hanging fluorescent lights

Can you tell me about your lighting fixtures?
I have searched for reasonably priced hanging fluorescent fixtures that do not have to be wired into the wall. Everything that I've found is very expensive. I am setting up shelves for tender plants brought inside for winter.
Any suggestions???
Johanna

I would get cheapie 2 or 4 fluorescent tube fixture from the fix it center like a shop light. WallyWorld has them for around 10 to 12 I think for 2 tube fixtures, They plug in and you can put it on a timer to simplify life for yourself. If you use a 2 tube, 2 of them side by side will give a nice light output. I use a plant aquarium bulb along side a regular cheap kitchen/bath bulb, lol. Do you have a lot of plants you are trying to accomodate?

I agree, I use the cheap fluorescent fixtures too. And I just use regular fluorescent bulbs in them, so if you don't want to buy the more expensive aquarium or grow light bulbs you don't need to. If you have plants you're going to grow permanently indoors those might help, but for overwintering or seed starting which are the only things I ever use lights for, regular fluorescent bulbs have worked just fine.

Thanks, I can find the fixtures you are describing in 48 in only.. My shelves are 34 in wide, I have looked everywhere for 24-34 in fixtures to hang and plug in.. No luck. At a pet shop I found ExoTerra reptile light fixtures that I use in a 24 in baker's rack for plants all year.....but these are too expensive for my other winter shelves. So I checked out ebay but found only 48in fixtures.

At Wally (I was looking at lighting for the same reason) I saw a smaller fixture they were selling for plants, it was shorter, single bulb, and around $8(I think) including a bulb. You can also probably use a compact fluorescent, but I haven't tried it. They are even working on LED grow lights, but it is new and expensive right now. It would look tacky, but having the ends of a fixture stick out wouldn't matter to the plants, as the best lighting is toward the center of the long tube, not the ends... I'd probably try to grow pothos under the edge and pretend I meant to do that. Another thing, I had a card table and I actually strung lights under the table since the 48" would fit. It wasn't the easiest to get to, but it worked for what I needed. Wish we could just cut those 48 inchers to customize :).

48" is the standard size.You can buy smaller sizes,but no price break.Its easier and cheaper to make shelves that will fit 48" bulbs.For years I used cinder blocks and 2x4 boards.You can increase the height by adding more blocks.You can tear it down when not in use.Just a suggestion for you to consider.If you paint it,it even looks good.Edge

Edge,
Where could I find shorter than 48" shop lights? I would be very interested in your info since I have scoured the internet, big box stores, hardware stores, pet shops, greenhouse suppliers, electrical suppliers, and ebay. I occasionally even hit Habitat for humanities and Goodwill.
And, yes. I guess it would be easiest to get 48" shelves. Less stressful. Convenient. I might just do that.
Thanks.
.

What I saw at Walmart was being sold as a grow light, it was $12 or less, but I don't remember since I was looking for 48" bulbs, just thought it was neat. I don't know how many watts it was, I see they have some 33 watts that are interesting, but the fixture I saw looked similar to this... and is probably short enough to fit on your shelf....

http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-49525/Detail

I prefer the 48" setups, because I have too many plants :)... I hope this helps if you already have a shelving unit. Are you supplementing natural light, or are you solely growing with the lights?

This message was edited Nov 4, 2009 9:28 PM

Years ago I used to have salt water aquariums.I built some of my own light hoods.If memory serves bulbs come in 18",24",36",48" and 72".I bought my own ballasts and water proof end caps.Try thatfishplace.com.I am pre warning you,you are headed for big money.If you are perpared to open your wallet,they carry more lighting than you can imagine.You must really love those shelves? Good luck,Edge

This message was edited Nov 5, 2009 5:35 PM

Cheapest method: Buy or borrow (or pick up at a thrift store or the Goodwill) a 2-bulb 48" shop light fixture. They come with holes on the top ( to slip "s" hooks in) and short chains. Some are even attractive.

Use regular fluorescent bulbs--very cheap, and they work fine for plants.

Suspend the shop light fixture from two plant tension poles, one pole on each side. These poles go from ceiling to floor, staying put due to a spring inside that creates tension.

Hang the light fixture using small but sturdy "s" hooks (placed in the holes on the hood) attached to chain. The other end of the chain is then hung onto the plant tension poles using bigger "s" hooks. My plant tension poles have removable curved hooks that can slide anywhere up or down on the pole.

The plants themselves can rest on top of a bookshelf or table (or even a plank propped on cinderblocks) under the whole arrangement. As the plants grow in height, you can adjust the height of the plant tension pole hooks to slide the light fixture up or down as needed.

I have no idea whether or not such plant tension poles are on the market anymore. I have two or three from the '80's ... getting tarnished, but I love them.

As stated, the ends of the light are not as strong as the middle, so if you have the room, go for the 48".

I hope this was at least interesting, if not helpful .... maybe someone else likes the plant pole idea.

I don't think it's possible to find shop lights in anything but 4 ft. length. The t5 cheapie ones at Home Cheapo or Wally World are often sold as undercabinet lights. They don't put out much light, and never tell you how many lumens.

You can find different lengths of fixtures at some garden places like hydroponic suppliers but be prepared to spend lots of $$$ for them. Here's an example.
http://www.wormsway.com/products.aspx?t=prod&AC=1

Good luck.

Karen

Thanks Karen,
Last year I did find 24" two tube fixtures ($24 each) on a hydroponic site. These worked for 1 season. When I tried these out last month, nothing. I guess the ballists are shot.
Yes, I would love to invest in the expensive plant lights. But since I don't grow pot, it would be hard to justify this much money! For a while I wondered why there are so many hydro growing sites sporting such pricy parts. Then I saw the specials on tv about Oakland Calif. Obviously, Oakland is just the most open area for pot farming. It must be done everywhere.
Johanna

I bought inexpensive floor lamps with 3 and 5 fixtures to a lamp on Target.com and adjustable desk lamps on clearance at Walmart. I use the new fluorescent bulbs in them. It works great! I had brugs, banana trees, elephant ears growing under them in my bedroom all winter.

Here are my almost finished plant shelves. The black fixtures are sold at Petsmart for reptile terrariums. I found them on sale at the store and on ebay. This arrangement should be ok for the plants over winter. I can control the wattage of the lights in both the clamp lights and the canope lights. Since these fixtures are made to supply heat and light for uv fluorescent bulbs, they can take higher wattage.
I want to bring in other better looking plants from the greenhouse and hide the electrical cords...but you get the idea.
Johanna

These are by my cookbooks.

This is a small bakers rack in a bedroom.

I forgot to mention that I use CFL bulbs in all of these fixtures. The black canopies hold 2 CFL bulbs with regular size screw in sockets. The clamp lights use any regular flood type bulb and are also available as CFLs (compact fluorescent light). You have a wide selection of bulbs to choose from. Personally, I don't see any advantage to using UV light bulbs with plants. UVs are used to both heat and light reptiles.
Johanna

Wow, Johanna--You've done very well with the lighting! It's very nice, and I'm glad you solved your problems about overwintering your plants.

I see that you like snake plants.

And you have two spade leaf philodendrons that look very similar to one I lost 20 years ago. Let me know if you ever take cuttings off of those (once they get bigger).

Thanks,
TJ

That looks pretty nice. Wow on your big haworthia lookin plant!

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/129059/

Timmijo, This is the kind of pilo in the picture. I have a bigger one in the greenhouse. I may bring it inside the house. The greenhouse is too crowded. I have lots of different snakeplants crowded in there, too. Maybe in spring we can trade.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/61363/

3js, I think that this may be the plant you are referring to. A friend gave it to me a few years ago. It is easy to grow.