Fluorescent Lighting. HELP ME PLEASE!

[Kelly R.]

Alright all thought I would update you on what I finally purchased today. I ended up with buying the hydrofarm 2 foot pulley system light and frame. I also went to my local Menards store and got 2 6500k Cfls that I intend to put in the silver dome shaped work light fixtures. Until my hydrofarm comes I will play around with the two cfls. I also picked up a meter that measures humidity and light. So I think I am ready to go. Thanks to everyone for all the advice!

[Jenn4a]

Make another post so you can add photos! (Need 5 posts)

I would like to see your setup! Hopefully you're getting some more orchids; I think just a couple of phals would be lonely underneath those lights.

[Kelly R.]

The hydrofarm won't be here until next week. Once I get it set up I will post pics.

[Kelly R.]

Ok I am a beginner at this and have a what I feel is kind of a dumb question .... I set up my two Cfls today pointing at my orchids. I used the light meter and it says its still in the dark area. I have 2 40w Cfls on. Do I need a bigger watt? They are the 6500k bulbs. The meter says its around the 500 mark. It is measured in L which I am assuming is lumens... am I correct?

[Jenn4a]

uhm.... I believe most meters measure lux.
Does it include other units of measurements?

ETA: what brand of meter are you using?
I'm asking because I got a meter off amazon and compared it to a phone app... the phone was way off. Have you tried tilting/angling it? Maybe you can check the meter by pointing outside, near a window. My meter has different dials for when measurement gets too high. It includes x10, x100, and x1000, I believe. If I don't switch it when it's needed, it will give me whacky numbers. I'm not a expert when it comes to light meters though.

[Kelly R.]

It measures light, soil moistness and ph. I got it at home depot it is a Hampton bay meter. When I put it in direct sunlight it jumps to the very top reading which is 2000. There is a small guide on the bottom of box for different plants but no orchids. It says its measured in light. Then says the minimum light needed for 16 hours per day.(whatever that means)

[Kelly R.]

Ok I finally ended up with a good bulb agrosun from stein garden and gifts. Works great. I also bought three more orchids today. 2 minis one which was on clearance at lowes for $3 and a good yellow and purple mini (which both needed to be transplanted immediately the moss they planted them in was so packed and soggy it was awful). Then got a 20" pretty purple one from steins. That is the first one I have gotten in good soil with good roots. I definitely have a lot to keep me busy. I also got a growing flat with a 7" dome that I can vent to keep the humidity higher in. So excited. Will post pics when I finally get the hydrofarm.

[Jenn4a]

Originally Posted by Kelly R.

It measures light, soil moistness and ph.

I've heard those aren't always accurate.. I'm not sure if all the readings are or aren't. I wouldn't completely trust it (use it as a guide though), unless you can compare it with some other measuring devices.

Originally Posted by Kelly R.

I also got a growing flat with a 7" dome that I can vent to keep the humidity higher in. So excited. Will post pics when I finally get the hydrofarm.

What do you mean 7" dome? Post pics please?
Honestly, you probably won't need a dome for humidity. Phals seem to tolerate dry air, as long as they're watered properly. If you'd like to increase the humidity by using a type of enclosure, I would use something bigger more more air space. (I'm not sure what the dome you're using looks like though.) Every time that I've put orchids in an enclosed space without enough air ventilation *and* air circulation, I had problems with mold, and infections. Fans are a must in an enclosed space (in my short orchid experience so far.)
I have two of these mini greenhouses: http://www.menards.com/main/mobile/p...00-c-10122.htm

Oh yeah.. Lowes and those mini phals. I'm very addicted to those! I have 8 of them now. we probably have some of the same ones! Yes.. All of them are packed in about 3x the amount of sphag needed... And one of them came covered in algae. (It's hard to tell until you can pull the smaller pot out of the clay pot STUFFED with sphag.)

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Kelly R.

Thank you very much to all who replied. It helps me out in making a decision. I think I might go with a 2 bulb 2 foot t8. It is cheap and will fit in my growing area for now. I can always upgrade at a later date if I decide to take on new plants. I do get some light exposure but am more concerned about supplementing light for more hours in a day than we have available here in Wisconsin.

Honestly, I don't think you need to think about lights yet since you just have Phals for now. I live even further north than you, and my Phals happily bloom with the available natural light. My previous 2 apartments had only north-east or east facing windows, and they'd still bloom then. I even bloomed 2 catts in those windows. I'd even had to be careful about sunburn in the summer! I did have lights, but those were to supplement only my orchids with higher light requirements, mostly in the winter months.
I now live in an apartment with south facing windows, and don't use any lights anymore. Natural light is more than enough, even with so few daylight hours in the winter.