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Bit the bullet and setup a grow rack - Critique!

Bit the bullet and setup a grow rack - Updage First Post - New PICS

I picked up a couple of dual bulb T8 fixtures at Walmart for $10 each, the standard Shelves by Design $85 shelves from Lowes and some Philips T8 bulbs that are stated to be the following:

2800 lumens
32 watts
24,000 hour life
CRI of 85
6500k color temperature

They certainly seemed to be damn good bulbs for the money. Can I do better? I know there was a specific type of GE bulb that came highly recommended here on the forums, but I did not write down the model #. I also know some people like to mix 4000ish k color temp bulbs with 6500k color temp bulbs, but is there any real benefit to this?

I'm going to wrap the back and sides with reflective mylar for additional light efficiency and just have the front open. I'm going to line the reflectors with it to reflect additional light from them.

I'm going to also a get some risers to put the plants on to get them closer to the light, but I wanted to have some room for the Dana's Delight and Hurricane Creek White to grow soI set the grow shelf a bit low. I know they're going to outgrow the amount of space I have now even eventually.

I plan to fill the rest of the shelf up eventually with some sundews and more VFTs.

Any suggestions?

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Edit:


Well I went ahead and bought another light fixture this evening and put it up for additional lumens. I also lined the sides and back with some thick mylar sheets that I pieced together. They were made from calendars that my office sends out, only I put the shiny side facing in of course. :p My plants should be extremely happy now.

I also made a cover/flap out of some very thin mylar sheets that I bought from a party supply store. I plan to go back and by some more to make a new one though. They are slightly transluscent which is kinda cool because you can see inside the rack while it's reflecting light at the same time.

The transparent container has chilean sphagnum moss that I'm going to try and grow live moss from (hopefully).

Finally, I put a 120mm computer fan on the rack to blow cool/fresh air up towards the ballasts to help keep them relatively cool.

Hopefully this can't be considered cruel now. :-))



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yeah...move your VFTs and Sarras outside....they wont last long inside without dormancy
 
It seems like every single thread has somebody posting to put their plants outside. :nono: That kind of defeats the purpose of going to the trouble to create optimal growing conditions inside. I know they typically grow best outside. :) However, there are a number of reasons why I don't grow my plants outside.

Phoenix, AZ gets to 115° easily during the summer months.

Neighborhood kids would likely screw with the plants on a regular basis and I've already caught them doing so before when I did have them outside in the spring.

There are no real good places for direct sun in my yard or patio that have more than an hour or two of direct light. There are two very large trees that shade almost my entire front yard and I don't have a backyard. When I had them outside on the weekend, I'd have to move them every other hour so they had sunlight.

I can admire and monitor them much easier when they're right next to me in my room.

Anyway, I am very aware of dormancy requirements. It's not fall/winter yet and I plan to move them to my patio for winter dormancy anyway. Until then though, they are going to be grown inside under fluorescent lights. ;) Thanks for the suggestion however. :)
 
That kind of defeats the purpose of going to the trouble to create optimal growing conditions inside

Yes, it's frustrating to hear other's criticism, but "optimal growing conditions inside" is a non-sequitur with these plants. There would be a lot more than a handful of inexperienced growers with their plants indoors if this were a simple task. If you want them to last like that, high output lamps would help. (Have you read up on the difference between lumens and PAR? Google it.) But don't go buying more VFTs; for one, it's cruel to keep these plants in conditions where they'll be unhappy, and second it's an invitation for disease and pests. If you absolutely can't give temperate plants the conditions they want and need, there are still thousands of species of tropicals that will be perfectly happy inside.
~Joe
 
I've seen lots of great looking Sarracenia and Dionaea grown under lights. Heck, my venus fly traps looked better under before I gave them to my mom and she had them outside (right Chris? lol.).

Anyways, for my suggestions, I'm not sure how tall you expect your Sarracenia to get this year, but I would definitely move the lights down lower (or the shelf up higher). As for the shorter plants, put a box under them to raiser them closer to the lights. If you can squeeze more lights into the shelf (and your wallet!) go for it. More light is definitely preferred over less light with the plants pictured.

xvart.
 
It seems to be bright enough for them to me, especially if you're going to add mylar. I had VFTs under a growlight before and they gained color, so it's not like they'll die just for being inside. What's in the pot on the far left?
 
Yes, it's frustrating to hear other's criticism, but "optimal growing conditions inside" is a non-sequitur with these plants. There would be a lot more than a handful of inexperienced growers with their plants indoors if this were a simple task. If you want them to last like that, high output lamps would help. (Have you read up on the difference between lumens and PAR? Google it.) But don't go buying more VFTs; for one, it's cruel to keep these plants in conditions where they'll be unhappy, and second it's an invitation for disease and pests. If you absolutely can't give temperate plants the conditions they want and need, there are still thousands of species of tropicals that will be perfectly happy inside.
~Joe

I'm sorry that I've been so cruel to my VFTs growing them inside. I'm not really sure what to say to what you've typed other than the fact that you're wrong. There are plenty of members here that have been successful in growing CPs indoors. My plants may not look as good as some people's, but they have exploded in growth from the humble small plants that they were when I received them. But aside from that, you seem to have a biased opinion about growing such plants indoors. I don't know what you expect me to do? I already spelled out the reasons for doing what I'm doing. Should I pack up my bags and move to another geographic location so I can grow my VFTs in a more natural environment that is acceptable to you?

I also specifically asked for suggestions on better lights. I bought these tubes knowing they would most likely be a temporary solution, but these seemed to be the best that I could readily find locally this weekend. Yes I know brighter is usually better. However, I was interested in what kind of lights other people use that produce good results.

It seems to be bright enough for them to me, especially if you're going to add mylar. I had VFTs under a growlight before and they gained color, so it's not like they'll die just for being inside. What's in the pot on the far left?

Dollar store VFTs. I bought 7 of them a few months back. Only 2 of them have been growing well, one of which is in my original large black pot. One is in the blue pot which incidentally has cracked and I had to tape up. Apparently it was made from crappy materials or had a defect. Anyway, most of them look like crap for some reason. It's strange. They all have the same growing conditions. I had a similar plant (my first) that took about 5 months or so to finally "take off" and start looking like a normal venus flytrap though. Nothing changed. It sat next to my B52s and Akai Ryu which have shown tremendous growth. Then suddenly it started acting right. :)

Anyway, my plants have been inside for months growing under a 6900 lumen CFL, so it's safe to say they won't die despite what Seedjar would apparently have me believe. :)

I've seen lots of great looking Sarracenia and Dionaea grown under lights. Heck, my venus fly traps looked better under before I gave them to my mom and she had them outside (right Chris? lol.).

Anyways, for my suggestions, I'm not sure how tall you expect your Sarracenia to get this year, but I would definitely move the lights down lower (or the shelf up higher). As for the shorter plants, put a box under them to raiser them closer to the lights. If you can squeeze more lights into the shelf (and your wallet!) go for it. More light is definitely preferred over less light with the plants pictured.

xvart.

Yeah, I've already got the HCW sitting up higher than in the pic and put up some mylar paper on the wall after I took the pic. I'm going to prop them all up a bit higher. I have the shelf kinda low so that the sarracenia have room to grow. It's easier to prop the plants up than to raise/lower the shelf or light.
 
the lights and distance should be fine. I grow my vfts inside as well under those lights. Your plants should be fine.

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  • #10
haha xvart they weren't that bad! they were green and alive right? beggers cant be choosers... besides they look good now minus the 110 temps that are stressing all them out haha...

anyways alien I just quickly skimmed this thread so pardon me if I missed anything.

yeah your height between plants and lights need to be adjusted for best results, so moving the sarra under a different set up would actually be ideal.... or if you dont want to go that route you could always just boxes or something to put your vfts up near the lights... your looking for having those guys within 6-10'' from the lights if you can help it, the closer the better really...I noticed a big difference in the quality of my vft's even when I just moved them 2 or 3 inches closer... ( you can see the intensity difference if you hold your open palm under the lights hit your plants now and slowly move your hand towards the light... its astounding really )

your tubes should okay for your vft's so long as your rack is keeping most of its light within itself... so that mylar should help...

now we all know that humidity is less of an issue for vft's, but if you can help it I would say find some way to keep the humidity up within your grow rack, sealing it up as best you can and then getting a fan going for circulation to keep fungal growth at bay....

hope it helped?

Chris
 
  • #11
My advice is to enjoy your plants and for goodness sakes, get a nepenthes or four! You now have a great setup for them! Your bulbs and rack are just right.

Capslock
 
  • #12
My advice is to enjoy your plants and for goodness sakes, get a nepenthes or four! You now have a great setup for them! Your bulbs and rack are just right.

Capslock

I am DEFINITELY considering it! I am rather ignorant on nepenthes plants though so I need to do some more reading. Can you recommend any interesting ones that don't require a semi sealed area to lock in humidity?

Actually, they were from my local nursery who have had CPs every now and then.

You asked what was in the pot on the left. ;) I was just answering your question is all. :) They are dollar store VFTs.
 
  • #13
You asked what was in the pot on the left. ;) I was just answering your question is all. :) They are dollar store VFTs.

Oh, I thought you were talking about mine (which are deceased :p). Sorry about that.
 
  • #14
Alien, you can try lots of different neps. First, hybrids are usually a lot easier than species, but the following species are easy: N. ventricosa, N. sanguinea, N. maxima, N. alata, or N. copelandii. Just find one that you like and is available and give it a try!

For care, they are easier than those other plants you're growing. The only difference is you don't leave them in standing water. Keep them moist, never let them dry out, but don't soak them in a tray like vfts or sarracenia.

Capslock
 
  • #15
Alien, you can try lots of different neps. First, hybrids are usually a lot easier than species, but the following species are easy: N. ventricosa, N. sanguinea, N. maxima, N. alata, or N. copelandii. Just find one that you like and is available and give it a try!

For care, they are easier than those other plants you're growing. The only difference is you don't leave them in standing water. Keep them moist, never let them dry out, but don't soak them in a tray like vfts or sarracenia.

Capslock

Ah. That's not a problem. I topwater my plants every few days. The water trays don't really have water in them for long. the small integral trays on a few of them made it a pain to do the tray watering method so I just top water. I usually water them just barely enough for water to appear in the tray of each one. Would that be too much for a nep?
 
  • #16
Nice looking set-up Alien.

Not too unlike the growrack I built -----> My growrack creation

I put my Sarrs and VFT's outdoors in the summer though. Neps, Sundews and Pings stay in the rack year 'round.
 
  • #17
Nice looking set-up Alien.

Not too unlike the growrack I built -----> My growrack creation

I put my Sarrs and VFT's outdoors in the summer though. Neps, Sundews and Pings stay in the rack year 'round.

That is a very nice setup you have there. I'm contemplating whether or not the 4 T8s are enough or whether I should try and squeeze in another narrow 2 bulb fixture between them by trimming the reflectors off for a total of 6 bulbs (I know some people use 4 and some people use 6). More is light is always better right? I might pickup another shoplight fixture this weekend and take some tin snips to my existing fixture's reflectors I suppose.
 
  • #18
Yes, more light is better. :)

However, you also will be creating more heat with more bulbs. Regardless if they're T8's or T12's.

Also, think of how crowded your rack becomes with more fixtures; less room for plant growth and restriction of air flow etc. AND, extra power consumption to-boot! ;)
 
  • #19
I am DEFINITELY considering it! I am rather ignorant on nepenthes plants though so I need to do some more reading. Can you recommend any interesting ones that don't require a semi sealed area to lock in humidity?

nice setup! thought about any dews? they'd like that i bet.

If you're looking for a nep that doesnt require much space, I would recommend N. bellii as it is a miniature and pitchers like mad(atleast for me...though i keep mine outside but with no direct sunlight). it popped about 5 pitchers in a months time for me.

~billy
 
  • #20
nice setup! thought about any dews? they'd like that i bet.

If you're looking for a nep that doesnt require much space, I would recommend N. bellii as it is a miniature and pitchers like mad(atleast for me...though i keep mine outside but with no direct sunlight). it popped about 5 pitchers in a months time for me.

~billy

I'm definitely going to be ordering some Sundews along with a few other things here soon.
 
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