plant lighting

[jalli]

ive been looking around and been thinking... I have a 125w merc vapor solar glow for heat and uvb combined with a 18 in pink grow bulb. everything seems to be doing ok but my new ficus dosent get much at the bottom. my big question I guess would be are LED lights, screw in socket type, worth the investment ? or would a larger bulb florescent fixture work just as well ? seems to be about the same price for either set up

 

[NickTide]

With that much light you should have plenty for the ficus to live but may loose leaves but if the leaves are more sparse at the bottom, its lacking light down there. also, even a little daylight (even indirect) does wonders for them.

I have done a good bit of indoor gardening... the legal kind. anyway, LEDs with a Kelvin (K) of 5000- 6000 work well. 4000 is ok but not preferred. You can get LED daylight bulbs that are in this range at a reasonable price. At Costco I get the 60 watt equivalent at about 12/$12 and the 100 watt equivalent are like $1.50 or so each. You could probably get away with a single light aimed at the side that you move around to supplement the light.

You could also use something like this...
https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-L...F8&qid=1521559897&sr=1-18&keywords=grow+light

It is only the blue and red spectrum that the plant uses. So this 10 watt fixture might emit as much usable light as a 15 watt daylight LED or like 18 watt florescent (these are strictly guesstimates, no math done).

 

[jalli]

lmao @ "the legal kind" yeah daylight is hard come by in the basement room where she is, was more concerned about humidity then the light. I had seen those nano led's at the local pet store. and I had seen sum leaf fall out, I know it's to be expected from the shock of transplanting but it got me thinking. I was looking at these.
https://www.thebiodude.com/products/8-tincman-herps-led

 

[NickTide]

lmao @ "the legal kind" yeah daylight is hard come by in the basement room where she is, was more concerned about humidity then the light. I had seen those nano led's at the local pet store. and I had seen sum leaf fall out, I know it's to be expected from the shock of transplanting but it got me thinking. I was looking at these.
https://www.thebiodude.com/products/8-tincman-herps-led

Whenever I talk about indoor gardening someone always says something about "what kind of lettuce?" Anyway, that is a really expensive daylight bulb. the only positive I can see is it is linear so if you have a low profile hood on a terarium, this would fit where a regular $1 bulb won't. If you want to use a dome light or a desk lamp, this is no good I would check the warranty as well.

What kind of fixture are you planning to use? I wouldn't use anything that is on top. if that 125 watt doesnt penetrate the foliage, this wont.

 

[jalli]

nah not on top. was gonna get the adapter thebiodude has too soo I could move it around like u mentioned. I'm thinking I may add a strip across the door on front and hang/mount it there not sure yet. the cork panels I have to help with humidity are screwing me with lighting locations down low.