4' Grow Light Recommendations

[SweetMissDaisy]

Hey peeps!
I am working on my "what to do before winter" list and got to thinking about adding a grow light or two for my indoor house plants, and some spring indoor seed starting. My shelving is 4' long, and while I currently have 4 shelf levels, I'm not sure I will add lights to more than 2 levels.

My initial questions.... what are your current lights and setup like, do your lights make noise (mine will most likely be near a bedroom, so....), and if you were to change anything, what would you change?

 

[Collector]

We use 4' T8 shop lights with natural light bulbs. Our stand is homemade with two levels ,enough to start 8 flats at a time. I put inexpensive timers on it to turn on and shut off on its own also the fan turn on and off at the same time.it is a total redneck setup, but works great for our needs.

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

Been a long time since I've been close enough to shop lights to know if they make noise - do yours?

 

[Collector]

Been a long time since I've been close enough to shop lights to know if they make noise - do yours?

No ours are pretty silent unless you have a ballast starting to go bad then it will hum. The fixtures were &10.00 each at Walmart plus you have to buy the bulbs separate.

 

[catjac1975]

Hey peeps!
I am working on my "what to do before winter" list and got to thinking about adding a grow light or two for my indoor house plants, and some spring indoor seed starting. My shelving is 4' long, and while I currently have 4 shelf levels, I'm not sure I will add lights to more than 2 levels.

My initial questions.... what are your current lights and setup like, do your lights make noise (mine will most likely be near a bedroom, so....), and if you were to change anything, what would you change?

WINTER????

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

I know... terrible isn't it... two of my red maples have started to turn already...

 

[thistlebloom]

I know... terrible isn't it... two of my red maples have started to turn already...

What?
You might want to get some water on them...

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

What?
You might want to get some water on them...

Yea, I was thinking the same. I am going to check their water in the morning... they're on the drip line 3x a week for 40 min, but their mushroom cap might be disrupted.

 

[Zeedman]

Don't know how big the shelves are, or how much you are looking to invest... but I use a 6-bulb high-bay T-8 fixture for seed starting. The fixture has high efficiency reflectors, and puts out a high light intensity. It replaced the T-12 shop lights that I had used for years, and is a vast improvement.

 

[majorcatfish]

@SweetMissDaisy for seed starting would recommend going with a t-5 high bay fixture using 850 lamps. yes have gone though the t-12 to t-8 fixture upgrades.
you can go to any electrical supply business bet they have a couple t-5 fixtures they would sale you cheap, since led fixtures are the rage now..... love both of my t-5 for seed starting...
now for house plants would either go with t-5 with a mix 850 and red and blue lamps or go with led lamps..

just so you know that a t-8 lamp will fit a t-12 lamp holder<but you need to change out the ballast to t-8 to make it work..>
or you can research t-8 led bulbs, but you will need to re-wire the fixture or buy an universe lamp that can use either the ballast or not.

yes it's confusing really the amps that a t-5 or led lamps use is a minimal difference in power..

@jackb how about your input on this subject......your the guru about growing plants under lights..!!!!!!!