What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

GE Starcoat T5 bulbs...

Brie

Sarracenia freak
The GE starcoat is a very respected bulb.... Ive got a box of em somewhere myself, I experimented with them a few years ago...
What kelvin rating did you get?

Whether 10k is enough depends on several factors such as species and distance to bulbs...

For my helis, I use 30k with plants within 4 inches of the bulbs.... and neps a good 18" from the fixture

FWIW
get5lamp1.jpg

GE Starcoat spectra
 
They seemed like a good choice to me, looking over the specs. (I've been in the reef hobby a long time and work for a reef specialty shop, so i'm pretty versed in what to look for in lighting, helps that I can order these wholesale through work too. lol).

I got 2 6500k, I contemplated using one 3000k and one 6500k. Think the latter would be a better choice? I can always call and change my order real quick.

And yes, thanks, that helps. I want to grow helis at some point, so i'll def. end up adding more lights in the future, maybe to a second shelf.
 
mixing a 6500k and 3000k has the same effect as using 4100k.... my issue with the GE is the low red performance, too much energy is being used in the yellow and green spectra. But they do grow plants and as you know they are quite popular in the aquarium industry.

Adding a 3000k would bump up some of the red...
 
And bumping up a little red is better for photosynthesis = faster growth, correct? Looks like i'll go change my order and add a 3000k.
 
well its more complicated then just photosynthesis.... you have accessory pigments, wavelengths that are needed for beneficial bacteria, other wavelengths that inhibit phytopathogens etc etc etc

the photosynthesis curve is only part of the story...

we dont only want growth, we want color, form, dew/nectar production, long term health etc etc etc
 
Yeah, I shouldn't of said simply "faster growth", I ment more "healthy, thriving plant".

There's an age old arguement in the reef keeping hobby of "color vs growth".. 10k bulbs, with more white for faster growth(supposedly), or more blue, 14-20k, for better color, since the zooxanthellae in the coral tissues reacts to different spectrums of UV, and produces varying color based on the output of the bulbs. So 10k may mean faster growth, but it leads to brown, ugly coral.

So NOW i'm trying to learn what strategy is wisest when applied to these plants. lol. I'd LIKE to go LED, but I have a feeling i'd have similar experiences with plants as i've had with using them over coral. But it might be easier given that with plants we're probably looking more at Lumens and spectrum, and not dealing as much with PAR(i'm assuming).
 
Not that different, PAR and PUR is the name of the game growth wise. Lumens is a poorly used term in discussing the needs of plant growth, too much green/yellow bias.
But for lack of anything better, it is often used.

You're way ahead of the game already....

---------- Post added at 05:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:46 PM ----------

LED thread of mine
 
Ok.... so sounds like it'd be the same routine.. Except different spectrums since for reef tanks they concentrate purely on blue and white, although lately some companies are starting to add RBG bulbs. One of the guys in my shop also works for an LED lab/development company so I get snippets from that trade from him. lol. Trying to educate myself more. I had a MaxSpect brand LED light fixture over my reef tank for quite a while, and we use them here in the shop too.. I just don't know how I feel about them yet... Still alot of R&D needs to be done before i'd rely on them...

Do you have any recommendations on LED fixtures for plants?
 
  • #10
yeah.... wait another 5 yrs :)
 
  • #11
LOL I hear that. Yeah that's been my thought for a while now. I think i'll just hold onto my cookies and wait. :)

So back to fluorescents, for sundews, pitchers and neps, 2 - 4ft 54w bulbs about 12" away close/far enough? Well, given the distance the light hangs, and hieght of the plants, it would probably be more like 6-8" distance between top of plant and bulbs, on a 12" tall shelf. But I was thinking about using one of those yo-yo light hangers so I can adjust the lamp hieght accordingly, without having to mess with shelf hieght.
 
  • #12
There is no one distance.... helis and sundews need to be the closest, cephs and pings next and finally neps.

You can play with the intensity but putting something under some pots, spacing them up or by putting the plants with higher light demands more centered in the rack etc etc

You will just have to experiement...you will probably find the need for air flow to keep temps down. Then this reduces humidity which may then need to be supplimented

No one size fits all rules
 
  • #13
Yeah its more I wanted to figure out which plants needed the most light, and if the two bulbs would be enough.

As for cooling, I've been thinking about that. I just tossed up a new post about it actually. lol. Feel free to pitch in your 2 cents there as well. :) I really appreciate the help.
 
  • #15
Heeyyyy I like that styro wall idea. Sure makes installing fans an whatnot easier. Thanks! I'll read through that...
 
Back
Top