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What kind of light do you use? (fluorescents)

The Question

I've read more info on bulbs than I care to think about (both on and off the forums), but I'm still not sure about what kinds I should use. My apologies for so many threads regarding lights. :)

I've read the links that people throw to the forum; I need to use T12's so my options are with those.

I'm presently using Lowe's-bought GE bulbs and I'll primarily be growing Nepenthes with a few drosera.

Specifically in regard to T12's, what are you using?


The Present Situation

I've been using six standard 6500K GE's (3050 lumens, 75 CRI, 40-watt) - just about no red spectrum, mostly green/blue.

I've heard a lot of people use all 6500K GE's with success & pitchering. True?

Recently I mixed these with three 3400K "GE Plant & Aquarium" lights (1900 lumens, 90 CRI, 40-watt) - blue & red spectrum. This is what I'm doing presently.

Shortly after adding the Plant & Aquarium lights, my capensis lost almost all its dew, so this is where the headwall begins. ;)


The I'm Still Lost
*headwall*

My one Nep was starting to pitcher under the six 6500K's and my capensis had dew. Should I have just stuck with six 6500K's?

I thought having almost no red spectrum with just 6500K's would be a problem. Maybe it wouldn't.
 
If everything was happy and growing and making dew why would you want to change it? Don't fix what's not broken and over think things. Just enjoy your plants.
 
the GE 6500k you are refering to, being probably daylight or softwhite spectrum bulbs are what most people reccommend and what i use in my terrarium and are probably better than most bulbs out there.
if im not mistaken the daylight spectrum bulbs produce light prefered by plants for flowering, and soft white for growing. so mix those and your plants will be perfect. thats from what i understand. i never used to the aquarium lighting because they usually dont put the spectrum out that the plants need. you could also try CFLs
 
On my Highland shelf I have been using 4 T12's (two 'kitchen' bulbs and two of Philips Day bulbs). On my top shelf I use 4 T5 Day bulbs. Besides the day bulbs being brighter I haven't really noticed much of a difference from when I was growing all my highland Neps. with just day bulbs.
 
If everything was happy and growing and making dew why would you want to change it? Don't fix what's not broken and over think things. Just enjoy your plants.

For one, two of my drosera weren't making dew, and my VFT's are looking kind of sad - but the VFT's are now being acclimated to go outside. I'm not going to shelf grow them anymore.

Avi8tr recommended using three of each. If not having a red spectrum isn't a problem, I can easily take them back and either get three more 6500K's, or I can get 5000K's or whatever.

Still learning; this is why I want to get a feel for what other people are having success with.


if im not mistaken the daylight spectrum bulbs produce light prefered by plants for flowering, and soft white for growing. so mix those and your plants will be perfect. thats from what i understand.

I think you mean three 6500K daylight and three 5000K cool white, or 3500K (I think that's "warm")? Hum.


On my Highland shelf I have been using 4 T12's (two 'kitchen' bulbs and two of Philips Day bulbs). On my top shelf I use 4 T5 Day bulbs. Besides the day bulbs being brighter I haven't really noticed much of a difference from when I was growing all my highland Neps. with just day bulbs.

So two 6500K's and two kitchen bulbs...do the kitchen bulbs specify a color temp, e.g. 5000K or what?
 
They are warm bulbs, but I don't have the package anymore so I am not certain of the spectrum range though.
 
They are warm bulbs, but I don't have the package anymore so I am not certain of the spectrum range though.

Warm is around 3500K I believe.
 
For one, two of my drosera weren't making dew, and my VFT's are looking kind of sad - but the VFT's are now being acclimated to go outside. I'm not going to shelf grow them anymore.

How long have you had the two and what kind are they? Good choice for putting the flaytraps outside.
 
I use Sylvania - Cool White Plus (T12) 40 W 4100K year round. Buy a case (10) for under $20 at Lowes and put them just above your plants. It's cheaper and your plants won't give a hoot. I have vft's, sundews, pings, and utrics under them. All flower, set seed and generally thrive. That being said you gotta find out what works for you and your budget.
 
  • #11
How long have you had the two and what kind are they? Good choice for putting the flaytraps outside.

About a month -

One is an adelae (medium/large) - it turned burgundy under the 6500K's. Its newer leaves have some dew but the lower leaves don't (as expected) - the dew on it is barely noticeable.

The other is a capensis red - never produced much dew, hasn't grown a single new stalk.

Between these two I wondered if I was using the wrong mix of bulbs.

The two capensis narrows thrived under the 6500K's (new stalks like mad, all dewy), but since the mix with GE plant and aquarium (only 3 days ago) instead of all 6500's they have lost most of their dew (as in, 90%). Temp of 82ish and humidity of 80-90% has not changed.

Would eating 5 or 6 flightless fruit flies be a factor? I didn't even think of this.
 
  • #12
I use a mix of GE T12 lights: Daylight and Plant & Aquarium

Also see this web page.

VERY informative.

This is exactly what I'm doing at present, Fryster - I have 3 of each of those GE lights over my plants, I just switched from six 6500's the other day.

I found your grow list - what's your temp/humidity, and how are your plants doing?

Specifically Nep pitchering and droseras being dewy.
 
  • #13
I found your grow list - what's your temp/humidity, and how are your plants doing?

Specifically Nep pitchering and droseras being dewy.


Neps pitcher freely. :D 'cept my N. Lowii. (too warm for it) :(

I get plenty of dew on Dews. (heh) Good red colorization too. Most plants are about 8-10" away from lights.

My humidity fluctuates quite a bit for some reason. From a low of 25% to a high of 80%.

I think my exhaust fan is too powerful and expels more air than desired. :(

See here for my set-up.
 
  • #14
Just get the GE Plant and Aquarium Wide Spectrum. From his experiment they look to be the best.
 
  • #15
Neps pitcher freely. :D 'cept my N. Lowii. (too warm for it) :(

I get plenty of dew on Dews. (heh) Good red colorization too. Most plants are about 8-10" away from lights.

My humidity fluctuates quite a bit for some reason. From a low of 25% to a high of 80%.

I think my exhaust fan is too powerful and expels more air than desired. :(

See here for my set-up.

Funny, I was actually going to do something like this as well - I have the same shelf as you, except mine is black. My 2mm mylar just arrived today - the difference is I don't have fans just yet, and I was going to use clear plastic instead of white vinyl.
 
  • #16
My setup is the same shelf as Fryster, with 2mil mylar on 3 sides, clear plastic on the front, top, and bottom. I am lighting each level with 4 40 watt GE daylight bulbs. The neps are loving it. I have a humidifier down lower, and a fan up top. I cut a 'vent' in the plastic up top, which just happens to sit right below an air condition vent. All in all, it's working out fantastic for my highlanders. About 75-78F in the day, 60-62F at night, humidity 75% to 90%. The plants are responding greatly to the light and are coloring up nicely. I have no plans to change my lights as these are working just fine, plus they are cheap!
 
  • #17
I go for cheapie "daylight" or "cool white" bulbs. I grow everything including hamata under these lights. They work great! No need for expensive bulbs, but at the same time they don't hurt, so if you have the bucks and want to really optimize, go for it. But you don't need to.

Capslock
 
  • #18
Hmm...does that mean I'm burning my plants? XD

SN850849-1.jpg


SN850848.jpg


Plus, another bulb almost the same or a bit dimmer...in a 10 gallon tank.
It's not really that hot in there though.
 
  • #19
My recommendation was based soley on the options you provided in the other post. Personally, I would recommend using the Phillips ADV850, it had the highest PAR rating (by far) of all the "common" bulbs tested and is only about 5$ ea.
great bulb, great price...

now if you want exotic... ;)
Av
 
  • #20
Does the Phillips ADV850 come in T12 also? All I see are T8
 
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