There is a point where you get a bit of overkill. Two fixtures are better than one. Are three, four or five going to provide any real difference in plant performance? I tend to doubt it especially considering the fact that you need to raise the lights as the plants grow and here are other means like plant spacing or using reflective surfaces to get light through an increasingly dense plant canopy. When you are building this stand, John, you would be better advised to adjust the stand dimentions so that it will meet your future needs. Most of the double bulb fixtures that people use are 4 foot long. Therefore, I'd make the length of the stand slightly longer so that the fixtures arent pinched within the framework as you will need to raise or lower them. iprefer a dowel rod above each fixture with finishing nails inserted in the ends. Then with 2 sets of chain draped over each end of the structure you can simply slip the nail out of one chain link and into another to adjust height. But your 30" width is a bit confusing. Standard flats are 11" x 22". Newly germinated plants (first two weeks) need to have the lights just above the leaf canopy and so placing two trays/shelf parallel with the light tubes makes good sense. Once plants are forming a second set of leaves you should transplant them into larger cell packs unless you have already wasted space under lights by starting seeds in larger cells. My point is that at this next growth stage you can get reasonably good light coverage by placing 5 trays/shelf perpendicular to the light tubes. For this tray positioning a 23" wide shelf will work fine. You can staple a 3/8" cord around the shelf perimeter and just cut open a larger garbage bag as a liner. The cord will keep water contained nd the plastic will hold small amounts of water until it evaporates. I would not recommend watering plants on the shelves. You'll need to get them out from beneath the lights to do a good job and it can get a bit messy. I like to use a combination of watering methods: Bottom watering by wicking action, sprinkling can and mister for fragile plants. All of these watering methods are best done in different location. Once trays are allowed to drain of excess water set them centrally on an opened section of your favorite newspaper and by extending your arms under the tray and usung your hands to fold up the opposite newspaper corners around the tray corners you can transport trys accross your house without drips as long as you gently tip the tray away from you toward the folded corners. I can provide you with some guidelines for different 3 tier stands. I have two wooden frame stands, one simply cheap PVC frame stand and a ceiling supported 33 flat setup that get me through the "Free heat" phase of plant starting. After that the trade off of supplemental heat for free light begins to get stressing.

Update: I changed the fuel and air filters. The fuel seemed to flow fine when pulling the old filter, so I don't think that was it. The air filter looked somewhat dirty, but not too awful. When I mowed again I made it through the whole yard stalling 3 times. 1st it was out of gas, so that doesn't really count, but it restarted fine. 2nd was when I was almost done, but it did restart. 3rd was right after I finished and it wouldn't restart, so I just put it away. Maybe the air filter helped some, but I kinda think the seafoam is clearing out the carbon and helping the most. Maybe it'll keep getting better and won't need to be opened up. If I pull and clean out the carb what gaskets am I going to need? Same will pulling the valve cover and the head. I'd like to get them before starting the job. And it is an L-head engine, I guess the type number is wrong. Thanks for all the help.

I met a second contractor yesterday. Not a good fit. He did not listen to me, talked about things that had nothing to do with my project, was argumentative, tried to point out the advantages of laminate counter tops and brought a catalog of very traditional wood cabinets even though I had told him I wanted contemporary euro-style cabinets. Don't contractors bring photos of work they have completed ? This one said he had recently done a remodel in the style I like but he would have to go back to the customer to take a photo of her kitchen. He called her while he was with us to see if he could drop by to take a photo. He was to email it to me but I have not received anything. I find this odd that he would not take a photo of his work when finished. I am meeting a 3rd and last contractor tomorrow. I have the feeling that I will choose # 1.

Before leaving for the new post... Maybe I collect stray cats - have 9 ...and roses... can't have any beautiful objects like yours - especially not vases...the cats climb on everything and then whatever is there falls down and breaks... :-) but I love blue (cobalt especially) vases and bottles, and Jim, I adore those Gijoe doll-statues... they are so well made, perfectly rounded of, with so much attention to detail... I have never seen them. we only have Barbie and Ken dolls here... my brother used to collect Matchbox cars... I never had anything that special... except my cats and my roses... yes Carol... how sad what mankind does to nature... horrific.... I am going to delete the post with the elephant photo's until I've contacted my friends to ask their permission to post it permanently :-) so glad you liked seeing that.... please spread the news - stop purchasing ivory... the sad thing is, when you think about it - all the keys in a piano are made with ivory, that such a beautiful creature had to die to create such beautiful music..ironic isn't it? all for man's pleasure....