Grow light

[Dave2072]

Hi All

My seedlings are leggy, I live in a pretty dark mid terraced house unfortunately so natural light indoors isn't excessive!

Is a grow light such as this VicTsing 12 LED Indoor Garden Plant Grow Light Bulb: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics worth buying? Do they stay on all day and all night and just placed in a lamp shining at my plants?

Thanks!

David

[bario1]

I don't know how effective that particular bulb is Dave, but you would need to give the plants a break for 8 hours or so each night - plants need their sleep too!

[Dave2072]

Cheers! Are there any you recommend? Will it make a big difference?

[Lumpy]

I don't use one as I am lucky enough to have large sunny window ledges but if you are on Face bookie see if there are any garden for sale or free groups in your area as one of mine this morning was offering 6 windowsill planters, 2 of them electric plus 2 sets of grow lights all for a tenner.

It's worth having a mooch.

[maverick451]

What I use is 2nd hand t5 aquarium lights, t5 technology is great but LED is the latest must have so the price of t5 units are very good.

For example I picked up a 3 foot t5 unit 2nd hand for £50, new it must have been £300, I stick in some daylight tubes that are used in office lighting, (£2.50 each) and its good to go.

[bearded bloke]

Make a brew & have a look in this thread ... http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tml?highlight= ...

[sparrow100]

I've got a garland growlight garden and it's brilliant - I have it on a timer plug so the seedlings are getting 12 hours light and 12 hours sleep.

For bigger seedlings I put a collar of tinfoil on the tray to reflect light from my one sunny window onto the plants. It stops them getting leggy and is way cheaper than any additional lights.

[bario1]

I've got a mini growlight garden, just to give a few chilli plants a head start. I have to say I'm very impressed with the results!

[Jungle Jane]

What I use is 2nd hand t5 aquarium lights, t5 technology is great but LED is the latest must have so the price of t5 units are very good.

For example I picked up a 3 foot t5 unit 2nd hand for £50, new it must have been £300, I stick in some daylight tubes that are used in office lighting, (£2.50 each) and its good to go.

Have you tried using the T5 bulbs? They give off more lumens per watt than flurescent & led bulbs,theres a link here with a table that shows what I mean...
The right light for your aquarium - Tropica Aquarium Plants

I use my tropical fish tank lid as a base for some of my plants,it's got one T8 tube,has a simple connection,two plugs on a cable & they plug into each bulb end then plug into the mains. This bulb connection cable was in the house when we moved in nearly 16 years ago,so I don't know where it was from. (I don't cover the whole lid with plants btw that wouldn't be good for the fish it's a 4ft wide tank,I use about a quarter of the lid). I'm wondering as you have the unit for T5 bulbs why not use them & if you have used them do you notice any difference with those compared with the office lighting tubes in regards to seedlings? The seedlings I start under my light have thicker stems than ones grown on the windowsill,they're a lot healthier looking.

[maverick451]

Hi Jungle jane

Sorry I should have clarified

The office lighting tubes are high output t5's, Its just much much cheaper if you buy them from office supply store as oppose to horticultural or aquarium stores.

The colour temperature I buy is 6500K (midday sun)

My other hobby is keeping marines, I have a coral reef tank and changed from t5's to Led's to be honest I still think the corals prefer the t5's

[Jungle Jane]

The office lighting tubes are high output t5's, Its just much much cheaper if you buy them from office supply store as oppose to horticultural or aquarium stores

That's loads cheaper!! I think mines about £18!! Thanks for your reply!

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have same as Sparrow and it works fine.

[Dave2072]

Thanks for the advice all! Checked the home made grow light thread but all the links are dead as old posts.

Can someone post a link of all the parts I need to buy to build one of these as its all a bit confusing!!

Thanks in advance :-)

[Jungle Jane]

Dave what seedlings do you have that are leggy & when did you sow them? The days are getting brighter now compared with February. I've only just sowed my tomatoes,but if I did this in february they'd get leggy on the windowsills.

[Dave2072]

Dave what seedlings do you have that are leggy & when did you sow them? The days are getting brighter now compared with February. I've only just sowed my tomatoes,but if I did this in february they'd get leggy on the windowsills.

See image, courgette tomatoes chillis sweet corn in the pic below. All look leggy to me and some I only just sowed including the courgette and sweet corn.

They don't look good to me, what can I do?