seeds Seedlings and Light

[AlabamaJack]

Dale:

I have been running a little experiment (see my post above on 3 Dec). I have seen no difference in 7 days running lights 24/7 and 16/8.

 

[Omri]

Omri, are there any benefits to 24/7 lighting because it seems like a lot of overkill and twice the bill? have you done any comparisons to say 12 on 12 off? I have only used the 12 on 12 off method and am a little curious.

Dale

I've used MHs for the 16 hours routine, and my plant do not like anymore light.
Although the ones I've tested under the fluorescent lights, did like the 24 hours routine.
The ones under the MH still seem to grow better, but the fluorescent ones are just fine.

 

[LUCKYDOG]

LD:

The F40T12 CW Plus lights I am using are used only for seedling growth. They seem to be working fine for me. BUT, I am NOT a lighting expert since this is my first try to grow from seed. Does the 2850 stand for Lumens? The bulbs I am using are 4100K color temperature and 2880 lumens after burn in.

yes the 2850 is the Lumens -- color is to mimick natural light I believe. Color temp I am unsure... Homedepot had 'em these were the most lumen of the bunch --- I figured two in a 4ft overhead would be enough???

 

[AlabamaJack]

yes the 2850 is the Lumens -- color is to mimick natural light I believe. Color temp I am unsure... Homedepot had 'em these were the most lumen of the bunch --- I figured two in a 4ft overhead would be enough???

I got my shop light fixtures from Home Depot and the light bulbs are Phillips I got from Home Depot also.

 

[Pam]

I got my shop light fixtures from Home Depot and the light bulbs are Phillips I got from Home Depot also.

*hi fives AlabamaJack!*

Same deal, only I got some from Lowe's and some from Walmart.

 

[AlabamaJack]

*hi fives AlabamaJack!*

Same deal, only I got some from Lowe's and some from Walmart.

High Fives back at 'cha Ms. Pam. Everything seems to be working as planned and on schedule. I measured my plants last night and the biggest one is 5.25 inches high at 5 weeks and 4 days. This is after transplanting to the first set of leaves. The smallest one is probably 4". They have such a gorgeous deep green color. My marbles are already starting to develop buds and I am torn whether to pull them off or just let nature take its course since these are house plants.

 

[LUCKYDOG]

Sounds like the same thing I am looking at AJ + Pam

 

[Omri]

You can't say I'm wasting any resources.
Used a desk lamp I got with a 25W compact fluorescent, old mini-fluorescent tubes with an extended power line, and just so I could feel like a real a-hole, I hanged a tray below the full sized fluorescent lights I have on the ceiling.
I took off the tubes and put some weights on the tray to see if it's stable.

 

[bentalphanerd]

You can't say I'm wasting any resources.
Used a desk lamp I got with a 25W compact fluorescent, old mini-fluorescent tubes with an extended power line, and just so I could feel like a real a-hole, I hanged a tray below the full sized fluorescent lights I have on the ceiling.
I took off the tubes and put some weights on the tray to see if it's stable.

Sounds like a real professional setup there Omri - you have a pic of that?

 

[AlabamaJack]

Agree with Bent.........Pics?

 

[Omri]

Sounds like a real professional setup there Omri - you have a pic of that?

Agree with Bent.........Pics?

First of all it doesn't look professional at all, it's more like something the professor from 'Gilligan's Island' made.
Now about the pics.
As I said before, It's the main light in the room, and I took the tubes off for testing its stability, so no pics until morning time (It's midnight now).

 

[AlabamaJack]

In the mean time, Marble Pepper Seedlings @ 6 weeks to the day.

[/IMG]

 

[wordwiz]

Is this from the day of sowing the seed or the day they sprouted? If it is the former, I'm going to be really, really jealous.

 

[AlabamaJack]

Is this from the day of sowing the seed or the day they sprouted? If it is the former, I'm going to be really, really jealous.

I put the seeds in the starter soil Thursday, 1 November about 5PM and followed all the advice on starting seeds from the hot pepper website. I kept them at constant 86 F until they were about an inch high and they have had light 24/7 and a constant 80 F since. I suppose the stuff I used just happened to be what the marbles and little elves wanted. Beginners luck for my first try starting from seed. If you would like, I will tell you exactly what I have used. I have kept a daily log since they went planted.

 

[Omri]

I don't feel so good today, so I haven't finished it, yet.

Here's a picture:

I used those really tall trays/half boxes I get with the cups I order, because they're strong and light.

I'm gonna cover it with some nylon so it will look better, get those tubes back, pad it with aluminum foil (it helps a lot) and add two more to the right.

 

[bentalphanerd]

First of all it doesn't look professional at all, it's more like something the professor from 'Gilligan's Island' made.

I don't see any vines or coconuts

I would be a little worried about the weight Omri. How is the fluro holder attached to the ceiling & whats the ceiling made of?

It does look great though - The Omri Goldberg pepper grower

 

[Omri]

I don't see any vines or coconuts

I would be a little worried about the weight Omri. How is the fluro holder attached to the ceiling & whats the ceiling made of?

It does look great though - The Omri Goldberg pepper grower

This room was made against a direct hit of a missile, I think it should hold a few seedlings.
BTW my name is NOT 'Goldberg', it's 'Shuster'.

 

[wordwiz]

I put the seeds in the starter soil Thursday, 1 November about 5PM and followed all the advice on starting seeds from the hot pepper website. I kept them at constant 86 F until they were about an inch high and they have had light 24/7 and a constant 80 F since. I suppose the stuff I used just happened to be what the marbles and little elves wanted. Beginners luck for my first try starting from seed. If you would like, I will tell you exactly what I have used. I have kept a daily log since they went planted.

AJ,

Yeah, send me the nitty-gritty details. I can match the heating, at least until they get about six inches tall, then I might need to build a larger container. Plus, I probably will run the lights only 16-18 hours a day, as I can't get the plants outside until the middle of May and I don't want to worry about knocking blooms off carrying them down steps and across the yard.

I stopped in at a client's yesterday (a Garden Center). He sold me a bag of seeding soil, $10 for 40 pounds, said it was the same thing they use and they raise hundreds of plants a year. That's where my wife got the habs, jalas, and Hungarian peppers this year. He had some better stuff but at $10/lb. and the advice that it really isn't much better, I opted for the cheaper stuff. They told me they start the seeds in about a half-inch of this stuff then move them up to a small seed tray. Of course, they have eight hours a day to donate to this stuff. They also don't fertilize the seedlings. Personally, I would love to find a product we use to call Agrinite. Really nasty smelling - almost like cow manure, that was applied directly to the plants. It was great to give the plants a boost once they got about three-four inches tall. Plus, it didn't need washed off.

Mike


By Monday, I should have most of the seeds I ordered and be ready to try your advice!

 

[bentalphanerd]

This room was made against a direct hit of a missile, I think it should hold a few seedlings.
BTW my name is NOT 'Goldberg', it's 'Shuster'.

What about the little 1/4" screws holding the light fitting to the ceiling?

It reminds me of Rube Goldberg cartoons LINK

 

[Omri]

What about the little 1/4" screws holding the light fitting to the ceiling?

It reminds me of Rube Goldberg cartoons LINK

I tested the setup over night with some weights (real heavy ones), and it kept it stable without any trouble.

VERY LATE EDIT:
Here's the setup in use.

I'll deal with the cosmetics later.