The growing areas MEGATHREAD!

[Heather]

Update

Okay, over a year later, I've finally got the 400W MH lamp that Lien sent me up and running. Yay! Bring on the happy plants!

 

[NYEric]

Nice. I'm going to the hydroponic store today to replace a filter. I'm going to see if they have grow lights like your old ones and make a frame to hang a couple from. E.

 

[L I Jane]

Nice going Heather-looking good! Will you have to get a 3rd or 4th job to pay for the electric? but nothing is too good for our plants!

 

[Heather]

Nice going Heather-looking good! Will you have to get a 3rd or 4th job to pay for the electric? but nothing is too good for our plants!

Ohhh....no...you had to remind me, Jane!

This is my scariest thing going on right now. If it were not for the uncertainty of my electric bill...I am terribly anxious about it, and have yet to set up the gas heat. Speaking of which, I worry that that will bother any buds I have!?

help....yikes.

 

[L I Jane]

OOOO-Sorry!

 

[TADD]

H, we have propane heat also, I have noticed no ill effects. Our power bill barely changed with my 400 watt MH. The A/C and Heat are the biggies!

 

[SlipperFan]

I worry a little about the plants on the peripheral of your light. By the photo, it looks like they might not be getting enough, compared to the ones underneath. If you have a light meter, you could measure how much is coming at the middle, and compare to the ends.

 

[Heather]

H, we have propane heat also, I have noticed no ill effects. Our power bill barely changed with my 400 watt MH. The A/C and Heat are the biggies!

I had propane heat in Shirley, and it was fine, but this is natural gas, I believe. I imagine it is likely fine, I am more concerned about the fact that it is downstairs, and my bedroom is upstairs and it looks very archaic.

I worry a little about the plants on the peripheral of your light. By the photo, it looks like they might not be getting enough, compared to the ones underneath. If you have a light meter, you could measure how much is coming at the middle, and compare to the ends.

Hi Dot, yes, I arranged the plants so that those that I am having trouble blooming and are the higher light loving plants are on the two closest trays. I am planning tomorrow on lowering the lamp a bit, because even now, they are only getting about 1500FC. The plants on the periphery actually get natural sun as well. I have two additional 160W mercury vapor lamps that I plan on hanging tomorrow. One on the far end of the shelf to the left and one across from them where my long petaled Phrags are currently residing. They get several hours of sunlight from a skylight, but will need a bit extra on cloudy days.

This is a work in progress and when I get the light rail from Rob, everyone should get more equal amounts of light. I just figured in the meantime, I would at least get the lamp up and running.

 

[SlipperFan]

Hi Dot, yes, I arranged the plants so that those that I am having trouble blooming and are the higher light loving plants are on the two closest trays. I am planning tomorrow on lowering the lamp a bit, because even now, they are only getting about 1500FC. The plants on the periphery actually get natural sun as well. I have two additional 160W mercury vapor lamps that I plan on hanging tomorrow. One on the far end of the shelf to the left and one across from them where my long petaled Phrags are currently residing. They get several hours of sunlight from a skylight, but will need a bit extra on cloudy days.

This is a work in progress and when I get the light rail from Rob, everyone should get more equal amounts of light. I just figured in the meantime, I would at least get the lamp up and running.

Sigh of relief!

 

[NYEric]

Hi. I got 2 plant bulbs like Heather's old set up. Should I only use them to extend light hours or use them in conjunction w/ the natural sunlight [for my Phrag seedlings]? E.

 

[Heather]

Hi. I got 2 plant bulbs like Heather's old set up. Should I only use them to extend light hours or use them in conjunction w/ the natural sunlight [for my Phrag seedlings]? E.

Which, Eric, the Wonderlites or the CFLs? If you got the Wonderlites, stick with the 160W. The company, Westron, had a problem w/ the 300s and I believe they are actually taking them off the market. Kept me in free bulbs for a long time though. They have excellent customer service, BTW! If they ever blow on you, sooner than expected, be sure to contact them. I just got all three of mine set up again tonight. Now If I can get the timers straightened out I'll be all set!

Either way, I would use them in conjunction with the natural light. The more the merrier, IMO (and that's how I've been growing them for a couple years now.)


Dot Thanks for your concern. You'll be happy to know my two lightless corners are now lit in addition to the natural sunlight they get.

 

[Marco]

Which, Eric, the Wonderlites or the CFLs? If you got the Wonderlites, stick with the 160W. The company, Westron, had a problem w/ the 300s and I believe they are actually taking them off the market. Kept me in free bulbs for a long time though. They have excellent customer service, BTW! If they ever blow on you, sooner than expected, be sure to contact them. I just got all three of mine set up again tonight. Now If I can get the timers straightened out I'll be all set!

Heather reccomended 160W spots to me too when i first started. I use 2x120W spots now though and they work great

 

[Heather]

Marco,

The 160W wonderlights aren't like the Agrosun Dayspots (I used those too once). These are actually mercury vapor lights, so they are like mini MH or HPS, but with an integrated ballast in the reflector. Charlie's Greenhouse Supply sells them. Here's a link:

http://www.thekrib.com/Lights/wonderlite-ad.html

I don't know how well they really work. I could never get the 300W ones to work long enough to notice much of a difference between them and the 160W bulbs, as I used them in a place I really got a lot of sun anyway, so they were just supplemental. I couldn't use them in W. Roxbury where the natural lighting was not as good. So, here, where I have less sunlight (though a fair amount), I am using to supplement. I don't know that I'd use them alone with no natural light.

I dunno, when I first started growing I was pretty much told "you will only bloom your plants if you do this!" However, I've found that there are really plenty of options out there, not just one, and I'm having fun exploring them all. And watching my plants bloom.

 

[NYEric]

I'll have to check what I'm using when I get home. So far I set the 2 bulbs over the trays w/ the most seedlings and have run the lights until 2 AM to get extra light/time to the babies. I have tremendous natural light and when I get home early enough I open my windows so the Sun can shine directly on the plants. [I heard somewhere that glass blocks natural ultraviolet frequencies] If I was ambitious I would do a comparison between growth of seedlings w/ the grow bulbs vs w/out. E.

 

[cdub]

So I had some birthday money burning a hole in my pocket and it certainly had been a while since I had money that I could use EXCLUSIVELY for orchid needs. I had my online shopping list ready, but I was torn between going on a plant binge, or to invest in an indoor light setup that could afford me more growing space in the future. I had a iron plant stand with shelves that I was convinced I could add lights to. After some brainstorming and a couple trips to Lowes, I have no money left for plants, but a setup I am stoked about. Here's some photos.

I found some 20 watt, T-8 fluorescent fixtures with adjustable power cords and put a hefty amount of velcro on the back, then attached two to the underside of each shelf. Here's me attaching the light on the lowest shelf.

The lights have been on all day and produce a small amount of heat that is readily picked up by the iron shelves above them, but it don't think it's enough to affect the plants on the above shelf. There are about 5 inches from the tip of the tallest plant to the lights. Some tidying up to the cord lengths and it looks like those $400 units sold at hydroponic dealers!

Notice the apparent vacant space on my new shelves. But, I'm all set for some new plants the next time some cash falls into my lap! Since I switched out the tubes that came with the fixtures with "grow lights" (also sold at Lowes), the lights cost me total $90.00. I probably could have done it cheaper and linked the circuits up with open wiring, but the pre-plugged fixtures sure were easy. My camera is reading about 1000 foot-candles after the sun has gone down, but it's better than the 600 fc I was getting from the window alone. I don't even know how to effectively assess foot-candles anyhow. As I see it, if the plants grow well, the light seems to be working. Here's hoping. Thanks for looking at my new setup!

 

[Heather]

Cool!
Just make sure that velcro is going to hold. I've had recent issues with velcro and weight that needed a superglue solution.

Can you post a link to the exact lights in Lowe's online catalog? (if there exists one?) thinking about re-thinking a couple things here at home w/ regards to my not so wonderful 'Wonder' lights.

BTW Chris, that pic of you, with the leaves in the iron work, I thought for a minute you were wearing some sort of ears on your head.

 

[kentuckiense]

BTW Chris, that pic of you, with the leaves in the iron work, I thought for a minute you were wearing some sort of ears on your head.

He is. During all of the collection trips I assisted with this summer, he insisted on wearing animal ears. It was pretty strange and it made me uncomfortable.

 

[PHRAG]

Indoor growing areas rule.

Zach, everything makes you uncomfortable. That's what I find sexy about you.

Purrrrr.

 

[Heather]

He is. During all of the collection trips I assisted with this summer, he insisted on wearing animal ears. It was pretty strange and it made me uncomfortable.

Did he insist you wear them too?

Seriously, it's Lien's fault. All those 'Neverending Story' clips he keeps sending....I see extra ears everywhere now!

 

[lienluu]

ummm only two ears...