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sprac

Lights for indoor trich seedling grafts

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Hey everyone,

Sorry if there is already a thread on this somewhere... Feel free to remove..

I've already solicited information about this on a few different forums and have got a myriad bunch of suggestions and opinions..

I'm trying to figure out what the least expensive , and most efficient , way I can grow freshly grafted trich seedlings on pereskiopsis indoors, under lights. I've seen a few suggestions for t5s and some for LEDS and again some for HIDs... I have not got a clear idea of whats what and really should do some studying on light waves and all that but winter is fast approaching. I need to figure this out within a couple weeks at most..

I'm wondering why using cfls , or possibly another type of flouro tub such as t8 or 12 in lieu of t5's would be much worse? It seems  HIDs or maybe good LEDs would be ideal but I would really rather not spend any money on those right now as I really can't afford to..  I have cfls and can buy flouro (t8 I think, maybe t12?) tube fixtures with lights fairly affordably..  I'm basically trying to just figure something out that will work for now.. Once I have a job I can possibly get something better.. It seems safe to assume that even though they are grafted seedlings shouldn't need much light for the first couple months ? Maybe I have this wrong but it also seems that maybe the fact they are grafted would give them the ability to grow with less light given that the stock acts as solar panels but the actual scion is still very small? 

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

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I've already solicited information about this on a few different forums and have got a myriad bunch of suggestions and opinions.

 

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Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

there is only one way you're going to gain the knowledge you seek & for damn sure that isn't by asking other people what their opinions are....

 

Hands On, First Hand Experience!!! 

 

Get some under your belt, then get back to us what works best for you in your current situation/  location/ income / etc.

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I've had good success with a simple ol' cool white fluoro tube, whichever was the cheapest from the shop, for non-grafted seedlings and young columnars, and grafted globulars.

 

As I understand it, fluoro's will waste part of their spectrum on plants since photosynthesis doesn't require the green wavelengths. But at the cost of the tube and the electricity to run it, the loss will be negligible. If, once you get that job, you want something more powerful in terms of lumen output or more efficient in terms of the spectrum you're working with, you'll have had plenty of time to research that. Plus you'll have a point of comparison from your first, cheapie fluoro tube project.

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I go with above's replies.

set up cost's can be kept minimal, and installation is easy, and replacing a burned out fluro is easy.

cool whites and warm whites are ok if used mixed, I think the ratio could be 2 cool whites and 1 warm white...

but those expensive fluros, trying to imitate day light are, what is best.

i'm using fluros since 40 years...

buy them from your local whole saler, not the pet shop.

 

fluros as well just provide the right amount of heat, which can be used for striking difficult cuttings,

and seed germination, or even over winter, protecting, tropical plants.

Edited by withdrawl clinic
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Thanls folks ..

 

Yeah zelly,  after getting so many different answers I've kinda Ben coming to the same conclusion ... figure it out myself ...

 

I do plan hopefully getting a better setup going someday but i gotta get some money together and a job first ...

 

I have a 2 bulb (think 3 or 4 foot) t12 rig already .. not being used for anything ... I think I'll just use that for now and maybe just replace is with some of those led flouro tube replacement bulbs to save on electricity. .. maybe I can add some light from cfls ... gunna try to rig up some Mylar around the sides too ...

 

So 6-7 000 spectrum is best ? With a spike on the 2000-3000 side too maybe if possible ? I don't think a 5000k is useful at all right 

Gunna go have a look around today maybe ...getting cold..

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Just thought I'd give an update.. I've been starting to put my new grafts under a 6000k (somewhere around that spectrum) as opposed to leaving on the windowsill or in the greenhouse ... cold is definitely moving in ... will be interesting to see growth , or lack thereof , in these ones compared to the ones in natural light ...

 

Crossing my fingers i get a steady income soon so I can really get working on this ... I'd like to get into a few other genus too (some of the globular cacti are particularly beautiful in my eyes ) ... would be brilliant to have some flowers next season ... 

 

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Hey,

Just wanted to update this . I am going to be using 23 watt, 6500k CFLs for right now. I figure it is much cheaper than buying a t5 or anything else. I bought 8 bulbs for 20 dollars total and each bulb puts out about 2100 lumens.

Now I'm just trying to rig up an efficient way to direct the light towards the plants...I'm going to be trying to clone out and graft some of my better specimens on to pereskiopsis so hopefully I will have a bunch of few inch clones by spring time.

Will keep this updated.

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