Is a 250 Watt Light Fine for Caapi and Viridis?

[migraineur]

Hi

I think I should bring my caapi and viridis in during Winter so that they don't get harmed or die during cold snaps. I currently use a 130 watt fluro grow light for cacti seedlings and some other small plants. However, I am thinking of ordering a 250 watt fluro for use on the caapi and viridis. I imagine that having these plants up close to a 250 watt fluro should be fine but given my lack of experience with these plants I would like some input before ordering. Can anyone confirm if a 250 watt light for use on these plants will be fine?

[planthelper]

get a 250 watt sodium halide instead.

i use up as low as 80 watts to over winter specimens, prune the caapi a bit, she will not mind, and she'll fit better in your over wintering space.

[migraineur]

Thanks, Planthelper. They aren't very big. Two are quite small and require no pruning and the other one really started to take off towards the end of Summer. It's still growing at the moment and has started to send out new shoots/tendrils from the main stem which has made me happy. They seem to be fussy when it comes to growing but once they start then they grow fast.

I have two psychotria viridis plants. One almost got snapped in half a few days ago. I had one in the laundry at night to protect it and when I came in during the morning someone had stacked some things in a precarious position and they fell onto my plant and almost completely severed it. I rushed to bunnings to buy supplies and then made a bunch of leaf cuttings and a couple of stem cuttings. Hopefully they survive. I bought a heated tray for them too. It is my first attempt at making stem and leaf cuttings from any plant other than cacti so I hope they are successful. I am using the 130 watt fluro for these.

The original plant only has one leaf left on it now and I wrapped tape around the stem in an effort to save it.

[amanito]

How cold does it get there? (celcius please) Psychotria viridis is very strong and doesn't mind shade and harsh winters (last winter was minus 20 here). I just have it in the house.

[amanito]

Caapi is another story, though ... although I think it doesn't die cos of the winter outside .. Just keep your house warm enough. I think there are aother conditions that are neede to keep it happy.

[migraineur]

So, this Ebay seller seems to have the best prices. What do you think of these choices?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/250-WATT-DIMPLED-MEDIUM-SHADE-POWERPLANT-LIGHT-KIT-/400217814884?pt=AU_Seed_Starting_Hydroponics&hash=item5d2ed73764#ht_1256wt_1165

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SUNBRITE-FLUORO-LARGE-WHITE-SHADE-KIT-14000k-250W-CFL-/120591465451?pt=AU_Seed_Starting_Hydroponics&hash=item1c13cfbbeb#ht_1451wt_1165

The HPS is better but would produce more heat so I will have to keep it further away from the plants etc which will probably require me putting more resources into setting something up (I wish I had my own place at the moment). The fluro light will produce less heat so I can put it close to the plants. Since the plants don't like full sun then I am of the opinion that the fluro would work pretty well also.

[migraineur]

I live in Perth so it's a Mediterranean climate. Although the averages might not be that cold it is not uncommon to have nights where it is 1 or 2 degrees during cold Winter nights. I've come outside to find ice on my windscreen on multiple occasions. We also get the occasional nights when the temperature hits 0 degrees.

[amanito]

I wouldn't wanna spend my money on it, to be honest. I thiink as long os you can keep them inside with your heat on there shouldn't any problem. They also don't require a lot of light. Remeber that the amazon is pretty dark under the treetops. Humidity and warmth.

[∂an]

get a 250 watt sodium halide instead.

 

but don't you need a cooling hood for these lights? fluoro's are more efficient, produce less heat and are therefore much safer.

[IndianDreaming]

I made a mistake and put mine under a 400 HPS... death comes swiftly... I have a 220 watt 4xT5 compact fluro over the remaining 2 and it's too much. I killed 2 P. Viridis plants and 2 Caapi vines with the 400 watt, scorched 2 more of each with the 220 t5's at 30cm in a 2.5ft x 2.5ft x 2.5ft box. Now I have them on the windowsill inside that gets morning sun till 11:30 am in a coke bottle green house each and they're recovering... I'm a noob though so don't take this as gospel... Just giving you my experience so far... Good luck, I'd love to hear how you go - I noticed there's a thread 'learn from others mistakes' - I'm glued to it, highly recommended reading.

Note: I have a 120mm silent PC fan in the box and it managed to keep the 400 watt hps down to 28 degrees the whole time! So it was the intensity of the light + lack of humidity I believe that did the scorching...

Edited May 23, 2012 by IndianDreaming

[migraineur]

I don't require perfect growing conditions at the moment although it is preferred. I just want to provide my sensitive plants with sufficient growing conditions to get them through the Winter. Once I get my thesis finished which is due very soon then I will be in a better position to give more resources to this endeavour.

[Ethos]

I would make sure to properly ventilate any light, fluoro or HPS.

Fluorescent's create light in a completely different way to HID's.

You should not expect HID bulbs to emit anywhere near the QUALITY of light that fluorescent's do, and

you should not expect fluorescent's to emit anywhere near the INTENSITY of light HID's do.

Fluoros create light by passing an electrical current through mercury vapor, producing UV light. The UV causes the phosphor powder coating on the inside of the tube to fluoresce, thus emitting light in the visible spectrum. With different phosphors generating different wavelengths of light, the colours can be controlled and customized by varying the combinations of phosphors used. Because the light is emitted from the phosphor, which is spread over a large surface area, coating the entire inside of the lamp, the light is not intense but it will give enough light to support caapi and viridis.

HID's produce light by passing electrical current through different metal vapors, NO coating of phosphor in the way , but only gases which are controllable, safe and reliable can be used. So, the colours (different wavelengths of light) are severely constrained by the limited types of metal vapors that can be used.

However, the radiation that is emitted is very INTENSE and often includes copious amounts of Infra Red for you to burn things with, like plant tops.

From what I understand is if you have the space go buy a HID lamp if not use fluoro's, like kalika said fluoro's produce less heat and are therefore much safer

[planthelper]

i agree, but it looked to me first (according to the climat field) we were talking -20 deg C outside, and in this case, the heat of the halide lamp, would have warmed the over wintering space.

fluros are super for small spaces.

amanito, over wintering caapi in cold europe, i never managed, by just keeping them indoors over winter, but caapi plants in glasshouses are doing well even in the cold parts of europa. mini glass houses or domes kept my viridis happy over winter in cold europe (central heating).

perth in contrast, is so warm, i believe you can overwinter caapi and viridis in the open there. as long as it's a nice sheltered spot, on a decking or similar recieving morning sun, like this the mild frosts, will not get the plants. most frost damage is done by super chilled air, but roofing or trees can provide enough shelter, so the plants will not get frost bitten.

Edited May 24, 2012 by planthelper