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Build Me A Growrack!

DrWurm

Californian in DC
So yeah, I'd like some of you veterans out there to pick me out high quality growrack components at good prices, as my mom is probably going to get me the materials for christmas. I'd like to avoid ebay since I dont know when the order would be placed. I'm going to want to grow dews, cephs, highland/intermediate neps, and maybe lowland neps.

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I went to a store and bought a $20 shoe rack which fits very nicely on my southern window. Then added some lights to it, and turn them on when the sun does not hit it.
Took about 5 minutes to put it together, another 10 to mount it on a windowsill, and a bit to install the light.
So far it has worked fine. It is better to use this for plants that do not get very tall (like pings, rosetted dews)... the top shelf is tall enough to house larger ones though.
So this is my exp with grow rack.
 
lows 4 tier cold frame/mini greenhouse - 40$
24" double light shoplight fixtures from lowes/homdepot - 10$-25$ depending on brand,
adapter plug for wiring the lights, and extra wire - 5$
small desk fan - 10$
and a timer - 7$-15$
zip ties for strapping the lights up - 20 cents usually not much more
 
Well, not to doubt the awesome power of ambient sunlight and shoplight fixtures.... But how 'bout them T5s...? Most likely this rack is going to end up in my half of a closet in a college dorm. I'd like to have the most substantial lighting I can.
 
what size rack are you looking for?
I have this one and it has lots of space and is adjustable.
You can put 4ft t5 lights on it.
GROWRACK.jpg
 
Now that's a nifty rack. How many tiers does it come with?
 
5 tiers. I took one out. cost about $89 @ lowes. I bought the optional wheels for around $20.
the lights are Walmart shoplights t12 with t8 bulbs. The rack can hold like 500lbs, so it's heavy duty. should last a liftime.
 
Zero's looks almost exactly like mine... Mine came with 4 racks.
 
5 tiers. I took one out. cost about $89 @ lowes. I bought the optional wheels for around $20.
the lights are Walmart shoplights t12 with t8 bulbs. The rack can hold like 500lbs, so it's heavy duty. should last a liftime.

Alright, the rack is decided, I like the adjustable heights.

How about these T5 fixtures/bulbs that were posted a while back?

http://www.contractorlighting.com/h....html?osCsid=7476936ebb9f7e0ea8badffb7a2e7158

Are those still a good deal? Anyone have anything better? Also, I was thinking, are there plants that would benefit from cooler T8 or T12 fixtures?
 
  • #11
Yeah, it means they'll probably cost a lot more than something that would work just as well. ;D I think, in the situation you describe, T5s might generate too much heat. If you used one of those wire racks that folks here all love, you would be roasting the plants just above your lights. T5s are great, but if I were you I would save my money. Buy some stocks now that the market is so low. Once you have a place of your own, you can let your collection sprawl out among multiple racks and tables, and then hot lights like T5s won't present an issue.
~Joe
 
  • #12
Alright, So should I step back to T8s or T12s?

also, not MY money, it's my mom's money. So it's not MY problem how expensive they are :p
 
  • #13
I went with t12's for one simple reason: cost. I bought 4 fixtures that each hold 2 lights, and each one cost $8 at lowes. Then I filled them with 'daylight' t12s, $6 for a pack of 2. And my plants grow great, the leaves are turning red on those neps that do, a couple young vfts that I'm going to grow through the winter are deep scarlet, etc. Apparently t8's are more efficient, but I couldn't find any deals that approached the above for a t8 system.
 
  • #14
I spent $8 each for 3 of those t12 4ft shoplights from walmart. cheap and they work great. walmart only sells the t8 4ft shoplights now though.
 
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