Another lighting question

asaump · January 25, 2018

I plan to start seedlings (tomatoes and peppers) for the first time in my basement this spring. Will be very little natural light available. I am probably looking at 6-8 plants of each. May put a few cukes under the lights also. I am trying to get this set up as cost effective (also spelled cheap) as I can. Would something like this work?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FQ15R6...EE431X30&psc=1

Thanks for any help with this.

rhines81 · January 25, 2018

Not exactly cheap because you would be buying way more than what you need. You linked to an 8-pack of single T5 fixtures when one or two 4-foot lights is all you would need for that small quantity of plants. Yes, the T5 bulbs with the fixture(s) would work fine. I start over 200 plants with 6 T5 bulbs (2 lights per 4 foot fixture).

Maybe look at something like this T8 fixture instead:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-L...8-5-in/1208545

asaump · January 26, 2018

Thanks for the feedback. I can get less of these lights but good to know these will work.

Didn't notice your link until after I posted the above. I'll have to look at these. They are available at my local Lowes. On clearance also for $10 off.

PaulF · January 26, 2018

I go with a 2 bulb cheap-o shop light available at Wal-Mart for $10. Bulbs are 5 or 6 dollars each. I have been using this system for 25+years.

sjamesNorway · January 26, 2018

The T8 fixtures recommended by rhines81, or cheap-0 from Walmart are fine. I'd recommend you use 6500K (K = Kelvin = color temperature) "daylight" fluorescent tubes with them, as these are best for seedlings.

Steve

Koala Doug · January 26, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by asaump

I plan to start seedlings (tomatoes and peppers) for the first time in my basement this spring. Will be very little natural light available. I am probably looking at 6-8 plants of each. May put a few cukes under the lights also. I am trying to get this set up as cost effective (also spelled cheap) as I can. Would something like this work?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FQ15R6...EE431X30&psc=1

Just so you know, those are LED lights in a T5 fixture, not a fluorescent T5 tube light.

As someone else has already suggested, you could get a cheap T8 fluorescent tube & ballast setup for pretty cheap. And replacement T8 bulbs are also cheap and easy to source. In my opinion, that is the best balance of affordability, availability, and performance.

Cole_Robbie · January 27, 2018

Wiring your own lights will always be the cheapest. Most of your money will then be in the bulbs. Here's a light I made for next to nothing: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=35099

Soilsniffer · January 28, 2018

Am I correct that we would need *fluorescent* lights, and not LEDs?

rhines81 · January 28, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soilsniffer

Am I correct that we would need *fluorescent* lights, and not LEDs?

You can use either.

T8 fluorescent would be recommend for a cheap solution. T5 fluorescent is even better and more efficient, but a bit more costly than T8. LED would be the best, but also the most expensive.

However, if you already have T5 fixtures, upgrading those to LED lights is just a matter of buying the LED tubes to replace the T5 tubes (same connections) and that would be the next best step if you wanted an upgrade from the T5 fluorescent after they have reached the end of their life.

Just took a peek and apparently you can also get plug & play LED lights for replacing the T8 tubes (and T12) as well.

Ricky Shaw · January 28, 2018

A basement in Maine could be a place that benefits from the heat of fluorescents. Unless you're cold treating seedlings to possibly increase first truss fruit sets, 70's for days and 60's for nights is a nice healthy zone. Warm enough to fight damping off and not so high as to stress the plants or accelerate evaporation.

January 25, 2018	#1
asaump Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Maine, 4b Posts: 73	Another lighting question I plan to start seedlings (tomatoes and peppers) for the first time in my basement this spring. Will be very little natural light available. I am probably looking at 6-8 plants of each. May put a few cukes under the lights also. I am trying to get this set up as cost effective (also spelled cheap) as I can. Would something like this work? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FQ15R6...EE431X30&psc=1 Thanks for any help with this.

January 25, 2018	#2
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	Not exactly cheap because you would be buying way more than what you need. You linked to an 8-pack of single T5 fixtures when one or two 4-foot lights is all you would need for that small quantity of plants. Yes, the T5 bulbs with the fixture(s) would work fine. I start over 200 plants with 6 T5 bulbs (2 lights per 4 foot fixture). Maybe look at something like this T8 fixture instead: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-L...8-5-in/1208545 Last edited by rhines81; January 25, 2018 at 09:03 PM.

January 26, 2018	#3
asaump Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Maine, 4b Posts: 73	Thanks for the feedback. I can get less of these lights but good to know these will work. Didn't notice your link until after I posted the above. I'll have to look at these. They are available at my local Lowes. On clearance also for $10 off. __________________ Ken Last edited by asaump; January 26, 2018 at 11:23 AM.

January 26, 2018	#4
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,294	I go with a 2 bulb cheap-o shop light available at Wal-Mart for $10. Bulbs are 5 or 6 dollars each. I have been using this system for 25+years. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

January 28, 2018	#8
Soilsniffer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: z7, Richmond VA Posts: 187	Am I correct that we would need fluorescent lights, and not LEDs? __________________ Identifying garlic is done mostly by consensus. Many are like trying to identify the difference between twins.

January 26, 2018	#5
sjamesNorway Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Norway Posts: 1,049	The T8 fixtures recommended by rhines81, or cheap-0 from Walmart are fine. I'd recommend you use 6500K (K = Kelvin = color temperature) "daylight" fluorescent tubes with them, as these are best for seedlings. Steve

January 27, 2018	#7
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Wiring your own lights will always be the cheapest. Most of your money will then be in the bulbs. Here's a light I made for next to nothing: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=35099

January 28, 2018	#10
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	A basement in Maine could be a place that benefits from the heat of fluorescents. Unless you're cold treating seedlings to possibly increase first truss fruit sets, 70's for days and 60's for nights is a nice healthy zone. Warm enough to fight damping off and not so high as to stress the plants or accelerate evaporation.