I have a four light fixture that I use for my orchids in the winter. During the summer when they are outside, I put my violets under it. Just estimating, they are about 18 inches under the light.

You need a warm white and a cool white. The warm is often sold as daylight. T-12's are getting more and more difficult to find in my area.

Linda

Walmart had no suitable T12s but the local hardware had a lot. I think Lowe's still carried them.

I think you can run the light with only 2 bulbs but check that to be sure. 4 might be a little intensive for african violets. Someone will step in if there's a problem with this. My husband broke one of the ones in the 2 bulb light and one still worked. (Don't break them whatever you do.)

Diana

Thanx! What kind of lights, cool, warm, etc., do they need?

Many sources recommend using a cool white and a warm white bulb. Other people just use the cool white ones.

I've seen Philips (I think) Plant and Aquarium bulbs but have no experience with these and they cost more. I still have a Gro-Lux but you have to order those and I guess it's unnecessary.

New ones will be much brighter than old ones though so be cautious there. I got the Ace hardware cool whites which seemed to be exactly the same as the GE cool whites but cheaper.

Diana

I use t12 bulbs from home depot. I buy a pack of 10 for around $20. They are the 40w 4 ft cool white supreme 4100K fluorescent bulbs.

These work well for me, haven't had any problems in terms of lighting with my plants.

Cooks

Vivey,

You need a warm white and a cool white. The cool white emits the blue of the color spectrum. Plants use this color length for vegetative growth. The warm white emits the red wave length which plants use for bloom production. You don't need special 'Gro-lights'. These often distort the colors of your blooms so you don't see the true colors. A warm and cool white work great.

Linda

This post was edited by whitelacey on Mon, Mar 24, 14 at 15:35

Thanx for all your help! Looks like 2, one warm and one cool, is the consensus. Right now I have my seedlings under the light (all 4) but they tend to like more light since they are mainly full sun plants.

i use standard fluorescent tubes.. cheap as yo can go.. and replace them once per year.. and insure they are within 2 inches of the plant...

its all about light intensity ... not the spectrum and all ...

ken

I use gro lights exclusively, either Phillips or GroLux. No, they probably aren't necessary but I like the way my plants look under these lights. If Menards is found in your area check it out for the widest selection of bulbs in all kinds and sizes.

Terri

Sorry, Ken,

It is light spectrum that counts. It is the different color wave lengths that plants use for growth and blooming.

Linda