FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

In the near future I'm planning to install grow shells in my hall. I have no experience in indoor growing so for the last few weeks I've been reading about different solutions people used to make their terrariums, grow racks etc...

I decided to go with the T5 HO tubes and give them a try...I've found few stores here in Croatia where I can get them but I also got a headache trying to figure out which ones are the best; lights in question are Osram Lumilux but they have so many models I got completely lost ((Seamless, Constant, XT, Energy Saver, De Luxe)...

According to what I've read, I asume I need lots of lumens and a color temperature of 6500K, right?

So the only model I found which is satisfying these numbers is Lumilux T5 HO Constant 80W, Cool Daylight http://www.osram.com...uctId=ZMP_60244

Why do people mix Cool White and Warm White? What is the purpose of having different light colors?

If i want to cover surface of one shelf which would be 145cm*40cm (145cm is the length of these lights), how many tubes do I need? And is this light I found good or do I need to find another?

And these 80W really sounds much, especially if I'm planning to have 4 shelves, but the lower the wattage the lower the lumens...Does someone have experience with these lights?What would you recommend?

The most important question would be, to make the long story short, would these linked lights be sufficient for one shelf area (sorry about cm - 145x35cm), i'd say 2 lights: one cool and one daylight ( in each model daylight has more lumens then warm white), or do i maybe need four ???

I'm just trying to clear everything out, because i will have my shelves custom made so i need to find out the exact dimensions according to lights and fixture i choose...
Ty in advance

1. The reason people mix bulb colors is to more closely mimic the spectrum of the sun, which has both red and blue spectrum colors in it. This is supposed to help coloration, as the blue spectrum is for growth while the red spectrum is generally used to help flowering. This is mainly used in Hydroponics, where the plants will grow a lot if they don't get some red light to help them bush out and flower.

2. A 40cm wide shelf will be covered by two bulbs probably. If you were going with anything other than a T5HO, I'd recommend 4 bulbs to a shelf. but, as I foun dout, you really don't need 4 bulbs for a 14 inch wide shelf. Just make sure the bulbs are spaced evenly so they get good coverage. Don't place them in the middle right next to one another, put them perhaps 8.5 cm out from the center of the shelf on either side.

3. I cannot access the link, try reposting as I can't answer any questions pertaining to your choice of light until I see it.

sorry about link and ty for answers
http://www.osram.com/osram_com/products ... /index.jsp

so let's say 1 80w Daylight and 1 80w Cool White would be enough per shelf?

Cool White 80w has 6800 lumens, 4000 K, light color 840
Warm White 80w has 6800 lumens, 3000 K, light color 830
Daylight 80w has 6450 lumens, 6500 K, light color 865

About lamp positions....it really depends on fixtures, I suppose they are not right next to each other

Generally 6500K is a "growth" spectrum and 3000K is a "flowering" spectrum. Plants can take cues both in changes in daylight hours and in the color temperature of the light they're receiving for flowering. I have noticed that my sundews seem to be flowering quite late under 6500K bulbs.

In addition, Nepenthes will grow much more compactly under more blue light, and grow quite long vines under more red light.

OK, so if I want both spectrums included I should go for one Warm White and one Daylight per shelf?
I hope this would be enough for that area, sure gonna calculate, I just want to make sure which option would be the best

I know some people use half 3000K and half 6500K bulbs though I have not tried it myself.

I was actually wondering the exact same thing! Which light bulbs would be best for that area (my area is the same size )?

Additionally, I don't understand which ballasts I need, can I go for a normal tungsten light fixture?

If you find out let me know

OK, I looked at the bulbs. I'd recommend finding a length to match your shelf, and then choosing either the 54 watt or the 80 watt daylight.

You can go ahead and mix the bulbs, too. The main points here for you are 1), what plants are you going to grow, and 2), how much do you care about energy consumption. If you're growing something like flytraps, sundews, and other bog plants you probably want to go with as many watts (and therefore lumens) as possible.

If you're growing Pinguicula, Utricularia, or Nepenthes, you don't need as much light, so you can go with the lesser wattage for the same length bulb.

Good luck!

Katya_dog1, are you talking about wattage per lamp when you suggest high wattage? Before I bought my LED grow light from here http://www.blackdogled.com, all my plants lived under T5 fixtures with four 24-watt 6500K bulbs in each of them. Now most of my plants use the LED while the others settle for the T5s until I replace them with another light from Black Dog LED.

wow, ty for looking that up katya...i was thinking about having most of sundews, heliamphora, cephalotus, maybe some highland nepenthes and pinguicula...VFT and sarracenias are doing fine on my balcony and i don't want any dormancy plants on my grow shelves...

I think I'm going to try with one daylight and one warm white and experiment a little, see how it goes...gonna calculate electricity cost etc.... ty once again