Question about Grow Lights?
daniellalell
16 years ago
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Comments (18)
john_ny
16 years agodaniellalell
16 years agoRelated Discussions
Recommend indoor grow lights...
Comments (9)Yes, the grow lights are different. Even though they have some of the same wavelengths/spectrums of light as natural light, its almost impossible to equate anything other than metal halides or VHO's with something approaching real sunlight. The normal strength grow lights and flourescents just can't pack the same photon punch as sunlight, even weak, screened or dappled light, which is why you need to put the bulbs so close to the plants. The Coral Life bulbs come in reflectorized and non-reflectorized to send down as much light as you want, but even those never burned anything I had. I have a 50 gallon terrarium that I was using metal halides in, and they were so powerful I had to make a "light" are and a "dark" area inside by using just one bulb instead of 2. The overshine from that one bulb was bright enough to kill the Dendrobium lodegessii cuttings I put in there with too much heat, but I have an Angraecum distichum that loved it and bloomed its head off and added 2 new leads. I took the metal halides off though and got regular aquarium hoods with flourescents, because with the halides, and theym generating HEAT that flourescents don't, and I had to elevate the hood 6" on blocks over the terrarium, so the humidity was poor. It didn't matter for a while, but now I am thinking of getting into dendrobates (poison dart frogs) and they need it humid and cooler, and the system needs to be CLOSED so they can't escape. If you are at all able, you could put your plants outdoors for the summer in dappled light in NC and they would probably like that very much. Where in Florida were you living?...See MoreQuestions about growing under Metal Halide 400W light
Comments (5)I would assume that Moisture would be the biggest culprit, but running a bulb past it's rated life span is also asking for trouble. anything that burns that hot in a thin glass bulb and being pressurized can explode. This is why I bought an expensive set up. some bulbs need certain ballasts, , some bulbs are mean to run vertical or horrizontal, all these things are QUOTES and PICTURES: "Lamps must be operated in their specified operating positions in order to maximize lamp performance and life. Incorrect operating positions may also create the possibility of a lamp rupture. Because of these factors it is imperative that users adhere to the specified operating positions and fixture requirements. The following chart shows the correct lamp operating positions based on the Position Code Letters which are contained in the lamp description" "Fixture Requirement Codes: O = Open fixture permissible. Lamps can be operated in an open fixture within the lamp's specified operating position limits. S = Open fixture permissible with operating position restrictions. E = Enclosed fixture required. Lamps must be operated in an enclosed fixture. "...See MoreNeed help regarding grow lights
Comments (3)You will probably want to check out all the FAQs on the Growing from Seed forum here as well as those on the Growing Under Lights forum as they cover your questions in more detail. But if you wish to use the fish tank and if you can get the light close enough to the plants (no further above them than 1-2") it should work. Enclosing them in the tank isn't necessary, just the light, and it could get too hot for them in an enclosure so watch the temp. For future reference - plants are supposed to be removed from any heat mat just as soon as they are germinated. They should not remain on heat mats after germination begins. Dave Growing from Seed FAQs...See MoreQuestions About LED Grow Lights
Comments (23)It depends on the light, actually. For the most part, to be entirely honest (and I'm going to get a lot of argument, screeching, arguing, and people insisting they have a magic formula), it's just not as straightforward as Veg and Bloom. Nature does not work that way. The sun does not suddenly irradiate plants with oodles of blue or red light when it's time to flower or blossom, and indoor plants are no different. The vast majority of plants will want both settings on at most times for maximum energy output if the lamp can handle it and if the plant in question wants it. The Veg setting--depending on your lamp--ramps up the blue (or ramps down the red) by some amount. The flower setting ramps down the blue or ramps up the red. If it's reducing energy overall to below what the plant likes, that's a problem. Keep it at a higher setting overall even if the spectrum is a little too blue/red. If it's over what a plant likes, pull it back. Again, even if it's too blue/red. Note that this isn't usually a problem. And check the species in question. Some are more particular than others, and there are too many indoor crops to count. Most, frankly, simply don't care. What do I use? I use a mixed-spectrum of LEDs of warm whites, full spectrum, mid-white, and red. It covers the output from 395 to 800 nm with no gaps, including the allegedly "useless" yellow and green areas of the spectrum (they're not useless, they've been omitted due to historic reasons that are no longer necessary; plants do use them). The system in the room I'm sitting in has been designed to be not terribly unpleasant to my eye (which is extremely particular in terms of color; I paint in this room; the light has a noticeable red-violet cast to the white, but can be easily overwhelmed by my painting lamps and I've learned to compensate). It's assembled less by spectrum than light strength, and plants do beautifully under this one, the one downstairs, and the less-well designed one in the bathroom (very noticeably red). Flowers get sprouted, and blossom easily, every year under the lights in the cellar. Those are the cheapest fluorescent tubes I can source, 850 plants a year, raised from seed with no other significant light source. Most are budding to blossoming by the time they go outside in May. I just use 1 warm white and 1 cool white per lamp, 2 lamps per shelf, 6 shelves....See Morestephenpope2000uk
16 years agodaniellalell
16 years agoprotempsfish
16 years agostephenpope2000uk
16 years agojohn_ny
16 years agodaniellalell
16 years agostephenpope2000uk
16 years agobarbcoleus
16 years agostephenpope2000uk
16 years agodaniellalell
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16 years agoMsM
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