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View Full Version : What grow lights are you guys using?


Want Them All
11-25-2009, 05:33 PM
I'm pricing out some 1000W metal halide, costs anywhere from $270 and up. This one goes for $316, is that reasonable for what it includes. www.hydrowarehouse.com/sunlight-supply-sunlight-supply-1000-watt-4ft-parabolic-sun-system-p-1454.htmls? Shipping is what killed the deal for me, the cheapest is $90!

Richard
11-25-2009, 07:40 PM
I'm very pleased with arrays of T5 "plant spectrum" lights. Unfortunately I don't have a source for you unless you are interested in a truckload.

sunfish
11-25-2009, 07:43 PM
There is always someone selling grow lights on Craigslist

Want Them All
11-25-2009, 08:00 PM
I'm very pleased with arrays of T5 "plant spectrum" lights. Unfortunately I don't have a source for you unless you are interested in a truckload.

Is this a special type of T5? What make these "plant spectrum", as compared to the generic T5 fluorescents? I was told that T5 H.O. is what's needed for plants.

Abnshrek
11-25-2009, 09:06 PM
I'm going to replace the one I have and get a 7ft canopy fluorescent and stick a couple tanning bed bulbs in it... I should be able to turn off my heater w/ the change as well as not have to worry about under-exposure.. lol

The Hollyberry Lady
11-25-2009, 09:40 PM
Here's what I use - a 400 watt metal halide with a parabolic reflector and SunMaster full spectrum bulb...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/DSCI1546.jpg


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/DSCI1549.jpg


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/DSCI1552.jpg


: )

Richard
11-25-2009, 10:39 PM
Is this a special type of T5? What make these "plant spectrum", as compared to the generic T5 fluorescents? I was told that T5 H.O. is what's needed for plants.

T5 is a bulb format. There is a gamut of spectra available in the T5 format, for example Philips has 39 different spectra in their catalog.

r3tic
11-26-2009, 08:38 AM
I'm going to replace the one I have and get a 7ft canopy fluorescent and stick a couple tanning bed bulbs in it... I should be able to turn off my heater w/ the change as well as not have to worry about under-exposure.. lol

Be careful using tanning bulbs, too much UV can be bad for plants.

Lagniappe
11-26-2009, 11:41 AM
I'm using two 1,000 watt MH. Can you hear the meter spinning?
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27205&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27205&ppuser=766)

Richard
11-26-2009, 02:00 PM
I'm using two 1,000 watt MH. Can you hear the meter spinning?


Zoom!

sandy0225
11-26-2009, 03:02 PM
if you had a light rail mover, you could probably do the same area with one light. You should look into it, it'll pay for itself in electric savings. You don't really care if they grow, just keep them in good condition, right?
this is the one I'm using but we're using 9 feet of track with it and a 1000 mh light.
Gualala Robotics Inc (http://shop.lightrail3.com/)

Richard
11-26-2009, 03:40 PM
if you had a light rail mover, you could probably do the same area with one light. You should look into it, it'll pay for itself in electric savings. You don't really care if they grow, just keep them in good condition, right?
this is the one I'm using but we're using 9 feet of track with it and a 1000 mh light.
Gualala Robotics Inc (http://shop.lightrail3.com/)

If 1000 W light is all you can afford to operate, then two fixtures holding 500W each of T5 plant bulbs would be better for the plants and you would not have the operational cost and maintenance of the rail.

momoese
11-26-2009, 03:58 PM
Richard, I take it you disagree with what is said on this page of the website that Sandy linked to?

Light Rail 3.5 Light Mover - Why Move Your Light (http://www.lightrail3.com/garden/why.php)

Richard
11-26-2009, 04:37 PM
Richard, I take it you disagree with what is said on this page of the website that Sandy linked to?

Light Rail 3.5 Light Mover - Why Move Your Light (http://www.lightrail3.com/garden/why.php)

Yes. A light-mover does three things:
1) Provides the plants with less light and total energy than if the same wattage was distributed in a fixed array above the plants in the same area of coverage

2) Stresses the plants with a moving light source

3) Costs more money to operate and more time to maintain

momoese
11-26-2009, 05:16 PM
Yes. A light-mover does three things:
1) Provides the plants with less light and total energy than if the same wattage was distributed in a fixed array above the plants in the same area of coverage

2) Stresses the plants with a moving light source

3) Costs more money to operate and more time to maintain

Do you have any proof of these claims?

Richard
11-26-2009, 06:49 PM
Do you have any proof of these claims?

1) Provides the plants with less light and total energy than if the same wattage was distributed in a fixed array above the plants in the same area of coverage
Thermodynamics, Lewis & Randall; 1st Ed. 1923. Also achieved empirically in indoor trials at Vista, CA.
2) Stresses the plants with a moving light source
Plant Propagation, ? Hartmann.
3) Costs more money to operate and more time to maintain
Arithmetic.

musa_monkey
11-27-2009, 01:49 PM
A T5 24w sun blaster. Cheap and cheerful it does a great job inside my prop as it runs quite hot so the heat matt doesnt come on as much lowering running costs :)

Want Them All
11-28-2009, 06:42 PM
I'm using two 1,000 watt MH. Can you hear the meter spinning?
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27205&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27205&ppuser=766)

What are the dimensions of your heated space, it looks pretty big. I've changed my mind about the wattage of the lamp, gonna get a 1000w, instead of 600w.

Lagniappe
11-28-2009, 10:09 PM
It's 30'x 30'. I think the 1,000 watts are more economical in regards to per watt initial investment.

sandy0225
12-02-2009, 07:39 AM
We haven't had any maintenance on our light rail since we got it about 5 years ago, except dust the track before we start it up in the fall. It's pretty low tech. It was a factory refurb, so technically I guess something can go wrong on it, but it was fixed when we got it, and apparently they fix them well.We run it on the same timer as the light, so when the light's on, the rail is on too, not 24-7.
I don't know if it stresses the plants or not, they haven't said anything to me about it, but I do know before I got it I could only grow in about a 10x10 area satisfactorily and now we're growing in a 10X20 area down there and things are looking good. 90% of the plants I send out are started down there when they're 1-2" tall until they're 4-6 inches tall because it's the warmest place I have in the winter at 70 degrees.

Lagniappe
12-02-2009, 08:14 AM
We haven't had any maintenance on our light rail since we got it about 5 years ago, except dust the track before we start it up in the fall. It's pretty low tech. It was a factory refurb, so technically I guess something can go wrong on it, but it was fixed when we got it, and apparently they fix them well.We run it on the same timer as the light, so when the light's on, the rail is on too, not 24-7.
I don't know if it stresses the plants or not, they haven't said anything to me about it, but I do know before I got it I could only grow in about a 10x10 area satisfactorily and now we're growing in a 10X20 area down there and things are looking good. 90% of the plants I send out are started down there when they're 1-2" tall until they're 4-6 inches tall because it's the warmest place I have in the winter at 70 degrees.

If I were to use a mover, it would be to get uniform growth in large groups of the same plant. I would still not expand the grow area more than 1' or so beyond the rating, so it's best to just use more lights.(IMO)

Richard
12-02-2009, 11:18 AM
When I do the math:

Suppose you want 1000 Watts. The cost of 1000Watt bulb + fixture + light rail is greater than 20 x 50 Watt bulbs + 5 fixtures. The fixed lights cost less to operate, and the plants have continuous light intensity.

natej740
01-04-2010, 09:44 PM
Are the LED grow lights any good. I saw some on EBAY at a decent price. They had red and green LED's in them.

Richard
01-04-2010, 11:53 PM
Are the LED grow lights any good. I saw some on EBAY at a decent price. They had red and green LED's in them.

They work, but calculate the cost per watt.

natej740
01-05-2010, 12:10 AM
The watts are low because it's an LED. Usually the light is way more intense from a LED than a regular bulb I was just wandering if they work for growing plants. I don't want a 1000W bulb electric bill...lol. I think the total wattage was like 13.8 watts and had like 225 LED's for like $26.95 buy it now price

Abnshrek
01-05-2010, 01:25 AM
If they(LED Growlights) do work just remember since its so darn cold (alot of places) the heat you'd get from the high wattage bulbs is no longer there, heater is left to compensate.

Abnshrek
01-05-2010, 01:34 AM
I did learn something recently I'd like to share.. Many of us aren't using a 220V fixture which self equalizes 110/120vac doesn't.. Mean if your running a mulitude of 100 watt bulbs off the same breaker you bill is going to be higher than if you ran the same multitude of lights on 3 breakers... thus equalizing the load over a number of breakers and reducing your amp draw.. :^) Ok say I have 6 x 200 watt lights on one breaker the draw is 1200 watts where as if I had it spread across 6 breakers my draw rate would only be 200. big difference..

Richard
01-05-2010, 03:37 AM
The watts are low because it's an LED. Usually the light is way more intense from a LED than a regular bulb I was just wandering if they work for growing plants. I don't want a 1000W bulb electric bill...lol. I think the total wattage was like 13.8 watts and had like 225 LED's for like $26.95 buy it now price

The efficiency of the LED's is no better than any other choice, and less than some. It is incorrect to think that the LED's are more intense than an incandescent.

Divide the cost by the number of watts and then compare to other lighting choices.

OrganicBananac
01-05-2010, 12:40 PM
Are the LED grow lights any good. I saw some on EBAY at a decent price. They had red and green LED's in them.

Green spectrum?
The reason we see plants as green is because plants do not use this spectrum and reflect it back, hence why we see the color. Be very leery of a "green grow light".... trust me ;) Many ppl use green LED lights to enter plant environments and NOT disrupt the photoperiod...
Maybe look at the specific spectrum of light each diode (LED=light emitting diode) is rated for and compare it with the studies of spectrums of light that plants absorb. This is where you will be able to separate the "good" from the "bad" lights, and unscrupulous companies. LED's are gaining momentum, but just do the homework and be a wise consumer before anyone spends 300+ on a fancy new rave light :discocrazed:
Best of luck and have fun.

Richard
01-05-2010, 01:46 PM
Green spectrum?
The reason we see plants as green is because plants do not use this spectrum and reflect it back, hence why we see the color. Be very leery of a "green grow light".... trust me ;) Many ppl use green LED lights to enter plant environments and NOT disrupt the photoperiod...
Maybe look at the specific spectrum of light each diode (LED=light emitting diode) is rated for and compare it with the studies of spectrums of light that plants absorb. This is where you will be able to separate the "good" from the "bad" lights, and unscrupulous companies. LED's are gaining momentum, but just do the homework and be a wise consumer before anyone spends 300+ on a fancy new rave light ...

Excellent advice!

The output light spectrum should roughly match this diagram:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Chlorofilab.png

You'll find more information here: Chlorophyll - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorophyll)

natej740
01-05-2010, 02:05 PM
I'm sorry it was red and blue LED's......Also Richard you say an LED is not as intense as a incandecent bulb??? Have you ever seen an LED flashlight compared to a regular flashlight they are 4x (maybe more) brighter...

natej740
01-05-2010, 02:05 PM
I'm sorry it was red and blue LED's......Also Richard you say an LED is not as intense as a incandecent bulb??? Have you ever seen an LED flashlight compared to a regular flashlight they are 4x (maybe more) brighter...

Richard
01-05-2010, 03:30 PM
I'm sorry it was red and blue LED's......Also Richard you say an LED is not as intense as a incandecent bulb??? Have you ever seen an LED flashlight compared to a regular flashlight they are 4x (maybe more) brighter...

It's the amount of energy and the spectrum it is in that counts. LED's are about 90% to 95% efficient, so a 14 Watt LED module emits about 13 Watts. Likewise, a 54 Watt T5(HO) fluorescent bulb emits about 48 Watts.

Now to compare the purchase cost per Watt:
$8 for a 54-Watt T5HO --> about 15 cents per Watt.
$35 for a 13.8 Watt LED module --> about $2.54 per Watt.

wordwiz
01-05-2010, 03:53 PM
I have a couple of small banana plants under 14 watt Red/Blue LED panels and they are doing better than one in the greenhouse.

Last year, I used them quite a bit for tomato and pepper seedlings and comparing initial cost, cost to operate, expected lifetime and the result, they were better than CFL bulbs and probably better than HIDs. But, they do not cover much area - not much more than a square foot per panel.

In another forum, a guy got a 300 watt LED from livingapartment.com.au and was going to try to grow peppers to fruit. He was okay but hardly thrilled with the results, especially given the $1300 cost.

An interesting note: if you place a red/blue panel too close to the plant, it will not burn the leaves, but it will cause the seedling to bend toward a specific bulb - I'm presuming a blue one.

Mike

Richard
01-05-2010, 06:51 PM
I have a couple of small banana plants under 14 watt Red/Blue LED panels and they are doing better than one in the greenhouse.

What factors do you attribute to this?

OrganicBananac
01-05-2010, 08:12 PM
LED's also do not have the spread that regular bulbs do, they only work when directly pointed at what you want illuminated.(Not in the sense they don't turn on...) This is a serious factor to consider, and also the reason that LED's have had such a slow start overtaking cfl's(compact flourecent lights), the quality of illumination depends on color of the light(spectrum) and the spread, the same factors to consider when looking at them for use with plants.

JCDerrick
01-06-2010, 01:17 PM
For what it's worth, my 2 cents. Like Lagniappe I use two fixed 1000W MH lights in my garage to keep my vast variety of tropicals alive. It's worked for the last three years. It's not perfect, but it's worked very well for me.

I have both reasons to like and dislike MH bulbs, but the pros outweigh the cons in my opinion.

PROS
Excellent light source with a variety of bulbs
Decent grow area
Lights produce heat, keeps grow space warmer in winter
Most plants don't stretch

CONS
Cost (bulbs, ballasts, etc)
Bulbs must be replaced every other year**
Must be a certain height above plants to avoid burning them
Select few plants (some bananas too) stretch

**The bulbs don't HAVE to be replaced, but I've read multiple places that they loose their ability to provide the same energy to the plants (lumens maybe?) after a year of continuous use at 14 hours a day; but will continue to use the same amount of energy despite providing lower quality light. I figure that's every other year for me since I run mine about 6-months a year.

wordwiz
01-06-2010, 03:14 PM
What factors do you attribute to this?

Richard,

I would have to say the lights as all plants get about the same amount of sun. But that would make sense. It doesn't mean LEDs are better than CFLs or HIDs. The plants were about 7" tall when transplanted in early December and it will be the middle of May before I can move them outside, so I was not that interested in growing them as tall as possible - I would hate to have to carry two six-foot banana trees down my stairs!

As OrganicBanana says, LEDs have next to no spread - a 12" panel stretches to cover 14" but one is large enough for a plant at this stage. I also have a 54 watt panel I can use but again, I'm just trying to get them to a decent size - maybe 3' max.

Mike

Richard
01-06-2010, 06:09 PM
Richard,

I would have to say the lights as all plants get about the same amount of sun. But that would make sense. It doesn't mean LEDs are better than CFLs or HIDs. The plants were about 7" tall when transplanted in early December and it will be the middle of May before I can move them outside, so I was not that interested in growing them as tall as possible - I would hate to have to carry two six-foot banana trees down my stairs!

As OrganicBanana says, LEDs have next to no spread - a 12" panel stretches to cover 14" but one is large enough for a plant at this stage. I also have a 54 watt panel I can use but again, I'm just trying to get them to a decent size - maybe 3' max.

Mike

So basically, the temperatures and everything else has been the same in your greenhouse as it is indoors, and the LED vs. the sun are the only difference?

wordwiz
01-06-2010, 06:30 PM
Duh, no, regarding the temps. My upstairs room does not go from 54 to 92 in one day! The room tends to stay between 65-80, depending on the amount and intensity of sunlight. Overall, the places stay about the same, though the GH gets cooler of a night and on some days, much warmer for 6-8 hours. The humidity in the GH is much higher than upstairs; what effect that has I don't have a clue!

Seriously, the more energy, in the form of light, a plant receives, the more it would be expected to grow, if conditions are close to the same. The cooler night time temps in the GH may have a tiny bit of difference, but I don't think that much.

If I was take two identical plants, put them in the GH, leave one to get just natural light and have a LED light over the top of the other, I would expect the latter to do noticeably better.

Mike

jakesebastin
06-25-2012, 08:23 AM
I would like to go with the led lights. I do have all the lights but i prefer and my favorite is the leds. I am using it from long time and still it is giving me good results.

Russski
08-07-2013, 04:03 AM
Hello what do you think about led grow light:
1 5X E27 Red Blue 38 60 80 LEDs Hydroponic LED Plant Grow Light New 2 2W 3W 4 5W | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-5x-E27-RED-BLUE-38-60-80-LEDs-Hydroponic-LED-Plant-Grow-Light-New-2-2W-3W-4-5W-/150969806132?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item2326806d34)

I want to illuminate a banana in the house during the winter. Is one lamp + sunlight enough to fill one banana plant?

redswe
08-07-2013, 05:33 AM
What are you trying to do increase the intensity of your light then I think no. Increase the duration of photosynthesis maybe depending on the size of the plant. Led's advantage is they can be put close to your plants without burning them so think about that in relation to what your are growing. I would think the Led panels would be better... Also look further down where he talks about VEG lights that would be a better choice ...

I want to illuminate a banana in the house during the winter. Is one lamp + sunlight enough to fill one banana plant?

Snookie
08-17-2013, 01:24 PM
http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4949006019264548&pid=1.7