Indoor Gardening and Houseplants: grow lights: Please help!, 1 by hcmcdole

hcmcdole wrote:
Hey Harper,

I use fluorescent bulbs but don't go for anything special. I buy the cheapest fixtures (shoplights for less than $8) and then buy middle of the road tubes (cool white or warm white). I usually buy the bulk packages (10 tubes for around $20). I have over 60 fixtures so far and run the lights from 8AM until 11PM though last year I ran them for 12 hours only. I have not seen any benefit of special grow lights (other than making the manufacturers richer) but then I move everything outdoors for summer where they get the best light possible.

I am swapping out incandescent bulbs as they burn out with the fluorescent bulbs because they use less power, last a lot longer, and don't produce a lot of heat. They do cost more initially and take a few seconds to come up to full brightness and some fixtures' domes are too shallow to allow fluorescent bulbs.

GE Reveal bulbs do have a hue about them that are supposed to imitate natural light but they burn out as fast if not faster than normal bulbs. Are they worth the extra cost? I tried them but don't think I would buy them anymore.

Here is a couple of shelves in one of my rooms in the basement.