led for indoor plant

Seriak · #1 07-05-2012, 04:33 AM

Anyone try using Leds to grow indoor plants. I just can't seem to keep my hibiscus alive. Thought I could use leds. Anyone researched this?

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #2 07-05-2012, 05:34 AM

I have. I find 42w Phillips Daylight 6500k CFL bulbs do a better job than even 6500k LEDs. I kept a Key Lime tree indoors last winter than bloomed and even set some fruit when under both LEDs and CFL, but eventually withered away towards the end of winter after my CFL bulb blew & I didn't replace it.

I am using LEDs over my fw planted tanks with good success.

sphelps · #3 07-05-2012, 02:07 PM

I built a plant light from good 3W red and blue LEDs replicating some of the higher end fixtures available. It worked OK but when plants where moved outside they grew twice as much in a few days than they did in a month under the LEDs. I ran 28 LEDs for a dozen small plants.

Seriak · #4 07-05-2012, 02:43 PM

Well I don't want growth as they are in my Chameleon cages I just don't want them to die.

sphelps · #5 07-05-2012, 03:52 PM

Don't your Chameleons need special lighting? I would assume what's good enough for a Chameleon would be good enough for plants.

reefgirl189 · #6 07-05-2012, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

I have. I find 42w Phillips Daylight 6500k CFL bulbs do a better job than even 6500k LEDs.

I just recently set up this exact bulb over my hibiscus as I was having the same issue. Every other houseplant is doing very well but the hibiscus is always finicky. I forgot to turn this light on for a couple days and low and behold, a couple leaves yellowed however every day the plant has the light on it's happy. I guess this plant is just very light happy. I know they also benefit from a good misting every other day.

I should just hook it up the the Apex controller to have it turn on the light for me, now that I think about it

.

Seriak · #7 07-05-2012, 08:17 PM

Thanks guys I went and bought a couple of these bulbs. Man they are huge. The Chameleons require UVB which is not enough or the right K for the Hibiscus. I have a mistking mister that mists the cages 4 times a day so they should be getting enough water.

sphelps · #8 07-05-2012, 08:55 PM

I always thought typical reptile bulbs are full spectrum with quartz glass to allow UVB/A to pass through so I don't really know what you mean by wrong K. I know many plant enthusiasts use reptile type bulbs for their UVB to aid in certain blooming times.

Seriak · #9 07-05-2012, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sphelps

I always thought typical reptile bulbs are full spectrum with quartz glass to allow UVB/A to pass through so I don't really know what you mean by wrong K. I know many plant enthusiasts use reptile type bulbs for their UVB to aid in certain blooming times.

To obtain proper plant growth you need around 6500 K. I use 5.0 UVB bulbs which are around 21000 K. The plant is just not successful under that range.

mike31154 · #10 07-06-2012, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seriak

Thanks guys I went and bought a couple of these bulbs. Man they are huge. The Chameleons require UVB which is not enough or the right K for the Hibiscus. I have a mistking mister that mists the cages 4 times a day so they should be getting enough water.

What bulbs are you referring to? My daughter has a chameleon as well. Not sure if she has an hibiscus in there, but I do know she has a ficus. She's using a fluorescent tube for UV & standard edison filament bulbs for heat & daylight spectrum. Plants seem to be ok, except Spike (the chameleon) is munching on the ficus quite a bit.

I asked her a while back if anyone in the reptile community was switching to UV LEDs for their critters. Having built a LED fixture for my tank using 10 watt multichip LED arrays, I could easily do something for her. Just need to know what UV wavelengths are required. The 10 watt multichip UV LEDs I've seen for sale are much more costly than the blues, whites & reds.