I've been debating getting a Sunblaster LED fixture, which I've heard good things about online. However, my local gardening shop told me yesterday they aren't getting them in, and won't be, since they feel they are not full-spectrum enough. Yet I see succulent growers recommending them over the Sunblaster T5HOs, which I currently run. Not sure what to think...if they are good they would cover a larger area for the same power consumption as my T5HOs..Does anyone have experience with both?

Pagan, I've also been wondering about those pink lights, but the colour scares me off...

It's for that reason that I only use the blurples in the basement, which now glows with that unholy light lol

For the shelves I have in the house, I use Sunblaster T5HOs too. They are a little harder to manage because high-light plants will have to be very close to the bulb but then they get hot. So I have the rack right against the glass door. What this does in winter is heat up the plants during the day and then cool them down rapidly when the lights switch off and temp drops outside.

And yes, I use both. My haworthias are lit with blurple LEDs. I decided to do this because they are in the unheated basement to keep them cool during the winter and the LED panels I use do not generate too much waste in the form of heat. The down side is that it is too much light for haworthias. So to avoid light stress, I keep the panels on only for about 6 hours.

I think I'm with Pagan on this one, Rob. Panels are the way to go. MUCH cheaper than they used to be, so like Pagan said, you can get on from Amazon for 27-30 dollars (this is a 45 watt).

For a while I was getting scared off from the reviews saying that the lights were low powered, etc, but they are plenty bright for succulents, and yes, I have burned some plants.

Here is a link for reference:
https://www.amazon.com/Roleadro-Panel-Spectrum-Growing-Flowering/dp/B01IVQ96KY/ref=pd_sbs_86_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=MTNAP3VZZFBXYDBZCTT5

As usual, much more $ in Canada -:( Same as link above by mesembs is CDN $40.

I do not know anything about these lights... How do you decide which one is best - there are others, very similar, just differ in no of color leds: one above or this one or this one?

The blurple light seems to trigger inflorescence in my plants. At least it did for my agavoides, Neon Breakers, black prince, black knight, purpusorum and runyonii. It does a spectacular job in bringing out the reds and he purples. The aeoniums being especially the first ones to change color from their usual green to an almost zwartkop color - and revert to green when moved outdoors under the sun. The panels are also very mildly warm which I use as make shift heat pads for the leaves which I am trying to root (I put soil on a plastic tray and put the leaf and cuttings on top then I put them on top of the LED panels)

After a lot of back and forth I finally chose honeywell shoplights at 5000K and 42 Watts. I got them at Sam's for $27 each on sale. I decided I could not deal with looking at odd colored light every day. I am just trying to overwinter, so decided to go with white light on the blue end of the spectrum. I have only been using them on costco shelves, one per shelf, for a month, but so far so good. No etoliation and some things are beginning to flower.

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/2pack-led-shop-light-sh445505b299/prod21228695.ip?navAction=push

I have decided on a single compact flourescent at 5500K in a clip lamp. about $25.

I just seen the Sams club ones and was wondering if that would work for plants. They had one plugged in and I was surprised at how bright they were.

I like how the Sam's lights fit my shelves. Here are some of the shelves of my setup. The lights have a nice profile. I want to get some reflective mylar for the back side against the wall. I have 8 lights on 8 shelves, over 2 shelvong units. The shelving units were from Costco.. 4 ft x 22" per shelf. The deeper shelves fit 4 perma-nest trays if you overlap the tray lips. I cut up egg crate diffuser from Home Depot to insert in the trays to keep thhe plants out of draining water.

Odyssey

Very orderly :) Your plants look quite happy there.

I have mylar, but can't tell for sure it was worth spending $ on, or not - I don't have any 'before' and 'after' data to compare. White paint is supposed to be very good for light reflexion. IIRC, ewwmayo posted a list of different surfaces - will try to find it.

ETA: can't find the list, but here is bit from ewwmayo: ..."I'm not sure if I remember correctly, but the reflectivity of aluminum foil isn't that good. White paint does a better job. Reflective mylar is best and not too expensive (check hydroponics stores)"... So, mylar is good? :)

This is my go-to video. I mute the music though.

Thank you Rina! Means a lot coming from you.

I saw a cheap emergency mylar blanket I keep meaning to order. I will try it for a few dollars. I remember reading ewwmayo's comments about white paint. It is why I chose white perma-nest trays. :)

Interesting link Pagan. Do you use some kind of white material?