by Kent Gruetzmacher
As lighting technology continues to evolve , so does the innovation surrounding how to position them above the canopy .
Perhaps no area of modern cultivation tech has witnessed the sort of upheavals as horticultural lighting . Each new advancement in grow light technology seemingly gives rise to a kaleidoscope of new methodologies for cannabis growers . As such , any well-seasoned indoor grower will likely tell you that their lighting setup and subsequent growroom have changed several times over the years . Within these everchanging fields of technology and cannabis cultivation , we consistently reassess the need to raise and lower grow lights . As a result , we see a huge divergence in light positioning processes between DE HPS and LED growers . It can ’ t be denied that Gavita ushered in the double-ended HPS revolution . With the rise of their lighting technology , growers reveled at the idea of not having to move lights anymore . According to Gavita , their lights should be positioned three to five feet above a garden canopy — this distance is relative to variables such as light grid and room size . Notably , Gavita also states “ lights do not need to be lowered or raised .” Just as DE HPS technology took the cannabis space by storm , LED lights were beginning to infiltrate on the fringes of the scene . For many growers , LED technology is attractive because the lights use relatively little electricity and operate at cool temperatures . Needless to say that both these factors offer a serious leg up on heat-producing , energy-gobbling DE HPS . As growers now migrate towards LED technology , they again have to accept the fact that they need to raise and lower their lights . To help us understand the benefits of LED growing , as well as the trials of light lifting , we reached out to a couple of indoor cultivators for a quick Q & A session . For starters , we spoke with Chris Watt , the Cultivation Director from True Organics in Michigan . True Organics produces indoor craft flowers through traditional organic soil growing . We also spoke with Mike Miller in British Columbia , Canada . Mike chose to keep his company private but was very informative in our conversation .
I
“ If they are too far away from the canopy , they will stretch the plants .”
What sort of lights do you use ?
Chris Watt : We use Venntis Technology LEDs and hang them 12-18 inches above the canopy . Not only are these lights cost-effective with electrical usage and energy rebates , but they also produce high-quality flowers at a low canopy temperature . We feel they are way better than DE lights overall ; they are the way to go .
Mike Miller : We are using Fohse LED lights . Our operation has only been using them for a few weeks , but so far we are happy with the results .
Do you raise and lower your lights ?
CW : Yes , we move our lights . However , there are some challenges . According to Michigan fire code , commercial growers can ’ t use yo-yos , so we must work with metal hangers . To consistently move lights with these hangers is very time consuming , and also leads to increased contact with the canopy and potential microbial infections .
MM : Yes , we keep them 1.5 feet away from the canopy . If they are too far away from the canopy , they will stretch the plants . However , moving them can be a real issue .
Maximum Yield 91