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gopener
lil_dude



Registered: 06/16/13
Posts: 512
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Cactus seedling lights.
#18975455 - 10/14/13 06:34 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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I was thinking to bring inside the seedling trays for the winter.
From a discussion with fellow cacti lovers here, i end up on the decision to buy some fluorescent T8 6500K.
Now my questions.. I cant found here 6500K only 6400k, is there a big difference? I was thinking something like 70 watts, so two 120cm T8 would be make it, bat for my space i cant put 120 cm, so i need 60 cm T8.That would be 4 lamps to make 70 watts!
Do you guys think, that if i start with 36 watts only, it could be ok and after a month 36 more watts, because right now i cant have 4 lamps!
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Mostly_Harmless
wyrd bið ful aræd



Registered: 05/12/09
Posts: 5,043
Loc: Perfidious Albion
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: gopener]
#18975491 - 10/14/13 06:57 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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15-20W per square foot works well. Adding more later is easy enough, or swapping for stronger bulbs.
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GoOnThen
Stranger


Registered: 02/06/09
Posts: 1,046
Loc: Australia
Last seen: 9 years, 8 months
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 Smaller tubes just means less grow space. 
Cheers Got
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psi
TOAST N' JAM


Registered: 09/05/99
Posts: 31,456
Loc: 613
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: gopener]
#18975738 - 10/14/13 08:49 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
gopener said: I cant found here 6500K only 6400k, is there a big difference?
That should definitely be close enough. I have some 2700K tubes mixed in with the 6500K and there seem to be no ill effects.
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Mostly_Harmless
wyrd bið ful aræd



Registered: 05/12/09
Posts: 5,043
Loc: Perfidious Albion
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: psi]
#18975787 - 10/14/13 09:24 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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I finished up the grafting competition last year, and all my seedlings, under 5500k.
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gopener
lil_dude



Registered: 06/16/13
Posts: 512
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Thanks a lot guys!
Tomorrow i will go to buy two 6400, 60cm. The space i will use is 60x20 cm, so i guess it will be good at the moment, till i get two more! I will update with pics as soon as the setup is ready!
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LSoares
Farmer



Registered: 10/09/13
Posts: 3,209
Loc: Portugal
Last seen: 4 years, 2 months
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: gopener]
#18976203 - 10/14/13 11:36 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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The space you're talking about is 1,33 sq.ft. Mostly mentioned 15-20W / sq.ft., which means you need approximately 27W (higher end of the interval). Two T8 60cm tubes put out 36W, 35% more than required. No need to add to this, IMHO (but then I'm not familiar with the growing of cacti under artificial light...).
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gopener
lil_dude



Registered: 06/16/13
Posts: 512
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: LSoares]
#18976218 - 10/14/13 11:39 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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You got it right, bat more light is better than less!
Mostly Harmless mention minimum numbers (correct me if i am wrong).
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Mostly_Harmless
wyrd bið ful aræd



Registered: 05/12/09
Posts: 5,043
Loc: Perfidious Albion
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: gopener]
#18976278 - 10/14/13 11:58 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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More is ok, keep the light higher. Adjust according to what your seedlings need, if they are stretching then lower the light, if getting a bit too red, raise it more. Having more than the minimum for raising some seeds is good for winter grafting.  And of course, your temps will be higher too.
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gopener
lil_dude



Registered: 06/16/13
Posts: 512
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Hope that will help me, on grafting competition!
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gopener
lil_dude



Registered: 06/16/13
Posts: 512
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: gopener]
#18993792 - 10/18/13 12:39 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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The setup is ready and working right now! 36 watts 6400k. I have the lights 15cm away from the seedling trays, and temperature is rise up.
From when i place them there, the trays dont have moisture building up on the lead of the trays..so i spray water on them, bat again nothing.. Should i have to water them more?
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420milehigh
shaman


Registered: 08/19/12
Posts: 1,229
Loc: third eye
Last seen: 9 years, 5 months
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: gopener]
#18994419 - 10/18/13 07:47 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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as long as they are moist (I use a tupperware to keep it all in) and warm they should do fine
-------------------- All posts are entirely, 100%, conclusively false or complete works of fiction... but I can levitate lol "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin if I owe you seeds from a previous trade send me a PM, I will rectify my shortcomings and compensate you for your patience
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gopener
lil_dude



Registered: 06/16/13
Posts: 512
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: 420milehigh]
#18994515 - 10/18/13 08:34 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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I do exactly the same, bat now that i move them indoors under fluros they dont hold moisture on the lead.. I think is the heat, right now i have 30 c on that area..
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World Seed Supply
Seed Man


Registered: 11/12/09
Posts: 2,154
Loc: New York, USA
Last seen: 6 days, 10 hours
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: gopener]
#18996240 - 10/18/13 03:56 PM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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I know it's too late now, but I recommend t5's (skinny tubes) if you can find them. I had to build mine after a little tutorial from the guy in Home Depot. But it wasn;t hard. Last time I wen they were out though. These grow much better than plants under the larger tubes.
-------------------- www.worldseedsupply.com HELPING THE WORLD GROW! 50% OFF 1st KRATOM COLLECTION POWDER ORDER @ www.kratomcollectionshop.com USE CODE WELCOME50NWEW!
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gopener
lil_dude



Registered: 06/16/13
Posts: 512
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Thanks for the info mate.In witch matter they are better?
I can always add more lights!
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psi
TOAST N' JAM


Registered: 09/05/99
Posts: 31,456
Loc: 613
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: gopener]
#18999031 - 10/19/13 10:03 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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One thing to keep in mind with T5 is that there are two distinct types of fixtures with their own tubes that are incompatible with the other type, high output (T5-HO) and high efficiency (T5-HE.) The HO ones are comparable in efficiency to T8, but the output per tube is much greater so they allow packing more light output into a given space. T5HE has comparable output per tube to T8, but the efficiency is better. HO is usually the one people are talking about for plants.
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gopener
lil_dude



Registered: 06/16/13
Posts: 512
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: psi]
#18999213 - 10/19/13 11:01 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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Great info psi, these days i will make some research on fluorescents in general!
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psi
TOAST N' JAM


Registered: 09/05/99
Posts: 31,456
Loc: 613
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: gopener]
#18999265 - 10/19/13 11:16 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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I have not used T5 lights but I would like to eventually. Right now I just use T8 because the fixtures are very affordable. I was looking online just now and the local home renovation type chain store has 4x54W T5HO fixtures (46" tubes) for $120, which seems pretty good. The tubes would be another $40 at that store though.
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gopener
lil_dude



Registered: 06/16/13
Posts: 512
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: psi]
#18999304 - 10/19/13 11:27 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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thats a big difference with T8 on money, i will go and ask in some shops here, to see offers and compare with internet!
By the way did you ever experience moisture loss with too much heat? My trays (use to be transparent ice-cream containers) from the time i put them under the lights, the moisture on the lids disappear, and i am concern because i spray them water bat again no moisture..
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psi
TOAST N' JAM


Registered: 09/05/99
Posts: 31,456
Loc: 613
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Re: Cactus seedling lights. [Re: gopener]
#18999581 - 10/19/13 12:37 PM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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Yeah that would be 74 cents per watt combined, vs 47 cents a watt for a $20 2x4' T8 fixture with a $10 2-pack of tubes. My guess is that the extra cash outlay is only really worth it if you really need the extra light intensity, for example for bigger Trichocereus seedlings.
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