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January 2008 Project

so I could use the one 400 watt HM or HPS in the place of the 4 shoplights and the 4 incandescent lights to get the same result of enough light and heat?
 
I'd use the shop lights to start your seedlings with. A HID light will put your peppers on steroids compared to those shop light and incandescents. Not even a comparison with the increase in light output to your plants versus the electricity costs. I'd get 7100K blue spectrum bulbs for 2 of your shop lights and then get a regular HPS. That way you wouldn't have to spend all the extra money on the fancy high tech grow bulbs.
 
Thanks Pcola...

Pepper Ridge Farm said:
I'd get 7100K blue spectrum bulbs for 2 of your shop lights and then get a regular HPS. That way you wouldn't have to spend all the extra money on the fancy high tech grow bulbs.
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OK...I just finished reading about MH's and HPS's. It says that the MHs' are better for vegetative and HPSs' are better for flowering/fruiting and to keep them 2to 3 feet above the plants. I think I finally understand.

I can use the shop light fixtures for seedling growth in my small grow boxes ( 4 feet wide, 2 feet high and deep) and a single MH for vegetative growth in one large grow box (6 feet tall and 4 feet wide and deep) and an HPS for flowering/fruiting in the other one.

As far as space is concerned, this will work since I will have 4 seedling grow boxes, a vegetative grow box, and a flowering/fruiting grow box.

Thanks for the input.
 
They say the best artificial light is one mh and one hps being run together in the same grow box, that is why I suggested suplimenting the blue spectrum with 6500k floros and use a 20 dollar HPS bulb. It is because people like you AJ that peppers just are bigger in Texas.
 
Stage 1 Project Complete

I finished the first 4 X 4 grow box. Just some final tweeking but It has pepper plants in it. Need some more chain to lower the lights. I did not go with MH or HPS because of the cost. Think of it as a flight test program.:) This is the First Flight.:shocked:



 
that is looking gooooooooooooooooooood. I'm waiting to see how this works and I thinking about turning my well house into a growing station. I havent figured it all out yet. But the kitchen is warm and its cold outside. So I going to waitt lil to see how it goes. But AJ thats is really nice!!
 
That grow box is going to super charge all your plants and make your peppers strong and big producers. Good job on the project. What do you think of the mylar, does it make the shop lights seem any brighter? I still feel you will want an intake and exhaust fan to exchange the air, unless of course you are lifting the plexiglass a couple times a day that I know won't be a problem at all. It looks so big when you are standing next to the box. How do you get your terracotta saucer to hold water?
 
Pam said:
Looks great! I'm impressed.

And I see your faithful companion was there to supervise.
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Thank you, thank you. Roscoe is faithfully "supervising"

okie joe said:
that is looking gooooooooooooooooooood. I'm waiting to see how this works and I thinking about turning my well house into a growing station. I havent figured it all out yet. But the kitchen is warm and its cold outside. So I going to waitt lil to see how it goes. But AJ thats is really nice!!
Click to expand...

Thanks. I am sure this is going to work. It is basically the same set up as the germinator I built except much bigger. If your wellhouse is outside, you will want to insulate it. I used 5/8" insualtion board on my germinator. It was 21.5F here Sunday Morning and the temp inside the germinator was 86F. Germinator is in storage building beside our house.

Pepper Ridge Farm said:
That grow box is going to super charge all your plants and make your peppers strong and big producers. Good job on the project. What do you think of the mylar, does it make the shop lights seem any brighter? I still feel you will want an intake and exhaust fan to exchange the air, unless of course you are lifting the plexiglass a couple times a day that I know won't be a problem at all. It looks so big when you are standing next to the box. How do you get your terracotta saucer to hold water?
Click to expand...

Thanks. I will admit, the mylar works like a charm. Yes, I think the shop lights look brighter.

I open the window at least 2 times a day for a few minutes. It is big enough I can crawl inside it to perform any maintenance if needed.

Light adjustment is the biggest thing I will have to get in for...am thinking about drilling holes in the top to run the chain thru and secure them on the side of the box for remote light adjustment.

Good eye on the water in the terracotta saucer. Don't know how it holds water but it does pretty well.

As I said this is first flight and I am sure there will be additional capability that will be upgraded as the testing phase continues.
 
Got it totally completed tonigtht

Hooked up thermostat, lengthened chains to allow lights lower, moved thermometer where I don't have to bend down to see the temp. Moved Red Savina's from germinator to grow box.

Shot under the lights....


Cut Back Orange Hab


My best pepper so far - Little Elf


Shot above the lights looking straight into grow box. Don't know what happened to the color on this unless it was the halogen bulbs up top giving the yellow glow.
 
GOSH they do look GREAT Can't wait for mine to start growing Anybody got a green wand so I could wave it to make them grow faster LOL :o)
 
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