Lighting 101

[PeaceTurtle]

Hmm, I'm perplexed, but as always I remain eager to try to learn more. So if an incandescent bulb is on the redder side, too hot for direct use. I'm assuming that red lights are in fact incandescent with some sort of coating on the inside of the bulb. Hmmm, I do not have enough of the warm light to encourage optimal growth or flowering. The sad fact remains, that this is what I have.

oh, well I haven't drown them or parched, or over fertilized to death, so we'll love em and wait and see. Thanks Daniel for the informative tutorial!

It it too bad that the brainiacs associated with gardening of such, would have carved some sort of business niche for people who aren't technologically savvy, and figured out a warm cf. I like the fact that the ballasts are built in.

[Dandaweedman]

Yeah, that's what I read too Hypno

I am sure more than a few of the bulbs you can buy are simply coated.

For the different spectrums and higher wattages you are going to have to go to the hydro store...
I would shoot for one or two of those 125 watt CFLs.
With the 200 watt out they might almost be a reasonable price.

Originally Posted by PeaceTurtle

Hmm, I'm perplexed, but as always I remain eager to try to learn more. So if an incandescent bulb is on the redder side, too hot for direct use. I'm assuming that red lights are in fact incandescent with some sort of coating on the inside of the bulb. Hmmm, I do not have enough of the warm light to encourage optimal growth or flowering. The sad fact remains, that this is what I have.

oh, well I haven't drown them or parched, or over fertilized to death, so we'll love em and wait and see. Thanks Daniel for the informative tutorial!

It it too bad that the brainiacs associated with gardening of such, would have carved some sort of business niche for people who aren't technologically savvy, and figured out a warm cf. I like the fact that the ballasts are built in.

I got mine at Walmart, the 43 watt twist type is "warm/red",
the 45 watt loop type is "cool/blue".
I have very little doubt that you can pull this off,
You've done very well thus far, very very well.
Skip the incandescents, to hot for the light given off.
If you wish to boost your light, then do as Dano suggested,
and btw,, the ones he suggested?
They are the "warm/red" spectrum.

Take care lil sis,, stay safe........... hyp

[PeaceTurtle]

Thanks hypno, I'm off to wally world tomorrow then. One day Daniel I'll be brave enough to do it right with the lights. Maybe. lol.

[PeaceTurtle]

K, I got the light, at wally world. Thanks hypno. I'm going to have to quickly figure out how to make this new grow room, they growing out the top!!!!

[Cerebro]

Hydroponic Lamps
Lighting Systems: Use And Identification



Fluorescent
Before high intensity discharge light came along, indoor growers depended mainly on fluorescent lights for best results. They are inexpensive, reasonably energy efficient, and most emit a wide enough spectrum of light for plant growth. There is a wide range of fluorescent bulbs or "tubes" available, and are categorized by wattage, length, and colour of spectrum range. Indoor growers should look for the type specifically made for plants such as the vita-Lite* or Ultralume 5000*.

The fixtures for these lamps are usually complete with lamp holders, reflector, and built-in ballast. Since the introduction of H.I.D. lights, fluorescent now are mainly used for propagation and early vegetative growth. The 20 watt,24 INCH, and 40 watt, 48 inch, are the most common. The more intense and energy efficient H.I.D.'s are now the choice for maturing high-light plants and vegetables indoors.



High Intensity Discharge (H.I.D.) Grow Lights
Metal halide lights were created to provide a spectrum as close as possible to that of the natural sunlight. This coupled with their intensity and energy efficiency, makes them ideal for indoor gardening. The bulbs range in size from 100 watt to 1000 watt with 400 watt and 1000 watt most popular.

Read about Homegrown's line of SunMaster Metal Halide Grow Lamps.

An abundance of blue light emitted by metal halide makes them the best light for propagation and vegetative growth, promoting short internodal length High Pressure Sodium lights do not emit as broad a spectrum as Metal Halides lights, but have many advantages, especially when used in conjunction with halide. Sodiums last longer, and burn brighter, but are still more energy efficient.

More yellow/red colour in the spectrum and less blue promotes a higher flower-to-leaf ratio in flowering plants. H.P.S. lights are widely used in commercial greenhouses, where natural sunlight provides sufficient blue. A combination of the two lights provides the best balanced for indoor growroom, especially when used with a light mover. 430 Watt Son Agro H.P.S. bulbs which supply 30 extra watts than regular ones are now available. This extra light in the blue end of the spectrum is great news for indoor growers. If you are planing a "single lamp" growroom, you can still get the benefits of both halide and sodium light. High pressure sodium "conversion bulbs", specially made to operate with M.H. ballasts, are available in 400 watt and 1000 watt models. The bulbs can easily be interchanged as needed, using the same ballast and fixture. The size of the light you will need will depend on the size of the growing area, and the type of plants you wish to grow.

High-light plants such as herbs and vegetables will require between 20 and 60 watts of light per square foot of growing space. A 400 watt metal halide in a three foot by three foot area will provide 45 watts per square foot, compared to 25 watts per square foot in five foot by five foot growroom. A 1000 watt metal halide in a five foot by five foot area will provide 40 watts per sq.ft., compared to 20 watts per square foot in a seven by seven foot growroom.

Proper reflectors, light movers, and reflective material on walls greatly increases intensity and efficiency of these lights.

Most high intensity lights can be run with either 120 volt (standard house current), or 240 volt (e.g. used for electric dryer).
Electricity cost would be the same but the latter would draw half the amps allowing the grower to run twice as many lamps on the same electrical circuit.

Light timers are available for either voltage but always check to see that the amperage rating on the timer exceeds that of the light or lights.

Care should always be taken when installing and using H.I.D. lights. Remote ballasts should be placed safely out of the way where they can't be knocked over or splashed with water. Never keep your ballast on the floor in case it gets wet. Installing the fixture and reflector is simple. Locate a stud in the ceiling near the centre of the grow area. Screw a metal hook capable of holding 40 to 50 pounds into the stud and test it's strength. Attach a 4' to 6' length of lightweight link chain to the hook or hooks on top of the fixture and hang the fixture from the ceiling hook at the desired height. The link chain allows you to easily raise and lower the light when necessary. Hold the lamp near the base and firmly, but gently, screw the bulb into the socket. Connect the timer to the power source, plug the power cord from the ballast into the timer which should be set in the "on" position. It may take up to 30 seconds for the bulb to ignite and up to five minutes to reach full brightness. As the lamp ignite, they tend to flicker and change colour for several minutes. This is quite normal, especially with halide bulbs, which may appear to change colour slightly during normal use. If the lamp does not ignite after 30 or 40 seconds, unplug it. After the power has been disconnected, check

that the bulb is screwed in all the way
that the timer is set on the "on" position
that all plugs or electrical connections are O.K.
NOTE: Do Not Open The Ballast Enclosure To Check Wiring Yourself! H.I.D. capacitors can hold a charge even after the ballast is unplugged! Once these points have been checked, try the light again.

Once a metal halide lamp is turned off it requires a 15 to 20 minute "cool down" period before it can be re-started. If ample cooling time is not allowed, a "hot start" occurs, and too many "hot starts" can seriously affect the intensity and longevity of the bulb. For best results, replace halide bulbs after one year of steady use. High pressure sodium lamps require only 2 to 3 minute "cool down" period and need only be replaced every two to three years.



Lighting Tips
mylar reflects with up to 95% efficiency
flat white paint reflects with up to 80% efficiency
never use tinfoil for reflection it creates "hot Spots"
use air cooled reflectors when heat build-up is a problem
15 minute time delays for halides prevent "hot starts"
low pressure sodium lights greatly increase intensity for pennies a day
light movers increase growth by up to 40%
halide "super"bulbs increase intensity but not your hydro bill
430 watt Son Agro sodiums supply 30 extra watts of blue light
wear sunglasses when working close to an H.I.D. bulb
if your light fails, don't try to fix it yourself, contact a qualified expert

end

This was something I read at hydroponics.com when I first started reading up, it helped me put alot of pieces together, hope it helps others out.

It helps me Cerebro, a lot actually.
Especially the "sunglasses" part
Now I'm wondering how to delay startups for 15 minutes or more.
Amazingly enough, even though I have 4 powerplants in a 25 mile radius,
I still have loss of service at times, it boggles my mind, lol
Folks also need to be re-minded, they really do need proper
ballasting for these "HID" type lights and that they are
not interchangeable for the most part.
They can NOT simply be screwed into a standard socket with any degree of safety.
One surge and they pop, bad thing.
I do have an "HPS", I will use it, BUT,
I highly recommend that anyone just starting out,,,,,,,,
use fluorescents, they're cheap, and very safe.
I have no doubt folks can grow with "HID" lights,
for a starter grow though? Go flo.....

Take Care, Stay Safe................ ..hyp

[Dandaweedman]

Good one Cerebro. I have read that at a few places.
Always good for a refresher.

[Dandaweedman]

This is an excerpt from a good read found here...
http://www.maximumyield.com/viewart.php?article=214

It is formatted for full screen viewing I think

Lighting Issues:

As far as your plants are concerned light is another form of food. Just like regular plant food, with its balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements that are necessary for the healthy development of each specific crop. Light, in different color mixes (spectra) is correspondingly necessary for the healthy development of each specific crop. Both must be applied at the correct times, for a specific amount of time, and in the correct amounts in order to contribute to the ideal growing environment for your plants and to make a crop flourish. With fertilizers, the quantities of each required element are well known and relatively simple to control in order to achieve optimum growth. However, when one is growing under artificial lighting, there is always a tradeoff between the limits of lamp technology, power and the ideal spectrum necessary to promote optimum growth and yield.

Unfortunately for plants, much of the lighting technology developed is designed to produce the maximum amount of human usable light energy (lumens) in stadium (MH lamps) and street lighting (HPS lamps). As Murphy?s Law would have it, plants ?see? pretty much the opposite spectral curve of what the human eye sees. Which means that in reality, most of the electrical energy that goes into producing those visibly bright lumens is lost in terms of plant grow power. Fig 1 demonstrates how radically different the average plant spectral response cure is from that of the human eye.

Plant vs. Human Lighting Needs:

What the eye sees:

Human vision is most sensitive in the green region of the light spectrum. The in-depth scientific application of this is beyond the focus of this article, but the green light bias of the human eye has to do with the arrangement and bio-physical properties of the of the light receptors (namely rods and cones) in the eye itself. A practical example of this green light bias in real terms is military night vision. Night vision devices emit a specific shade of green not to be cool or cute, but because this particular green provides the best visibility to the human eye and appears the brightest of all colors of the visible light spectrum all things being equal. This peaked sensitivity provides the maximum visibility for objects viewed through night vision goggles and scopes. For plants, exactly the opposite is true.

Plants and Light:

Plants have leaves that are generally green. Technically, this means that plants reflect much of the available green light back into their direct environment, and this is why they look green. In simple terms, this means that plants are least sensitive to green spectrum light. So, what appears to be the brightest light to the human eye that has a bias towards green spectrum light may actually be very dim light in terms of plant grow-power. Don?t believe this? a couple of new products on the market use this phenomenon. All horticulturalists understand that it is absolutely critical to maintain complete visible darkness during the crops ?off cycle? in order to maximize yield. Which means that most of the maintenance work has to done when the lights are on in order to avoid ?awakening? the plants and interrupting the standardized 12-hour bloom cycle. As of late, a new series of green bulbs and green LED flashlights have been introduced into the market that allows gardeners to maintain their crop without disturbing the plants. The reasoning behind these products is pretty much an extension of what we have covered here; plants are least sensitive to green light, this is why they are not disturbed while the human eye is most sensitive to green light, this is why gardeners can see what they are doing even with such ?dim? lighting. As the plant photosynthetic curve (PAR curve), shown in Figure 1 illustrates, of all visible light spectra, plants need blue and red light the most and green the least.

Measuring Lighting ?Grow Power?:

Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) is the basic standard measure for grow light efficacy. This light measurement system uses a spectral curve that is similar to the one shown in Figure 1 as a Standard. Commercial horticultural lighting manufacturers generally express the PAR system in terms of PAR Watts, thereby providing an simple means of comparing the available ?food value? that your plants can utilize to grow. PAR Watts also provides an easy way of comparing different brands and varieties of HPS and MH lights for the amount of plant grow power.

However, plant photosynthesis involves four different pigments that convert the light energy into plant usable energy. Simply put, each specific pigment responds to specific spectra of light. The average response for all the pigments is shown in the PAR curve. The relationships between the amounts of activation of each specific pigment have also been shown to cause physical changes in plant development and physiology. The blue end of the spectrum appears to be predominantly responsible for elongation and green growth development while the red end of the spectrum has been shown to increase fruit development. Figure 2 provides a graphic summary of this.

In the modern high-yield garden, this is commonly applied. Blue light sources, such as MH and cold (6,400K+) CFL?s are used for the vegetative stage where the plant builds its green growth and root foundation. While red light sources, namely HPS and warm (2,700K) CFL?s are used in the bloom or fruiting stage in order to focus the plants energy on building the largest fruit size and quality. These are the tricks that gardeners use in order to generally compensate for the less than ideal spectrum provided by commonly available HID lights.

About CFL?s:

CFL?s are the only singular lights currently available that can be specifically tailored to ideally match the PAR curve. The CFL uses a phosphor coating to convert its internal UV light into visible light spectrum. If the coating is altered, the light spectrum is directly altered. It is a relatively simple matter to ?dial-in? the ideal PAR curve spectrum by applying the proper phosphor coatings. Additionally, unlike MH or HPS lights, multi-phosphor (properly designed) CFL?s emit a much broader and smoother spectral curve than the typically peaky narrow spectrum produced by commercially available HID lights.

I understand that some readers have a very strong dislike for CFL lighting technology, and from the way CFL?s have been marketed to the gardening community in the past, this is understandable. However, that being said, CFL?s are ideal for spectral supplementation (not replacement) to HPS lights. We have fielded a number of reports where gardeners were using 1,000 watt MH bulbs for vegetative growth. Based on the broader spectrum offered by the 6,400K CFL, they replaced the 1,000 watt MH until an equal level of vegetative growth was achieved over an equal period of time. In these independently run tests, it took three 125 watt 6,400K side-light blue CFL?s (375 watts combined draw) to replace one 1,000 watt MH. Although, we do not recommend CFL?s as direct replacements for HID lights, especially in the bloom stage, these informal tests do illustrate how much can be gained from a light source that has a broader and fuller spectrum than traditional HID lighting.

This is why we feel very strongly about supplementing the red spectrum of HPS lights with a properly installed, good quality, multi-phosphor blue spectrum CFL. The gains in photosynthetic efficacy, plant health, and yield are well worth the relatively small extra investment. Figure 3 depicts the spectral output of a commonly used, name brand 1000W HPS light alone and when used in conjunction with our side-light blue CFL?s placed inside of our Pro-Gro 1250 vented hood. The increase in essential near UV and blue light is obvious.

Simply put, your plants see light as another food source, i.e. not much different from fertilizer, all the CFL is doing is adding the missing ?trace-elements? necessary to achieve maximum potential from your crop. It?s pretty simple.

[squash]

For us poor folks, Home Depot has 4' floro bulbs in all kinds of K ranges; aquarium and plants. They have "Dr. Ott" also which seems to be an all around gro light. They range from $5-$10 US. They also have the other types mentioned here on the cheap.

Squash, Denver CO "Mile Hi City" - buds legal for meds and decrimmed for adults' recreation.

[squash]

I think I got a better handloe on the light thing now, thanks.
Now I have to figure out how to get rid of gnats and their grubs eating my roots.

Peace,
Squash, aka Matt P(Plymouth MI class of 75. Jeff McPh. , where are you?)

[Meatnog]

Anyone ever used the Ott-Lite PlantGrowth Fluoro bulbs?

I got a pair from home depot, but they seem to be discontinued. They're F20/T12 bulbs (20Watt).

Wheatgrasskits.com- Ott Lite Natural Full Spectrum Lighting Indoor Grow Lights

That's a link to the bulbs that someone carries.

Will a pair of these be sufficient for veg and flowering?

[slunt]

Interesting question, I'd make an assumption that any type of filter reduces Lumens and therefore efficiency except at close range.
This lighting info appears to be one of the most asked type questions.

[Dandaweedman]

Those filters etc are made to aid human eyes.
The more stuff you put in between the lights and the plants, the less of the light waves the plant can actually use is allowed through.

[slunt]

hey Dan, glad to see your mug around once in a while. What do ya think of our newest Mods?

[budacious]

my light has a burning wire smell near the socket..could this be from not using an extension cord and overloading the old farm house wires? ..Or is my light messed up and I shouldnt use it? I have to get an extention cord but not sure if thats the problem sice th smell comes from the socket

[ScareCrow]

Hmmm been Reading all the information sounds quite complex but try Using magnetic,s i double the growth rate by using magnetic rain water also by sourounding my plants with about 3 magnets per plant, it doubles growth & also the c2 lvls will tripple water wise & air wise have a good day all

[ScareCrow]

opps wrong forum i posted this in lol but o well a handy tip i supose :P

[PeaceTurtle]

Hi all, back from the land of the no grow. Hubby and I purchased two LED light bars. They were about the same at my 430 sona grow kit (including the ballast) light (pardon the pun) as a preverbial feather.

Put some plants that I had started out side in pots, had to move them in, too cold at night now. Anyway, they've been under the LED's for almost 24 hours, no heat, no light leaks, and no excessive humidity, it's staying bang on at 60%. Hubby says that our electricty bill just went from roughly 600 watts an hour to less than 100. It's the equivillant to a 500 watt system.

Question is, are there any yahookans out there that have used the new LED systems? I've seen mixed reviews with the white LED's. Mine is mixed, blue and a pinky purple. There are 6 discs of LED's spread over two 18 inch bars.

Please let me know, and my fellow growers, please pitch some hints this way.

So far so good. Looks like it will be a green christmas this year.