knob with markings all around to facilitate easy brightness adjustment.
What’s There To Like About It?
I am super-impressed with how much this unit does for its reasonable price tag. The full light spectrum can be further divided into 5 streams: blue, green, red, UV, and IR, with each stream assisting different causes.
Just make sure to keep a space of at least 18 inches between the light and any flowering plants; more than that is needed for vegetable plants. The large knob with markings will make it easy to control the brightness during any point of the growth cycle.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
Although I don’t have much to crib about in terms of its utility, I am disappointed that the package didn’t include a humidity/temperature meter specified in the description. It’d be great if the brand pays attention to these details.
Pros and Cons of Phlizon 2020 Pro Series 2000W LED Grow Light
Pros
Cons
- PHLIZON OWN FACTORY- Phlizon has been engaged in the production and sales of led grow light for 8 years, and we provide high-quality products.
- EXTREMELY LARGE GROW AREA- Perfect for 3x3ft 4x4ft plant tent area.It contains 1152pcs newest high efficient SMD leds , higher light intensity, less light decay , better energy saving and PAR values than ordinary lamp beads while consuming 240watts. It runs at a lower temperature and can bring higher energy conversion and longer life.
- DIMMABLE FULL SPECTRUM DESIGN- The intensity of light can be adjusted according to the needs of plants. Used with led new technology SMD leds, It contains 3000K(736PCS)+6500K(192PCS)+660nm(160PCS)+740nm(32PCS)+UV(32PCS) LEDs . Product Size- 23*17*2.3inches (58*44*6cm).
4. EnFun Updated FS-2000 LED Grow Light
The EnFun Updated FS-2000 LED Grow Light is a super-affordable unit for beginners looking to get the hang of indoor gardening. Backed by a solid structure and brightness-adjustable driver, it can give some high-end models a run for their money.
Product Highlights
For starters, it was the low power consumption that drew my attention. Having an output of 2.7 umol/joule, the quantum board consumes only 200 watts (the driver is compatible with tuning up to 240 watts). Apart from that, it uses Epistar LED chips that have comparable brightness to that of Samsung LM301D, but for a lower cost.
With 576 pieces of LEDs, it boasts of an excellent spectrum range, including 3000K, 5000K, 660nm, IR 750nm, and 400nm. Moreover, it saves up to 50% more energy than other grow lights while facilitating over 90% light absorption by the plants.
Much like my other recommendations, this one also has large aluminum sinks to circulate the heat uniformly so that it doesn’t burn the plants or the LED beads. This is a useful feature if you don’t have the provision for larger headspace.
Last but not least, the adjustable dimmer combines with an intense red light beam to facilitate customizing the conditions as and when required.
What’s There To Like About It?
Owing to its latest design, the EnFun FS-2000 has an individual beam of red light, which can be controlled separately. For this, there’s a “red light” switch that should be turned on to promote flowering and switched off during the other stages of the development cycle.
Other than that, the much convenient fanless design means you can install the lights anywhere in the house without enduring constant noise. The aluminum sink design works well for heat dissipation as the unit didn’t really feel hot to touch.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
The quality of the daisy chain connector used to pair the lights together is a big-time bummer. If you aren’t careful during installation, it’s highly likely that the whole thing will fall apart. So, I’d suggest purchasing a backup for the worst-case scenario.
Pros and Cons of EnFun Updated FS-2000 LED Grow Light
Pros
Cons
5. MARS HYDRO TS 3000W LED Grow Light
Before wrapping up the list, here’s the Mars Hydro TS 3000W LED Grow Light making a deserving entry. This premium model from the brand will bring home professional-quality yield without making users rack their brains about the operation.
Product Highlights
At first glance, the Mars Hydro TS Grow Light came across as a heavy and bulky unit, but it was surprisingly lightweight, saving you the trouble of getting two extra hands during installation. Additionally, the board features nearly 15 connected multi-lights for a wideband sunlight full spectrum.
I should also mention that this unit is heavily inclined towards the white light spectrum, which is considered better than the blue-red spectrum. That said, it still doesn't miss out on the red or IR light spectrums to ensure all-round development for the plants. The full range of 660-665nm, 3000K-3200K, 6000K-6500K, and 760nm (infrared) beams assists every stage from seedling to flowering.
Furthermore, the newest SMD LED technology has a high PAR/lumen output, resulting in 30% more yield than old lights. Finally, the fanless mechanism dissipates heat via the aluminum structure to minimize light lost to walls for optimum intensity.
What’s There To Like About It?
Firstly, this quantum board has around 1016 LEDs to mimic the output of a traditional 600watt HPS lamp grow light. In tandem with the SMD technology, it takes care of energy-efficiency and light intensity without piling on your electricity bills.
Plus, the auto-sensing power supply works with 20V AC, 240V AC, and 277V AC for larger and commercial setups, with an increase of 20% in the light intensity. Even at my age, I didn’t face any significant difficulty hanging it over my grow tent.What’s There Not To Like About It?
As I’ve already mentioned, this quantum board isn't the most affordable option out there. So, the budget may be a constraint for potential buyers. Also, the aluminum body doesn’t distribute the heat as efficiently as some other models on my list. And at this price point, it’s the least I could ask for.
Pros and Cons of MARS HYDRO TS 3000W LED Grow Light
Pros
Cons
- Highly Reflective Aluminum Hood: The upgraded white reflector design on TS3000 grow light is patented, With a refraction angle of 120 °, it can cover a wider reflector range to enhance its light intensity as well as assist plants in absorbing more light
- New Diodes Layout & High Efficiency White Led Grow Light : The new diodes arrangement of dense in the middle and sparse on both sides makes the led light more uniform. Perfect for 5' x 5' veg stage, 4' x 4' bloom stage
- Sunlike Full Spectrum Led Indoor Growing Light: 730-740nm Red IR/3200-4200Knm/5200-6800Knm,spectra that makes most light in the 400-700nm waveband, best for all plants all stages growing, rapid plant response from seed to flower and increase yield & crop quality
Buyers Guide
Frankly, there’s no dearth of quantum boards on the market. And with such exciting features, choosing the best LED light for 4x4 grow tent won’t be a cakewalk. However, it’s not enough to merely go through the numbers and light band names.
So that your hard-earned money doesn't go down the drain, I’ve curated this extensive buyer’s guide by noting down the most important points to keep in mind before making a decision. Hang in tight!
1. Types Of LED Grow Lights
One of the first things to know, even before you can go through the options, is the type of LED grow lights available. Broadly, LED grow lights can be categorized as:
A. Spread Style
A spread style LED light fixture has multiple small individual lights spread over the entire surface (hence the name). The wide illuminated area makes them suitable for providing light to many plants at once.
Quantum boards are nothing but a subtype of this category, which uses a greater number of LEDs integrated over a large surface. The other typically employed features are full-spectrum white LEDs and passive cooling design, allowing users to place the plants directly underneath without too much heat exposure.
Another type is the “spider-style” lights that feature multiple LEDs located on a narrow open bar-like structure rather than on a wide flat surface like quantum boards. These units are usually more expensive than the quantum boards.
B. Chip On Board (COB)
COB lights are earmarked by a specific number of tiny LEDs placed very close to each other on a single chip. Thus, these fixtures essentially function as a single, powerful light point. A major drawback of this structure is that the plants directly underneath the center point receive maximum light while the adjoining areas may not be subject to wide coverage.
Moreover, there’s a lot more heat generation due to the concentration of lights in a single point and may require additional cooling.
C. Traditional
Much like COB lights, traditional LED grow lamps are pretty compact, making them suitable for small spaces. These LEDs are generally multi-colored and provide medium power for the full spectrum of color frequencies. However, the colorful appearance may put undue strain on your eyes, so choose the location accordingly.
2. Light Spectrum
Natural light contains all the colors found on the electromagnetic spectrum. While some LED lights can only replicate certain said color frequencies, full-spectrum white LEDs can produce all the colors required throughout the growth cycle. In fact, you can use the white light spectrum alone without adding other lights like blue or red.
So, no matter what design you choose, I’d strongly recommend getting a full spectrum output with a brightness controlling feature (dimmer knob).
3. Light Intensity
As far as light intensity is concerned, there are quite a few factors to keep in mind. Starting with the basics, the brightness of the grow light is measured in lumens (just like any other light fixture). Generally, seedlings require around 2,000 lumens per square foot, while flowering plants need a higher count, approximately 10,000 lumens per square foot.
That said, biologists prefer using photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) or photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) to measure how much light the plants actually absorb. The former is measured in umol/second, which is the number of photons emitted per second.
On the other hand, PPFD is measured in umol/meter-square/second and calculates the density distribution over the space. The higher these numbers, the better is the efficiency of the lights.
4. Power Consumption
To identify the power consumption of the LED grow light, I’d suggest checking the “actual power drawn” or “actual power consumption” (measured in watts). In this regard, most quantum boards have low wattage consumption, not exceeding 1000W.
5. Cooling Feature
Since grow tents are usually placed indoors, you wouldn’t want them to be too noisy. That’s why most fixtures are equipped with large aluminum heat sinks to dissipate the produced heat with zero sound output.
6. Connector
Some LED grow lights come with daisy chain connectors to be linked to other units for covering large areas. You can simply connect the units and then plug the connector into an outlet. But ensure that the connector is of good quality. Otherwise, it can bring down the whole setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
The high energy-efficiency, low heat output, and long-lasting properties of LEDs make them ideal for intensive light fixtures like quantum boards.
LEDs should be placed at least 12 inches above the plants to protect the leaves from burning. However, most manufacturers provide a measure of the exact distances to be maintained, and it’s always advisable to stick to that.
Air dusters or standard glass cleaners are suitable for cleaning the glass under the grow light. Especially for the latter, first swipe away the loose dirt, take a few drops of the cleaner on a soft linen cloth and gently rub the surface for not more than 3 minutes. Allow it to dry before switching on the lights.
My Final Recommendation
With that, it’s time for me to wrap up today’s proceedings.
Given their advantages, I am sure you are raring to get one of these LED lights at this very moment. But allow yourself enough time to factor in all the information before making a choice. In the meantime, I’ll help you a bit more by naming my top 2 favorites from the list.
The Viparspectra Pro Series P2000 LED Grow Light is one of the most cost-effective options. It’s closely followed by the Phlizon 2020 Pro Series 2000W LED Grow Light, which has a durable build to tolerate high humidity and moisture.
That’s it for now. I’ll be back with more such informational guides, so don’t forget to check this space.
Till the next time, ciao!