I started buying and growing them last fall, buying both locally (one source) and from online sources, so I have a variety. Over the winter I had mine under two grow lights (tube lights made for installing under cabinets, so each about 2 feet long). I had these on a timer so they got a split session of ~3 hours in the morning, ~6 in the evening (I was at work, so why waste the electricity?) Now that I'll be working at home, I'll give them 12-13 hours a day in the same lighting starting in the later fall. Right now (August) they're outside in a north-facing porch, getting a lot of reflected sunlight at our high altitude. So if you have a grow light, you may be able to put other plants under it as well. Perhaps take the Tillandsia home on weekends and give it a soaking and some sunshine in a window. If you have a fresh-water fish tank in the classroom, you can use water from that to soak the Tillandsia in (that's what I do)

So the classroom is dark evening, night and on weekends and holidays? Perhaps for over a week or more around Christmas and Easter? Forced air heating and air conditioning making the air quite dry? May be tough.

tj

Debby,
Thank you.
Just to make sure, grow lights is the same as plant light?? And if I understand it correctly, you used tube lights as a light source during winter, right?
So tube lights function the same or has the same effect as the plant light or grow light? Sorry for such questions, I am just a little bit confused. Thank you again!

I have also read your other post regarding a website for tillandsia - I wonder if it's possible to know the name of the site :p

Tj,
The classroom would be during weekdays, morning until afternoon - I am also thinking if it's okay to leave it there overnight (for a week, actually - Mon. to Fri.). I might go by what Debby said regarding bringing it home on weekends. And...I haven't thought after the effect air conditioning will have on the plants :/

So, perhaps it's not a good idea then to keep it in the classroom due to the air conditioning/heating?

Thank you!

The lights I'm using are made by Lights of America and are "Color Temperature 7800K" (and some other numbers I can't read upside down since I've already installed them). Unfortunately I don't have the packages anymore, though I'm sure the packaging said they were useful for growing plants under. I probably got them at WalMart for under $10 each. It might be worth doing some online research.

If you want to simply try out a set up, maybe acquire some inexpensive Ionanthas. Single plants would also be very light to carry home if you wish (put them in a padded box you can carry under your coat if it's very cold out).

For ID info: I started reading this forum, going back to the beginning and working forward, and found this:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/bromeliad/msg0407265730617.html?4

with pictures still available (many pictures in other posts, mostly pics by Gonzer, are gone...)

Websites with good pictures (and one can order from them): Tropiflora, Airplants4u, Rainforestflora, CTSairplants, and sometimes I just see the name of a plant that sounds interesting and I google it with good results (like finding this forum!)

Keep us informed of your progress!

I found in this subforum a link to good pictures:

http://wholesaletillandsias.com/index.php?p=1_7_Tillandsia-Pictures

and on other places in that site, as well as some care instructions

Thanks a lot, Debby!!!
I might get a Tillandsia in the next two weeks, and I think I would need to get some grow lights as well :)

Thank you for the site links :)
I will definitely do some more research on this! :)
I'll post pics once I get my Tillandsia :D