How to Use a Lux Meter to Increase Your Cannabis Yield

lux meter on weed

Light is very important in determining the overall health and performance of the plant. Alongside airflow, space, and availability of nutrients, lightning is pivotal if the grower intends to get maximum yield from the cultivation process. It is then important to ensure that the plant and grow area has access to an adequate amount of light regardless of the grow technique, outdoors or indoors.

The importance of adequate lighting to the success of a grow operation makes the knowledge of how to measure the amount of light the plant is getting a huge advantage. This doesn't just ensure that the cultivation process is properly modulated, it greatly improves the probability for success.

The equipment used for this immensely valuable process is the lux meter and in here I'll explain deeply what it is, it's benefits, etc.

What is a Lux Meter?

A lux meter is an electronic device that is used to measure the amount of light in lumen per meter squared in the grow room area. The unit of measurement of the lux meter can also be simply referred to as lux. A lux meter is a simple tool that is very beneficial to every grower and helps in the perfection of the cultivation process to maximize yield.

Quantum meters and PAR meters are used by professionals to determine the amount of photosynthetically active radiation that is available for the plant to photosynthesize. These meters are more sensitive than lux meters however they have a major downside with respect to cost. Unlike lux meters which are relatively cheap and could go for as little as 20 pounds, PAR meters are relatively expensive as they go for as high as 1000 pounds. For a grower, a lux meter easily meets the needs that it is required to cater to as it accurately measures the amount of visible light in the growing area which provides the grower with the information needed to interpret the health of the plant.

Benefits of a Lux Meter

A lux meter is very beneficial to the growing process as it helps a grower perfect the cultivation process in several ways. A couple of the benefits of a lux meter include:

Increase in yield: With the knowledge of the amount of light entering the grow area, the grower is equipped with important information that helps him/her ensure the cultivation process is properly done. The use of the lux meter allows the grower to known the perfect spots in the grow area with an optimum amount of light needed to sustain and promote growth. It also allows the grower to know the blind spots of the grow room that is not getting enough light. This helps the grower to ensure that the plants all get equal access to light which in turn increase and maximizes the yield of the produce.

Prevention of plant health problems: With the knowledge of the amount of light reaching the grow area, the grower is equipped enough to protect the plant from health problems arising from too much light or less than the amount of light needed for sustainability. When the cannabis plant in your grow area is exposed to too much light, the plant is likely to suffer from a light burn or bleaching which frustrates the growing process while when less than adequate light reaches the plant it is unable to actively photosynthesize and can show growth defects. Therefore, the use of the lux meter helps the grower to protect the plant from such health problems.

More efficient than the eyes: Many growers are used to physically assessing and determining the amount of light that is reaching the grow area especially when using white lights indoors. Lux meters however are more effective and efficient than the physical eyes in assessing the amount of light as they help to determine the distance to the source of light that affords the grower the chance to optimize the amount of light reaching the plant.

Helps to replace HID grow lights: Lux meters help to determine when HID grow lights which have definite lifespan begin to grow dimmer and allows the grower to know when they need to be replaced.

It is also important that a grower knows the amount of light that is optimal for cannabis clones or seedlings, for the vegetative plant as well as the flowering plant.

Readings within the range of 5000-7000 lux are suitable for clones or seedlings.

15000-50000 lux are perfect for vegetative cannabis plants

while a range of 45000-65000 is suitable for the flowering plant.

The maximum amount of light that the cannabis plant for work with is 75000 lux as lux meter readings of 85000 lux and above are already too much and are bound to promote light stress and bleaching in the plant.

It is also important that the readings of the lux meter are properly done by the grower to ensure accurate readings. Different readings should be taken at different parts of the grow room and at the varying heights of the plant canopy for definite results.