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Rough plan for indoor setup...help?

So...this is obviously not to scale so don't laugh (much) ;)

My VFT's can't go outside yet due to weather, but they will soon. In the interim, since I plan to have some indoor plants as well as outdoor, I still need an indoor setup, and my current one is not adequate.

1. If I decide to keep a fly trap or two indoors, or move them in for bad weather, would this lighting likely yield red traps, or is it not enough light?

I read the lighting stickies and other threads I found, but I'd feel better checking with you guys.

2. And second, how much room should there be between the plants and the lights? About 6 inches? More/less?

Thanks!
 
2. And second, how much room should there be between the plants and the lights? About 6 inches? More/less?

As little room as possible that still allows for growth and viewing pleasure. Flourescent lights do not produce enough heat to harm your plants, as normal incandescent bulbs do; so, that should not be considered when adjusting height.

Additionally, depending on what you want to grow, your terrarium will probably be unnecessary. I've never used a terrarium and had great success. It all just depends on what you're trying to grow.

xvart.
 
your illustrations are awesome a picture is worth a thousand words.
I suggest hardening them off to bad weather and never bring them in a house only in an unheated shed or garage if the temperature gets below 20F or so. they can tolerate 20F but you said you get temps in the single digits for weaks at a time.
and what is bad weather? why can't you move them outside?
and for your diagram you should flip the light horizontally so that it doesn't look like you plan to hang it crooked above the bookshelf.
 
Then... and now!!!

DSCI0326.JPG


It kinda grows on ya!!

Cost you ask. Shelves $75 Lowes. Light fixtures $8 ea at Walmart. Bulbs 6500K $6 a pair at Lowes. Timer $5 at Lowes. Black/white plastic $20 an the local hydroponics shop (sea of green). Pull down window shade $13 at Lowes. Humidifiers (I run 2 incase of 1 failing, that happened just a few days ago) Wick humidifier at Walmart, $19 and a good Hunter Humidifier $50 at Lowes. All those CP plants ... PRICELESS!!!
 
if you want to get some vinyl like a shower curtain and wrap it around the shelf.
but if you get a shower curtain it could be too big or too small and would have little square creases because it was folded up.My advice is to go to walmart they have clear vinyl in the fabric section and they sell by the foot in a roll so no creases.
 
thbjr, do you have to use distilled water in the humidifiers? Or does the humididfier take out any impurities?

-matt
 
Then... and now!!!

It kinda grows on ya!!

Cost you ask. Shelves $75 Lowes. Light fixtures $8 ea at Walmart. Bulbs 6500K $6 a pair at Lowes. Timer $5 at Lowes. Black/white plastic $20 an the local hydroponics shop (sea of green). Pull down window shade $13 at Lowes. Humidifiers (I run 2 incase of 1 failing, that happened just a few days ago) Wick humidifier at Walmart, $19 and a good Hunter Humidifier $50 at Lowes. All those CP plants ... PRICELESS!!!


We must think alike - this is exactly what I ended up doing.

- I don't have black/white plastic or a timer yet...what does the black/white plastic do?
- Do you have something lying on the shelves under your pots? It looks like something is there, but I don't know if it's functional or just aesthetic preference.

There are two light fixtures up there - so 4x 6500K 3300 lumen 48" 40-watt bulbs. :) Much better than my single CFL.

And believe it or not, that humidity is without the humidifier on. I don't think I need it just yet.

Now I can keep year-round CP's year round without having to worry about the weather.
 
The on ehting you will hvae to thikn about with the plants is dormancy. But you got an AWSOME! rack are those the ones you can buy form lowes??
 
The on ehting you will hvae to thikn about with the plants is dormancy. But you got an AWSOME! rack are those the ones you can buy form lowes??

Yes I got it at Lowe's and it does rock :) $70, and it's 6 feet tall, 4 feet wide, 16" deep.

I'm only mildly concerned about dormancy. I have plenty of time to decide which method I'll go with.
 
  • #10
looks good so far now just move your flytraps outside when you can and get some drosera and some nepenthes.
and when you need to buy more fixtures.
glad you dropped 70$ on a shelf now just drop 70$ on nepenthes some good starters are ventricosa, sanguinea and ventricosa x maxima is a nice hybrid.
 
  • #11
I think a rack is better if you're looking to grow more plants inside... You already know you're going to have more plants :D but more inside? is the question.. even if it's just for the winter... I too used a rack as shown above... I ran 3 shop light fixtures (6 bulbs) per shelf :p and I didn't wrap my rack.. I just humidified the whole room... I wrapped it once and it just got too danged hot in there :p. Here is what my rack looked like (if you can see through the blinding glow :D)
plantrack.jpg


I used that for years before going to a greenhouse... I'm actually going to set one back up. I feel some plants do better under lights than out in the g/h...
Andrew
 
  • #12
wow how much does it cost to run that thing?
 
  • #13
thbjr, do you have to use distilled water in the humidifiers? Or does the humididfier take out any impurities?

-matt

Matt, the Hunter humidifier has 'perma wick'. It is a coated metel mesh (quarenteed for 5 years) that the water is pumped up and dripped on top of. It doesn't 'wick' the water up like the cheaper one does. I'd like to use RO water, but I use nearly 10 gallons a week, so I just soak all the filters in a vinegar solution every Sat night for about 30 minutes to remove the water deposit solids. I do have to replace the wick filter about every 3 months, but they are available at Wallymart for about $5. Someday, when I get an RO system for the whole house install, I'll certainly used RO water in the humidifiers.

We must think alike - this is exactly what I ended up doing.

- I don't have black/white plastic or a timer yet...what does the black/white plastic do?
- Do you have something lying on the shelves under your pots? It looks like something is there, but I don't know if it's functional or just aesthetic preference.

Valydius, Nice set up!!! The black/white was wrapped around the shelf, originally, for light reflection and with the pull down shade, I thought I would be able to keep the small humidifier inside the shelving unit and keep the humidity up. But when I got all 6 shoplights in, the temp was going through the roof. So I had to open up the front to dissipate the heat and the 1 small humidifier could only get the room humidity up to around 50-55%. Thats when I added the larger Hunter humidifier and now the room runs aroung 60-65% daytime and 75% night time. Not bad concidering the house humidity is around 15% daytime and 25% at night.
As for what is on the shelves, it's just cardboard. I put it on there so that the flats and other containers will slide around easily.

Tom
 
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