Lumex, Footcandle, Shade, semishade, and Co... - Page 2 - Orchid Board

Magnus A · #11 10-21-2008, 02:45 PM

For example

My battery of 4 T5 (216 Watt) gives roughly 500 fc (5000 lux) two foot away. Not enough for anything you have listed above.........

Ross · #12 10-21-2008, 03:22 PM

Mine as well. I really am suspect on the original measurments.

Also I just measured the light under which my Masdies, Paphs, Phals, and Sedirea are under: 2000-2600 foot-candles. And they thrive. I am not in agreement with 500 foot candles for the species you listed Ramon. Sorry. Now Dracs, that's a different story.

terryros · #13 10-21-2008, 05:05 PM

I agree with you, Magnus. My reading tells me that these numbers are for peak light intensity during the day under sunlight conditions. They do not speak to what is needed for growth and blooming under constant artificial light conditions.

kavanaru · #14 10-21-2008, 05:20 PM

S.Kallime, thanks! that's perfect..

Magnum, Ross, and Terryros, the idea of the list is just to provide a guidance. And that's also the reason why I asked to provide the source. It is also the own experience of we all here what is wanted , and not only what you get from abook or the web.

If you find in a book, that a certain Fc is good for your plants, but have yours growing at lower light intensity and it works, just post your experience here. That the kind of info we should share, don't you think so? I think, it is better to have a newbie (or oldie) reading: Bookk XX recommend YYY Fc for this species, but Ross or Magnus grows it under T5 tubes at yyy Fc and it works perfect. Then everybody can have a better picture of what works and what does not. And the information provided is just a good start point...

I already mentioned at the beginning this should be taken with care, and experiment a little bit. we are all aware that there is no "absolut trues" with orchids (and with anything!), but the idea is to compile the information which is diseminated everytwhere and put it together.

If we are very purist and say this information is more damage than good, then it applies also to AOS culture sheets, IOSPE, personal information received from your best nursery, the famous S/H list we have in OB, the whole OB itself, and so on...

and I think it is valuable information we can provide to everybody. It is better to have the guidance of book XXX discussed against your own experience here, than just having a newbie (or oldie) having only "the absolut" truth given by the bokk of Mr. Worldwide Expert in (let's say) Paphs...

just my

kavanaru · #15 10-21-2008, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross

Mine as well. I really am suspect on the original measurments.

Also I just measured the light under which my Masdies, Paphs, Phals, and Sedirea are under: 2000-2600 foot-candles. And they thrive. I am not in agreement with 500 foot candles for the species you listed Ramon. Sorry. Now Dracs, that's a different story.

nothing to apologize about, Ross... This is info I collected from OB and also gave the link to the correct thread, so that everybody can go there and read the whole discussion. It is this guy's own experience, he describes what he has, and that's a valid point. Then, everybody can decided whether it would work for them or not. Having your info here, for the same speciess is also appreciated and gives a stronger basis to make the right decision...

as for Mexipedium, I also provided the link of the Info source, and also said, I do not think it it for plants growing under light tubes...

Magnus A · #16 10-21-2008, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kavanaru

S.Kallime, thanks! that's perfect..

Magnum, Ross, and Terryros, the idea of the list is just to provide a guidance. And that's also the reason why I asked to provide the source. It is also the own experience of we all here what is wanted , and not only what you get from abook or the web.

If you find in a book, that a certain Fc is good for your plants, but have yours growing at lower light intensity and it works, just post your experience here. That the kind of info we should share, don't you think so? I think, it is better to have a newbie (or oldie) reading: Bookk XX recommend YYY Fc for this species, but Ross or Magnus grows it under T5 tubes at yyy Fc and it works perfect. Then everybody can have a better picture of what works and what does not. And the information provided is just a good start point...

I already mentioned at the beginning this should be taken with care, and experiment a little bit. we are all aware that there is no "absolut trues" with orchids (and with anything!), but the idea is to compile the information which is diseminated everytwhere and put it together.

If we are very purist and say this information is more damage than good, then it applies also to AOS culture sheets, IOSPE, personal information received from your best nursery, the famous S/H list we have in OB, the whole OB itself, and so on...

and I think it is valuable information we can provide to everybody. It is better to have the guidance of book XXX discussed against your own experience here, than just having a newbie (or oldie) having only "the absolut" truth given by the bokk of Mr. Worldwide Expert in (let's say) Paphs...

just my

Ramón, I agree with you but I have to many times explained for beginners that everything on the internet is not law and what works for one grower is not "right" for everyone. This is a typical list that I have to argue against

They only read what they "want"

I just think that the source is not enough but the condition is vital and that is most often not stated......

kavanaru · #17 10-21-2008, 06:19 PM

then... go... that's exactly the information I would liek to be compiled here: your own experience: light intensity X, under which particular conditions: does it work or not for for a paricular plant?

Leisurely · #18 10-21-2008, 06:34 PM

Terryros, my question once was whether light was accumulative and the answer was yes. My greenhouse gets shaded after 2:00 pm. by large trees. From about 7:00 am. to 2:00 pm. my light meter says it is between 4000 and 5000 foot candles. Cattleyas, for example, need between 2000 and 3000 foot candles of light. Based on twelve hours of sun, cats with this amount of light would be receiving 24000 to 36000 footc andles of light in one day. In my greenhouse, with seven hours of sun, my plants are receiving about the same amount of footcandles. I think the reason that plants can be grown well indoors is because, for the short period of time, the intensity of the light is much greater than the recommended foot candles but with the high intensity the average is sufficient light to produce a good healthy, blooming plant.

You cannot always judge whether or not your plant is receiving the correct amount of light based on the leaf color. How many times have you heard that cattleya leaves should be grass green. This is not always so. Many of my cattleyas have naturally dark green leaves when other plants grown under the same conditions are very light green.

terryros · #19 10-21-2008, 07:44 PM

I haven't tried anything more light-requiring than Cattleya alliance but they grow and are blooming for me under T12 fluorescent wide-spectrum lights and many others have this experience. I grow the Catts closer to the lights than Phals or Paphs and I get Phrags closer to the lights as well. My Catts never get close to 2000 FC in intensity but they get 11-14 hours per day of steady 800-1,000 and grow fine.

Ross · #20 10-21-2008, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terryros

I haven't tried anything more light-requiring than Cattleya alliance but they grow and are blooming for me under T12 fluorescent wide-spectrum lights and many others have this experience. I grow the Catts closer to the lights than Phals or Paphs and I get Phrags closer to the lights as well. My Catts never get close to 2000 FC in intensity but they get 11-14 hours per day of steady 800-1,000 and grow fine.

That's exactly why this thread is dangerous to newbies.! Sorry

I knew perfectly well that many grow high light plants under t12s and t8s. I also knew that those folks have the plants pretty close to the bulbs. Ramon's intent is still valid, however, in that you should be able to measure Foot-candles (or whatever) at the leaf surface, no matter the type of bulb. I believe he is after a list of absolute Foot-candle needs by plant group or species.