I am about tapped out of cash for 2013. Currently I have one 125 watt cfl with aluminum reflector. I have a 13 watt cfl aquarium hood, One 75w t8, and one shop lamp reflector with a 25watt cfl. I have my room which is probably 4x4 (its under some stairs) is lined with reflective material. How many plants could I start/grow in this room considering my lighting?
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Current setup. What should I do.
- Thread starter Tame The Scovies
- Start date
it depends on how strategically you place those lights
you can start a lot of plants under those lights but if you were trying to bring them all the way to fruit, I would say you would only be able to do about 2-4 plants. You've got a total of roughly 240 watts at around 50-70 lumens a watt = 12,000 to 16,000 lumens. Which you want at least 3000 lumens a square foot. CFL's and T-8's also have poor canopy penetration.
These are just rough estimates (and really there's a lot better ways to figure out lighting) but somewhere for you to start in your planning process.
If you're just starting seeds and planting out in spring, you could fit about 30-40 plants depending on how well they grow, in a 4X4 area with that kind of light. It would be really tight but you could do it.
Just my 2c
These are just rough estimates (and really there's a lot better ways to figure out lighting) but somewhere for you to start in your planning process.
If you're just starting seeds and planting out in spring, you could fit about 30-40 plants depending on how well they grow, in a 4X4 area with that kind of light. It would be really tight but you could do it.
Just my 2c
They are mainly being started in this room. I am going to move them outside ASAP. I am about to go into work. Ill take some pics when I get off and maybe you gents can help me with light placement?
3/5 I have the small dual 13 watt aquarium hood a matter of 2 inches away from one tray of seedlings. The 125w CFL about 9 inches away from my transplants, the t8 is shining upward from a stand I made in the floor, and the 25w CFL with shop reflector shining downward at an angle. I hope to get some more reflective material and put it above the lights. I tried to get light hitting as much of the plants as possible.
Since you're only starting them up with this setup, and you should be able to get them outside within the month, I'd think you could try up to 24, placed 4x6 or 3x8 in solo cups. The benefits to living in the south mostly pertain to gardening, IMO.
I'd say 4 would be ideal, in a 2 x 2 setup and the maximum of 9 in a 3 x 3 setup.
It also depends on which kind of peppers u want to grow (bushy or tall) bushy I'd say 4 and tall 9.
The size of the pots u will put them in will also play a role here. Large pots = large plants, small pots = smaller plants.
Make the walls and floor in a glossy white paint or foil so u disperse light maximally and evenly in the growroom in that
way u can maximize the output of the lights u put in there.
I'd also like to add the fact that the best light u will get outside, so like Scarlet Fire said try to take them outside as much as possible
and use the growroom only to add extra light-time when its dark (or really bad weather) outside.
My schedule of growing is : from 6am till 9pm : outside in the sun and from 9pm till 1am inside under 600W HPS (from 1am till 6am dark time)
It also depends on which kind of peppers u want to grow (bushy or tall) bushy I'd say 4 and tall 9.
The size of the pots u will put them in will also play a role here. Large pots = large plants, small pots = smaller plants.
Make the walls and floor in a glossy white paint or foil so u disperse light maximally and evenly in the growroom in that
way u can maximize the output of the lights u put in there.
I'd also like to add the fact that the best light u will get outside, so like Scarlet Fire said try to take them outside as much as possible
and use the growroom only to add extra light-time when its dark (or really bad weather) outside.
My schedule of growing is : from 6am till 9pm : outside in the sun and from 9pm till 1am inside under 600W HPS (from 1am till 6am dark time)