How Many Lights?

[naoki]

The distance seems a bit too far away (for the optimal growth). From my measurement, it gives slightly more than 500fc at 6" in the center. fc isn't a good measure to compare different types of light (the link you posted in the other thread explains this), but that's probably close to the light for hybrid phals. I think most of us use 500-1200fc of florescent light for phals, but Ray's LED with red diodes should give a bit more usable light than what fc will tell you. If you double the distance, intensity decreases by 1/4. So I'm guessing that your phals are getting around 125fc. The cattleya is happier if you give about 3 times more light than what you are giving. This means you need to put them around 3" as I suggested before.

So I would lower the light in general (and put spacer under the short plants).

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by naoki

The distance seems a bit too far away (for the optimal growth). From my measurement, it gives slightly more than 500fc at 6" in the center. fc isn't a good measure to compare different types of light (the link you posted in the other thread explains this), but that's probably close to the light for hybrid phals. I think most of us use 500-1200fc of florescent light for phals, but Ray's LED with red diodes should give a bit more usable light than what fc will tell you. If you double the distance, intensity decreases by 1/4. So I'm guessing that your phals are getting around 125fc. The cattleya is happier if you give about 3 times more light than what you are giving. This means you need to put them around 3" as I suggested before.

So I would lower the light in general (and put spacer under the short plants).

I can definitely lower them on both sides. My beallara is actually artificially tall in that it is zip tied upright to a support stake. When I repotted it from moss to CHC it freaked out and shriveled all but one of its pbulbs so it is pretty top heavy and floppy, lol. So it's zip tied upright atm. That said, I can cut the zip tie and let it rest against the decorative pot it's in and move both lights down further.

If I move both lights down ~3.5-4" that would put the lights 2-3" from the cattleyas and ~8" from the phals. And about 2-3" from the dendro and I'd have to see about the beallara once I got the tie cut. Do I need to boost my mini phals up any higher than that, or is that an acceptable distance for them?

[naoki]

8" is probably ok (I don't know the genetic background of those hybrid mini phals, though).

I'm pretty sure that the leaves won't overheat with 2" distance from this LED light (I have my Sophronitis acquensis at < 2" for a couple months), but make sure the leaves aren't hot by touching the top leaves.

I generally try to give as much light as possible (by gradually decreasing the distance). A lot of people think that fertilizer is the main food, but the light (+CO2 + H2O) is more of the main course for plants.

[butterfly_muse]

I just did a rearrangement of the plants, moved them in closer, pulled the lights down, and boosted up my phals that were sitting lower. Does this look any better (pardon the addition of the African Violet, lol, it was sulking in the kitchen window because it has gotten cold out :P)??