Air circulation under lights

15 years ago

I will be installing a growing cart with the tent cover shortly to put my orchids and other tropicalÂs in for the winter. (Follow link for info on the cart). Each tray will have a plastic grate in it to keep the pots out of any drainage water. The light fixtures (3 of them) will be four bulb 48" Fluorescent Grow Fixtures. I am not sure if they come with or with out the bulbs. If I need to purchase bulbs what are the recommendations from the group?

http://www.buyplantlights.com/ga3-p4-seedling-cart.html

My questions are:

I have researched a lot of sites on the internet and books and I find that most of info I have reviewed state that using a mixture of Cool white and Daylight bulbs is just as good or better than using Plant Bulbs. What is the consensus of the forum on this?

Since the Tent/Plastic cover will be part of the over all growing structure to help maintain humidity levels should I also install some low voltage (12VDC) muffin fans for air circulation?

If there are any other comments please feel free to post them.

Thanks

Alordzot

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Comment (1)

lermer
15 years ago
High output Cool White and Warm White are more efficient than known "grow-lights" like "Gro-Lux". Dr. Norton verified this in a 1969 experiment, and Sylvania has been scamming the horticultural market until they finally dropped the product.

You want both intensity and full spectrum, with efficiency on wattage consumption.

If you vent to the rest of the room, that would lower humidity; unless the whole room were sufficiently humid, in which case, you don't need the enclosure.

The amount of lights you propose would be enough to keep your plants alive in a 1' x 4' growing area. If you want to actually grow them vigorously, you need a real growlight. I recommend 400w Ceramic Metal Halide. For humidity in the grow room, I recommend an evaporative cooler (this would also allow you to have more lights without exceeding the 76F heat limit).
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