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Post by calorchis on Mar 4, 2008 10:24:10 GMT -5
Hey all! Haven't been here for a while - the good news is I think the d. capensis and d. ordensis seed that I sowed a month ago is sprouting! It's too early too tell yet (they only have seed leaves) but hopefully it's real...and if not, then at least I now have two dishes of sphagnum that's coming back to life. Just a question to throw out there - does anyone grow with metal halide HID bulbs? I know it's unlikely but thought I'd ask anyway. I'm looking for a source of ballasts in Canada, and it's really tricky to find low wattage ones (I have 150W ceramic MH bulbs). So if anyone has a source of these, that would be great. Thanks -Calvin
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Post by Syble on Mar 4, 2008 14:16:50 GMT -5
Might want to start checking out hydroponic stores. Think there should be some online aswell. Congrats on the seedlings, you should have some capes if nothing else hehe Sib
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Post by Rug on Mar 4, 2008 17:49:45 GMT -5
Honestly no. But I would recommend using T5 HO fixture with 4 or more bulbs. They can run $140 and up but each 4 ft bulb uses 54 watts and produces 5000 lumens. By compairison a 250 watt metal halide produces 19,000 lumens and a 400watt - 40,000 and 600w -55,000 and 1000w - 119,000 lumens (all these are not exacts and do vary by company, ballast, time and many other factors). When you do the math they are pretty close but 216 watts of T5 is 20,000 lumens and nothing is lost per watt or bulb like the inefficiency of the halides. Maybe its just my preference but its more efficient and cooler. Not to mention more eye appealing (to me) Thats what I'm looking into getting anyway. ;D ( I am in no way a pro at this. It has just been through my research in the last few months)
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Post by calorchis on Mar 4, 2008 17:55:01 GMT -5
Yeah I've flipped back and forth between MH and T5s. I'm realizing that getting a ballast in Canada is near to impossible for these low wattage MH...the bulbs are amazing - with a 90+ color rendering index (Which I'm told is important) and a great spectrum. I scored a sweet deal on two bulbs on ebay, which is why I'm looking to get a ballast......there's one guy selling them for 170 dollars....and I'm thinking - one 150W MH can light a 2x2 area max...for a few bucks more I could be looking at a 4ft 4 tube T5, which can light my entire tank (I'm building a terrarium type thing for orchids and warm-growing CPs). So yeah I've once again flipped to the T5 side. Does anyone know a cheap supplier here in Canada? I know Bustan in TO sells em but it's outrageously overpriced at 300 dollars+....I know the best ones are the ones that have reflectors around each tube (the new wave ones have them) but I don't really care for brand-name stuff just cause the price is too high.
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Post by tom on Mar 4, 2008 18:19:04 GMT -5
For T5 check the Orchid Shop
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Post by Rug on Mar 4, 2008 18:42:39 GMT -5
Those are not t5 HO though
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Post by lloyd on Mar 4, 2008 19:21:56 GMT -5
My next project is to go with the new 5W blue & red LED's.
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Post by calorchis on Mar 4, 2008 21:49:27 GMT -5
I'm gonna wait a few years before I try LEDs - I've read a lot of light forums on my quest for light and there seem to be mixed feelings about them right now...plus I think the colors look a little unnatural. But hey - they save energy and if the plants like it, that's great!
Those 54W might be T5HO since I'm not sure if T5s come in 54W but I may be wrong :S
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Post by Rug on Mar 4, 2008 22:46:35 GMT -5
Yeah sorry my bad that 54w is an HO bulb. The only problem that I have with that small strip is that the amount of light lost on the entire back side of the bulb towards the fixture. I have been reading a lot about T5 fixtures and they say that is a huge problem! So what have companies done to eleminate that problem u ask? Reflectors are a big help, but... only if you create enough distance between the bulb and the reflector to allow trapped light to exit. That fixture is way to tight against that backing in my opinion. I also wonder about those strips. Do they actually put out the lumens that the bulb is capable of? (I don't know the answer. If anyone does please give an answer) It just seems that its missing the proper ballast. I am no electrician so these are questionable things to me. Just like the grow and sho bulbs I guess.
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Post by calorchis on Mar 5, 2008 0:24:22 GMT -5
I mainly grow orchids (just venturing slowly into the CP world) lots of which need pretty high light levels to bloom. On the orchid forums I visit, there are people who recommend using the New Wave brand of T5s, which apparently are really good in terms of light output..but yeah think you're right - reflectors make a big difference. I'm looking around for a good vendor for T5s...in case anyone else is shopping for these, after hours and hours of browsing various stores in the US and canada, I've found that: www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/t5-new-wave-4ft-grow-lights-c-321_330.htmlcarries them. Shipping to Canada is about 55 bucks...but they have the cheapest new-wave lights out there (190)...so the total is only around 250 dollars...J&L aquatics has the same lights for 230 bucks but without bulbs. EDIT - okay never mind - I just realized the customs and brokerage fees will be outrageous. Guess I'll have to look for a local source
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Post by sdeering on Mar 6, 2008 8:00:20 GMT -5
I am using a 400w MH light in a 6x7x7H greenhouse in my basement. It works well. Bulbs for the MH I think have a shorter life. I think 1 year they need to be changed.
Another problem is you have all that light concentrated. I do have a good reflector but the plants that are high and to the outside, are a little lacking. A mover would help allot but my greenhouse is too small to use one. The longer fluorescents are well suited to spread the light out for plant grow areas.
I have been pondering the T5 thing I see a lot of businesses use them. Must be able to get an industrial ballast/fixture somewhere. I’m wondering how much heat these give off. I run my MH ballast outside my greenhouse. That helps allot in the summer. Stephen
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Post by calorchis on Mar 6, 2008 14:23:21 GMT -5
If I ever get a larger growspace ie a basement, I think HID is definitely the way to go. But for smaller grow spaces, I think fluoroscents are best....I like tubes better than CFLs simply for 2 reasons: 1) I hate how every CFL has it's own little ballast contained inside, which you throw away when the bulb burns out. 2) I always feel like the fact that the tube is coiled around and around results in some light loss J&L aquatics is selling 4foot 4 tube Sunlight supply New Wave fixtures for 273.17 shipping and tax included to Toronto. I've heard that these reflectors are the best - while I don't like being a stupid consumer and just paying for the brand name, I'm not handy enough (nor do I have the patience) to do indepth studies on what is the best, whether I can retrofit something better etc....so yeah..I think I'm going to get one ;D This will light up a 90 gallon tank (18" x 48" x 24") which means much room for plants! Also, in case anyone is wondering, after many many hours of searching online, I finally found a cheap(ish) source of T5 HO bulbs...http://www.hydrotechhydroponics.com/ located in the GTA carry nice sylvania bulbs at good plant growing spectra for only 13bucks a pop.
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Post by lloyd on Mar 6, 2008 21:55:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the link. I liked the LED fixture they have until I saw the $650 price tag. I'll have to do my own.
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