OK sounds good to me. A few more questions: A) is it a 4 ft fixture, (which means it will be 50 -53 inches lengthwise) how did you fit it in a 48 inch rack? B) How many hours per day do you have the lights on?!? Are you growing strictly under lights or as supplemental lighting?!? C) How many plants will fit under the two tubes?!?

For anyone else who may be reading this has anyone used the T8 LED tubes?!? Your input would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

The 4 light FLP44 fits perfectly in the 4 foot shelf. The dimensions are towards the bottom of this link.
Amazon.com: Hydrofarm FLP44 4-Feet/4-Tube T5 Designer System with Bulbs: Patio, Lawn & Garden

Bill

These are similar to the light strips I'm using.

Sun Blaze T5 HO Strip Light Fixtures | Sunlight Supply, Inc. - Indoor Gardening Supplies, Grow Lights, Hydroponics, and Lighting


MY shelf is a tad under 4'. My lighting strips fit just inside. I think a picture is worth a thousand words and since I can't find the old thread I'll just repost pictures.

The whole rack.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...m/100_8787.JPG

2 strips per shelf
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...m/100_8784.JPG

Daisy chained together.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...m/100_8785.JPG

Attached to bottom of shelf with long twisty ties.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...m/100_8786.JPG

That's very helpful. Thanks, Terri.

[QUOTE=quiltergal;568971]These are similar to the light strips I'm using.

Sun Blaze T5 HO Strip Light Fixtures | Sunlight Supply, Inc. - Indoor Gardening Supplies, Grow Lights, Hydroponics, and Lighting


MY shelf is a tad under 4'. My lighting strips fit just inside. I think a picture is worth a thousand words and since I can't find the old thread I'll just repost pictures.

I'll reiterate what others have said: Thank You Terri!!
I'm not a big fan of T5's simply because they use too much wattage, and second they are too hot, BUT.... until the price of LED grow light tubes comes down -- WAY DOWN!! -- I'm thinking of going with your setup, a few questions remain:

A) How far apart are your two strips??
B) Will two strips be enough for growing Cattleyas?
C) Because they are so HOT how far above the plants must you hang the strips / tubes. With T8 technology you can hang them within inches of the plants.
D) Under your current setup, how many orchids can you fit under that 4 ft space?!?
E) How many hours per day do you have those lights on?? Are they being used as supplemental lighting or are you "Growing under lights" ONLY?!?

Thank you for all you help!!!

I'll answer your your questions in order.

A. The strips are approximately 8" apart center to center. You are limited in how far you can spread them by the length of the connector that daisy chains them together.

B. I have grown and successfully bloomed all types of Catts, Dens and Oncs with just the two strips and the light from the window. The Phals, Paphs and Phrags are all doing great and bloom like clockwork.

C. My experience with these particular strips is that the heat dissipates quickly because it is not trapped under a hood. I also keep all of my plants on humidity trays, so the rising heat hits the bottom of the tray first warming the water not the plant above it. I have had plants practically touching these lights with no problems. That said most everything I'm growing is intermediate, warm to hot growing. Anything that requires cooler temps is on the bottom shelf and father away from the lights.

D. At the height of my orchid insanity I had 95 plants on that one rack. I'm now down to 45 intentionally. ;)

E. The lights are all on a timer. They get 11 hours of light in the fall/winter, and 14 hours during spring/summer. The lights are all plugged into a power strip which in turn is plugged into the timer. The window the set up sits in faces southwest so it does get a lot of light. I would imagine if I were growing in a dark basement I would have to add 1 more strip per shelf to bloom things successfully.

I also keep a spreadsheet of when I change the bulbs and what location on the rack. I know I don't change them out nearly as often as I should, but it doesn't seem to be hurting anything.

Thank you Terri! :waving I had just been contemplating whether or not I should add 1 or 2 T5 strips to my racks in my south-eastern window... And I bought a cheap light to see..... But I'd started to second-guess myself... And then I read ur posts & u answered my doubts! :) (*obviously everybody's grow spaces, conditions & culture are different, so I do understand that it is still mostly trial and error, no matter how similar something is* but I was second-guessing myself! Not to mention, I should have a few more blooms at this time of year! :roll: Lol ~new set-up~
:coverlaugh: {I've doubled my collection in the past year :yikes: :evil:})

I think you will be really surprised at what a rapid response you get from your plants under lights.