My low budget grow tent...

[Leafmite]

I like your grow space. It is even better that you did it cost effectively! More money to spend on plants!

[Tetra73]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I like your grow space. It is even better that you did it cost effectively! More money to spend on plants!

Yup..that's the whole point. More money on plants, not more expensive gadgets for fewer plants.

[ccrow]

Originally Posted by Tetra73

Thanks....try your local supermarkets. These are just your typical plastic food containers. I just use a 100w soldering gun to melt these slots. I am sure you can use a lower power soldering gun. Most people use a screw driver and to heat it up over a stove. That may take a while. You can "drill" it but these plastic can be brittle and they may crack.

A woodburner would probably work, too... I admire your ingenuity!! Maybe a dremel? Hmm...

[Tetra73]

Originally Posted by ccrow

A woodburner would probably work, too... I admire your ingenuity!! Maybe a dremel? Hmm...

I did but is making too much noise and creating too much debris. Of course, if you are going to burn the slots, you may want to do it outside or with a window opened, unless you like to get high smelling burnt plastic....

[Tetra73]

I thought I update this thread and adding couple of photos. Well, my orchid collection is doing fine. The flower spikes on my 2 mini phals are 4" to 5" long now. The oncidium sharry baby has grown more than dozen new roots through the bottom of the basket. The new pseudobulb is almost 3x the size. The cattleya has grown 3 more pseudobulbs from the previously empty sheaths. And more larger and newer roots are growing from the rhizome. After more than 2 months, the dendrobium frosty dawn is finally growing some side roots. No new roots yet. New leaves have been growing, total of 4. However, I lost few older leaves due to bacteria rots.
I am expecting to add another oncidium Dragon wing this Sat.

This brings me another issues. How to get more light for my ever increasing orchid collections as well as my ever increasing growing orchid. Initially, I added a supplemental light using a Lowes/Homedepot portable work light with a 2 bulbs splitter. Is kind of work but obviously the light intensity isn't spreading enough to cover a larger area.

Well, I decided to make a 4 bulbs fixture (1500 lumen LED bulb each). Totaling 6000 lumen,. I used a 16"x15"x9" plastic storage box as the mount and enclosure. I used foil tape to create the reflective surface inside the enclosure. The total cost $16, minus the bulbs. The LED bulbs are cheap and yet expensive. About $15 for 2 100w equivalent LED bulbs from Phillips. I just need to purchase another 2 since I am already using my existing 2 of them already. Softwhite 5000k. My orchids seem fine with it.

mygrowtentlight1 by vracing, on Flickr


mygrowtentlight2 by vracing, on Flickr

Getting it to mount right in front of my orchids is difficult. I decided to use my spare light stand and some duck tape.

I found out that my max FC does not increase just because I have more bulbs. As it has been measured by my light meter (light meter for photography fyi), the max FC by the bulbs is about 3000+. However, max FC reaches to my orchids by the front is only 2000+. And 1000+ 1.5ft away from the fixture. However, I am getting more uniform, consistent light intensity in a larger area than before, by using more bulbs and spreading them out.

So now, if my orchids are getting too big or too talk, I can lower them lower and they are still getting enough light. I was thinking about getting a t5 fixture, about 2ft to 4ft, supplementing my t8 fixtures but I can not put them where I need them to be...by the plants.

[charlesf6]

Originally Posted by Tetra73

Thanks....try your local supermarkets. These are just your typical plastic food containers. I just use a 100w soldering gun to melt these slots. I am sure you can use a lower power soldering gun. Most people use a screw driver and to heat it up over a stove. That may take a while. You can "drill" it but these plastic can be brittle and they may crack.

Innovative indeed!

[estación seca]

Hydroponics shops sell reflective Mylar plastic sheeting. People line the growing area with it. It reflects a fair amount of otherwise-wasted light back into the growing area, increasing light to your plants without buying new fixtures.

[Tetra73]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Hydroponics shops sell reflective Mylar plastic sheeting. People line the growing area with it. It reflects a fair amount of otherwise-wasted light back into the growing area, increasing light to your plants without buying new fixtures.

Yeah, it only works if I have no plants growing on my side wall...which I have. This isn't strictly a grow tent but a terrarium, vivarium, and a grow tent combined. Is meant to display the plants, not just only growing them...

[flowerpower]

Originally Posted by Jeff214

looks great!

I like the 'low budget' mounted phal. I've been thinking of doing a mount but the drift wood prices seem prohibitive to me. I may try your method!

Have you ever heard of Kokedama? Several youtubers demonstrate the technique of using a moss ball mount for orchids. It's a technique that came from Japan. Imagine a round ball of moss and a little phal mounted in it. I was considering giving it a try on a small hybrid phal and water it with my vanda.

[Jeff214]

Originally Posted by flowerpower

Have you ever heard of Kokedama? Several youtubers demonstrate the technique of using a moss ball mount for orchids. It's a technique that came from Japan. Imagine a round ball of moss and a little phal mounted in it. I was considering giving it a try on a small hybrid phal and water it with my vanda.

Hi Flowerpower,

No I had not heard of it but I want to do it after all the amazing images on google! Since Phals go on sale very soon, maybe I'll give it a try with one. Thanks for the info!

---------- Post added at 07:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:23 AM ----------

very nice light fixture!

Are the light fixtures on top of your grow tent not providing enough light for your orchids? I would think that you would get better spread and coverage from above.

This is making me remember an architectural lighting science class I took some time ago... candelas, lumens, lux...