Here we have Buttercrunch Lettuce grown under LED Grow Lights. This setup uses two of our TLM100 models hanging over a 2 ft x 5 ft hydroponic system. The system holds 21 grow sites and is a recirculating NFT design with a 10 gallon reservoir.
We used pelleted seed sown directly into Rapid Rooter plugs. After sprouting on a germination heat pad, they were placed into the NFT system to grow. The packaging recommends 64 days from seed to harvest, however, with our lights and hydroponic system, we were able to harvest at 30 days – a time savings of 50%.
Growing Conditions:
- Ambient temperature – 68-72 degrees
- Relative humidity – 50-55%
- Light cycle – 18 hours on, 6 hours off daily
- X Nutrients for feeding
- Water temperature – 66-68 degrees
Cost For Lettuce Grown Under LED Grow Lights
- Power draw – 200 Watts using 2 x TLM100 lights
- Electricity: 540 hours (18hrs/day x 30) at $0.15 per kilowatt-hour – $16.20
- Nutrients: Minimal cost, approximately – $1
- Miscellaneous electricity (pumps, heat pad, seeds, plugs) – $5
Total Cost: $22.20
This cost is reflective of what an individual grower would pay – on a commercial scale, costs can be reduced greatly. As a home-grower of low-cost foods such as this, you can see a return on your investment in as little as 18 months while larger scale and commercial growers can see a return on investment in 12 months.
Hydroponic Lettuce Growing Under LED Grow Lights
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