Technology has come a long way since the Babylonians first used hydroponic systems to create their famous Hanging Gardens and now we're not simply content to growing vegetables and fruit in a controlled, soilless environment, we want to get the best out of them too! There are a lot of factors that influence the growth of a plant, factors such as temperature, pH levels, humidity and lighting. What we have over the Babylonians, is, again, technology. We can now simulate all these factors artificially with thermostats, hydroponic grow lights, aeroponic systems and nutrient solutions and not only that, but we can create the perfect conditions for a plant to grow in, not just sufficient ones.
All the above mentioned factors have their fair share in feeding the plant growing energy and light handles their photoperiod and photosynthesis. But with hydroponics being often used to grow plants indoors, natural light might reach them harder, or simply be insufficient (just because you can see where you're walking in your house doesn't mean the plant also has enough light to produce photosynthesis). In this case, using hydroponic grow lights is a must.
I recommend you buy your lamps from Kalyx.com, our trusted hydroponics store that offers a large variety of lightning products, cheap to expensive.
Take into consideration that a plant grown in the open has a day-night cycle and it's in the light during the entire day. Indoors, furniture, windows and other similar household objects might block a good chunk of the incoming light, even if it's sunny outside. So the plant you're growing using a hydroponic system will know that it's in its day part of the cycle and should be receiving light, but it's not getting the right amount of it, so its growth will be hindered. This is where hydroponic grow lights prove their worth.
Hydroponic grow lights range from small neons that can be used with home-based do it yourself hydroponic systems, to larger "studio" lights that can be used in wide greenhouses. Led lights are usually common with smaller installations, but that doesn't mean they can't be applied in a greenhouse. Led hydroponic grow lights are considered by many specialists as being a much better lighting source than normal bulb-based systems, because they simulate natural light better.
But if you're growing a larger area of plants in a greenhouse, led hydroponic grow lights aren't the cheapest and most efficient of solutions. Instead, you'll be able to find many rail-based umbrella lights that can be programmed to travel back and forth through the greenhouse, shining extra light on each of your plants. These hydroponic grow lights use a normal light bulb and an umbrella similar to that used in movies to create artificial lighting. As you can see, there are a lot of choices, but if you're still unsure of what to choose, read this article on how to choose the right light system.
In conclusion, I want to emphasize on the fact that lighting can make a huge difference in the growth of a plant. Many inexperienced hydroponic newcomers tend to see light as a secondary factor for plants. They create the right temperature, humidity and nutrition levels that a plant needs, but if you don't offer sufficient lights and they end up scratching their head, unsure of why their Chandler strawberries are half the size they expected.