properties of lamps for indoor plant growth
I am not a biologist, but I have read up on this a little bit. I recommend that you do a bit of research online at your library or online because it can get somewhat technical. There are several variables to consider. You are correct that the bulbs emit different colors of light. Plants species may have different needs for different colors during their growth stage &amp; their flowering /fruiting stage. You should investigate what your plant needs. The amount of the light emitted by the bulb is measured in a unit called lumens- this is usually on the package. More lumens= brighter light. For indoor hydroponic, there are expensive lighting systems using a variety of bulbs &amp; lamps, like fluorescent, halide &amp; sodium, each with specific uses &amp; (dis)advantages. One recent development are LED grow lamps. The LED's advantage is that instead of having 1 large heavy &amp; hot light bulb like with a halide or sodium lamp, you have many little LED light that can come in different colors, allowing flexibility in different life stages. The LED lamps also consume much less electricity &amp; don't create a lot of heat- but they are more expensive. OK, good luck with your project. Also, if you like hydroponics, learn about aquaponics, an offshoot of hydroponics that incorporates an aquarium into the system. The water flowing through the plant's roots circulates down into the aquarium and back up again, so that the fish poop helps to nourish the plants and the plants' roots act as a filter for the aquarium water, creating a type of symbiotic ecosystem between the plants &amp; fish.