YEA IT'S EXTREMELY BRIGHT! And I mean bright I have to close my closet door at night because from outside it looks like the ceiling light is on. So I stay conscience of it because sometimes my son opens the door and it stays open up until 2 or 3 in the morning because it's in his closet. Only place available in my whole house it sucks. But its the perfect location for what I have going on in there. I didn't change the light but I've been looking at the modified hoods that take regular cfl lights. That are sold on ebay for 50 bucks I'm interested in buying one for convience. THe aerogarden hod lights must be purchased fro aerogarden or an online source. And they cost like 15 bucks for one light bulb. So keep that in mind if you buy one. But the lights stay remarkably cool. There's not alot of heat in that closet which is surprising considering what I see you have to do with other lighting. It's a really nice basic system, clean and convient. But if you grow taller strains grab an extention for your aerogarden. It's a real simple aproach to growing but make sure to change the water out weekly when your plants are ready for nutes. I've found you have to maintain clean water or else the plants will droop and have you looking everywhere for help! I learned this the hard way I lost my lemon kush plus my other plants. But the lemon kush was the most important plant to me at the time. Because I cared for it from seed and talked to her everyday and when she started showing drooping leaves my inexperience cause the demise of my lovely lady who was eight weeks old! I lost everything despite my efforts and it hurt sorely. I'm still alittle tender over her for it just happened three weeks ago. So post on this site when you get yours up and running! That's why I'm on here looking for council. So I don't have to suffer lost. Fortunantely when I picked thrugh my losses I found 20 plus seeds on my other kush strain after I bought hg and El n. I crossed Califlower with Himalayan blue diesel and interested in seeing what happens. I'll keep everybody posted peace..