Growing under lights: 2015

[jforsha]

I was just wondering about the subject of lighting for the collection I'd like to put together, so I'm glad to see this. I saw a glass display cabinet at IKEA with cable chases built into it for LED lighting that would fit in my new office at work. They sell nice low profile LEDs in strips pretty cheap. I could probably refit some red/blue lights into them and was hoping I might be able to put some lower-light/higher humidity smaller orchids in it. Supplemented by the recessed fluorescents that I currently have four phals thriving under, it may work out ok. Just need to build a nice low-profile plant collection to grow in it. I've been hunting for a small air conditioner so I can create a microenvironment, but haven't had any luck. Anyone aware of any micro conditioners?

[dreamerfb2]

On my previous "lighting" posts: The cattleyas are not ALL doing well, although they're all under the same conditions. One of the "rescue" plants leaf turned yellow so I moved it out of the HD Flourescent. Two plants I moved outside with the temp/hygrometer are doing fine at 55 degree nightime, 60 degree daytime, at above 55% humidity.
The inside plants were running 80 degrees under the mini-greenhouse with muffin fans on a bed of wet gravel, and a humidity of 80+% . Temp and humidity both HIGH and almost equal. So, then, removed the plastic green house cover, lowered temps to 70 degree household, kept the gravel and fans, raised the lights a foot, and went from HD to regular T12 grow light flourescents. I think the light was Too intense. I plan to take more, maybe all, outside in a while longer. Learning is a new experience....

[Zabeta]

Thanks for this extremely clear and informative post. I'm looking into lights and getting overwhelmed by the morass of information available. I think I'm going with compact fluorescent. Thanks again.