Check out this video from a fellow gardener on his vegetable plants grown under Induction Grow Lights. Have you ever seen such green, healthy plants grown indoors with no sunlight?
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are fluorescent lamps?
The “High-Output” T5 fluorescent grow lights are starting to grow in popularity for indoor plant growth. Fluorescent lamps are 3-7 times more efficient than incandescent lamps, which you would find in your home, and produce much less heat in your grow room.
What are the benefits of using T5 fluorescent lighting for plant growth?
T5 lamps provide the ideal spectrum for plant growth. Photosynthesis rates peak at 435 nm and 680 nm. A 6500K T5 lamp has a spectral distribution with relative intensity peaks at 435 nm and 615 nm. This equates to very little wasted light energy in terms of plant growth. T5 lamps promote incredible health and vigor of seedlings and cuttings. Root development is superior relative to other lighting sources. While T5 lighting is excellent for starting seeds and cuttings, it also produces enough light for full term growth.
What is the benefit to a Light Reflector made from Miro4? Light reflectors made from Alanod Miro4 are rated at a 95% TR (Total Reflectivity), compared to 87% TR that most reflectors offer, which gives you a higher percentage of light coming from the T5 fluorescent light fixture, and increases the effectiveness of the light fixture.
Which plant cycles are the 3000K and 6500K appropriate for?
Typically growers will use the 6500K lamps for the growing stage, but tend to switch to 3000K lamps for the blooming stage. It is also recommended that one use a combination of 6500K and 3000K throughout the growing process for their plants to receive the full light spectrum from the sun.
Will artificial lights start seeds?
Vegetable, annual flower and some perennial flower seeds may be started successfully indoors under lights for later planting in the garden. For stocky growth, place seedlings within a few inches of the fluorescent tubes as soon as germination begins.
Why do plants need light?
Light provides the energy plants need to make the food required for them to grow and flower. Plants are the only organisms able to use light to produce sugars, starches and other substances needed by them as well as by other living organisms.
How much energy will my light use?
An average grow light system will increase your electricity cost about $8 to $20 per month. Fluorescent lamps will be on the lower end of that range. The exact amount depends on the wattage of the system and the number of hours operated. To calculate your cost, multiply the bulb wattage by the number of hours of operation and divide by 1000. (Bulb wattage X Number of hours of operation) / 1000. This figure is the number of kilowatt-hours of electricity used.
How long should I run my lights?
This depends on the type of plants and whether you have natural sunlight available to your garden. As a general rule, when you are in a vegetative stage of plant growth and you have no natural sunlight, run your lights 14-18 hours a day. If you have natural sunlight, it will vary because the sunlight may or may not be direct. It might take some time experimenting to find the optimal number of hours to run your grow lights. If you are actively fruiting and flowering, the rule is to run your lights 12 hours a day if you have no natural light.
What is a lumen?
A lumen is a unit of standard measurement used to describe how much light is contained in a certain area. The lumen is part of a group of standard measurements known as the photometry group, which measure different aspects of light.
What is a “footcandle” and why do I need them?
A footcandle (fc) is a measure of light intensity. While a lamp produces lumens, footcandles are measured light intensity at a certain point. A footcandle is scientifically, a unit of measure of the intensity of light failing on a surface, equal to one lumen per square foot and originally defined with reference to a candle burning at one foot from a given surface. Full, unobstructed sunlight has an intensity of approximately 10,000 fc. Footcandle measurements will decrease rapidly as the light source is moved further away from the plant.
Is light color important to plants?
Certain colors in light rays are important for proper plant growth. Leaves reflect and derive little energy from many of the yellow and green rays of the visible spectrum. Yet the red and blue parts of the light spectrum are the most important energy sources for plants, and plants require more rays from the red range, especially toward the end of the plant cycle when blooms are forming, than from the blue.
What is the best balance of artificial light?
Special fluorescent tubes have been developed for growing plants. These have a higher output in the red range to balance the blue output. Many home gardeners have found that these tubes can be used in combination with cool-white tubes. Use one special plant-growing tube to each one or two cool-white tubes. This method is more economical than using all special tubes, since cool-white tubes cost less than the special plant-growing tubes
How far from the light should I place plants?
Most plants should be located with the tips of the plants 6 to 12 inches from the light source. The intensity of light drops rapidly as the distance from the light bulbs or tubes increases. Fluorescent tubes also do not produce as much light at the ends as they do in the center. Therefore, the brightest spot under a fluorescent light fixture is directly beneath the center of the tubes.
How can I get the most from artificial light?
Reflectors and reflective surfaces can maximize the available light. Bulbs with self-contained reflectors are helpful. Keep reflectors clean and free of rust or any coating that reduces their effectiveness. White paint or aluminum foil beneath or around the growing area helps reflect light and makes it more efficient. Space plants far enough apart to allow light between them. Arrange plants so they do not shade each other. Keep tubes clean and replace old tubes promptly.
How should I light the bottom of a tall plant?
You can use fluorescent tubes in a vertical position to provide side lighting from the top to the bottom of a plant. This vertical position also can be used for smaller plants arranged on shelves.
How can I tell if there is enough light?
The growth pattern of the plant can be a good indication. No growth may indicate poor light but could be a sign of other problems as well. A healthy plant under poor light may develop long internodes (length of stem between leaves), as the plant stems reach for the light available. Leaves may develop smaller than normal on some plants. The color of many plants in poor light may be pale green, and lower leaves may yellow and drop.
Can lights keep plants from blooming?
Some plants, generally known as short-day plants, can be kept from flowering under the light durations normally used for artificial lighting. To induce flowering indoors, give these plants only about 10 hours of light each day until flowers become visible and color shows.
Is a light timer necessary?
A timer is a valuable asset because lights should be turned on and off regularly and consistently. Twenty-four-hour timers available from electrical supply houses are adequate. The electrical cord from the timer should be the three-prong type, or you should use a grounded adapter. The use of water around plants makes grounding electrical fixtures important.
Glossary of Fluorescent Lighting Terms:
AMPERE (AMP)
The unit used to measure the strength of an electric current.
BALLAST
An auxiliary piece of equipment designed to start and to properly control the flow of power to gas discharge light sources such as fluorescent grow lights and high intensity discharge lamps.
BALLAST FACTOR
Ratio of light output from a lamp operated on a commercial ballast versus the light output of the same lamp when operated on a laboratory-standard reference ballast.
BULB WALL TEMPERATURE
The temperature at the bulb wall of a lamp, which effects lumen output and input wattage, and which is important in lighting calculations.
CANDELA (CD)
A unit of luminous intensity in a given direction, equal to one lumen per steradian.
CANDLEPOWER (CP)
The luminous intensity of a light source, as expressed in candelas.
COLD START TIME
The length of time required to bring Fluorescent grow lights to 90% light output from a cold condition.
COLOR TEMPERATURE or KELVIN TEMPERATURE
The unit of measurement to express the color (spectrum) of light emitted by a lamp; the absolute temperature of a blackbody radiator having a chromaticity equal to that of the light source (see correlated color temperature).
CORRELATED COLOR TEMPERATURE (CCT)
A specification of the color appearance of a light source, relating its color to that of a blackbody radiator, as measured in Kelvins (K). CCT is a general measure of a lamp's "coolness" or "warmness."
ELECTRODES
Filaments located at either end of a discharge lamp that maintains an electrical arc between them. See arc discharge.
FIXTURE
The electrical fitting used to contain the electric components of a lighting system.
FLUORESCENT GROW LIGHT
A discharge lamp in which a phosphor coating transforms ultraviolet energy into visible light. Fluorescent grow lights are good for starting seedlings and rooting cuttings. Most manufactured fluorescent light fixtures do not have enough intensity to sustain aggressive growth in plants in the later stages of life, and are not efficient enough in their conversion of electrical power to lumens of light output. The Fluorogrow Fluorescent High Output T5 Grow Lights can maintain enough intensity to sustain plant growth toward the end of the plant cycle.
FOOTCANDLE
A standard measurement of light intensity, representing the amount of luminance on a surface one foot square on which there is a uniformly distributed flux of one lumen. More simply, one footcandle of luminance is equal to the light emitted by one candle at a distance of one foot.
FREQUENCY
The number of waves or cycles of electromagnetic radiation per second, usually measured in Hertz (Hz).
HO FLUORESCENT FIXTURE
The size of the fluorescent light fixture itself has a very thin profile, making it extremely useful in vertically limited areas
HOOD
The reflective cover used in conjunction with a Fluorescent grow light. The more reflectivity a hood can provide, the more effective it is at reflecting light to plants.
HOT SPOT
The area immediately under the lamp where the light intensity is the strongest. Hot spots cause uneven growth, but can be remedied by using light movers.
IGNITOR
A component of the ballast necessary to start the bulb in sodium systems.
ILLUMINANCE
The density of incident luminous flux on a surface; illuminance is the standard metric for lighting levels, and is measured in lux (lx) or footcandles (fc).
ILLUMINATION
The act of illuminating or state of being illuminated. This term is often used incorrectly in place of the term illuminance to denote the density of luminous flux on a surface.
INDUCTION:
The generation of electromotive force in a closed circuit by a varying magnetic flux through the circuit. An interrupted, low-voltage direct current in the primary is changed into an intermittent, high-voltage current in the secondary.
INTENSITY
A term referring to the magnitude of light energy per unit; light intensity diminishes evenly as you get further from the source.
JOULE
The International System unit of energy, equal to the work done when a current of one ampere is passed through a resistance of one ohm for one second.
KELVIN TEMPERATURE (K)
The unit of measurement to express the color (spectrum) of light emitted by a lamp; the absolute temperature of a blackbody radiator having a chromaticity equal to that of the light source (see correlated color temperature). A standard clear metal halide HID lamp has an average Kelvin temperature rating of 4,000K.
KILOWATT (kW)
A unit of electric power usage equal to 1,000 watts.
KILOWATT HOUR (kWh)
A measurement of electric energy. A kilowatt hour is equal to 1,000 watts of power used over a period of one hour.
LAMP
An electrically energized source of light, commonly called a bulb or tube.
LAMP LIFE
A measure of lamp performance, as measured in median hours of burning time under ANSI test conditions.
LIGHT
Radiant energy which can be sensed or seen by the human eye. The term generally applied to the visible energy from a source. Light is usually measured in lumens or candlepower. When light strikes a surface, it is absorbed, reflected or transmitted. Visible light is measured in lumens.
LUMEN
A measurement of light output; refers to the amount of light emitted by one candle that falls on one square foot of surface located at a distance of one foot from the candle.
LUMINAIRE
A complete lighting unit, consisting of a lamp or lamps together with the components required to distribute the light, position the lamps, and connect the lamps to a power supply. Often referred to as a "fixture."
NECK
The narrow, tubular end of the HID bulb, attached to the threads.
PHOTOPERIOD
The relative periods of light and dark periods within a 24-hour period. Also referred to as day length.
PHOTOPIC
Vision for which the cones in the eye are responsible; typically at high brightness and in the foveal or central region.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
The growth process by which plants build chemical compounds (carbohydrates) from light energy, water and CO2 (carbon dioxide).
REFLECTOR
The term sometimes used to refer to the reflective hood of a Fluorescent grow light.
REFLECTIVITY
The measure of the reflective quality of a surface; the relative ability of a given surface to reflect light away from it without absorbing, diffusing or otherwise compromising the light’s quality, intensity and spectrum.
SCOTOPIC
Vision where the rods of the retina are exclusively responsible for seeing, typically like the light levels in the countryside on a moonless, starlit night.
SOCKET
The threaded, wired receptacle that a Fluorescent grow light tube screws into.
T-8, T-5
Designations for the diameters of tubular bulbs, expressed in eights of an inch; T-8 is 1inch; T-5 is 5/8 of an inch.
U (for UNIVERSAL)
An industry code indicating that the bulb can be operated in any position: horizontal, vertical (base up) or any other.
ULTRAVIOLET (UV) LIGHT
Light with very short wavelengths, out of the visible spectrum.
UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES (UL)
A private organization which tests and lists electrical (and other) equipment for electrical and fire safety according to recognized UL and other standards. A UL listing is not an indication of overall performance. Fluorogrow offers only UL certified lighting.
VOLT
A measure of “electrical pressure” between two points. The higher the voltage, the more current will be pushed through a resistor connected across the points. “The voltage” of a ballast (e.g. 277V) refers to the line voltage to which is must be connected.
WATT (W)
A unit used to measure electric power. One watt equals one joule/second.
Natures Hydroponics
Hydroponic Equipment & Grow Systems
Willowcreek Circle
Sun City, AZ 85373
US
Phone: (623) 974-0787
