DIY grow light

[mic]

Hi

Have seen a small fish tank advertised on freecycle, wondered if that could be used - or at least the lid with a diy housing - as a grow light? Would the bulbs be ok for it?! Not sure what make/model etc

Cheers

[veggiechicken]

Lots of info at http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...hts_69290.html

[mic]

Lots of info at http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...hts_69290.html

Fish tanks often use t5 light so that's a yes. 57 pages is a lot to read

[veggiechicken]

Pull up a chair, make yourself comfy and someone will come along and read it to you

[Jungle Jane]

Does the tank come with a bulb? I use my aquarium bulb its a T8,it's about 10" from the tank lid so I put a few pots on top of the fish tank lid. The lights cost about £20 if you need to buy one,does it come with housing for an aquarium light or is it just a tank with a lid? Ikea are doing a good range with lights for around £30 & a stand for £4. If the plants are in the tank with lights & a lid covering them they would need ventilation somehow too?

[Bigmallly]

If you get the tank, pick up a Grolux tube. That is what makes Aquarium plants grow.

Packs of T5 Fluorescent Tubes High Output, High Efficiency, Coloured, UV, GroLux | eBay

[Cadalot]

LED Panel £9.99 inc Delivery off ebay



Plastic Box £6.99 each



More Info Alans Allotment: Portable LED Grow Stations

[mic]

fish tank fell through, wasnt meant to be. however i may have found an alternative.
bearing in mind this is only for bits in the small garden, i dont have an allotment so dont need to plant much. however, it would be nice that the bits i do plant actually grow.

copied from another website.....

Lumens per square foot:

Minimum amount of lighting needed is around 2000 lumens per square foot.
(Two – 23 watt CFL’s, per square foot*)

Mid range is around 5000 lumens per square foot.
(Three – 23 watt CFL’s, per square foot*)

Optimal is 7000-7500, or higher, lumens per square foot.
(Five – 23 watt CFL’s, per square foot*)

*I’m only using CFLs as a reference here, with the assumption they’re kept at a distance of 3 – 5 inches from the plant. It is important to understand that the “penetration” (the farthest measure that quality light reaches down into the plant canopy) will at best be only a few inches deep.

Watts per square foot (wattage per sq ft WILL vary by light source):

Minimum wattage per sq ft.: 30w
Mid Range wattage per sq ft.: 50w
Optimal Range wattage per sq ft.: 50-80w

1sq ft 1728 cubic inch (12x12x12)
container i would like to use 612 cubic inch (8.5h x 9w x 8d)

which doesnt sound much but will fit 12 seed trays to get started and could grow plants up to around 5-6 inch high.

if i were to fit 2 of these 23W bulbs @ 1450 lumens each (2900 lumens) in a square foot container it would be low lumens, but with the size of my container almost a 3rd in size it would be almost 8700 lumens of light. is that correct?! sounds a lot...

anyway, thats the plan if its realistic!

[mic]

Built it

[Jay-ell]

You should know by now - Photos?

[mic]

Of course! So this is a food recycling container. We have a dog which we find more effective. It's a bit rough around the edges (both grow light and dog) but the box will hold either 9 small seed trays or 6 larger ones. It'll hopefully do for the 3 chilli plants and a few watermelon. I've drilled 3 largish holes on a side near the bottom for air, and have lined the sides with masking tape. It looks rough but it should do the job.

[Cadalot]

OK a little confused, do you have to take the lights out to get the trays in the bottom and then replace the lights?

[veggiechicken]

..........and I can't work out how you can get 6 large seed trays in there - and they need to be close to the lights - not lurking in the bottom of the bin.

[mic]

Yes remove bulbs to put them in/take out, not a problem when bulbs been off for a few hours.
I read light has to be between 3-5 inch from the plants, the bulbs are 4 inch from the soil. Unless that was for growing pot and not veg? But it's not hardship to put something under if they need to be raised.

[Bigmallly]

It's a bit late in day now mic but I would have put both bulbs on the same panel giving more downward light & easier to put trays in & out, I assume the bin is going to lay on its side as in the pic.