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Post by vraev on Apr 28, 2007 15:18:34 GMT -5
Hi guys, I had been saying that I am planning renovations to my setup. here is the first one done a few hours ago. My initial setup: We just constructed this: Using a fixture with 2 daylight deluxe T8 30 watt flouroscent tubes I just don't know if it is bright as before. Definately the wattage is more . before it was 13 watt + 23 watt CFL .. now its 2 x 30 watt . I put the light beside and tried to compare the lighting...the new one is brighter than the old ones. But I don't know....i think it should be fine. next stage: unpot all plants, make a new home for them. cheers, varun
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Post by lloyd on Apr 28, 2007 18:54:31 GMT -5
Looks well made. Definitely starting to look like a mad professor's laboratory.
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Post by insectivore on Apr 28, 2007 19:04:05 GMT -5
Nice setup Vraev! Cya
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Post by vraev on Apr 28, 2007 19:51:05 GMT -5
lol lloyd! its just the beginning. Wait till u see my entire vision. ... Thanks vinc. This would supply enough light for my CP's and my soon to be made landscape terrarium.
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Post by vraev on Apr 30, 2007 2:18:28 GMT -5
guys! I am still a bit concerned if the light as in any case decreased for my darling CP's. I mean, I have tried a lame man's way of checking and see the tubes to be producing more than that single CFL which was able to produce soo much colour in my VFT's. the only issue is: The CFL produced its 23 watts over a smaller area and focused it directly on these plants. I minimised loss by foil use and hence the colour. However, with longer tubes, the entire 30X2 watts of T8 daylight will be used over a greater area...not all going to each Cp induvidually. I will minimise sideways loss with foil...but still though...I am a little concerned.
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Post by Rick Hillier on Apr 30, 2007 9:24:30 GMT -5
I found some 40-watt fluorescent tubes that put out 3050 lumens instead of the normal 2250 like most other bulbs seem to put out. I'm trying them to see what happens.
My three-tier setup has two incandescent sockets between the fluorescent bulbs. Back when I got this unit for my birthday (a very long time ago), we didn't have grow bulbs - just normal 40-Watt fluorescents that provided the blue spectrum and 20-Watt incandescents for the red-end of the spectrum.
Currently, I have put those new high efficiency "daylight" bulbs in those sockets (the ones that put out 100-watts but only use 27) and the plants seem to like it so far.
Maybe you could incorporate something like that into your setup.
>>> Rick <<<
>>> Rick <<<
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Post by vraev on Apr 30, 2007 9:46:26 GMT -5
I was going for the T12;s but martin advised me about the higher efficiency and brighter T8's. So I guess I ended up with these ones for now. The fixture takes only T8's. I don't think I can FIT anything else over on that terrarium.....I mean look at it....its like completely filling the top...I know the wings of the fixture are taking soo much room...but I can't put anything else there.
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Post by funkytechnician on Apr 30, 2007 10:21:12 GMT -5
ya, that's some of why I ended up using HPS lighting, it was the same cost, but the tube lights are very dispersal, and require heavy reflectors all around, and need close proximity to be intense, the HPS are more focal and stronger, and can be suspended higher up. But it sounds like you have at least there minimum requirements met, and you can always add more later
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Post by vraev on Apr 30, 2007 11:19:16 GMT -5
finally funkydude is back. Do u think it the 2 x 32 watts inspite of its dispersal area should give atleast same as the 1 x 23 watt CFL?? It will be disappointing to have spent this 70$ on this setup and end up with lower colour than what I already have.
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Post by funkytechnician on Apr 30, 2007 15:29:26 GMT -5
ya, it's not really that much of a difference, you'll be fine, plus, look how many more plants you can fit now ;D nice build job on the framwork, looks very sturdy
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Post by vraev on Apr 30, 2007 15:44:04 GMT -5
well...thats true...but I guess its disappointing to through all that and find that the plants don't like it. But, I guess I have to wait a while before deciding.
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Post by martin on Apr 30, 2007 19:37:12 GMT -5
I think your setup is better than the initial one because you can fit more plants under it As for the light amount, dont get fooled by the color; warmer color is not an indication of light intensity. To know for sure, you'd have to get a light sensor, but its not worth it... I think you'll be just fine. Anyway, with your collection growing, its better to have a more practical setup and more space, no?
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Post by vraev on Apr 30, 2007 22:00:18 GMT -5
well....I guess it allows more room for the setup to grow. But by color I meant the colour of the traps of my venus fly traps.
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