Difference Between Standard & Grow Light Fluorescent Fixtures

Heat

• Standard fluorescent fixtures produce more radiant heat than grow lights. This increase in heat can damage the seeds or stunt their growth, as it changes the nature of the controlled climate that has to be maintained to start them indoors. With hydroponic systems, the extra heat can change the temperature of the growing medium to one in which they will have difficulty drawing nutrients.

Intensity

• Grow lights are made in such a way that the ballast and coating allow the intensity of the light to be spread evenly through the fluorescent tube. This allows equal amounts of light to reach the entire growing bed. Standard fluorescent lights are constructed in a way that pushes the most intensity to the middle of the lighting tube, making the lighting uneven.

Spectrum

• The spectrum that a fluorescent light gives off depends on the coatings applied to the tube. Standard fluorescent fixtures offer good spectrums of blue and green, but have a difficult time producing the red spectrum that many seeds need to thrive. Grow lights are typically full-spectrum lights, but can be found in more concentrated colors, including red.

Cost

• Standard fixtures are less expensive, but tend to burn out before grow lights. The lighting mounts for a grow light fixture can also be expensive initially and require more fluorescent tubes, as the width of the tube is less than that of the standard version. The length of time that a grow light will burn and the benefits it gives to seeds and plants are seen as balancing out the initial high cost by many gardeners.