This ALTO Garden Germination Grow Light will produce vibrant, healthy seedlings sprouting with life. As soon as your seeds sprout they will be searching for light which starts the photosynthesis process. Providing proper light for your plants allows them to synthesize food from their environment. These lights are specifically designed with added blue light tailored for the germination stage. The light has three operable modes (1) combo mode which is all the lights (2) blue light + white light mode and (3) red light + white light mode. This highly versatile grow light can handle all your plant's lighting needs.
What is a Germination Grow Light?
For young seedlings – light is food. When growing indoors, a germination grow light is used to nurture seedlings in the early stages of life. Light energy triggers photosynthesis which converts carbon dioxide from the air, into sugar (food) which plants need to grow. No additional food or nutrients are required during the germination stage, since the seed embryo contains the required nutrients to sustain the seedling during its first few weeks. As long as the seedlings have access to (1) water and (2) light – they will grow big enough to be transferred into your hydroponic system.
Although germination grow lights come in different shapes and forms, they are usually comprised of LEDs (light emitting diodes). These LEDs come can come in different configurations – for example, they can be set into a square or rectangular pattern, or they can be configured into a single column / row. Our germination light uses three separate columns of lights, which can be individually adjusted to achieve the lighting coverage you’re looking for.
The Lighting Spectrum
Sunlight appears to our eyes as white light. But in reality – sunlight includes all the colors of the visible spectrum including violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. When these colors are mixed together, our eyes interpret the light as white. This “lighting spectrum” is important to understand when growing plants, because different parts of the spectrum are needed, at different stages of plant growth. Having more blue light is ideal at the germination stage.
When seedlings are young – they require the most vibrant light for optimal growth. This is why blue light is so important. Blue light has the shortest wavelength at around 400 – 500 nm (nanometers). Because blue light vibrates in the shortest range, it emits the most energy. You can think of it as being “super-food” for seedlings. Your seedlings will be fuller and stronger, which means heartier harvests when fully grown.
When to Light Seedlings
After planting seeds in rockwool cubes, you can actually keep your germination tray covered in the dark if you want to. But it’s critical to move seedlings under the germination light as soon as they have sprouted. Don’t wait more than a few hours. Check your cubes at least twice a day and as soon as you see something green poking its head through, move them under the light right away.
If seedlings don’t receive light quick enough, their stems will stretch out as they search for more light. This is a survival mechanism because they are literally starving for food. Their stems will get tall and skinny. They won’t be able to support the weight of their leaves and they’ll wilt over to the side. When seedlings get this way, they are known as leggy seedlings.
Leggy seedlings are almost impossible to recover. You will likely have to re-start the seed-sowing process. So the best method is prevention: you can prevent leggy seedlings by moving them under the grow light immediately after they sprout. Check your cubes twice daily, to see if they have sprouted.
How Long to Light Seedlings
Keep your seedlings under the germination light for 14 to 16 hours a day until they’re ready to be transferred into your hydroponic system.
Like humans - seedlings also need a regular dark period. Don’t leave your lights on 24 hours a day! Seedlings need rest too. Make sure they get 8 – 10 hours of darkness at the same time daily, for optimal development.
Light Features
- Three Lighting Modes: (1) Blue Light + White Light + Red Light (2) Blue Light + White Light (3) Red Light + White Light
- Timer Settings: 4H / 8H / 12H with auto on/off function
- Dimming Settings: 20% / 40% / 60% / 80% / 100%
Product Specifications
- LED Spectrum: Blue 450 nm / White 6000K / Red 660 nm
- LED Light Beads: 6 Blue + 15 White + 4 Red = 25 Total
- Lamp Height: 4" -> 16" height of lamp heads, when parallel to desk (height adjustable)
- Lamp Head Tube Length: 10"
- Clamp Width: 3"
- Weight: 1 pound
- Warranty: 1 year warranty on parts and defects
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The Best Germination Light
After looking at several, this is the best germination light I found. There are some lights available with blue, but I couldn't find a light that had blue + white (at the same time) except this one. White light is important because it balances out the spectrum as even young seedlings should have some white light to go along with the blue. My seedlings are much healthier after I started using this light.
