Artificial light hours indoors

MountainExplorer

MountainExplorer

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Hello all,

I got a nice little.greenhouse with my tropicals in there and I initially had them on 8 hours a day but I recently read that someone had them on 13 hours a day in veg. I got 2' 2 T5's on 8 hours should I bump them up while in the winter months?

Thanks,

Tim
 
Stickroot said:
I run a 1000 watt HPS 16 hours a day. If I kick it back to 12 hours around Christmas it forces everything to bloom.
Click to expand...

Dang ok I numbed it up to 13 hours and my fukien tea is going nuts well they all are and u was wondering I have had color changing led lights in my chill room where the green house is in now I was thinking about running the reds at night. What do you think I read up about the spectrum and all so that would mean I would have my T5's on 13 to 6 hours a day then have the red leds on till the morning?
 
So this is in a greenhouse that will be getting some sunlight and you only need lights supplementally?
 
I do 14–16 hours for my succulents under T5HO.

This year I've been experimenting with some temperate trees under lights: Hemlock, Scots Pine, and Japanese Maple. They seem to also enjoy the long days.
 
I got mostly all tropicals in there and they are going nuts the only thing I THINK I gotta check the box but I don't think they are HO but my tiger bark is throwing airial roots everywhere and I am in the process of putting my humidifier in the GH. I'll take a pic and send it over. I had an awesome setup for my blue poison dart frogs and that worked awesome to keep the humidity up :)
 
@MountainExplorer
If it gets no direct sun you would want at least 16 hours of light and you could go up as much 24 hours, normal is 18 on 6 off. Really anything less than 14 could simulate Autumn and your plants could start flowering or go dormant like @Stickroot said.

I guess it all depends on what you're trying to do, if you just want to keep them alive until you put them outside next year, you could give them minimal light but if want them to thrive and grow during the cold months I'd give them at least 16 hours of light a day.

Check out my setup https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ficus-experiment.27965/
I have a 4' 4 light ho t5 and my ficus is kicking ass and throwing lots of aerial roots. I didn't think it would be enough light but everything is doing pretty good. I have them on for 16 hours a day cause I'm a cheap mofo...

Good luck and welcome to your new addiction!!! :D:eek::p
 
It's sad for me to see people waste ing money on LED lights. There is nothing that even comes close to Hortilux HPS Linghting.
 
cbroad said:
@MountainExplorer
If it gets no direct sun you would want at least 16 hours of light and you could go up as much 24 hours, normal is 18 on 6 off. Really anything less than 14 could simulate Autumn and your plants could start flowering or go dormant like @Stickroot said.

I guess it all depends on what you're trying to do, if you just want to keep them alive until you put them outside next year, you could give them minimal light but if want them to thrive and grow during the cold months I'd give them at least 16 hours of light a day.

Check out my setup https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ficus-experiment.27965/
I have a 4' 4 light ho t5 and my ficus is kicking ass and throwing lots of aerial roots. I didn't think it would be enough light but everything is doing pretty good. I have them on for 16 hours a day cause I'm a cheap mofo...

Good luck and welcome to your new addiction!!! :D:eek::p
Click to expand...
If you go to 24 hours things will stop growing. Plants actually grow in the dark period. They are using the light to convert to food energy so they can grow during the night.
I have run at 18 hours for fast growing production plants, but anything higher slowed production and wasted electric.
You will see the same results in tropical trees.
 
Stickroot said:
It's sad for me to see people waste ing money on LED lights. There is nothing that even comes close to Hortilux HPS Linghting.
Click to expand...
The little led lights on the top of the wall? Haha don't get to bent out of shape they have been put up but my girl in our jam room they are 7 different color changing strip lights that literally cost pennies.. It's a decoration I was just wondering if I put it on the dull red setting at night of the plants would like it.
 
cbroad said:
@MountainExplorer
If it gets no direct sun you would want at least 16 hours of light and you could go up as much 24 hours, normal is 18 on 6 off. Really anything less than 14 could simulate Autumn and your plants could start flowering or go dormant like @Stickroot said.

I guess it all depends on what you're trying to do, if you just want to keep them alive until you put them outside next year, you could give them minimal light but if want them to thrive and grow during the cold months I'd give them at least 16 hours of light a day.

Check out my setup https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ficus-experiment.27965/
I have a 4' 4 light ho t5 and my ficus is kicking ass and throwing lots of aerial roots. I didn't think it would be enough light but everything is doing pretty good. I have them on for 16 hours a day cause I'm a cheap mofo...

Good luck and welcome to your new addiction!!! :D:eek::p
Click to expand...
 
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