phalaenopsis under lights

[diego_p]

How can you replicate 'low light' conditions for phals by using lights?
I tried to do it outside but the wilting/bleached looking leaves tell me im doing something wrong and there is too much light. So now i want to do the alternative and i want to do it right.

Anybody have some good pointers?

[RandomGemini]

Use CFLs in a standard light fixture. It's what I do and seems to work pretty well.

[diego_p]

Thanks RandomGemini, do you use the blue lights or the yellow lights? Or both?

[jocierk]

My phals are under a T5 High Output fluorescent strip. It has two bulbs, one is full spectrum and the other is around 35K and is meant for blooming. They sit about 1-1.5 feet (the leaves of the plant) under the light and the minis sit a little closer. When none of them are in spike i drop the light down closer to the leaves. They have been doing GREAT and are all growing and spiking along.

[RandomGemini]

I use one bulb that's 6500k color temp. It's fine for supplemental lighting when the sun isn't providing quite enough rays for the plants, which is what I use it for. I get decent growth, but I may switch to t5s because I believe I can get better growth if I do.

[Ray]

When it comes to artificial lighting, the primary factors are initial intensity and distance (assuming the spectrum is OK).

A low-intensity bulb close to the plant, and a high intensity one far from the plant can give the same light levels.

For example, a single 2' T5HO lamp, at 24 Watts, puts out about 2000 initial lumens. By keeping it about 15"-18" above the plants, they will have plenty of light, but certainly not too much. If you had a 4' 54W one, you'd have to elevate it further to mach the light intensity hitting the plant.

[diego_p]

Lumens arent the same as footcandles are they? Because when i went to get a couple lights i got some cfls that were rated at 750 lumens. For phalaenopsis 'low light conditions' i see something like 800-1000 put into the plants info. So i figured that these bulbs would be fine. Are they?

[RandomGemini]

Lumes are not the same as foot-candles, no. 750 lumens should be bright enough though.

[kaede]

Originally Posted by diego_p

Thanks RandomGemini, do you use the blue lights or the yellow lights? Or both?

I have an old setup with CFLs providing light to one bonsai tree. Two 45w 6500k, and two 45w 2700k (If I remember correctly, I think that's about 10000 lumens). Some phals are hang around the tree, they are looking great in both growth and flowering.

If phals were directly under the lights, I probably would change the lights to 1 55w 6500k, and 1 55w 2700k. Or use the same setup I mentioned earlier, place higher-light phals like cornu-cervis under them, and the rest at the sides.

I use both types to cover vegetative and flowering. There are some companies selling grow lights with 6500k and 2700k together in one, we just don't have those at our place.

The phals are receiving about 650 to 750 foot candles, it's fine, they get it 12 hours a day straight.

I could have used even higher watt CFLs, but the tree didn't need it.