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$20 shelf, aquarium fixtures and T8 bulbs from lowes. Will this suffice?

Sarg3

Sarg3

Went to walmart and picked up one of these 4 tier shelf units for $20.  Hoping to use this to hang a light from each shelf to start seedlings in a 72 cell seed starting greenhouse. 
LfiwnSL.jpg

As you can see my 2 year old has already claimed it as his LOL
 
I have one T5 jumpstart light system as seen in the photo above and a few aquarium light fixtures with 18" T8's.  We also went to lowes tonight and I got the best T8 bulbs they had in this length for 2 of the fixtures but I'm not sure if they'll work from sprout around January until last frost in mid April? To help the lights out I plant to line the back of the shelf with a white plastic and either come up with a way to make a reflector of add white plastic to half of each front section as well.  Once the seedlings outgrow the greenhouses, which won't take long, they will go in single small pots and in the windowsills and some stay on the shelf.  If this plan will work I will grab another shelf and put whatever other aquarium lights I have to use on it in the same manner
Pm4GbUj.jpg

I know the T5 will work since it did this year on veggies and I'm not sure on the specs of it.  What do you guys think about one of these T8's per 72 cell tray?  I have a couple more fixtures but they're T12's. I didn't grab bulbs for those but like the T8's they do have bulbs in them already but they're old. 
 
I'm still waiting on the jumpstart systems to go on clearance again, which hopefully they do.  I got the setup for $20 at henry fields in the Spring. Just looked them up and the T5 has a temp of 6400K and has 2000 initial lumens. 
 
Thanks for reading.  Any and all opinions, tips, whatever are appreciated.  I didn't proofread this so hopefully it makes sense lol
 
I have a similar setup, on mine I picked up a couple of those silver emergency blankets and wrapped one around the two sides and the back, the other one I used as a "door" to close the front side.
 
Heat was an issue but with an old PC power supply and a couple 200mm 12 volt PC fans exhausting the heat, that kept my temps more in line.
 
Vodu said:
I have a similar setup, on mine I picked up a couple of those silver emergency blankets and wrapped one around the two sides and the back, the other one I used as a "door" to close the front side.
 
Heat was an issue but with an old PC power supply and a couple 200mm 12 volt PC fans exhausting the heat, that kept my temps more in line.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply.  Heat is one of the reasons I am choosing to go with white instead a shiny foil type reflector.  Plus I've always read and been told white, well flat white reflects better light without creating hot spots.  I didn't even think about doing the sides.  I actually might do the back and sides while leaving the front open.  I have a small 2 blade window fan about 18" L, 12" H I plan to set on a stand 5orso foot away and blow on low.  Won't give them much breeze but enough to strengthen them up while helping with any heat that is generated.  Not sure if I should exchange that idea for a small tabletop  oscillating fan or not though?
 
I have a beige shelf, my heat was from the florescent lights themselves, they still put out a lot of heat, especially in a 'closed chamber'
 
I made the mistake of blowing the fans onto/across the plants...bad idea...they were "cooked" in about 3 minutes.  I use the fans purely for exhaust now, they pull less 'harmful' air across the plants/seedlings.
 
Hmm, wonder if it would help if I make a few vent cuts for the heat to escape from the sides and back as the air is blowing from the front?
 
Let you know what I did. I found a 22 cubic foot upright freezer with shelves and bought a 3 prong stick light. Took the light fixture apart mounted the light on the top shelf. Bought all 3 spectrum of cfl's 2700/5500/6400 blue/white/red screwed them
In and had a 3 way switch to have different lights on a different times. I also put a heat sprout mat with temp control on middle shelf to control temp. Did not close door because I wanted to run a small fan just to keep air circulated on seedlings. Tried to keep temp 85f. Pepper plants loved it. I learned that if you microwave your growing material you put the peppers in you will kill the aphids. You can add back the micro nutrition back to soil. After they get larger move them into a larger set up. Heat sprout mats are great the more the
Better. The roots love to be warm to grow better.
 
T8= 800 or so lumens T5= 2000 or so lumens.
 
With a 6 tube T5, I baerly managed to get the seedlings to survive (root bound and lower leaves not fully lighted) planting Feb. 1st and plantout June 1st.
 
By then, they were all over 2' tall in 3.5" squares in 4 flats. (72 plants)
 
So Gotrox, why do you say barley survived if they reached 2 feet? I get the rootbound in a 3.5 pot but it seems like they rocked no? Im looking at a 4 bulb t5 for 40 or so starts is why i ask.
thanks
 
Gotrox said:
T8= 800 or so lumens T5= 2000 or so lumens.
 
With a 6 tube T5, I baerly managed to get the seedlings to survive (root bound and lower leaves not fully lighted) planting Feb. 1st and plantout June 1st.
 
By then, they were all over 2' tall in 3.5" squares in 4 flats. (72 plants)
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say that has anything to do with the lights at all, except of course the part about the lower leaves.  I used this T5 to keep tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers and others and they were fine.  Granted they did get a little light through a window but not much.  Root bound issue would be because they stayed in those small pots for too long.  
 
I have peppers under that T5 right now that are doing great. 
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/42670-few-seedlings-i-have-started-recently/
Like I said though when they get big they'll be transplanted and moved in front of windows while the smaller ones stay under the lights
 
I still have to work for a living, and at 2' in 3.5 pots I would flood before work and after, and they still got droopy.
I missed once near the end and almost killed them all.
For the last month they were hydro-in-dirt.
Meaning every other watering was a full mix hydro nutes, as I used in a hydroponics tub.
4 flats of 2' root bound plants suck a lot of moisture.
 
Of course, I work 12 hr shifts, so 8 hr days prolly wouldn't be any problem.
 
Having a big fan on them 24/7 prolly didn't help either, but got nice strong stems.
 
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