Thanks for all your replies everyone. Would I have to buy a tube and a reflector for each shelf?
For a rack like the one mentioned by @Kili you may need several lights for each shelf, depending on the light intensity you want, the cones of light and intensity they give, height you want above the plants etc. eg Get that wrong and they will go leggy and fall over.
PC type fans may be useful to to keep the air fresh, as a hygiene measure.
There will also be cable management if you have multiple lights - some fittings come with an easi-connect facility to make a grid. That is a shopfitting display technology.
Thanks for all your replies everyone. Would I have to buy a tube and a reflector for each shelf?
A reflector is a MUST otherwise you'll loose a significant amount of light - the co. I mentioned above sell them and they are cheap. You want enough tubes so that they hang about 3-4" above the top of the plants and about 6-8" between each tube. The the amount of tubes will depend on the area you want to illuminate. It's not a cheap way of growing plants!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Thanks for all your replies everyone. Would I have to buy a tube and a reflector for each shelf?
If your buying T5 lights they come with there own reflector and a tube. You may need more than 1 light per shelf . I have 3 T5 lights per shelf. My shelfs are 44cms wide by 90 cms long. You could get away with 2 per shelf but I use 3 because I have some spares so use them all.
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
Posts
PC type fans may be useful to to keep the air fresh, as a hygiene measure.
There will also be cable management if you have multiple lights - some fittings come with an easi-connect facility to make a grid. That is a shopfitting display technology.
Have a read up of someone who is doing it. Lots on youtube eg I follow this one:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcqnIHnK-75WdpaVPQOUxtw
Or just suck it and see :-).
The shelves will be the cheap bit.
In your siituation I would say start with a single shelf or a contained unit to get experience and play.
F
You want enough tubes so that they hang about 3-4" above the top of the plants and about 6-8" between each tube. The the amount of tubes will depend on the area you want to illuminate.
It's not a cheap way of growing plants!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
George Bernard Shaw'