FlyTrapCare Forums

Im looking for a growlight under $100 for my indoor setup. The lights I have now are t12s and my plants don't color up well with them. Are leds the way to go or something else?

If you're capable of changing the ballast, you can use these: http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/co ... scent-tube

This is the kind of color I can get with them: post358425.html#p358213

Mars hydro has a led panel for 70 usd on ebay. I've had good results with it.

Sent from my SM-G892U using Tapatalk

evenwind wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 10:24 pm If you're capable of changing the ballast, you can use these: http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/co ... scent-tube

This is the kind of color I can get with them: post358425.html#p358213

This may sound dumb, but where would I get an electronic ballast?

I've gotten mine at Home Depot and Lowes. Amazon's got them, too. They shouldn't be hard to come by. You just have to know which type to buy - and how to install them.

SunBlaster LED is also a good brand. I prefer LED because CFLs lose part of their spectrum with age, and LEDs specifically for plants have a dependable spectrum. They also last much longer (10 years average).

Any input on these or the brand in general? https://www.suncolighting.com/products/ ... rqEALw_wcB

I diy'd my growchamber by using lamp sockets and 3 1000 lumen bulbs. Just standard screw-ins. Mounted them on a 4x4 , which I sliced and clamped to the tank. Be careful here, you should know the rules of electronics, and be prepared with a GFCI outlet, and some nice wire caps for piece of mind (and bulding codes)

I would diy it, but I am not very confident in my skills yet. I am relatively new to working with stuff like this.

Your bill of materials:

Extension cord (buy the cheapish one)
3 lamp sockets
1 pack of wire nuts.
Screws
Long plywood board

Plywood board

& Is a lamp.
___________________________
_____&__________&_________&___


Schematic:

-.............-..............-.............
$............ $. ........... $. ........... == (Plug, left +)
+............+.............+..............

At each junction, cut the wire, and strip both ends. Put the socket in. Test it for each lamp, it's parallel for a reason. If the lamps illuminate, use a wire nuts, twist firmly until you cannot anymore.

At the end, just strip the end and tie it to the socket. You then close the circuit. Plug into the wall and test again.

Then, attach the sockets to the board. Using a stapler, or tape, tape the wires on the back of the board. Then cover all wires on the bottom of the board with electrical tape or duck tape.

Lower the board into your setup, or clamp it to the edge. Be creative here. Use L brackets in the walls if you like.

Hope you try this. It'll cost 20 bucks. Worst case you toss 20 bucks away (but you're on a cp forum and have probably spent some money on a fickle plant so it's not a new thing) and you learn something. Best case, it works and will color your plants up nicely.

If you have T12's now look in to the T12 LED super bright replacements

I put four 48in led tubes in a 2 car garage and its like day light.

it takes 15m to remove the ballast rewire for led.

I like my Mars Hydro lights a lot. Seeds seem to germinate much faster on the species I've tried. Take much longer under my T5s. As far as your cephalotus, I put a few under a Yescom 225 white for 25 bucks and they colored up extremely hard. I'd put my own EB under it but no space for it as it stands. I keep it about a foot away under my mars hydro and it does well. Just not extremely dark yet

I second the mars hydro. Id just go for the 600. I have both that and the dimmable model. The dimmable one isn't worth it if you have space to raise it vertically. The only issue is the heat output. Not good for highland plants.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Yeah that's true. Mine spikes the temperature about 10 degrees from the foot mark. The yescom lights don't generate that kind of heat. And the heatsink for the light itself is on the power cable, away from the fixture itself so overall it's safer temp wise albeit cheap looking. I can keep my cephs 6-8 inches away from those no problem. I have them on a short shelf with my pinguicula because they don't really get that tall.