t8 lighting for violets...please help!

9 years ago

Hi, I used to grow violets beautifully using the GOOD fluorescent tubes..4 ft T12 40W 48 inch. I found the lucky distance thru trial and error from tops of plants (standards) to bottom of tubes was 10 inches for maximum growth and maximum flowers! now that was 3 years ago. I have since gotten out of it and sold all my twin tube T12 shoplights (stupid me :( ) now I noticed these days everything is T8 sadly. I have read many many horror stories online of how garbage T8 is. how they destroy plants. how theyre not suitable for growing anything living, much less a violet. I need everyones advice. experiences with the T8 32W twin tube 4 ft shoplights-thats what ill be buying for my violets.., what distance from top of plants to bottom of tubes (for semi minis and standards) what tubes to buy (cool white, warm white, ge kitchen and bath, gro lux, gro lux WS, or what combination works) how many hrs on, how many off. etc. I just bought a 74"H 24"d 48"W stand from home depot. three tier. I wanna set it up with twin tube T8 4ft shoplights. 32W tubes each. but after reading horror stories online I need to hear everyones personal experiences and advice using these to grow violets to help me out. as stated earlier all I can obtain are twin tube 4ft T8 shoplights and the standard 32W tubes.

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Comments (10)

User
9 years ago
Wouldn't you rather post this at the AV forum?

This is the Houseplant forum, easy to forget where one is posting (been there, done that).
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nomen_nudum
9 years ago
Less traffic control please AV's are a plant and just as relative is they are often cared for year round in a house. Hense the forum title house plants ? OR
Seeming as every plant comes from natures outside world next week we can tell everybody there is no such things as a house plant ?

Jay what you've read about T-8 32 watt CFL( clear color) is correct they can and will burn the tops of several types of plants with out moving/circulating air.

I would agree that AV's would still be a very good burn candidate even with good moving air.

I can't even imagine what the safe distance would be to not burn the tops but would think AV"s would look a little odd in growth while reaching for the light...

Having less then the more AV enthusistics you could have AV sucsess with a tall standing lamp holding 3- 13 watt enerygy saving clear color CFL's at a east by south east AV's at window sill level for the past four years..
e but I would think the lighting assistance for ideal distance would be something you would be able to mannipulate in short time/ over time while growing less then more of them along with blinds for filtering sunlight if in the discribed window situation..
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User
9 years ago
It's not traffic control, it's recognition that this discussion quite likely exists more there than here, having read both forums for more than 12 yrs. (You registered here 7 months ago, vs. the 13 yrs. I'm here, so I kind of have a good idea of which discussions can be found where.)

Much as you seem to think otherwise Nomen, there is usually logic or reasoning behind suggestions I make.
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lauraeli_
9 years ago
The 'traffic control' was kindly meant, Im quite certain. The AV forum is very active- more active than the house plant forum- and they have experience with AVs specifically, including their lighting requirements.
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User
9 years ago
Thank you Lauraeli!

I appreciate that you seem to have understood my intent exactly, as expressed in your description of the AV forum, that was ENTIRELY my point.

I do not believe in re-inventing the wheel unless absolutely necessary.
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jay83
Original Author
9 years ago
they aren't CFLs I was enquiring bout. don't know how CFLs came up when I stated 4ft t8 32W tubes u put in t8 twin tube shoplights.LOL...NM ill repost this in a different category. maybe someone who knows what they r talking about can help me!
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User
9 years ago
That's EXACTLY why I tried to refer you to an area where I KNEW folks would know the subject, be knowledgeable & not waste your time.
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rachels_haven
9 years ago
Hey, don't know if you still need to know, but I use cool white lights, 6-8 inches from my semis and minis, 10-12 inches from my standards.
Good luck
-R
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jay83
Original Author
9 years ago
WOW @rachels.haven u sure are brave keeping T8 that close to your plants!!!!! u sure ur not using the good old T12?? u will know by if the bulb has a larger diameter or a skinny diameter. T12 are the good light we all miss that grows awesome violets. theyre tubes are the "clunky thick diameter tubes" lol. T8 are much more "skinny".
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rachels_haven
9 years ago
I'll admit I'm not sure. I'm midway through a move and my lights are up at the house and I am not, but I do know that I just got it last year, it was some sort of under cabinet light, it was about 24 inches long, and I bought it at Wal-mart for $8. Currently I've got one grow light for tomatoes, and one cool white for avs. I used to know where both lights fell on the kelvin spectrum too, but I don't at the moment. I was pretty sure, but since you're in doubt, give me a few days to double check. That way no violets get roasted.
-R
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t8 lighting for violets...please help!

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