Unconventional grow light setups - looking for inspiration

[isthelaststop]

Hi everyone,

I recently moved into an apartment that mostly gets medium-indirect light. I've clustered my plants in the one spot that gets decent light, though I suspect it's below ideal for species like cattaleya and dendrobiums.

I started a small set of shelves with Barrina t5s for smaller plants, but I'd love to have more plants just... around.

I was considering mounting some t5s on the ceiling a foot or two above some wall-mounted cork, with a little lip to block extraneous light from people's eyes. I've also been eyeballing various stand/arm type lights as ways to add supplemental light to various surfaces.

Do folks have creative setups that they would recommend? I'll also gladly take recommendations on specific lights, as I've never used artificial lighting before.

[RJSquirrel]

Hydroponics & Growers - GROW LIGHTS - LED Light Boards - AC Infinity

I use quite a few of these. They work well and can be adjusted from 20w to 100w.

Also use the Black Magic lights. Not adjustable but are good lights.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...,350_QL80_.jpg

[Subrosa]

You'd be amazed what a plain old 5000°K LED shoplight from Lowe's, Home Depot, etc will grow

[Leafmite]

It depends on the size of the plants/orchids that you want to grow what lights will work. Different LED lights, too, have different outputs so you have to read the reviews to see what others are growing under them.

I have plants in my windows but I like to have plants in other places, too...thus the lights.

I grow two strawberry plants with one and have a little herb garden in my kitchen with three of these little 'gardens': Amazon.com : Mindful Design LED Indoor Herb Garden with Timer - at Home Mini Planter Kit for Herbs, Succulents, and Vegetables w/Hexagon Cutout (White) : Patio, Lawn & Garden

I have a moss garden (with Angraecum distichum and a fern), two mini Lepanthes and a Dracula by the coffee maker under two lights something like this:
Amazon.com

[lobotomizedgoat]

The primary requirements for our apartment setup were that the artificial light appear as white as possible, and that the setup not appear obtrusive, out of place, or block the view . The end result was a series of strategically placed table and standing lamps (e.g. this one), a hanging rope light, and a couple basic clamp lights that I obscured just effectively enough to get my wife's approval.

The coverage isn't remotely even, but it preserves the view out the windows and some semblance of a "normal" living space. Between the bit of direct sun we get and the irregularity of the artificial light it does create a mild puzzle of where to place plants based on their requirements, but I haven't found it too bothersome.

For the lights themselves we've had a good experience with the SANSI grow lights made to fit standard E26 sockets. Some of the smaller 10 watt lights have ben slightly on the yellow/green side, but that bigger ones have all been impressively neutral.