How about a picture of your setup?
-WC2K8

I don't know how to post a picture, and I don't see any directions for doing it either.

coincedence.......I recently got the same materials along with a metal shelf system the same size.
Lowes had assembled T12 4' fixtures twin tube, with 5' cord for 10.00.

Regulating the heat, on the different levels to a consistant temp is my challenge. The register is above blowing down and the bottom shelves are not warm enough to assure proper germination.

Thinking about enclosing the area around the shelves to hold in warmth, and ducting to the floor so the heat rises. Problem is the thermostat is in an upper part of the building.

Found sturdy 5x7 survival blankets(reflective one side como the other)at military surplus, that will enclose the shelves w/ lights from the chains and hooks that come w/ the lights.

Like the idea of mats and reflection on the shelf.

T

I did the same thing with a shelving unit we already had. For germination, I used a electric blanket that the dual control no longer worked on. Only 1/2 of the king sized blanket worked. I turned it to a low setting beneath flats of seeds I had planted and it really worked great. I just rotated flats around over the blanket until everything germinated. I like the idea of the reflective blankets and I might use that too this year. Thanks.

Pictures or it didn't happen!

First, you'll have to upload the pictures somewhere. Google (Picasa), photobucket or any number of other sites will gladly host your pics. All of them contain links that you just post here if you can't figure out how to actually post the pic.

Californian, I find Photobucket to be the most user-friendly. Upload your photos there, then use the HTML code provided in the "message" box here and the photos should show up in your post.

What message box? And what is an HTML code?

I too couldn't find good instructions for posting photos so I just kept reading. Photobucket works well for this. Follow their instructions for uploading a photo which is easy. I keep two Internet Explorer windows open to post in Gardenweb. Open GW and create your message in the message box. In the second IE window open PB and find your photo. Select the photo you want to post by clicking on it. In this view you will see the options below the photo for sharing the photo. Choose the HTML by clicking it. That should copy the code to you clipboard. Go back to your other IE window and the message you just typed in it. Paste the HTML code you copied into the message box where you typed your post. You may also need to re-size you photo before you post it or it will be huge, if so do that in the edit photo box inside your PB album.

what is an HTML code?

For example, right click and select properties from the menu on this image:

Then highlight the URL, press Ctrl+Insert, and copy to your post with Shift+Insert and put the stuff in the above image around it.

Just wondering why I can't just copy and paste my picture. I tried it and it didn't work. This other stuff seems rather complicated.

You answered your own question. You can't copy and paste your picture because it won't work. Don't worry what an HTML code IS, just join photo bucket, go the area that says "upload images and videos", make sure "my computer" is chosen under the "from" column on the right. A box will pop up with your photos in it. Click on the picture you want and then click on "open". Voila, you picture is now in Photobucket. Under you picture in photobucket will be boxes labeled "email and IM", "Direct link", "HTML code" and "IMG code". Highlight and copy the box next to "HTML" code. Then come back here, write a message, right click in the message box here, hit "paste", then hit "preview message". Your photo and message will show up. Hit submit.

Don't let an unfamiliar term stop you. It doesn't matter what HTML means or what it is. Go to Photobucket, upload your photo there and then just copy the line that says "HTML". You have to try it to understand it. :) Really, many people do this every day. You can too.

tINY pIC IS AN EASY TO USE RESIZE PROGRAM TOO

Thanks to everyone for the info on posting pictures. I went to the photobucket website and it looks like it would take two days to read all the help information and to figure out how to use it. I didn't like the part about if you use public anyone can look at your pictures, and if you use private you have to give anyone you want to look at your pictures a password. Would be nice if you could make each individual picture private or public.

I was in a similar boat regarding how to post an image.
First, you have to become a member in an image sponsoring site. They are FREE.I use PHOTOBUCKET(dot)com
Second, you upload your images from your computer into albums in that sight.

Third, you get links of your images( by copying them)
Now they are on your clipboard(one at a time)
Fourth: You start a post and copy that link into your message. I like HTML codes because they are imbede into your post and will show up autumatically. I am sure you have seen lots of them.

Whatever. If you don't want to share a photo just say so.

14 tubes wasn't enough. I just went and bought 7 more 4 foot strip light fixtures for $1.99 each so when I finish assembling and mounting them I will have 21 fluorescent tubes on my seed starting rack, plus a two tube shop light above a closet shelf. It gets hot with all the bulbs lit. If I leave the reflective surface mylar survival blankets closed for a couple of hours it gets up to 95 degrees inside. My seedlings are looking oh so healthy because I put them outside in the sun during the day and then put them under the lights for another five or six hours at night, dark green and stocky with a lot of leaves.

Wow, you did all this by yourself and still don't know how to post a photo?

Calif
Is the temp you are maintaining in day or night or all the time? Are you turning your lights on during the day and off at night to give the plants their needed "dark" cycle? or are they in a room/area where it can be dark all the time? so you can control 12-16 hrs lights on and 8-12 hrs DARK ? this also allows them to cool down and get stockier instead of lanky
Dennis

How many bulbs are you using per shelf? I'm assuming four bulbs for a 24" width? I believe the 6500k is full spectrum? I'm using 4100k wich is considered cool white, which is cheaper and are ok for vegetative growth.

Seven bulbs per 24 inch wide shelf on 3.5 inch centers. I bought these fixtures because I could get more bulbs per shelf than with shop lights. I am using 6500K deluxe daylight bulbs, and yes they are more expensive than cool white, but I think the cost may be worth it because of the better spectrum. They certainly make a dazzling bright white light.
Dennis, I only run my lights from about 5:15 PM to about 11:00 PM, and again from about 6:15 AM to about 8:30 AM at which time it usually gets up to 50 degrees F outside and I then put all my plants out on the patio in full sunlight, and take them back inside at 5:15 PM. Tonight I am going to leave about 75 of the oldest plants outside all night and take the 75 youngest plants back inside so they can get the heat because there are still some unsprouted seeds. Also I want any seed that sprouts to immediately be in bright light as soon as it emerges to stop it from reaching upwards like what happened to my black cherry seedlings. So my plants get about seven hours of sleep. I read somewhere that running lights more than 16 to 18 hours a day is a waste of electricity and actually does the plant more harm than good. During the daytime the plants are outside unless it is raining (rare to rain in California), so the temperature is whatever it is outside, usually mid 40s to high 70s this time of year. When my lights are on inside the temperature usually quickly goes up to 85, and even higher after an hour or two with my blankets closed, but if I open one side the temp will drop to around 82. If I have the lights on my second shelf on it adds extra heat to the top shelf and it goes to 95, and could probably even hit a hundred if I didn't open the blankets. When I shut the lights off the temp drops during the night and is usually in the mid to high sixties by morning. But the 95 degree temps haven't done any damage, and my plants are super healthy looking.

Looks good - except for the rain and cool weather we had over the last 2-3 weeks - I just started my plants a week ago as I have them outside day and night under an open roof -

I only have 4 lights per shelf with 4 permanest trays per shelf- total 16 lights
Dennis

A guy did an experiment last year - some of his plants he used a 16/8 on/off cycle and the others ran 24 hrs. The latter plants were significantly larger over a six-week time frame.

The one study I read said that doing this for longer than about eight weeks would become detrimental to the plants, though.

His results should be available via a search of this site.

Mike

I do not endorse any link that may be added to my message but find it annoying.

This

I want to see your setup.

Image hosting in 5 easy steps:
1. Go here: http://imgur.com
2. Click Browse. Select your image.
3. Click continue.
4. Put your mouse over the box that says "Message Boards". Press Ctrl+C
5. Paste the result into your message. Voila!

This isn't working. I have a picture on photobucket and hit html code but nothing can be pasted . So I went back and copied image location, but thats not the way I waant to do it. I knew this was too complicated for an old man. here.http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae324/californians_pictures/001.jpg?t=1267905826

Wow, guys, ease up on californian! Not everyone is tech savvy and some have no desire to learn how to become moreso. Hoppefully maybe he has a friend or family member who will help him with this because I would love to see what he has done!

Well here is my second try at trying to post pictures, this time of the seed starting rack I built. On some pictures I shut off some of the lights because they were too bright and overexposed the pictures.

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae324/californians_pictures/tomato%20plants/th_seedstartingrack005.jpg

I have five pictures to post in photobucket but I don't see any way to switch to the next picture. Also the instructions someone posted for making a picture appear directly in the thread don't work so I can only post a link to the picture. Sorry

mrs. b in wyoming: some mighty fine tomato plants you got there. You grew them to that size under lights? I'm as green as those leaves. Gary

Here ya go. I understand that it can be confusing at the beginning, but it's actually very easy one you get the hang of it.

Photobucket claims I can link to this slideshow, here goes, but it probably won't work.
http://s984.photobucket.com/home/californians_pictures/recentuploads?view=slideshow

DUDE - YOU DID IT
Your setup looks great. Even though you can't click on the link all anyone has to do is to COPY the link and PASTE it into their address bar, hit go, and it takes them to your pictures. BTW you can now post pictures of your kids, vacation, etc. and your family and friends can see them. I just built a similar setup in my garage, I only have two shelves for eight flats but I now have heirloom tomato seedlings that I can't buy around here.
Congratulations!

Here you go:

To do this you just to the individual picture page, look on the left side of the page and you'll see a list of URLs under the header "Share this Image". Copy the one that begins Good looking set-up and plants.

Dave

ruet
tried your instrustions and only copied a url
[IMG]http://imgur.com/V6ZIA.jpg[/IMG]

Dennis

Ruet
I became a member on imgur and all the pics I have tried to load into my own upload cue have failed
Dennis

testing photobucket

Hi Gary - Yes, those are nice 'maters all right. Too bad I can't claim any of the credit. I wanted to make Californian's pic show up, but I should have attached a disclaimer :)

What variety is that Dennis?

dave

Hi Dennis,

Sorry for the mixup. Below is the correct way to do Image hosting in 5 easy steps:
1. Go here: http://imgur.com
2. Click Browse. Select your image.
3. Click continue.
4. Put your mouse over the box that says "HTML Image (websites / blogs)". Press Ctrl+C
5. Paste the result into your message. Voila!

I didn't know you could become a member on imgur! I just follow the above process and it works fine for me.

Hope this helps!

Mrs B who's Gary? - you liked my BoxCar Willie Tomatoes
I am Dennis

Well photobucket worked so adding my growing lights and system

OK. I am going to try to post a picture directly into this post. The picture is of how I plant my seeds. I fill a clear plastic shoebox sized container with about two and a half inches of seed starting mixture and level it out. Then I use the eraser end of a pencil to punch in 8 to 15 equally spaced holes about 3/8 of an inch deep into the soil. Then I put an equal number of seeds into a small dish of water and wait until they get wet enough to sink. Then I put one seed into each hole. The wet seed will stick to the pointed end of the same pencil for dropping them into the small holes. Then I cover the seed with a thin layer of pure vermiculite, put the cover on the container, put it on a heat mat or into my oven where the pilot light keeps it at around 85 degrees, and wait, usually four to eight days. As soon as the first seed sprouts I remove the cover and immediately put the container, sprouted and unsprouted seeds alike, under my lights or outside on the patio in direct sunlight if it is over 50 degrees outside.

Great job guys! Now we just need to teach you both how to re-size them down to normal message boards size. ;)

Dave

Dave and Ruet
I'm sure there is a re-sizing to like 680X680 or something like that do you know where in photobucket
I think I would like to use imgur because you get to have like 75 pics vs 5 on photobucket

So if Ruet reads maybe we can figure it out
Thanks
Dennis

Dennis - Several posts up I put up Californian's pic. I was in a bit of a rush and didn't note what I was doing, so it looked like I was posting a picture of my own plants. Here's Gary's comment on Californian's tomatoes.

* Posted by garystpaul z4 MN (My Page) on
Sat, Mar 6, 10 at 21:42

mrs. b in wyoming: some mighty fine tomato plants you got there. You grew them to that size under lights? I'm as green as those leaves. Gary

I made the comment above, meaning to straighten out the misunderstanding. In doing so, I created another one :)

Dennis - you can have unlimited pis on photobucket, you can even have up to 20 different albums there. I have I think 8 different albums at last count, each with probably 15-20 pics in each.

But yes the recommended message board size for here per the guidelines is 60k max. or approx. 600x400 Otherwise they are just too slow to load and distort the size of all the subsequent message boxes.

Dave

Dave and Ruet
I'm sure there is a re-sizing to like 680X680 or something like that do you know where in photobucket
I think I would like to use imgur because you get to have like 75 pics vs 5 on photobucket

So if Ruet reads maybe we can figure it out
Thanks
Dennis

wierd loaded post 2 time

Dave
in my Mar 7th 16:45 posting the tomatoes you asked about are Box Car Willie - they taste good and are a real workhorse - so is Mule Team

When I was signing up on photobucket it said you had to pay to get more than 5 pics

Will try more on sizing pics etc tomorrow

Dennis