This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: Halide Lights for Seedlings

> Okay, Bob, you've got my interest. I have just the spot to install a
> halide, and future seedlings just waiting to grow. That's halide as in
> halogen, right? 

Nope, it's halide as in metal halide - not the same thing as halogen.
Halogen is a tiny little bulb; Halides are quite large - the 1000 wat I
have is about 10 inches long or more.  It lights an 8x8 growing area.

But does it look like (and function like) a fluorescent
> light, or does it work more like an incandescent? 

It's an arc lamp.  There is a large vacuum bulb around a small glass
"envelope" that is full of a gas, and electricity arcs between two points
through the gas, which becomes heated and glows.  The light is high in
blue rays.
 
> Do you need special grow-bulbs specifically design to provide the proper
> spectrum of light for plants, or do you use ordinary halogen bulbs?

Halide bulbs need their own special fixture.  There are some that are
nicer looking than others, but generally it's the kind of thing you would
want to use in your basement or a plant room, not in your living room.
There are two kinds of bulbs, clear or frosted.  If you plan to be
spending a lot of time actually working under them, get the frosted; it's
a little easier on the eyes.  Otherwise the clear is fine.  

> And just what is the "initial outlay in $$"?

Around 180 dollars, depending on where you get it, and what wattage.  I'm
speaking for the 1000 watt.  They are available down to 150 watts, but you
don't get nearly so much growing space with that of course.  There are 150
and (I think) 250 watts, for about the same price, and then 400 and 1000
watts, for about the same price.  Sometimes you can get used ones for much
less of course.  I have actually seen the 250 watt used in a living room;
it was hidden a bit and they had it lighting a whole corner; it was a
beautiful display.  When installing one, you need to make sure that it is
a foot or so away from the ceiling because it does put out a good bit of
heat.  And make sure you never accidentally spray water on one, or they
will break and implode, well, just like a regular house lamp would but
much louder and more spectacularly.  And if perchance it *does* happen
(though I've never actually witnessed this), you want to get away from it
and not look at the light, because it does produce UV and without the
outer glass it could do some eye damage before it just burns out.

bob
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index