# Need help with light requirement for Paph. Niveum



## Nontapatw (Sep 14, 2019)

I just got a Paph Niveum barely a week ago. I’m very new to growing Paphiopedilum and orchids in general.
I’m wondering if my light set up is adequate for my paph niveum.
my orchid is placed around 3 meters away from north side high ceiling window. So it gets very dim light during the day.
Also I’m using 2700k light temperatures with 600 lumens from above my paph like almost a foot away. I turn this on every evening until next morning.
Do you think if I should change the light into 6700k temperature color or 2700k is good enough already?


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## likespaphs (Sep 14, 2019)

6700k is much better as the plant can only absorb light in the 430 nm and 660 nm range and the bulb will create more light in those spectrums and I would turn off the light at night so the plant can rest
it sounds like it is receiving a tiny amount of light and that you could safely move it to about a meter away from the north facing window


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## Ray (Sep 14, 2019)

Assuming you're referring to fluorescent or LED lighting, that correlated color temperature (CCT) is basically irrelevant, as it says nothing about what the true spectrum is, but only tells you that it _looks like_ that true, black-body temperature to the _human eye_.

About the only exception I am aware of is when the fluorescent bulbs are true plant grow lights, in which the phosphors are selected to give as broad of a spectrum as possible.

In white LEDs, lower color temps tend to deliver more far red, which is supposed to be good for blooming.


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## Nontapatw (Sep 15, 2019)

likespaphs said:


> 6700k is much better as the plant can only absorb light in the 430 nm and 660 nm range and the bulb will create more light in those spectrums and I would turn off the light at night so the plant can rest
> it sounds like it is receiving a tiny amount of light and that you could safely move it to about a meter away from the north facing window



Thank you so much  I turn the light on at night because I think my paph doesn’t get enough light during the day. Will doing so mess its circadian clock up though? Or it doesn’t really matter?


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## Nontapatw (Sep 15, 2019)

Ray said:


> Assuming you're referring to fluorescent or LED lighting, that correlated color temperature (CCT) is basically irrelevant, as it says nothing about what the true spectrum is, but only tells you that it _looks like_ that true, black-body temperature to the _human eye_.
> 
> About the only exception I am aware of is when the fluorescent bulbs are true plant grow lights, in which the phosphors are selected to give as broad of a spectrum as possible.
> 
> In white LEDs, lower color temps tend to deliver more far red, which is supposed to be good for blooming.


 
Yes, it’s LEDs light bulb from ikea basically . I have both 600 lumen which I currently use for the plant and also 1000 lumen. Should I replace the bulb with 1000 lumen? However, judging by the eyes, the 600 lumen is already bright enough and The 1000 lumen one is a lot brighter and it seems like it could burn the leaves. 
Both are 2700k in color temperature though


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## Nontapatw (Sep 15, 2019)

Guys, also I run a mini fan by my plant. Will this dry out the plant or it is okay? I’ve been doing this since Monday. And Its leaves still look okay.


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## Ray (Sep 15, 2019)

I think the only difference in growing the paph under a 600- versus 1000-lumen lamp will be the distance between the lamp and the plant...

Fans are intended to prevent air stagnancy, not to provide a breeze on the plant.


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## musa (Sep 16, 2019)

Without knowing your growing conditions, it is hard to give proper answer. Just two things:
Plants need more light than we think. When deep shade is required by plants then it is already quite bright to human eyes.
Plants need at least 8 hours complete darkness. That initiates a change of their metabolism. At daytime they produce energie by photosynthesis consuming CO2, at night plants use that energie consuming oxygene. Light for 24 h might harm your Paph.


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