Post by sphagnofibrist on Feb 11, 2020 10:46:59 GMT -5
Hey folks!
I'm attempting to grow my first batch of Sarr seeds. I already had all the necessary equipment (pots, tray, peat, lights, etc), so I figured why not give it a go. I still want to keep my project relatively low-budget, but I have questions about lighting. Classic.
I just pulled my seeds out of strat and sowed them on 2/7/20. I put them in a tray with humidity dome on a heat mat under a two foot, two bulb T12 fixture I wasn't using. This fixture has Sylvania 20watt gro-lux aquarium bulbs. I think they are 3400K. I have no idea how old the bulbs are or how long they have been run. I understand these lights will probably be good enough to germinate the seeds and grow the plants, but I would like to optimize my set up with other potential options.
I was gifted the fixture above along with 3 T8 fixtures from someone that no longer used them. The T8 fixtures had some Sylvania 17watt gro-lux/eco bulbs. One source says these are 7000K but I doubt it based on the color of the light. I upgraded(?) two of the T8 fixtures to 8watt 6000k LED tubes. The exact product I bought: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KFSBXV9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1. I did this with little research and primarily with the idea that they are brighter and more energy efficient.
Basically, what I want to know is if anyone has any recommendations about which of the three bulbs would be best for germinating and growing Sarr seedlings: T12 20watt 3400K, T8 17watt likely 3400-4100K, or T8 8W LED 6000K.
OR
Is there another bulb you would recommend that would fit into a 2ft T8 or T12 fixture? I have started doing some reading on DIY LEDs, and if the cost is relatively low for a great product I would be willing to try. Would like to keep costs relatively low (I'd rather buy plants than lights), but I can have a small budget if it's worth it. Thanks!