Review: Spider Farmer SF 600 LED light 2'x4" size
 

I see a lot of questions on what light to purchase, so I thought I'd tell you how my orchidarium is doing a little over a year after splurging on this. In a word - amazing! This thing is super bright - do NOT look into it!! Prior to this, I had two or three of those octopus style plant lights that go for about $15 each. After installing this, I immediately saw new growth on a lot of my plants.

When I first set it up, I stacked 3 pieces of 2x4's up to let the plants adjust a bit first. I removed on block, but have left it on the remaining two pieces, leaving at about 8" from the top of my setup since it is pretty bright.

My Ascocentrum (Dyakia) hendersonianium is right at the top of my tank and is currently putting on a lovely flower display. Some others near the top, like the mini catts, are pretty dark purple, but not actually burnt. My Neofinetia falcata kishu ryofuku is one of the lowest orchids, about 40" down from the base of the light. It is also shaded by some plants from above, because I heard lower light would cause greenish blooms, which it did get have last month. (I post in the Miniature Show & Tell section regularly if you want to see what else has bloomed).

The bottom of the tank is 47" from the light. It has sphagnum moss, some other mosses, several volunteer maiden hair ferns, and random fern my husband brought home from Florida all growing well.

Mt orchidarium is about 40"W x 21"D x 48" deep, and the light fits it perfectly. While I have 65+ miniatures growing under this, it probably isn't going to be the best choice if you have "regular" sized orchids spread across a wide area.

Overall, money very well spent. I can really see results with this light.

Amazon.com

Do people farm spiders?

Hmmm. Interesting article. I guess I always figured they were milking them like snakes to collect for antivenom.

Anyway, I'll just throw a couple hundred spiders into the orchidarium and I'll be good to go.

The article says people don't farm spiders because they're too hard to milk.

I find it useful when such lights have a dimming capability since the maximum light intensity sets are designed for cannabis growth. For orchid growers, I would love to see a few hundred watts spread across a larger fixture size. I do like my smaller Spider Farmer light.

The Amazon ad was unclear to me. Is the smaller one 2x2.5 feet? Do you think it would be usable in a grow tent? Too big? Too bright? I'm looking for options.

AC Infinity

:bowing its good stuff!!

I completely agree with you on these lights. I also was using those octopus like lights as I began experimenting with indoor lighting a few years ago. This autumn I bought the Diode SPIDER FARMER SF1000D, lights up 3’ x 3’ area with brilliant light. Seriously, I’m now seeing sheathes and buds on cattleyas I have not seen bloom in 5-7 years, and this is several plants. Roots are going crazy too.

Typically my worst months for growing cattleyas in New England are October and November. Plants do great outside all summer long and then bringing them indoors is such a harsh contrast, gloomy, short days —I lose all that effort with failed blooms. These lights really bridge the seasons and continue the growing conditions they need. I like everything about the lights but the name —- as I dislike spiders. Also wish mine were dimmable.

For my anthuriums I’m still using the octopus purplely lights this winter.

I bought one of these recently and installed it in the tent. There was an immediately noticeable change in growth and color of my cat alliance plants. And now the Bc is blooming! I had to rearrange the shelves to lower the plants due to the big increase in light. Thanks for mentioning the Spider Farmer lights. Glad I took the plunge.