artifical lighting

[brownthumb2]

 As a tropical fish keeper I have I or 2 unused fish tanks plus strip lighting fixtures and bulbs  do anyone know if this sort of lighting could be used as growing lights  .? one bulb is used for growing plants under water could it be used for normal plants

[brownthumb2]

[Tee Gee]

Basically any light is better than none,I just use a 4ft strip light with a daylight tube fitted.

I have lamp unit wired with a 5 amp plug which is plugged into socket timer.

Personally your lights are worth a try particularly if they are waterproof,my light are not but I am careful when watering

[brownthumb2]

Thank you for your come back will have a try   with a few chillies ...   Nothing ventured etc

[Digeroo]

There was an interesting bit of last weeks Country File about using lights to grow tomatoes during the winter.  They were mostly red with some blue.

If you watch iplayer it is on called North Devon at about 35.  Interesting.

[johhnyco15]

id give it a go and its a great idea might look out for one at the car boot 

[Vinlander]

I used a slightly damaged and repaired fishtank for years as a heated propagator. I used the original heater by having it at an angle so the top was at the surface of the water and the capillary platform was just above leaving about 60% of the height for plants.

Obviously I had to be very very careful the water level didn't fall and expose the heater, but I learned to be happy about slightly over-filling it.

The aquarium light was excellent until I broke it - I replaced it with 4 x waterproof 12V DLR LED strips.

Unfortunately last year the crack lengthened and started leaking and I haven't siliconed it yet...

Cheers.

[brownthumb2]

 I had never thought about using the complete tank plus the heater  but just using the  strip lighting now I,am looking at the tank in use with new eyes

[Gordonmull]

If it's good enough to grow aquatic plants it's good enough for terrestrial. Even a foot of water "absorbs" quite a bit of light and my main tank in the living room is an underwater jungle.

Funnily enough I cobbled together a propagator the other day made from a spare 2' tank for my aji and roccoto peppers. I've set it up with two bricks in the bottom, filled to nearly the tops of the bricks (enough to cover the heater and give plenty leeway) and put an internal filter in the water to keep the water circulating, both to ensure even heating and prevent stagnation. The seed tray then sits on the bricks just above the water level.

Achieving 30C water temp gives me 27C soil temp in a standard module tray. I plan to use the lights (18W daylight simulation) when the seeds start sprouting to support the early ones while awaiting the stragglers. I'm also seriously considering using a spare set of 105W total output lights as a late winter/early spring boost for a few plants.

The best thing is to make sure your light bulb is daylight sim i.e. with a colour temperature > 6500K (it should be on the packaging). This gives similar wavelengths to a cloudy day. BEWARE bulbs marked "daylight sim", they charge a packet for the same thing. Look for 6500K. B&Q etc do them relatively cheap or look for a specialist lighting company that generally supplies to trade (e.g. City Electrical Factors and suchlike).

Sorry to be so longwinded but I'm a fairly keen low tech aquatic plant grower so lighting's obviously at the heart of it. Good luck and if you make a paludarium propagator thingwy I'll be so jealous. I'm only allowed one tank for livestock these days.