Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
Grow Lights Toplef10Grow Lights 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

Grow Lights I22gcj10Grow Lights 14dhcg10

[/td][/tr][/table]

Join the forum, it's quick and easy

Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
Grow Lights Toplef10Grow Lights 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

Grow Lights I22gcj10Grow Lights 14dhcg10

[/td][/tr][/table]
Square Foot Gardening Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Search
 
 

Display results as :
 

 


Rechercher Advanced Search

Latest topics
» New to SFG and in Virgina
by sanderson Today at 1:38 am

» Bokashi
by sanderson Today at 1:08 am

» Onions. Walk on?
by sanderson Today at 12:46 am

» Compost bins: Open vs. closed
by Scorpio Rising Yesterday at 10:38 am

» Recommended store bought compost - Photos of composts
by sanderson 3/26/2024, 5:56 pm

» 6 metal trellis frames
by docachna 3/25/2024, 4:31 pm

» N & C Midwest: March and April 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/24/2024, 3:01 pm

» What Have You Picked From Your Garden Today
by OhioGardener 3/24/2024, 1:28 pm

» Senseless Banter...
by OhioGardener 3/23/2024, 6:02 pm

» Joann's fabric bankruptcy
by neefer 3/23/2024, 12:33 am

» New gardener from Santa Fe NM
by CantersVary 3/22/2024, 7:50 pm

» Kiwi's SFG Adventure
by KiwiSFGnewbie 3/22/2024, 5:07 pm

» Heat Mat Temperature Test
by OhioGardener 3/22/2024, 2:09 pm

» Victory Garden Reboot
by Scorpio Rising 3/22/2024, 11:53 am

» Mark's first SFG
by sanderson 3/22/2024, 11:43 am

» Commercial (bagged or bulk) compost question
by Mikesgardn 3/21/2024, 7:09 pm

» Think Spring 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/20/2024, 10:34 am

» Fire Ring / Round Raised Bed Planter
by sanderson 3/19/2024, 4:51 pm

» Galvanized Fire Ring for Rhubarb Raised Beds?
by OhioGardener 3/18/2024, 10:34 am

» Happy St. Patrick's Day
by Scorpio Rising 3/17/2024, 5:54 pm

» Happy Birthday!!
by Scorpio Rising 3/11/2024, 10:28 am

» What are you eating from your garden today?
by Scorpio Rising 3/10/2024, 8:38 pm

» Why I love Oregano in the garden.
by OhioGardener 3/10/2024, 8:16 am

» Comfrey
by OhioGardener 3/9/2024, 6:07 pm

» Sealing Barrels Flowers Struggling-Need Ideas
by Turan 3/9/2024, 3:09 pm

» Hello again from a slightly different part of Central PA!
by sanderson 3/9/2024, 1:46 pm

» Chicken manure compost
by Oopsiedaisy 3/8/2024, 7:56 pm

» Chinese Broccoli
by sanderson 3/7/2024, 10:28 pm

» Heat Mat Lifespan
by Scorpio Rising 3/7/2024, 9:33 am

» Now is The Time To Take Seed Inventory
by OhioGardener 3/6/2024, 4:36 pm

Google

Search SFG Forum

Grow Lights

5 posters

Go down

Grow Lights Empty Grow Lights

Post  rabbithutch 6/6/2014, 5:28 pm

I haven't done this in more than 40 years, and in those days we used UV lamps (and special color spectrum ones if we wanted to spend more and show off).  I'm thinking ahead to starting plants next winter and looked into it.  I seems that the current fad is to use LED lamps.

Has anyone here researched the use of LEDs vs. UV or others?  If so, care to share your findings with us?  I'm having a hard time getting what I believe to be credible information about the pros and cons of the choices.

TIA  Grow Lights 3170584802
rabbithutch
rabbithutch

Male Posts : 293
Join date : 2014-02-08
Location : central TX USA Zone 8a

Back to top Go down

Grow Lights Empty Re: Grow Lights

Post  boffer 6/6/2014, 5:52 pm

I've run into the same problems trying evaluate all the marketing hype, anecdotes, and myths.  Part of the problem are various units used to measure the light itself (lux, lumens, etc.), the properties of light itself relating to distance, the effects of aging on bulbs, and limited abilities to measure the correct wavelength at the plant.  I gave up!

Here's my unscientific experience: I have a dozen lights ranging from free to $300.  They ALL grow seedlings.  Wavelength and intensity aren't important for seedlings.  One just needs a little patience and experimenting to determine how far from the light the plants should be.  I've posted pictures of seedlings wrapping around old T12s as they grow.  The stronger the light source, the farther away the plants should be.

I see no need to spend the extra money on LEDs.  I have T12s, T8s, T5s, HPS, CFL, and MH.  In order to keep selection simple and realistic, I use the rated power consumption as a rough guideline for comparison purposes: a 150 watt bulb will put out more light and cover a larger footprint than a 40 watt bulb.  But they ALL grow seedlings!

If you want to talk about growing plants to maturity, that's a different conversation.
boffer
boffer

Male Posts : 7392
Join date : 2010-02-26
Age : 71
Location : yelm, wa, usa

http://boffer.us/

Back to top Go down

Grow Lights Empty Re: Grow Lights

Post  plantoid 6/6/2014, 6:22 pm

I only use LED broad spectrum grow lights, they are self contained voltage reduction devices containing 38 or so robust high intensity LED's encase is ABS plastic .. similar to those uses for cannabis growing ( NO I Don't  grow it or any such rubbish either ) because they are cold lights to all intents purposes .
 The light output spectrum does not decay like a Fluor tube does if it is left on for a few weeks at a time .
 You talk of cost of running the lights mine are the equivalent to 15 watts with respect to 12 volts where as the Fluor tubes are 35 watt  with respect to 240 volt ( I'm in the UK )

Convert these to coulombs per second for a like for like rating ...this give the number of electrons being pushed through each  circuit per second . ( It's a massive set numbers )

 That makes my LED light bulbs  run at about 1/20 of the cost of the tubes , which will cost about £1 for 35 hours of burning so for every 35 hours the LED's are on its only cost me £ 0.05 p an hour to run one or 10 p an hour for both of them .

They are quite robust, one of the Led bulbs survived a drop of 32 inches off a bench on to wooden floor.   A Fluor tube would have smashed and presented a chemical hazard as well as glass .

My lights have been on  24/7 since the last week of January 2014 . They were purchased Dec 2012 and ran from 1 Jan 2013 till june 2013 @ 24/7 .

 I have an under bed heat cable buried in four inches of moist silver sand for the heat source transfer to the plant pots,  as well as a gentle convection heat in the cabinet ( It is a full four sides & top enclosure  my heater cable had a variable thermostat  it is set to 76 oF & consumes 30 watts an hour if on all the time .. Actually it is on about 1/3 of the 24 hr period .

 I have not discovered any lengthening of the germination times .
plantoid
plantoid

Male Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK

Back to top Go down

Grow Lights Empty Re: Grow Lights

Post  countrynaturals 7/30/2017, 4:09 pm

rabbithutch wrote:I'm thinking ahead to starting plants next winter and looked into it.  I seems that the current fad is to use LED lamps.
I was feeling kinda silly researching winter lights when it's 110 out right now, but this was posted in June. At least I waiting until the end of July. rofl
countrynaturals
countrynaturals

Female Posts : 5704
Join date : 2016-04-12
Location : Redding, CA

http://countrynaturals.com

Back to top Go down

Grow Lights Empty Re: Grow Lights

Post  plantoid 7/30/2017, 5:21 pm

countrynaturals wrote:
rabbithutch wrote:I'm thinking ahead to starting plants next winter and looked into it.  I seems that the current fad is to use LED lamps.
I was feeling kinda silly researching winter lights when it's 110 out right now, but this was posted in June. At least I waiting until the end of July. rofl

Laughing  It's good to see someone applying the 6P rule... Wink

 Prior Planning Prevents P*** Poor Performance ............ more people should try it .
plantoid
plantoid

Male Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK

Back to top Go down

Grow Lights Empty Re: Grow Lights

Post  countrynaturals 7/30/2017, 5:40 pm

plantoid wrote:
countrynaturals wrote:
rabbithutch wrote:I'm thinking ahead to starting plants next winter and looked into it.  I seems that the current fad is to use LED lamps.
I was feeling kinda silly researching winter lights when it's 110 out right now, but this was posted in June. At least I waited until the end of July. rofl

Laughing  It's good to see someone applying the 6P rule... Wink

 Prior Planning Prevents P*** Poor Performance ............ more people should try it .
I have lots of time to plan during our brutal summers. Rolling Eyes Keeps me from going nutz when I want to be outside. Grow Lights 671790
countrynaturals
countrynaturals

Female Posts : 5704
Join date : 2016-04-12
Location : Redding, CA

http://countrynaturals.com

Back to top Go down

Grow Lights Empty Re: Grow Lights

Post  Scorpio Rising 7/30/2017, 7:56 pm

I use T 8s

Cheap o lights from Lowes or ace....


Last edited by Scorpio Rising on 7/30/2017, 7:58 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : e)
Scorpio Rising
Scorpio Rising

Female Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio

Back to top Go down

Grow Lights Empty Re: Grow Lights

Post  countrynaturals 7/30/2017, 8:03 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:I use T 8s

Cheap o lights from Lowes or ace....
Do you just start seeds or do you get anything to produce crops?
countrynaturals
countrynaturals

Female Posts : 5704
Join date : 2016-04-12
Location : Redding, CA

http://countrynaturals.com

Back to top Go down

Grow Lights Empty Re: Grow Lights

Post  Scorpio Rising 7/31/2017, 5:54 pm

countrynaturals wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:I use T 8s

Cheap o lights from Lowes or ace....
Do you just start seeds or do you get anything to produce crops?
Oh, no, I just use them to get a start inside.
Scorpio Rising
Scorpio Rising

Female Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio

Back to top Go down

Grow Lights Empty Re: Grow Lights

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top


 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum