Grow Light Setup

VA_LongBean

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Oct 9, 2014
Messages
145
Reaction score
80
Points
167
Location
Hopewell, VA Zone 7B
I finally went ahead and built stands for two shop lights I bought 4 years ago. Originally I wanted to use them in a room with poor lighting, but never unpackaged them. Last year I thought I could make them into a grow light setup . . . but never got around to it. Since I was off work this week I decided to finally get it done.

This is the general idea: http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/10376/diy-pvc-grow-light-stand
And this is the final result: https://www.facebook.com/adam.m.ell...60837.1073741853.748335836&type=3&pnref=story

I hope my facebook post is visible since I set it (and only it) to public viewing. :)

I'll build something to hold the lights in place and to provide even bottom heat. Next stop, leeks and onions in February and tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in March.
 

Ridgerunner

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
8,227
Reaction score
10,049
Points
397
Location
Southeast Louisiana Zone 9A
The first photo showed up, I don't do facebook so I couldn't get the second.

This is one of the latest renditions of my starting set-up. To provide heat I built a box out of plywood, lined the bottom and sides with foil, and put Christmas lights in there. To control the heat I change the number of lights that work. If I started from scratch I'd get a heating pad, one where you can bypass the automatic shut-off but adjust temeprature.

I extended the legs, it just wasn't tall enough, especially for tomatoes.

I support the light with chain so I can easily adjust the height of the lamp. It fits on hooks screwed into the wood underneath.

I found by taping white paper on both sides to reflect light my plants don't get as tall and spindly but are much stockier.

Not shown, I have a small fan I a can hang on that to help dry the soil surface to help prevent dampening off.

Grow Stand.JPG
 

VA_LongBean

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Oct 9, 2014
Messages
145
Reaction score
80
Points
167
Location
Hopewell, VA Zone 7B
Thanks @Ridgerunner !

My setup looks a lot like the one in the article, just with a many more rough edges, glue slops, and crooked holes for bolts. :D

One set of lights is on a table in the outside southeast corner by the basement back door (which is seldom used). The second set of lights is in a weird little alcove above a built-in box the previous owners used for firewood storage. The alcove has white walls on 3 sides so that will help reflect light. I'll have to try the paper trick on both locations.

These stands should be adjustable up by about 5 or 6 inches. After that I can also shorten the chains supporting the light fixtures (another 3 inches there maybe).
 

so lucky

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
8,342
Reaction score
4,953
Points
397
Location
SE Missouri, Zone 6
Getting those first seeds and plants under the growing table lights is always satisfying, every late winter. Now you got me to thinking....what can I plant now? haha
 

journey11

Garden Master
Joined
Sep 1, 2009
Messages
8,469
Reaction score
4,218
Points
397
Location
WV, Zone 6B
I love building with PVC. Like tinker-toys for adults. :)

Let us know what kind of soil temps you get with the red light cord. Would be much cheaper than buying a heat mat.
 

majorcatfish

Garden Master
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
6,865
Reaction score
11,325
Points
377
Location
north carolina
a good seed starter table is very important. gave up on heat pads a couple years ago and went with a little personal heater.
upper right is a little 12vdc fan to circulate the air.
DSC_0008.JPG

with the plastic down the heater once dialed in the soil stays at optimum germination temperature....
once everyone is up the t-5 light will keep the soil between 70-75 with the plastic up and at night the plastic comes down and the heater keeps everyone warm.

DSC_0006.JPG

and if you have cats a good barrier is important...
DSC_0010.JPG

since this is the 4th season will be changing all the lamps...
DSC_0002.JPG

was planning on making another table, but with a full house again there's no room to build one.
 

Larisa

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
852
Reaction score
1,932
Points
197
Location
Russia
I have a shelf for plants. We heat +24. I no longer insulated. Now on the walls of the foil, but I will change that. I do not know how. Now there are tulips to bloom and seedlings Adenium. Soon I will plant tomatoes, closer to the lamp. I planted tomatoes and flowers in the last year under the lights- perfect. Seedlings are not stretched.
Each ceiling of 2 lights for the plants. Lower rack- LED panel plant. Good too.

IMG_9737.JPG IMG_1922.JPG
 

Latest posts

Top