---
title: "Question about grow lights: I’ve never used them before and just…"
description: "Question about grow lights: I’ve never used them before and just picked up a couple of small clip on ones. For plants that are marked as doing best in part…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/fQipaoQNS2SCTJGI4q9l9w/VhaQvLtXRrGbr9HQyyncQw"
community: "Equipment & Materials"
author: "Plants&Pets 🌱🐱🐶"
published: "2024-02-02T15:52:18.953791Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/x84PUND7mGNDHXd35hjoaDpd0v9SJ_fXcSRYkwR9rHg/KWEVGUIlQK-Cxe-yoG5zXA.webp?size=large"
---

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# Question about grow lights: I’ve never used them before and just…

_Posted by Plants\&Pets 🌱🐱🐶 on 2024-02-02_

Question about grow lights: I’ve never used them before and just picked up a couple of small clip on ones. For plants that are marked as doing best in part sun, is it harmful for them to be under the grow light the full time? I have it set for 12 hours a day at 50% brightness.

Follow up question, should I use 100% brightness, and what difference does that make?

Thanks!

![Attachment 1 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/x84PUND7mGNDHXd35hjoaDpd0v9SJ_fXcSRYkwR9rHg/KWEVGUIlQK-Cxe-yoG5zXA.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 2 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/x84PUND7mGNDHXd35hjoaDpd0v9SJ_fXcSRYkwR9rHg/fSWX8weCQrKSpY9pGeL5Yg.webp?size=large)

## 8 comments

### Mads commented on 2024-02-02

My part sun plants love a grow light. The benefit of grow lights is the plants get plenty of light, without the heat (if they’re LEDs). The heat/intensity of sunlight is much of the reason certain plants can’t handle full sun.

I think your part sun plants will love your new lights. You could probably crank them up to 100%, depending on how much other light is around.

#### Plants\&Pets 🌱🐱🐶 replied on 2024-02-02

Thank you! Looking forward to seeing how they do after a few weeks with the lights

### Vera commented on 2024-02-02

If you’re going to get into grow lights, I 100% recommend getting a light meter and referencing the chart from  
House Plant Journal. It will legitimately change the way you look at your plants.

\[link removed\]

It will also help you set your grow light to whatever the best setting is for the foot candles necessary for the specific plant.

#### Vera replied on 2024-02-02

P.S. in response to your more direct question, I have the same light, cranked up at 100% brightness for six hours for my rubber plants. They get about 1400 foot candles at 5 inches away. So— a lot of very strong light!

#### Plants\&Pets 🌱🐱🐶 replied on 2024-02-03

Thanks for the tip! I have a three-way metre for water, light and pH, and I was surprised to see that the light wasn’t reading as high as I expected under the light, so I’ve turned it up and lowered it a little bit for my shorter plants.

#### Dave\_opuntiaface replied on 2024-02-04

Yes! For anyone reading, the light meter I use is an (phone) app called Lux. It’s super easy and free (but I use it so much I paid the $5 for the full version, which I don’t think has anything extra). Ha here is a screenshot from some “where in the yard gets X amount of sun in the morning and X amount around 6pm.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/DunZYPzPQsa_22QQRHGWGA.webp?size=large)

### Dave\_opuntiaface commented on 2024-02-04

Ps I know these are not panel lights lol. What I said applies to your average - even with decent light - grow light vs the two Mars Hydro systems I have. These are designed for tents full of crops with some sort of heat dissipation. I have one hung 2 feet above some plants who love sun, but I have the light set at 60ish percent.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/O9xfU-dzQ7Gy-y4cRd7qBQ.webp?size=large)

### horrid\_mess commented on 2024-02-14

I have all of my part sun plants under glow lights they love them and have been for a year. I’m pretty sure most glow lights are only part sun because you can’t really have a light powerful enough to replicate full sun without hurting your eyes or skin. And do keep it on 100% it will not harm your plants but don’t put them right up against the light they will burn

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