Artificial lighting during winter, Little bugs, Etc.

[Raenbo]

Hello!

This is my first orchid wintering event and I'm trying to do right by my sudden sizeable collection. I'm in Louisiana so my orchids will be spending most of their time on my back patio, but for the time they need to spend indoors I have them under fluorescent lighting. I have a simple 48" double lamp shop light fixture. For bulbs I'm using the "Aquarium/Plant" bulbs offered at Lowe's. I thought I was doing okay, but wanted to make sure the orchids were getting enough light (I have a variety - lots of phals, a few catts, a few vanda sp, several dendrobiums, a large oncidium, and a struggling zygo, plus a few more odds and ends) so I bought a 'sunlight tester' that is supposed to measure the footcandles of light, except it measures 0 under my bulbs! Does this mean my bulbs are useless, or does this type of meter not work for artificial lighting? Are the bulbs I have sufficient or should I opt for something more 'specialty'?

Additional question: I keep finding these VERY tiny silverish bugs in the bark medium. They're near microscopic as the only way you can really see them is because they're moving. I see these same bugs in some of my tropical plants' soil also. WHAT are these???

Thanks for any help you can offer. I tried reading up on some of the old threads on lighting and got very confused with the whole T12/T5/etc discussions.

[Ross]

In short, I doubt you are getting very much light at all. Briefly, the "T" designation refers to the tube thickness. T12 are the old type, least efficient, shop lights. Even those sold as "aquarium type" don't increase the lumens, they just try to control color balance. The T8 is the new "standard" for lighting. The tubes provide higher luminence for similar power consumption as T12 and are the most common modern florescent kitchen and office lighting. Even these aren't able to provide much lighting unless the plants are very close to the tubes (say a few inches.) There are many orchid hobbyists using these because of cost, but for the energy consumed, the high output T5 tubes are the best choice (in my opinion) for those orchids wanting high light levels because the fixture can be further from the plants. Your light meter may have been fairly correct.

If your 'chids will only be under the lights for short periods (a day or two) then skip the lights. The plants won't object. If for longer periods (weeks or months) then try to set up strong lighting. The coily "compact florescent" bulbs are suitable if the wattage is high. I use 4 foot and 2 foot straight tubes as well as 105 watt (actual watts) compact florescent fixtures. Mine run 7 days a week all year. Hope this helps a bit.

[OrchidSue]

If your bulbs are 40 watt, most likely they are T12. It is difficult to get enough light for high light plants (Vandas, Dendrobiums, Catts, and perhaps Oncidium). I grew and bloomed Phals successfully for years under T12, but anything high light didn't do well. However, if 2 bulbs are the only source of light, it may be too low even for Phals. I would recommend at least 4 bulbs. I now have T5 High Output (HO) fixtures that I switched to about a year ago and the difference is amazing. T5 is a different type of fluorescent bulb that has higher light output and is more efficient thant T12, however, also more expensive to buy an requires a different fixture.

Sorry, not sure what is going on with the light meter.

Do the bugs jump away/disappear when you disturb them? If so, they are probably springtails. They don't generally bother the plants, but like moisture so the best way to get rid of them is to let things dry out more between waterings.

Susan

[bodaciousbonsai]

i got a light fixture that uses t5 (skinny tube) 54 watt x 8. so we are talking 432 watts total power.
If i was you I would use a 400 watt metal halide lamp on a 4 foot light rail. you seem to have quite a few higher light orchids. plus if you use shelves you can get more bang for your buck by purchasing some lower light orchids such as masdevaillias, or draculas. also as far as your light meter there might be a very very little switch on the back somewhere this allows for different lighting types. As far as the very little tiny bugs. they are a good thing, they are part of the whole ecosystem thing you have going. the only bugs you really dont want are, mealy bugs,scale,thrips,weevil,etc. these kinds tend to prey on orchids. So if you take your orchids outside during the warmer spring and and summer months you will want to repot. or go through them to make sure you are not bringing in the nasties.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Those old school aquarium florescent light tubes for growing aquatic plants are inefficient. They work to a certain degree, but they're only for low light plants.

In my opinion, T5's are fine for lower light plants as well.

I've seen the output on these lights in the aquarium hobby. They're pretty low compared to PC's and MH's.

T5's couldn't even efficiently grow low light corals in a shallow aquarium.

Just so you understand what I mean...

Light intensity diminishes in water faster than air, especially saltwater (because it's more dense), and certain wavelengths of light get filtered out pretty quickly relative to the depth of the water.

And corals are animals that behave like plants because they have tiny algae co-existing inside their tissues the animals use as an energy source.

Back to orchids...

PC's (power compacts) are more efficient, cost effective, and produce little heat. But you'll only be able to grow plants that grow in low to moderate light (now that I think about it moderate on the low end of the scale).

MH's (metal halides) are the most powerful lighting system in the freakin' universe. One 400W halide will light up an entire room pretty well. It pretty much simulates being under full sun. They have two major drawbacks...

1. Cost. They're expensive to purchase and they're expensive to run. Be prepared for a higher electricity bill.

2. Heat. They can raise the temperature by as much as 5 to 10 degrees F depending on how close you are to it.

However...

You do own some light intensive plants, so MH's are probably the way to go.

When you're purchasing artificial lights shoot for a Kelvin (unit of measurement for the temperature of plasma) temperature rating of 5500K or 6500K.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Not sure what the bugs are, but they could just be harmless old springtails.

[Raenbo]

I think you are right about the bugs being springtails. Now that I know they are harmless, I don't have to be concerned.

Where does one buy these metal halide fixtures? Or even the T5 fixtures? Is this something I can get from Lowe's/Home Depot or are they a specialty item I'll have to order online?

I have bearded dragons and do have a Reptisun 10.0 bulb, but was afraid it would be "too much" light for the orchids. I suppose until I can get a better setup, using that bulb would at least be a step in the right direction?

I know the bulbs are giving out some sort of light bc I had to move the Spathoglottis. Some of its leaves were just about touching the bulbs and they turned a dark purple.

I will just have to get my vanda sp outside as much as possible, temperature permitting as I can't see how I can manage the light they need in the space I have indoors, considering they're in hanging baskets (although they're all still small).

It's become apparent to me that I've made a common mistake. Jumped into the hobby feet first without full consideration of each plants needs and having to "do without" that one in my collection until I can build a little greenhouse (one day!).

[jimmylegs]

You can get Metal Halide light fixtures from any Hydroponics shop. You can find them on ebay too. Make sure to shop prices because there are big swings for the same product.

I have a 400 Watt MH in a "cool tube", and you really have to watch the heat if your room is small. I acutually use mine to help supplement my heat in winter by venting out of the garden into the common space. In the summer i vent the light directly outside. (a cool tube is an air cooled reflector).

You'll also be a little overwhelmed by the options when you first start getting into lighting. There are basic reflectors, air cooled reflectors, standard and digital ballasts, and all the different wattages. The light bulb (the proper term is called a Lamp) can also be expensive. you will see them from $20 to $100 for a single lamp. When you first start out with this i personally dont think that it's necessary to shell out the huge bucks for these things. purists may disagree with me.

However, this is the absolute best way to go for vegetating indoor plants. and as a previous poster suggested, if you're covering a large area, a light rail would be a good option for you.

good luck

(fyi -im no orchid expert, but i've learned a little bit about lighting in the past year...I'm just getting starting with orchids)

Here's a link to get you started: (i'm not endorsing this site...just another hydro shop):

BetterGrow Hydroponics | Hydroponic Supplies, Grow Lights, Indoor Gardening

[wick]

Ive used twin T12 fluorescent aquarium strips before to grow lowland Nepenthes with great results,but as stated above you will have problems with higher light plants.

As for your light meter,i think it needs the full spectrum of light to give a correct reading and if your using the Aquarium style plant lights that look kinda purple when switched on,you will be lacking this full spectrum.