When you decide to use LED lights, you put yourself and your plants at a great advantage. LEDs are the only lights capable of providing plants with the exact light spectrum they need for all stages of the grow cycle. In addition to offering the highest quality of light, these lamps use the least amount of energy to function. They also emit very little heat, so you save on cooling expenses in addition to the reduced cost of operation.

But you cannot get the full benefits of LED grow lights if the fixture you choose is not right for your grow tent.

What size grow light for a 2×4, 3×3, or 4×4 grow tent?

Some growers just want to maximize the electricity used, others care more about making the biggest yields, and some growers care most about making things easier. Here are some important tips to remember when it comes to choosing the right size grow light for your grow space:

Light footprint - Just about every grow light has a recommended light footprint, which is usually listed in the product details by the manufacturer. For example, it may say the recommended footprint is 2'x4′ for the flowering stage. That means that this light is designed to grow plants in that size space. Even more than the recommendations below, it's highly recommended you go by the manufacturer's recommendation first.

How to get the best yields for electricity - Some lights are more electrically efficient than others. Generally, the smaller LED grow lights (under 300w or so) run the most efficiently and get the best yields for the amount of electricity used. Fluorescent grow lights like CFLs and T5s tend to get the worst yields for the wattage. It also helps maximize efficiency by getting a smallish light for your grow space. That's because there will be some extra light around the edges that add small but significant amounts to your yields without using any more electricity. As a bonus, it's easier to manage heat in a space that's somewhat bigger than necessary.

How to get the best yields for space - If you care more about maximizing yields for a particular space, it's recommended to get the most powerful grow light your space can support. LEDs and HPS grow lights get the biggest yields for the amount of space used. Once you get to the bigger sizes (above 500W or so), typically an HPS will get better yields for the amount of space (if not necessarily the most electrically efficient). A 600W HPS grow light in a 4'x4′ grow tent is an excellent choice that costs about $800 to get set up and can produce over 20 oz per harvest. Of all the HPS lights, the 600w size is the most efficient. If you are willing to deal with a lot of heat, you can even fit a 1000W in a 4'x4′ grow space and produce 35 oz or more. When using bigger lights in a relatively small space, it becomes more important than ever to create a great exhaust system to vent heat.

True wattage - When shopping for grow lights, look for the true power draw or amount of electricity used to run the grow light. This is often found buried in the product details. The actual wattage used helps you compare different grow lights directly. Often this number is different from the number in the LED grow light's name.

HYPHOTONFLUX HPF3000 Led Grow Lights

Features:
HYPHOTONFLUX led plant growing light is equipped with Samsung LM301B diodes and a built-in MEANWELL driver. It draws 320 watts from the wall, achieving the efficiency of 2.7 μmol/J and higher average PPFD with 864 μmol/s at 3'x3' flowering coverage, completely beat the 400w HPS grow lamp. Simple structure, detachable driver, no fan, no noise. Four aluminum light bars(90mm/3.54'' wide, wider than any other led bar lights) for better heat disappear and stay cool while enabling even light spread. Save you a lot at ventilation and exhaust. The driver is removable, with our DC extension cords, you can place the driver outside the tent, reduce the heat in the tent and make the tent more clear.

ChilLED Tech Growcraft X3–330W

Features:
The ChilLED grow light takes all the good things about the Growcraft X2 LED Grow Lights and makes it even better. Still measuring 1.38 inches thick, the Growcraft X3 churns out 330 watts of power to cover a 2 x 4 feet footprint. But what makes the Growcraft X3 stand out is its higher PPFD. Compared to the Growcraft X2, the Growcraft X3 gives you more light emissions per square meter. Even with higher light emission, the Growcraft X3 can still passively cool itself with its oversized surface area, and remote power driver positioned away from the fixture. The Growcraft X3 is also built to last, as it is designed for abuse and made with quality components in the USA.

How Much Space is 3×3 Grow Tent?

A 3×3 grow tent may not have enough space for professional or commercial purposes, but this size is mostly preferable for home growers or beginners. If you are calculating how many plants exactly can you fit inside a 3×3 grow tent then let me tell you it entirely depends on the overall size of the plant.
Overloading plants inside this limited space may cause a negative impact on all the plants there. So you can raise 2 plants each in 3-gallon pots or 4 plants of medium size. We do not encourage keeping more than 6 small plants in a 3×3 grow tent.

Because the initial stage is manageable somehow, but these plants are more likely to stop growing after 2 feet.

If you were particularly thinking of growing cannabis in a 3×3 grow tent, it would not be a good idea. These plants require more space to have proper growth.

What to Look for in the Best Grow LED Lights
With so many models on the market, it can be hard for the first-time buyer to know which are the best grow lights. Here we look at those things you should consider:

Your Crop
Believe it or not, the type of LED grow light you buy is heavily dependent on the kind of plants you plan to grow. You should also consider how far into the growth cycle your plants will be under the lights before they are transplanted outside or into your regular indoor hydroponic system. You may also want to consider how many plants you plan to cram into your 2x2 tent.

Quality LED Lights
The next part of shopping for LED lights has to do with their overall quality. We recommend the lights you choose to have the following attributes:

Top-Notch Semiconducting Chips
At the heart of any LED light is the semiconductor chip. This all-important chip converts electricity into light and can be used to determine the color of light by the wavelength of the signal creating it. The best LEDs use chips that are rated at a minimum of 3 watts per LED. If you settle for anything lower, your lights will not produce the light required to help your plants grow.

Low Heat
It's equally important that the LED lights you buy do not produce excessive amounts of heat. Most modern lights are fanless, using an aluminum heat sink to dissipate heat without the noise of running fans. However, you can still find lamps that are fan-cooled. Lights that produce excessive amounts of heat can quickly overheat the inside of your tent and scorch your plants. Excess heat will also cause the LEDs to burn out faster, helping to keep your costs more under control.

Color Spectrum
Although you would think that all LED grow lights would provide the same full spectrum of light, this is not always the case. Any light you choose must produce blue, red, infra-red, and white light. This "full-spectrum" of light will help your plants grow from seedling to harvest while keeping them healthy without the risk of them being burned.

Ease of Use and Installation
The last thing you need is to buy an LED light for your tent that is complicated and confusing to install. Not only should the light be capable of being installed in just a few minutes, but as your plants grow, you will need to be able to adjust the height of the light. You should also look for lights designed to allow you to change the intensity of each important color. Many have preset choices such as VEG, BLOOM, and combined.

A Good Warranty
While everyone claims LED bulbs last practically forever, they are not the only component in them that can fail. Be sure the ones you choose have an extended warranty and come from a company with a reputation for honoring their warranty.

Conclusion

Trying to find suitable LED grow lights may seem like a challenging task.

But once you figure out what factors really deserve your attention, you will easily narrow down the options and pick what would work for you. Just make sure you get the suitable wattage and light intensity for your plants and tent size. Plus, don't forget to always check the warranty and what it covers.