Which grow lights are best depends on quite a few factors as we’ve seen in Part 1 (light quality) and Part 2 (light quantity). It also depends on what you are wanting to achieve with the setup and whether primary or supplemental lighting is necessary. Most of the material covered in this series focuses on grow lights as primary light sources and this requires a broad spectral output.
For quick reference, we’ve compiled a list of several types of lights below that provide relatively wide spectrums along with PPFD measurements, lumen ratings, and other details when available. The list is by no means exhaustive but does represent several affordable and readily available options. Along with the rest of the information covered in this series, we hope it will give you a good starting point to make more informed decisions about which grow lights will work best for your setup.
Note: All Spectral Distribution Curves provided have been adapted to fit a 300-800nm graph range for a more standardized comparison. However, remember to check the Y axis before making any close comparisons as these values can differ from one graph to the next.
T5-HO Bulbs and Fixtures
T5-HO lights are more expensive than T8s but they produce slightly more light for the amount of energy consumed. This may be a good option if you live in an area where electricity is more expensive. T5-HO lights usually run a little hotter than T8s.
Spectral Distribution Curve
PPFD
Unavailable
Notes: This bulb would work well as a supplemental light, but as a primary light source it would need to be paired with one that produces more light in the red end of the spectrum. If your fixture already has multiple sockets, this is easy to do as bulbs with different spectrums can be used at the same time.
Lumens: 5,000
Kelvin: 6400K
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 54
Spectral Distribution Curve
PPFD
Unavailable
Notes: The SDC for this bulb was unavailable but judging by the Kelvin temperature, we can assume it will produce a decent amount of red light. It would most likely need help on blue end of the spectrum though by combining it with a bulb that has a cooler Kelvin rating like the one above.
Lumens: 5,000
Kelvin: 2700K
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 54
Spectral Distribution Curve
Unavailable for bulbs included
PPFD
Unavailable
Notes: If purchasing other bulbs double check that they will fit this fixture.
Lumens: 20,000
Kelvin: 6500K included
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 230
Spectral Distribution Curve
Unavailable for bulbs included
PPFD
Unavailable
Notes: If purchasing other bulbs double check that they will fit this fixture.
Lumens: 4,000-60,000
Kelvin: 6400K included
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 48-648
Compact LEDs
Compact LEDs are good for a small grow space such as a terrarium or single pot. They are energy efficient and produce less heat that most other single-bulb options.
Spectral Distribution Curve
PPFD
Varies based on distance and size selected (see product details)
Notes: A compact lighting solution with a great spectrum!
Lumens: Unavailable
Kelvin: Unavailable
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 10-24
Linear LEDs
Linear LEDs are an energy efficient option that can cover a grow space similar in size to that of a T8 or T5-HO setup while typically generating less heat. While these can be great benefits, it should be noted that the light output of Linear LEDs is usually less than that of fluorescent bulbs so more LEDs will be needed to achieve comparable strength.
Spectral Distribution Curve
PPFD
Notes: A great full spectrum light, we also like that it provides the beam angle for the reflectors.
Lumens: Unavailable
Kelvin: Unavailable
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 24-42
LED Panels
While they can have a slightly higher cost upfront, LED lights are the best option if you are going for maximum energy efficiency. Manufacturers are more likely to list PPFD measurements for LED grow lights as well so it can be easier to estimate whether they will work for your plants. Heat output varies depending on the size of the light, but LEDs tend to run cooler than fluorescent fixtures.
Spectral Distribution Curve
Unavailable
PPFD
Unavailable
Notes: While this fixture doesn’t provide PPFD or spectral distribution information, it still seems to provide decent results and is a popular option with carnivorous plant growers due to its low cost.
Lumens: 3375
Kelvin: 7700K
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 22
Spectral Distribution Curve
PPFD
Lumens: Unavailable
Kelvin: 3000K, 5000K, red light 660nm and IR 730nm
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 85
(actual consumption)
Spectral Distribution Curve
PPFD
Lumens: Unavailable
Kelvin: 3000K, 5000K, IR 660nm, 760nm RED
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 100
(actual consumption)
Spectral Distribution Curve
PPFD
Lumens: Unavailable
Kelvin: 3000k, 5000k, 660nm
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 100
(actual consumption)
Metal Halide (MH) & High Pressure Sodium (HPS) Bulbs
Metal Halide (MH) bulbs are nice because they usually have a more even spectral output than that of fluorescent lights and LEDs. They also produce a fair amount of IR and UV light which can also be good for plants. Downsides are they produce quite a bit of heat, use more energy, and can burn out more quickly than most of the other technologies listed here. These negatives may not be so bad though considering how large of a grow space MH bulbs can cover while still maintaining adequate light levels for plants.
High Pressure Sodium (HPS) bulbs are commonly used to induce flowering in plants or as a supplement if another source lacks light in the red range. HPS bulbs produce a lot of heat which may be good or bad for a particular plant’s needs. They also consume quite a bit of energy but can cover a much larger grow space than most fluorescent and LED lights.
Spectral Distribution Curve
PPFD
Unavailable
Notes: This bulb has a nice wide spectrum but may benefit from some supplemental red light. A high pressure sodium bulb could help with this but will also increase the amount of heat being generated. This could be a good or bad thing though depending on a plant’s temperature requirements. An alternative might be some red LEDs.
Lumens: 36,000-105,000
Kelvin: 6000K
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 400-1000
Spectral Distribution Curve
PPFD
Unavailable
Notes: This is a very good full spectrum bulb.
Lumens: 33,000
Kelvin: 4200K
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 315
Spectral Distribution Curve
PPFD
Unavailable
Notes: Typical of most HPS bulbs, this one produces plenty of red light but almost no blue. Combining or alternating with another bulb that produces more blue light would be ideal for a full spectrum setup.
Lumens: 55,000-140,000
Kelvin: 2100K
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 400-1000
Spectral Distribution Curve
High Pressure Sodium
Metal Halide
PPFD
Unavailable
Notes: These bulbs/fixtures provide a good full spectrum if both types are used in tandem or alternated.
Lumens:
MH 36,000-105,000
HPS 55,000-140,000
Kelvin:
MH 6000K
HPS 2100K
CRI: Unavailable
Watts: 400-600
That’s all folks, we hope you’ve enjoyed this series on light for carnivorous plants. We understand it’s one of the more complex topics to grasp though so feel free to leave us questions or comments if you would like clarification anywhere. We’d be glad to help. Thanks for reading and happy growing!
What about natural light? I live in Central Texas and get a LOT of natural light for over 12 hours during daytime.
Hi Naomi, natural light is a great option if your grow space allows for it! Grow lights are usually only necessary if natural lighting is poor, unavailable, or to help facilitate other plant needs such as temperature requirements.
i recently bought this grow light and i just got it today it reads higher than 100,000 lux and it has both red light and 3500k + 6500k double chipped bulbs! it gets really hot on the top. but i’m just wondering will this be good for my plants? it runs well and works well too, i want more colors than my red blue yescoms made i have been growing carnivorous plants for 13 years i just switched brands of lighting! here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B094CR921N?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
For such a low cost, that is one intense grow light! If the outputs are accurate, you shouldn’t have any problems providing adequate levels for your plants. With how hot the fixture runs and the light intensity, you’ll probably want to keep an eye on the plants at first to make sure they don’t burn. I would probably position the fixture no closer than 18″ initially to see how the plants respond.
thank you for the response! i already added a fan to cool off the grow light. it read to be about 200 degrees F, but i added a fan and thee temp on the thermostat reads 20 degrees Celsius which is 68 degrees F but yes the plants arent drooping only one plant which is 1 years old from a rhizome cutting! the nepenthes ventrata and the sundew seem to be responding well, i fed my b52 cultivar some blood worms not too long ago and it closed quicker than it did before under the red blue yescom panels, a typical i rescued started growing cilia on the newest trap it formed, it was extremely light deprived when i got it out of the mail now it is coming in with tons of red instead of a pale green like when it came out of the mail box, my jaws started growing red traps and upright stems once i got it under proper lighting, a typical i received from a neighbor actually started growing super low to the ground and with beautiful red traps, i have gotten 3 divisions from all my typicals and they are all deep red so are my jaws divisions! just sharing how happy and the success i have gotten to through these 13 years, hopefully your plants are well! stay warm and keep your plants warm
Thank you for sharing, Josh! I’m glad to hear the light has helped improve the health of your plants. It sounds like they are all doing well and developing nice color, especially the flytraps. Take care and happy growing!
Hey there! I recently bought these grow lights: https://www.amazon.com/Sunlike-Spectrum-Professional-Seedlings-Replaceable/dp/B07S3MT5GX?pd_rd_w=xj2lh&pf_rd_p=ec24c188-b45f-4923-921c-81937c625aeb&pf_rd_r=SCZDSZ8A506QAE9MS8F5&pd_rd_r=0d445f24-75cc-4f86-aa64-05d06936a346&pd_rd_wg=LzB0U&pd_rd_i=B07S3MT5GX&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_rp_3_sc
I was wondering if they’ll work for a VFT. I’m a beginner to carnivorous plants, so any advice is appreciated :)
Hi Hannah! On the full sun setting, it appears they would provide a decent spectrum and the µMol/M2^S (PPFD) is provided which will help if you are trying to calculate the light strength. VTFs like A LOT of light so it is likely they will prefer to be fairly close to the LEDs.
Hi. I’m new in carnivores, and I’m wondering what you think of this VIPARSPECTRA Pro Series P1000 light, is it better than the VIPARSPECTRA HP300 LED… I’m asking because you didn’t mention this first and supposedly it’s better than this second light… can maybe you please explain to me which is better for growing carnivores and why?
Hi Martin, the VIPARSPECTRA Pro Series P1000 light is a better option than the VIPARSPECTRA HP300 LED as it is a much newer and more efficient model. Since the writing of this article, there have been a lot of improvements made to grow lights available on the market and our list is due for an update :)
Thanks so much for your question!
8/25/2021 Edit: We have updated the article with newer models, enjoy!
Hello there great article. I’m thinking of getting these: https://smile.amazon.com/SANSI-Daylight-Spectrum-Sunlight-Greenhouse/dp/B07BRKG7X1
They look like they tick the boxes. PPF is 105.15μmol/s, which at a night of 1ft and surface area of 1ft, seems like it will provide enough Moles when switched on for roughly 10 hours a day.
Can you spot any flaws in my logic?
In theory yes this would be more than enough. However, 10-12 hours is still the minimum length of time you’ll want to have the light on depending on the plant. Plants fall into one of three categories; long-day, short-day, or day-neutral where the length of time, despite the Moles, can determine whether the plant goes dormant or not (day-neutral plants are unaffected). This is called Photoperiodism and the 10-12 hour marks are typically where the response is induced. These articles are due for some updates and this is one of the things we would like to add :) I hope this helps!
Hi. SANSI Full Spectrum compact LED seems to be the best option as far as the affordability goes for a single VFT. But 15 watt enough? Do I need 4 of these bad boys shining on 1 plant?
Hi Tom, whether the light will be enough depends on how long it’s on, how close it is to the plant, etc. The calculators in Part 2 (link below) can help with figuring that out. I believe there are also higher wattage versions available on Amazon if needed as well. Thanks!
https://curiousplant.com/light-carnivorous-plants-part-2/
Hi! Thank you so much for all this information. I’m very new to carnivorous plants and I have, what may be a very stupid question. I see all the bulbs but can I use any lamp with those bulbs? For example I have a small terrarium with a cape sundew that I think needs more light. I liked the SANSI Full Spectrum compact LED but what do I plug it into. Sorry again for my ignorance!
Hi Jen, thanks for writing! I believe most of the SANSI bulbs will fit a standard E26 socket so as long as you have a lamp fixture with this socket size, it should work :)
Greetings Curious Plant!
I was wondering where you guys would rank ‘Cree LEDs’ on your lighting list?
Many thanks :)
Hello! I’m not sure if you mean where we would rank them in terms of which category they would fall under or light strength. I’m going to assume light strength though and this really depends as there are many different types of Cree, LEDs. Ideally the lumen or PPFD would be listed though to give an idea of how strong they are. Thanks!
Does full spectrum LED light good for my byblis guehoi?
Hi Carlos, yes a full spectrum LED would work for a Byblis guehoi as long as the intensity is strong enough. Thanks!
I appreciate the thorough guide. I think technology and pricing has improved a bit since the writing of this guide.
I’m wondering about these lights: APLANT Grow Light, 20W Ultra-Thin LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plants Full Spectrum, 6/10/12H Timer Plant Light, 132 LEDs Under Cabinet Plant Growing Lamp Strip for Seedlings, Veg, Flowers (2pcs) https://a.co/ham7HTi . There is also an option that has red, white and blue LEDs https://a.co/eXldrKZ . They both say “full spectrum,” though the 2nd one has less in the green and yellow wavelength.
I have dionea and drosera capensis for now (and also want to put some jade and ficus bonsai under the lights as well). My plan is to attach to the underside of the shelves of a metal stand, with a distance between shelves of 11″, so the plants would be 5-8″ away from the lights, and I assume 14-16 hours a day. Would you recommend either of these two options, and would one be better than the other (aside from just the purple color distortion on the 2nd one due to the red and blue LEDs.) Thanks for your time!
Hi Derek, I’m glad you found the guide helpful! LED technologies have been improving rapidly and it is wonderful to have many high quality options now at affordable pricing.
If both lights have a reasonably robust spectrum, they should both do well for plants. For estimating amount of light, I would recommend using the PPFD calculator in our Part 2 section to plug in the PPFD (µMol/M^2/S) provided by the light manufacturer and then make adjustments from there based on needs of the different types of plants. https://curiousplant.com/light-carnivorous-plants-part-2/
Thorough grow light specs will provide multiple PPFD values at different distances.
Such a great, detailed resource! Best in class!
Thank you Jonathan!
Thank you so much for this series of 3 articles on light setting for CPs! They have been a great source of information for my terrarium setting.
Marcello, you are very welcome. I’m glad you found them helpful!
– Elizabeth