Appropriate Seed Starting Light?

[jdmfish]

Hey guys and gals, just picked up an 18" "under cabinet" light, hopefully enough to get seeds going.

According to the manufacturer's website, it's an 18" tube (15w), 820 lumens, and a kelvin rating of 5000k.



Hopefully this is enough light to get them to sprout, and through the early stages (a week past germination, maybe?). I paid $6 and change from Walmart. Thought it was a good deal.


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1. How close can I place this light to the seeds?


2. What type of lighting schedule should I run, in the first stage? I thought I remember like 24 hours light, until germination. Then 20/4, one week, 18/6 the next, 16/8 etc.




Thanks for your help! *cheers*

[tjg911]

Originally Posted by jdmfish

Hey guys and gals, just picked up an 18" "under cabinet" light, hopefully enough to get seeds going.

According to the manufacturer's website, it's an 18" tube (15w), 820 lumens, and a kelvin rating of 5000k.



Hopefully this is enough light to get them to sprout, and through the early stages (a week past germination, maybe?). I paid $6 and change from Walmart. Thought it was a good deal.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


1. How close can I place this light to the seeds?


2. What type of lighting schedule should I run, in the first stage? I thought I remember like 24 hours light, until germination. Then 20/4, one week, 18/6 the next, 16/8 etc.




Thanks for your help! *cheers*

4' shop lights are much better if for no other reason than the tubes are cheap. 1 to 2" above the plants. no light until germination, what exactly would the light be doing prior to germination? then 16 on 8 off forget that schedule you wrote.

this topic has been thoroughly discussed many times, do a search and read.

tom

[jdmfish]

Originally Posted by tjg911

4' shop lights are much better if for no other reason than the tubes are cheap. 1 to 2" above the plants. no light until germination, what exactly would the light be doing prior to germination? then 16 on 8 off forget that schedule you wrote.

this topic has been thoroughly discussed many times, do a search and read.

tom

Thanks Tom - guess I didn't put in the proper search terms. I didn't exactly get what I was looking for, hence the thread. Guess I'll dig deeper.

Maybe I made the mistake, and thought it said light, until germination, or maybe it was no light until germination. I guess my mind wonders at times.

[feldon30]

I would search 'fluorescent light' or 'grow lights'.

I keep the dome loosely covering the tray until the first few sprout, then I immediately put under the lights at a max distance of 2 inches. Did you already remove the clear plastic cover off the 18" fixture?

[jdmfish]

Originally Posted by feldon30

I would search 'fluorescent light' or 'grow lights'.

I keep the dome loosely covering the tray until the first few sprout, then I immediately put under the lights at a max distance of 2 inches. Did you already remove the clear plastic cover off the 18" fixture?

Thanks for the reply. The dome I was given, has two air vents on the top - in which I can control (limited) air flow, and moisture. Is it best to have the vents like half open, or even 3/4 open? Picked this dome and a flat up from a local, who "donated" it, and had never used it, so I'm not too sure on the vent "settings" either. He didn't tell me much.


I didn't remove the plastic cover, but was planning on it. Do you recommend it? I didn't open it yet, so I can still return it, but I don't want to spend much right now on a decent seed light that I see a few folks have. Just something that will get me by, until I can move them under my T5 grow light, that I also use to supplement my plants with, during the very hot afternoons.

[ContainerTed]

The dome is there to keep the humidity up enough that you minimize the number of seed hulls that dry out and get stuck on the cotyldons. After more than half of your seeds have "popped up", remove the plastic dome and any seed hulls that are still stuck can be moistened and gently removed by hand.

As for the lights, the folks above hit it right. The time split is about the same as mother nature gives us - 16 and 8. The aerogarden products use 17 and 7 - about what most folks get in summer.

[les matzek]

what works for me is as soon as
the seeds start to push up the
potting mix i put them in full
sun (i keep them protected
from the wind) even if its is
45 to 50 degres the plants
will do fine, on days with no
sun you can bring them in-
side and put them under the
lights,this way you do not
have to hardden them off.

les

[jdmfish]

Thanks for the replies.