Lights for growing tomato plants indoors

[KarenD]

Thanks for all the great info! I didn't realize t5 lights put out so much heat. The room is about 10x10 so it may too warm. Schill93, do they sell the 6500k and lower K tubes for the T8 fixtures at Lowes? Are those tubes the same as cool and warm tubes? I guess I am showing my ignorance about lighting!!! Thanks for all your help. I did read through the links provided but admit it's a little confusing.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by KarenD

Thanks for all the great info! I didn't realize t5 lights put out so much heat. The room is about 10x10 so it may too warm. Schill93, do they sell the 6500k and lower K tubes for the T8 fixtures at Lowes? Are those tubes the same as cool and warm tubes? I guess I am showing my ignorance about lighting!!! Thanks for all your help. I did read through the links provided but admit it's a little confusing.

Karen, T5 is 1/2" ( 5/10th of an inch) . Fluorescent bulbs put out very little heat. I use T8, 6500k, daylight deluxe (just for seedlings) I can touch the bulb,..no heat. A 48" bulb/tube uses just 43 watts.

[Black Krim]

KarenO. I'm running two t5's in my bathroom. Keeps the room cozy (along with the warm air circulating from the wood stove.) My issue is the bulbs are hot enough to damage the leaves that touch the bulb so I need to pay extra attention when the plant has grown to the level of the bulb. With my other grow lite, it is cool to the touch and I can relax if the plant grows to the light and above. Not sure the name of the latter as we bought a 4ft fixture and two grow lights to attach.

Just wanted to point out the difference in heat output.

I'm still learning the lighting thing too....

[Black Krim]

PS The different types of lighting and the k values are more confusing when standing at the box store and reading labels that seem void of pertinent and vital info. I didn't think I was stupid until looking at these lights. Building a house was easier. Lol

[dmforcier]

PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!

The entire topic of grow light temperature (spectrum) is bogus for us. It developed among pot growers that are actually concerned about synchronizing flower - i.e. bud - formation. For us, all lamp spectra are essentially the same -- wide enough to supply sufficient red and blue and whatever. **

Your guiding principle should be to replace sunlight. That means "daylight" (6500K?) lamp spectra, though there isn't much difference to the plant between that and cooler spectra.

Don't let color be a thing.


** LEDs tend to emit much narrower, almost monochrome, spectra, so LED replacement lamps for household or grow lighting are composed of different color LEDs to spread the spectra.

[dmforcier]

Re: Heat. My standard T8 tubes get warm enough to scorch the tender leaves. T5s are even hotter. So long as they're not in contact, things are great.

Karen, is the 10x10 room heated? Isolated from the rest of the house? Eight tubes will likely get the ambient temp up into the 80s, but plants like that.

[KarenD]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

Re: Heat. My standard T8 tubes get warm enough to scorch the tender leaves. T5s are even hotter. So long as they're not in contact, things are great.

Karen, is the 10x10 room heated? Isolated from the rest of the house? Eight tubes will likely get the ambient temp up into the 80s, but plants like that.

It is an unused bedroom so not isolated from the rest of the house. The forced hot air vents are turned off in the room so it's a few degrees cooler in that room. It may benefit from a little warmth from the lights.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by KarenD

It is an unused bedroom so not isolated from the rest of the house. The forced hot air vents are turned off in the room so it's a few degrees cooler in that room. It may benefit from a little warmth from the lights.

You want your plants at 70 degrees exactly no more no less or they will die.
No 70 to 80 is fine that is the soil temp too and they will zoooom.
Need oscillating fan too.
Worth

[schill93]

These are the 6500 K light bulbs (tubes) that I buy for mine (except I buy them in the 12 pack.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/SYLVANIA-2-...-94-in/3203535

This is the two light fixture they carry that I use:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-L...-13-in/4013485

I would prefer the 4 light fixture, but metal hood is in a dull grey color (dumb).

If you mix your light bulbs, you would use one 6500 K and then a warm one which promotes flowering. However, as I mentioned I get flowers with just my 6500 K bulbs.

[dmforcier]

I would prefer the 4 light fixture, but metal hood is in a dull grey color (dumb).

I use the 4-tube version of that fixture. It just fits between the uprights of my wire shelves. The hood is quite reflective, and looks suspiciously like the aluminum foil I have behind it to augment the reflection.

I mixed tube temps - 6500K and 5400K(?). Don't need to mix, but it works fine.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by schill93

These are the 6500 K light bulbs (tubes) that I buy for mine (except I buy them in the 12 pack.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/SYLVANIA-2-...-94-in/3203535

This is the two light fixture they carry that I use:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-L...-13-in/4013485

I would prefer the 4 light fixture, but metal hood is in a dull grey color (dumb).

If you mix your light bulbs, you would use one 6500 K and then a warm one which promotes flowering. However, as I mentioned I get flowers with just my 6500 K bulbs.

I have 3 twin tube T8,purchased @ HD . The fixture alone cost ~$12.50. Tubes purchased separately (~ $7.50 for 2 ) So complete wired/read to plug in fixture cost ~~ 20 bucks. I have used them 3 season so far. I have 3 of them. I like them a lot. They are slim and I sore them back in their original box, with the tubes on, when done with growing seedlings.
Now these are for growing seedlings and I don't know how they can be implemented for growing fruiting mature tomato plants, as Karen intend to do.

[FarmerShawn]

Question, for those using fluorescent bulbs. Do you use them until they die, or do you replace them periodically? That is, do they produce the same quality of light for their entire life, or do they degrade over time?


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[Worth1]

They degrade over time from day one.
Worth

[Ricky Shaw]

After a couple of seasons I move them into fixtures in other rooms. The kitchen, shop, and entire basement is lit with 4ft fluorescent bulbs. The older T12 fixtures are being upgraded into T8 and T5's as bulbs become available.

[KarenO]

Set your shelf up in front of the biggest south facing window you can and then supplement the window light for 16 hours a day with plugin t12 fixtures. Works for me. Expensive lights are for growing things other than tomatoes in blacked out rooms and closets IMO.
KarenO