Post by sherkas on Jan 6, 2009 22:17:18 GMT -5
I use to run 4 bulbs (2 fixtures with 2 ea) and the plants grew well and some colored fine. When I adjusted it to the picture method, the plants at the back receiving CFL light (which were the hard to color red ones) started to color. So now I want to somehow introduce a bit of CFL light to boost the setup. I like the t12's for there length and coverage, but I have about 5 or so plants I want to double there light so they can get there true red colors.
The setup is 4 by 6 of pots. So thats 24 plants I have room for (some are empty but soon to be filled).
Basically the picture shows, at the back of the setup (top left) is 2 CFL lights (9 watters) and they are just 2 inches above the hard to get red plants. After that its the 2 fixtures.
I had just recently lowered my setup to be closer (what is currently shown in the picture)(most easy and some harder to color plants started going there deep red colors) however ones like the capensis (red) will not go red so when I added the CFL's the cape started to show more red. So from my setup im estimating just a CFL or two or low to medium watt is all I need to make ALL my plants go red as if they were outside. So I wanted to somehow adjust it so I have either 1 CFl or 2 in such a way that all plants get equal amount of the better light. It may not be possible but im looking here to see if anyone else has a way to design the setup.
I could do one fixture at the back, A high power CFL in the middle (of 20 some watt) and the other fixture on the front. I just want to make sure however the hard to red plants are getting ALOT of light and everything else gets a bit of that and my t12's.
The color temp of the t12's are 3800 so they pretty good so far. The CFL I got has a color temp of 3000 which is alot more red.
I have a lux meter so I can check all the spots for amt of light. I also have alum. foil all around these plants so it reflects REALLY well.
The lux readings from left to right for each row is: 12000, 9500, 9000, 7000. The front row (right) receives the least but thats still good enough for the easy plants, the back receives a huge amount which makes the cape start to go red.
Any suggestions... is this hard to understand?
The setup is 4 by 6 of pots. So thats 24 plants I have room for (some are empty but soon to be filled).
Basically the picture shows, at the back of the setup (top left) is 2 CFL lights (9 watters) and they are just 2 inches above the hard to get red plants. After that its the 2 fixtures.
I had just recently lowered my setup to be closer (what is currently shown in the picture)(most easy and some harder to color plants started going there deep red colors) however ones like the capensis (red) will not go red so when I added the CFL's the cape started to show more red. So from my setup im estimating just a CFL or two or low to medium watt is all I need to make ALL my plants go red as if they were outside. So I wanted to somehow adjust it so I have either 1 CFl or 2 in such a way that all plants get equal amount of the better light. It may not be possible but im looking here to see if anyone else has a way to design the setup.
I could do one fixture at the back, A high power CFL in the middle (of 20 some watt) and the other fixture on the front. I just want to make sure however the hard to red plants are getting ALOT of light and everything else gets a bit of that and my t12's.
The color temp of the t12's are 3800 so they pretty good so far. The CFL I got has a color temp of 3000 which is alot more red.
I have a lux meter so I can check all the spots for amt of light. I also have alum. foil all around these plants so it reflects REALLY well.
The lux readings from left to right for each row is: 12000, 9500, 9000, 7000. The front row (right) receives the least but thats still good enough for the easy plants, the back receives a huge amount which makes the cape start to go red.
Any suggestions... is this hard to understand?