best simple grow light setup?

[wsmoak]

I'd like to try growing some salad greens indoors this winter (since I can't seem to grow lettuce from seed outside...) and possibly start some seeds for spring.

What's the best setup for this? Priorities are quality/durability and cost. It doesn't have to be pretty.

I'd like a decent amount of space, but not huge. I'm currently thinking of hanging lights under the shelves on a unit like this: http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11312799

Is that a reasonable starter setup, or is there something better?

Where do I find the lights for the best price? They look like florescent ballasts, but with a regular plug instead of wiring for a ceiling fixture. What kind of bulbs go in them?

Thanks,
--
Wendy

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

I use fish tank light ballast with screw in bulbs. I bought bulbs on ebay (6500K) and they were about $17.00 a bulb. They last for a while and save a lot of money on elec. bills

I will get a pic later for you

Here are the bulbs I use
http://cgi.ebay.com/4-CFL-GROW-LIGH...548?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0b428a24

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Ok got a pic. Hopefully you can find the same lid. Mine came from a walmart 10 gallon fish tank kit.

 

[journey11]

I bought 3 fluorescent shop light fixtures from Walmart for $15 each. They are hung from chains and you can use the chains to adjust the height over your plants. They have a regular plug in cord too. They take two T8 fluorescent tubes which are pretty energy efficient. They come in "cool", "warm" or "natural" light. I can't remember which of those I got off the top of my head, but I picked the ones that had the highest number of lumens--which is the most important factor--how much it puts out. They don't generate hardly any heat so you don't have to worry about burning the plants. I hang them 2" off the tops of the plants to get the best exposure. I'd turn them on of a morning and turn them off before bed. It was the most successful seed starting season I've ever had. Don't know how I got by without them before!

Temp is also a factor too. You can use grow mats or just put the flats on top of the fridge or in a sunroom or other warm area to get the seedlings to germinate and grow.

 

[wsmoak]

Temp is also a factor too. You can use grow mats or just put the flats on top of the fridge or in a sunroom or other warm area to get the seedlings to germinate and grow.

There's a picture in the Organic Gardening that just came out of rope lights under the seed flats. Apparently the non-led ones generate enough heat to warm up the soil.

--
Wendy

 

[dickiebird]

The shelving unit you linked to, along with Journey's light sugestion are just the ticket for starting plants.

For the initial start I woud wrap the unit with plastic, such as a clear drop cloth or?
Then set it over a heat register or in the sun to bring the temp up inside what is now a basic greenhouse.

Once there is germination I would turn on my lights for 12 to 16 hours a day.

This is the method I used last winter to start hundreds of plants indoors.

Good Luck!!!

THANX RICH

 

[Organics North]

Hey gang new here.. Some of you know me from BYC.

I grow and sell lettuce under lights. I grow about 100 plants to maturity every 50 days.

I use a tower with 24x24 shelves and I use CFL's but a different kind. I use 6500K bulbs each bulb is 55W and is about 4800 lumen each. I find one bulb per nursery flat to be sufficient. (Keeping the lettuce very close to the bulbs.)
Here is the bulb.
http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=FT55DL.865

I can run two of them of Fulham Workhorse 5 ballast which runs about $23 each. The bulbs are about $7.50 each.. So $38 per 2x2 foot grow area, and 110Watts of power.

Hope that helps
ON

 

[LVVCHAP]

I made this a few years ago - works well for me

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Nice setup!! Once I get the spare room cleaned out I want to make one or two of these

 

[wsmoak]

I finally got the shelves and lights!

Home Depot had Philips 'Natural Sunlight' bulbs which are 5000K and 2950 lumens.

There will be four bulbs over each 24x48" shelf, so... 10 lumens per square inch? (How do you normally measure this for comparison?)

Any thoughts on whether that will be enough to start seedlings and grow lettuce, or should I buy different bulbs?

The lights are 48" and need a T8 base bulb if you have bulb suggestions.

Thanks,
Wendy