Guest chris Posted November 6, 2005 Report Share Posted November 6, 2005 just a quick question to you wise ones of the web , what would be the best and the cheapest for me miranda ........... many thanks ...... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted November 6, 2005 Report Share Posted November 6, 2005 where are you growing it? For individual plants the compact fluorescent bulbs are convenient and cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris Posted November 6, 2005 Report Share Posted November 6, 2005 it is hanging in my in my hallway it is the only place i can have her but it is not the best lit area ! i was trying to think adding a bit more light to the arae something i can use every day and looks good....... :lol:/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 how about a nice lampshade or a freestanding lamp, (with compact fluorescent bulb)? Halogens put out a lot of useful light too but are more expensive to run... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 I grow sarracenia seedlings in winter under these: http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/variant_detail.asp?var=3676 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 Crikey, they seem expensive... these guys seem quite good value: http://light-store.co.uk :-) Jules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aidan Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 I get lamps from a local lighting supplier and they are literally half the price I would pay on purchases over the Web. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Crane Posted November 9, 2005 Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 I have just invested in a sodium lamp for the greenhouse setup but also need flourescent for the violet colour range that it lacks (or its something like that)..for some reason flourescents spark off huge migraine which blinds me for an hour or so.. Those craft bulbs seem spot on though!! a very useful bulb for working with, and emitting daylight range too.. very nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jaicen Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 Don't use halogen lights for CP's! The only thing they're good for is for heating things up ;) I've had a good deal of success using compact flourescents on CP's (which are all artificially lit), and some other horticultural projects ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattgmccabe Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 I'll back up the comact fluorescents Despite missing all the supposed "vital" wavelengths for plant growth, plants manage with them just fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jaicen Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 I'll back up the comact fluorescents Despite missing all the supposed"vital" wavelengths for plant growth, plants manage with them just fine! I think you may have this backwards sir! In contrast to halogen, CF's produce far more of the spectrum useful to plants, ie. red & blue. They also produce a small amount of uV which is needed to produce the red coloration on most species (anthocyanin is produced as a sunscreen). CF's may appear to be dull in comparison, but only because they produce small amounts of the green spectrum to which our eyes are most sensitive. In addition, there are some companies experimenting with LED lighting which I believe will be the future of plant growin, especially when pulsed modules become affordable. I've seen warehouses full of lettuces which have been grown using just a few red & blue LED's per plant. Apart from being cheap to run, LED's are less intrusive as they don't appear as bright to the human eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattgmccabe Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 I'll back up the comact fluorescents Despite missing all the supposed"vital" wavelengths for plant growth, plants manage with them just fine! I think you may have this backwards sir! Damn, so THAT'S why it's been working so well ... *hides head in shame* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chloroplast Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 Compact fluorescent bulbs and clamp-fixtures are easy to find at a local hardware store, and are inexpensive ($3 and $10 US, respectively). This would be a good way to provide your hanging plant with supplemental lighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepenthes Nut Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 I was just wondering if normal incandescent fillament bulbs emit some of the spectrum required by Neps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aidan Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 The main issues with incandescent lamps is the heat they produce and the fact that they cost a small fortune to run in comparison to fluourescent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepenthes Nut Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 So is that a yes that they do produce the correct spectrum? Im just using a ceiling lamp atm till i can get a small fluourescent bulb as they are cheap to run and are quite cool, as well as they emit the proper spectrum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aidan Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 So is that a yes that they do produce the correct spectrum? That's a no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanW Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 They are better suited for heating than for lighting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauline Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Alvin, I have a few of the screw on bulbs and while they do produce very bright light (mine's Philips), the coverage for a larger area will not be possible since it concentrates on 1 spot. How many do you have on yr terrarium? I'm planning to set up my unused 3' aquarium but have since decided to switch to using my 4' tank instead. Clearance on the live rock and sand are to be done tomorrow. This is my marine coral tank which didn't do so well so decided to convert. Will you share some experience? Pauline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jaicen Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Incandescents produce virtually no light output in the correct spectrum for plants. As Jan says, they're better suited for cooking your plants than helping them grow. Just get yourself down to any old pound shop and pick up some cheapass compact flourescent bulbs. A 20w CFL produces around 2000 lumens which is good for about 1sq foot of lighting. And it costs virtually nothing to run, something like 20p a week at 12hrs a day. That's about 5 times less than a 100w halogen light of comparable lumens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepenthes Nut Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 So any old flourescent tube/bulb/compact will produce 2000 lumens? Does the wattage matter? Could i just get an energy saver bulb and replace my incandescent fillament bulb on my ceiling light (which has a shade) or would i have to have the flourescent closer to the plants, as my plant is on a north facing window with no direct sunlight (to be moved to green house when it is warmer)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aidan Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 An ordinary "energy saver" lamp will need to be within a few inches of the plant and dependant on wattage still may not output sufficient light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepenthes Nut Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 Ok so what wattage flourescent would you recomend me to get to put in a clamp on lamp? Are compact flourescnts better than energy saver bulbs and how high above the plant should it be, 8-10 inches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aidan Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 'compact fluourescent' and 'energy saver' lamps are one and the same. You will have to experiment with wattage, but I suggest a minimum of a 100W equivalent. You may need more than a single lamp if it is a large plant. The light does not get "thrown" very far so the source needs to be as close to the plant as possible without touching it or burning leaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepenthes Nut Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 I should only need 1 light source as it is basically 2 cuttings with basal shoots that i have. Thank you for the helpful info. Off to buy the stuff now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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