Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
collegegrower

Growing Under the Bed

collegegrower
16 years ago

ok so im in college and I had to leave my 1,000 watt Hid Settup at home, so im thinking of using this under my bed so I don't keep my roommate up, I would like if anyone is using these it seem to be good so far!!!

GE Daylight Ecolux® T12 PC: 80097

Desc: F40DX/ECO

T12 Medium Bi-Pin (G13) 40watt

Voltage 101

Rated Life 20000 hrs

Nominal length 48 in

Color Temperature 6500 K

Color Rendering Index (CRI) 84

so im just wondering if anyone has used the same light, its called daylight, but it is a t12 couldn't find a t5 with around 6500k color temp, if that even means anyting.

Comments (12)

  • ralleia
    16 years ago

    How tall is the bed???

    It sounds like an idea fraught with hazard. Fire hazard, moisture/mold hazard, etc.

    Why don't you just use a reflective mylar screen? Why do you need to grow something in a bedroom anyhow?

  • collegegrower
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    im in college, bed is fireproof, and not much room in my dorm the lights are on chains and i move them daily

  • joytosew
    16 years ago

    Hmm,
    Well I am thinking that you need to look into the college possibly having a greenhouse.
    If so, talk to someone that is in charge and ask if you can have some space to grow in or better yet, volunteer to help grow plants at the college. I bet you might even get to take some of the starters back to your room to grow.

    Good luck!

  • collegegrower
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    we have a greenhouse, but for some reason where not using it, where doin this project and we have to keep cuttings alive, and my window doesnt face the right way, so do u guys think those lights will work>

  • joytosew
    16 years ago

    Well I am new and learning. However, I have a mix of the 6500k and 4100k lights. So far it has been working great for initial growth of seeds.
    I am finding now that the problem I am having is I think the lights are to close to my plants. I am working to rectify the problem.

    I believe the lights you are asking about will work. As far as the window not being in the right place, a little sun of any kind is better then no sun at all. Add the desk lamps you are talking about and I think it will do good.

    Let us know how it goes,
    cristi

  • nygardener
    16 years ago

    I put a couple of T12 fluorescent fixtures underneath a wooden platform bed and it worked fine. One friend dubbed it my "seed bed" though others found it odd (it is, of course, but who cares?). Use a floor fan to help ventilate, keep a window open, have a little clearance between the fixtures and the frame, and don't let the bedclothes hang down and block the air. I used capillary mats and plant trays to keep the seedlings from drying out. Even so you will need to water them fairly often.

  • dampflippers
    16 years ago

    You say your window doesn't face the right way, but could you try some plants on this.

    You could also put extra lights on the window (you wouldn't need much extra light), to supplement daylight. Say lights from 8am til 8pm.
    This wouldn't interfere with sleep.

    If you have the lights under the bed, would you have them on during the day or night? Presumably daytime because you would get alot of light keeping you awake at night.

  • collegegrower
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    i have my lights from 4 am to midnight, doesnt effect my sleep or roommates, and currently the plants are doing good ill post some pics soon.

  • cobretti
    16 years ago

    Those lights are OK, but just OK. Use one daylight bulb and one cool white bulb. 6500K daylight has more red/orange than blue. 4100K cool white will give you your blue spectrum. One of each is better than two of either.

  • collegegrower
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    i think u got thebulbs backwords, but igot an 8 bulb t5ho but those bulbs grew cucumbers and watermellon very well!

  • object16
    16 years ago

    Kitchen and Bath 3000K are superior. The spectral output matches the effective chlorophyll absorption curve nicely, since carotenoids absorb green yellow and orange and pass along the high energy electrons to the chlorophyll molecule.
    Someone published their experiment on the internet with actual plants grown under the various lamps, and the K&B worked just as well as the very expensive designer growing fluorescent, and much better than either cool white or daylight. Daylight 5000K or 6500K is most useful in cannabis cultivation, because of the photomorphogenic properties of the blue light to keep internodes short and the plant nice and stocky. Keep a tiny computer type fan running under the bed to keep the lamps cool, because they are optimized to run at room temperature, and if they get hot their light output falls off. Better yet, use T8 fixtures, use high output 3000K 3100 lumen lamps to get the same illumination, but using less electricity. Also the skinny T8 lamps let the reflected light bounce onto the garden, compared to the fatter T12 lamps that partly block the reflected light due to their size. See my T8 overdriven garden. Paul Mozarowski.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My T8 fluorescent shop light bank, and indoor garden pics.

  • object16
    16 years ago

    Kitchen and Bath 3000K are superior. The spectral output matches the effective chlorophyll absorption curve nicely, since carotenoids absorb green yellow and orange and pass along the high energy electrons to the chlorophyll molecule.
    Someone published their experiment on the internet with actual plants grown under the various lamps, and the K&B worked just as well as the very expensive designer growing fluorescent, and much better than either cool white or daylight. Daylight 5000K or 6500K is most useful in cannabis cultivation, because of the photomorphogenic properties of the blue light to keep internodes short and the plant nice and stocky. Keep a tiny computer type fan running under the bed to keep the lamps cool, because they are optimized to run at room temperature, and if they get hot their light output falls off. Better yet, use T8 fixtures, use high output 3000K 3100 lumen lamps to get the same illumination, but using less electricity. Also the skinny T8 lamps let the reflected light bounce onto the garden, compared to the fatter T12 lamps that partly block the reflected light due to their size. See my T8 overdriven garden. Paul Mozarowski.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My T8 fluorescent shop light bank, and indoor garden pics.