Grow Light questions - Page 3

nnjjohn · February 25, 2014

I bought a couple of led grow bulbs (two for about 10.00 dollars) on amazon.. i have the clap on fixtures ..going to make something to set them overhead my new seedling trays..i will post them soon... maybe a few weeks before i start trying to seed anything.. but i want to trial the led lamps so i might try sooner starting with some herbs.I am new to growing from seeds and know from last my own experiments over the last few years it can be tough growing seedlings.. this time i have the heatpad dome and will test these bulbs soon.

tlcmd · February 25, 2014

Thanks for all the replies and advice. As I already have this fixtures, my son brought me two 40 W "grow" florescent tubes for it. I am also planting, in addition to two varieties of tomatoes, 2 varieties of basil and wormwood (Artemesia absynthium) which requires light to germinate. So, from what I've read, it will not hurt anything to leave them on 24/7. I'll post results. And as soon as they are up anf growing well, all of my flats will be moved outdoors in a very small greenhouse with an electric heater and gradually exposed to the sun.
Will post the results, maybe with pics.

loulac · February 26, 2014

Quote:

ticmd wrote : It will not hurt anything to leave [lights] on 24/7

I'm not sure it's the best approach. Most growers seem to use a time switch to turn the lights off about 6 hours a day. Besides you are supposed to lower the temperature to slow growth down to avoid getting spindly tomatoes.

bughunter99 · February 26, 2014

I leave mine on from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed. No timer. I like leaving the timer off because it forces twice a day inspection for needs.

I keep the lights on the soil starting from day three, even if they haven't sprouted yet. This helps prevent that big first day stretch for light. Remember too tall and too thin is too weak.

For fat, strong and stocky plants, keep your fixtures quite low, just above the leaves.

The best light waves will be at the center of the bulb. Light waves on the ends are much weaker. Try and rotate plants around to give them a chance a the good light if you are able.

Cover a few pieces of cereal box cardboard with foil and lean them around your light set up to increase the way light is bouncing to the plants if you want to dial things up.

Your grow lights don't last forever. They will need replacing long before they bulb burns out. I have no idea what this time frame is for LED but for fluorescent it is no more than two seasons for me.

Remember that light from grow lights and light from the sun are not remotely the same. I take my plants out from under the lights and move them outside on days where temperatures are warm enough. I am able to do this pretty early by using a cold frame or temp plastic greenhouse. They come in at night at first. This is work but worth it for the better light and earlier hardening off.

remember that plants will need to get used to outdoor light and wind so keep the first trips outdoors short and in the shade, and make sure they are well watered before taking them out.

Stacy

Winemaker · February 26, 2014

I started my plants in the garage in heated starting trays under one of those plastic domes that covers the entire tray. My seeds have all sprouted, should I now remove the plastic dome and lower the lamps. Humidity is pretty high with the dome on. This is my first year starting tomato seeds. My lamps are being switched tonight to 6500K.

Doyle

kath · February 26, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winemaker

I started my plants in the garage in heated starting trays under one of those plastic domes that covers the entire tray. My seeds have all sprouted, should I now remove the plastic dome and lower the lamps. Humidity is pretty high with the dome on. This is my first year starting tomato seeds. My lamps are being switched tonight to 6500K.

Doyle

Yes, now! Cover off and lights close as soon as the 1st sprout breaks through.

Winemaker · February 26, 2014

Thanks for the quick reply.
Makes me think I should run home for lunch and make the adjustments.

ssi912 · February 26, 2014

here is what I have done for 7 years. get a 4 foot, 4 bulb florescent fixture. get one of those foldable white top tables. they sell them in the wal mart camping section. get 2 daylight bulbs, 2 kitchen bulbs, preferably t8. most fixtures now can take either t8 or t12. t8 is more efficient. now, here comes the creative part. you need to find some way to suspend the fixture over the table top. I bought a stand from parks 8 years ago that came with a 2 light ballast. worked good, but needed more light. I suspend the fixture with chain so I can adjust according to seedling growth. I also use a heat mat with a thermostat. I keep the thermostat at 80 degrees. once a few seedlings start to emerge I lift the seed tray cover on one corner a few inches. I use a stick in the corner of the seed tray and lid to lift the lid a few inches. just break the stick to desired height. once a third to half of seeds sprout I take off the lid. lower heat mat to 75 degrees. I keep heat on 75 for another fed days, give or take. whatever has not sprouted by now I guess I don't grow, which is been vary rare(use 4 year or younger seed) anything older and germination is too late. you want all your seeds to sprout about the same time, within 3-5 days of one another. I then turn off heat. grow in a climate control room. temperature can range from 68 degrees to 77, depending on outside temp. I start seeds in 2 inch cells, transplant up to 24 oz. Styrofoam cups after second true leaf and grow on outdoors in cold frame. my plants in 4-5 weeks are drop dead gorgeous. thick stems, not to tall. I use fox farm ocean mix potting soil. I don't fertilize until last week or so depending on outside temp. if you can get fox farm ocean forest potting soil, use that. I have tried a lot of different brand and have found this to be superior for starting plants before being put in the garden. I may or may not fertilize until set in the ground, plants look very lush with or without fertilizer. I find my fox farm at one of those indoor ganja growing stores. those guys have indoor growing to a science. I have used HID lights with good success as well. they just generate too much heat. that is a different discussion. I start my chili peppers almost the same way. if you need info on that, just ask.

Winemaker · February 26, 2014

Great inputs.
Thanks

koshki · March 1, 2014

I have grown orchids under T5s for a number of years. I had a small 2' seedling starter light that had T12 (or 8s, I'm not sure). I got a pair of LED lights that are for retrofitting the larger fluorescent fixtures (not the T5s).

Anyway, this is the second season I've used the LEDs to start my plants. I started some dwarfs and peppers at the end of January, and they are doing very well. I need to up pot them soon.

I started them so early because last year they took forever to produce any fruit...the peppers didn't have anything ripe until October! They were started in April last year. I'll have room for them under the orchid lights until global warming returns.

nwplouff · March 1, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by bughunter99

Your grow lights don't last forever. They will need replacing long before they bulb burns out. I have no idea what this time frame is for LED but for fluorescent it is no more than two seasons for me.

A lot of LED replacements for incandescent bulbs (60 or 75 watt replacement) are rated at 20,000 hours lifetime. That's 27 months of continuous use. The LED lifetime is how many hours of use it takes before the brightness decreases by a certain amount.

Now, conditions in the growing room may have some effect, but it's safe to say that LED lights will last a l-o-n-g time.

Wes

Doug9345 · March 1, 2014

Here's the problem I have with all the estimates of LED life. They focus on the LEDs themselves and not the whole bulb. Most of the numbers are also in base down configuration. Now here my problem with the hours being claimed for LED replacement bulbs. My experience with CFL is that most fail because something in the ballast fails and not because the tube fails. Well LEDs have an almost identical ballast or power supply in them and I see no reason that it will last any longer than those in CFLs. I suspect that if you run both LED bulbs and CFLs in the base up position in a fixture that they'll show similar life spans.

February 25, 2014	#31
nnjjohn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: northern new jersey Posts: 683	i'll show pictures of the led lights I bought a couple of led grow bulbs (two for about 10.00 dollars) on amazon.. i have the clap on fixtures ..going to make something to set them overhead my new seedling trays..i will post them soon... maybe a few weeks before i start trying to seed anything.. but i want to trial the led lamps so i might try sooner starting with some herbs.I am new to growing from seeds and know from last my own experiments over the last few years it can be tough growing seedlings.. this time i have the heatpad dome and will test these bulbs soon. __________________ john

February 25, 2014	#32
tlcmd Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Greensboro, N.C. Posts: 132	Thanks again to all who replied Thanks for all the replies and advice. As I already have this fixtures, my son brought me two 40 W "grow" florescent tubes for it. I am also planting, in addition to two varieties of tomatoes, 2 varieties of basil and wormwood (Artemesia absynthium) which requires light to germinate. So, from what I've read, it will not hurt anything to leave them on 24/7. I'll post results. And as soon as they are up anf growing well, all of my flats will be moved outdoors in a very small greenhouse with an electric heater and gradually exposed to the sun. Will post the results, maybe with pics. __________________ Harmmmmmmmmmoniously, Dick "If only Longstreet had followed orders......" "Show me something more beautiful than a beautiful woman and then I'll go paint it." Alberto Vargas

February 26, 2014	#34
bughunter99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: zone 5 Posts: 821	I leave mine on from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed. No timer. I like leaving the timer off because it forces twice a day inspection for needs. I keep the lights on the soil starting from day three, even if they haven't sprouted yet. This helps prevent that big first day stretch for light. Remember too tall and too thin is too weak. For fat, strong and stocky plants, keep your fixtures quite low, just above the leaves. The best light waves will be at the center of the bulb. Light waves on the ends are much weaker. Try and rotate plants around to give them a chance a the good light if you are able. Cover a few pieces of cereal box cardboard with foil and lean them around your light set up to increase the way light is bouncing to the plants if you want to dial things up. Your grow lights don't last forever. They will need replacing long before they bulb burns out. I have no idea what this time frame is for LED but for fluorescent it is no more than two seasons for me. Remember that light from grow lights and light from the sun are not remotely the same. I take my plants out from under the lights and move them outside on days where temperatures are warm enough. I am able to do this pretty early by using a cold frame or temp plastic greenhouse. They come in at night at first. This is work but worth it for the better light and earlier hardening off. remember that plants will need to get used to outdoor light and wind so keep the first trips outdoors short and in the shade, and make sure they are well watered before taking them out. Stacy Last edited by bughunter99; February 26, 2014 at 09:10 AM.

March 1, 2014	#40
koshki Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Grosse Pointe Shores, MI Posts: 127	I have grown orchids under T5s for a number of years. I had a small 2' seedling starter light that had T12 (or 8s, I'm not sure). I got a pair of LED lights that are for retrofitting the larger fluorescent fixtures (not the T5s). Anyway, this is the second season I've used the LEDs to start my plants. I started some dwarfs and peppers at the end of January, and they are doing very well. I need to up pot them soon. I started them so early because last year they took forever to produce any fruit...the peppers didn't have anything ripe until October! They were started in April last year. I'll have room for them under the orchid lights until global warming returns. __________________ Katherine

February 26, 2014	#35
Winemaker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: El Dorado Hills, Ca Posts: 47	I started my plants in the garage in heated starting trays under one of those plastic domes that covers the entire tray. My seeds have all sprouted, should I now remove the plastic dome and lower the lamps. Humidity is pretty high with the dome on. This is my first year starting tomato seeds. My lamps are being switched tonight to 6500K. Doyle

February 26, 2014	#38
ssi912 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: St. Simons Island, Ga. Posts: 83	here is what I have done for 7 years. get a 4 foot, 4 bulb florescent fixture. get one of those foldable white top tables. they sell them in the wal mart camping section. get 2 daylight bulbs, 2 kitchen bulbs, preferably t8. most fixtures now can take either t8 or t12. t8 is more efficient. now, here comes the creative part. you need to find some way to suspend the fixture over the table top. I bought a stand from parks 8 years ago that came with a 2 light ballast. worked good, but needed more light. I suspend the fixture with chain so I can adjust according to seedling growth. I also use a heat mat with a thermostat. I keep the thermostat at 80 degrees. once a few seedlings start to emerge I lift the seed tray cover on one corner a few inches. I use a stick in the corner of the seed tray and lid to lift the lid a few inches. just break the stick to desired height. once a third to half of seeds sprout I take off the lid. lower heat mat to 75 degrees. I keep heat on 75 for another fed days, give or take. whatever has not sprouted by now I guess I don't grow, which is been vary rare(use 4 year or younger seed) anything older and germination is too late. you want all your seeds to sprout about the same time, within 3-5 days of one another. I then turn off heat. grow in a climate control room. temperature can range from 68 degrees to 77, depending on outside temp. I start seeds in 2 inch cells, transplant up to 24 oz. Styrofoam cups after second true leaf and grow on outdoors in cold frame. my plants in 4-5 weeks are drop dead gorgeous. thick stems, not to tall. I use fox farm ocean mix potting soil. I don't fertilize until last week or so depending on outside temp. if you can get fox farm ocean forest potting soil, use that. I have tried a lot of different brand and have found this to be superior for starting plants before being put in the garden. I may or may not fertilize until set in the ground, plants look very lush with or without fertilizer. I find my fox farm at one of those indoor ganja growing stores. those guys have indoor growing to a science. I have used HID lights with good success as well. they just generate too much heat. that is a different discussion. I start my chili peppers almost the same way. if you need info on that, just ask.

March 1, 2014	#42
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	Here's the problem I have with all the estimates of LED life. They focus on the LEDs themselves and not the whole bulb. Most of the numbers are also in base down configuration. Now here my problem with the hours being claimed for LED replacement bulbs. My experience with CFL is that most fail because something in the ballast fails and not because the tube fails. Well LEDs have an almost identical ballast or power supply in them and I see no reason that it will last any longer than those in CFLs. I suspect that if you run both LED bulbs and CFLs in the base up position in a fixture that they'll show similar life spans.