Tell me about your lights!

[reptilegrrl]

I am planning to invest in more supplemental lighting for my orchids and would love to hear from you about how much light you are growing in and what is thriving. Can you tell me what temperature and strength of light you are using, how they are set up (distance, etc) and what length of time they are on?

I get the impression that the AOS recommendations re:light levels are incomplete. I've read Ray's piece on light levels here: Light Level Recommendations - First Rays LLC

And I've spent several evenings over the last week immersing myself in PPFD and DLI etc. But I'm still ending up confused, and most commercial LED lights do not list their PPFD. So lumens and color temp are all I have to go on most of the time.

I have one 800 lumen supplemental light right now and the orchids under it are thriving with a 14-hour day (I did just increase their day to 15 hours, a few days ago.)

So I would just like to get a general survey from those using lights: what level of light are you using and how are your orchids doing? Basically, I want to know what is working for you! My plan is to install 4000k LED strip lights on a few of the shelves in my living room. I don't want to over-light my orchids, but I want them to have as much light as they can healthily handle. I want them to thrive, not just survive.

Thank you!

[Dollythehun]

I just installed Sunblaster Strip LEDs and I love them. I'm not an engineer and/or technical person. I can tell you I understand doing so much research that you get more confused than educated (the guys here do it to me all the time). Here's the link. I run them 12 hrs a day.

.SunBlaster LED Strip Lighting - SunBlaster Lighting

[Ray]

Nobody can give you a solid answer, and even giving an estimate is impossible without knowing:

• What types of plants?
• What is the ambient light level?
• How large of an area (or areas) will you be lighting?
• How far above the plants can you / do you want to have the lights?

Currently having an "800 lumen lamp as a supplement" really tells us nothing that we can use for estimated comparison.

[reptilegrrl]

No one can tell me what their lights are like because they don't live in my house and with my light? I don't think that is true at all.

I think you are usually helpful and I guess you're trying to be helpful here, but that's not what your comment communicates.

Originally Posted by Ray

Nobody can give you a solid answer, and even giving an estimate is impossible without knowing:

• What types of plants?
• What is the ambient light level?
• How large of an area (or areas) will you be lighting?
• How far above the plants can you / do you want to have the lights?

Currently having an "800 lumen lamp as a supplement" really tells us nothing that we can use for estimated comparison.

Good thing I didn't ask for an "estimated comparison".



---------- Post added at 12:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:37 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

I just installed Sunblaster Strip LEDs and I love them. I'm not an engineer and/or technical person. I can tell you I understand doing so much research that you get more confused than educated (the guys here do it to me all the time). Here's the link. I run them 12 hrs a day.

.SunBlaster LED Strip Lighting - SunBlaster Lighting

Can you share a pic of your setup? Thank you!

[fooferdoggie]

here is what we use. they are half blue and half red. when I changed them from all blue I noticed blooming started. not sure ifs t is enough for the ocidiums that are on the bench. they are growing but we will see about blooms.

[Dollythehun]

Originally Posted by reptilegrrl

No one can tell me what their lights are like because they don't live in my house and with my light? I don't think that is true at all.

I think you are usually helpful and I guess you're trying to be helpful here, but that's not what your comment communicates.



Good thing I didn't ask for an "estimated comparison".



---------- Post added at 12:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:37 PM ----------



Can you share a pic of your setup? Thank you!

Yes. I'm watering right now, as soon as everybody is back "home" I'll take one. It matters to me how this looks because it's the entrance into my home. I have a couple clip ons too and I'm tyrying to streamline that system.

[reptilegrrl]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

Yes. I'm watering right now, as soon as everybody is back "home" I'll take one. It matters to me how this looks because it's the entrance into my home. I have a couple clip ons too and I'm tyrying to streamline that system.

I know just what you mean, my orchids are in my living room so it matters to me how it looks! That's one reason I hate the pinky-purple lights that are geared toward growing.

[Dollythehun]

These strip fasten under my shelves with small bolts. I imagine you could use wire ties. They come with loops to suspend them. Each one has a small built in reflector and they don't generate much heat at all. At the top I have a 2' t5 unit hanging. We were just discussing changing it to a 4' and moving this one to the left. My problem now is the plants that are too tall to fit on a shelf. They have clip ons shining in them which I don't care for.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by reptilegrrl

No one can tell me what their lights are like because they don't live in my house and with my light? I don't think that is true at all.

I think you are usually helpful and I guess you're trying to be helpful here, but that's not what your comment communicates.



Good thing I didn't ask for an "estimated comparison".

What I was trying to communicate is that you need to share more info before anyone can give you a decent, educated guess at what you might need. Photos of others' setups are of little benefit without being able to make a comparison, an estimate, if you will, of the complete situation. So yes, because they don't live in your house with your lighting - nor do they have your plants - they can't offer anything particularly helpful, and if they did, it is still of little value to you, because you don't know their situation.

Your response to my query, like your attitude in a previous thread, when queried by your choice of flag symbol (and no, this is not a "Go USA" comment), doesn't do a great deal to make me want to help, and I'd bet that I'm not alone.

[greenpassion]

Reptile girl, I have a few pics posted here. Go to "My set up" . I use led bulbs from Orchids Limited. They are in track heads, e26 base, 20 degree angle. The other info- lumens etc is written down at home. It makes a really attractive set up that is on a counter that divides my kitchen and living room. I have ALL the phals under them in spike. The pic was taken this past summer, when only about 3/4 of them were blooming. This year it's 100%. These are great bulbs. Natural light color. I have them on 16 hrs per day. They are 4ft away from the plants, on a heat mat, with small hidden fans for air circulation, and 2 humidifiers going. Super happy plants.