Help! I just got my new grow light!

DH just unboxed it and he asked me how high to install it from the plant table. Can anyone help with this info?

The light is a 250watt metal halide fixture that is supposed to cover a 3' x 3' area. Yeah, I thought about just holding it up until it covers 3 square feet, but that's probably not really accurate. Plus, the fixture is pretty heavy, and we're too old to manage all that physical effort! LOL

I plan to use it for a lot of various flower and vegetable plants. It will be in an area that has little, if any,
natural daylight (think garage), if that affects the answer I seek, i.e, does it need to be adjustable? If so, in what increments? (Hey, DH is an engineer, but we both forgot the math formulas!)

Here, I have to start plants early to get a jump on the intense heat and humidity, and of course the bugs, etc. that hit us during the summer months. Otherwise, they fade then, and sort of resurrect again (if I'm lucky) in October, when the weather cools. I'm still harvesting sweet peppers from last year's crop, by bringing them inside when cold, and back outside when warmer! DH doesn't really appreciate all the toting in and out!

Anyhow, those of you with experience with MH grow lights, any suggestions, or web sites, for height installation? Should it be adjustable?

Thanks so much for any info you provide!!!!

From a decrepit old FL newbie to grow lights!

I use a 400 watt HID light that i got from Charley's about 10 years ago. The light bulb lasts me more than a year leaving the light on 16 hours a day about 7 months. It is hanging from the ceiling in my small gh and is about four feet above the plants, and I would say gives plants in about a 6 foot area sufficient light for pretty goo growth. the ones directly below benefit the most. Good luck with your light. Donna

Thanks very much Donna!!!

I wonder if, since our bulb is 250 watt and suppose to illuminate 3' x 3' area, considering your response for a 400 watt bulb, hung at 4 feet, possibly 3' high might be appropriate with our smaller wattage bulb?

Anyone else have input, experience, suggestions, recommendations?

I figure I won't be able to get DH up for this installation but once, so it needs to be done correctly! LOL

(From a newbie at using grow lights.)

its best if the light is adjustable. when my seeds sprout, i have my light (a four foot shop fixture with two grow lights in each one) just about touching the plants. i have a five shelf stand and i have five lights set at different distances. as my plants get bigger i put them on the next shelf but still keep the light almost touching them. i do this for about 17 hours a day.
i find this to be the easiest way to grow the plants. good luck.

Thank you, Herbie43! for the great information, and the good luck wish! What type of lights do you use, if I may ask?

This is all new to us, but we are eagerly looking forward to installing our new grow light, for new experiences in gardening in our area. Making it adjustable in height is definitely part of our installation plan now.

Unfortunately, at the moment, our DD has some sizeable "stuff" stored in our garage, where we plan to set up the grow light area. She promised to come get her "stuff" this week, but now it's "next week." I've warned her, it's next week, or eBay!!!! I think 10 years qualifies for "long enough to store your stuff," when you have your own home now! LOL

I really appreciate the responses from both of you! Maybe I'll post later about my successes (and dumbities failures). Thank you both again! ;~)

3 ft should be just fine, if not 4.....don;t get an HID bulb to close as you'll burn the babies from the heat and the intense UV.
Good luck with your seedlings.....you will be amazed what these types of lights will do for you.

I'd go with your original thought, Judith...suspend it up to where it will broadcast a 3 X 3 ft area. As Herbie suggested, use a pulley to adjust the height and, as Riker said, keep it a good distance above your plants...this light you have is very hot. (And don't even touch the bulb with your hands; oil on the bulb will damage the light.)

A 250 watt MH light will give you "growing area" (3 X 3) but yet an extra foot all the way around that 3 X 3 area can also be used as a "sustenance" area, i.e., a place to put your plants that need the light to keep them alive and that are not in the early growing stages (such as house plants, etc).

MH lights will give you great vegetative growth, nice green stocky plants! When you want your plants to flower and/or fruit it would be helpful to open the garage door (on a warm day, of course) and allow some daylight to enter, thus giving them some light of the red spectrum which is needed for flower/fruit production.

I think you're gonna have a blast with your new set up! So much you can do with it. You're gonna go hog wild, I can just see it! ;>)

judithl - i just went to home depot and bot five four foot shop lights and 10 grow lights. i also have them plugged into a timer so i don't have to keep plugging them and unplugging them. don't know if you have started seeds before, but i put my seed trays onto a heating blanket to keep the seeds warm. i have a king size blanket which really works great. in fact, in the case of hot peppers i grown them on the blanket until there are about ready to go into the garden. hope this helps you.

All of you, thank you so much for the info!!!
I also have bought a small heat mat to help with germinating peppers, etc.

RikerBear, I have a MH lamp, not a HID lamp. Does that make a difference in your advice? And thanks for your input!!

Horseshoe, thanks! I was hoping you would respond, as I know you try all kinds of grow methods! Thanks for the info on the heat of this bulb, and the oil warning. I grew up with a mechanic dad, so oil in that kind of garage was sort of a given. LOL Fortunately, our garage does protect a really agine 1989 Ford Probe GT (my own personal baby, and favorite car of my lifetime, well, I guess it has to content with my beautiful '57 Chevy!) But we will certainly abide by your advice here. Makes sense to me!!!

Actually, DH was thinking of making the growing table about 4' x 4', just to give me some maneuverability room. I'm having, unfortunately, to adjust my growing efforts to accommodate my increasing mobility limitations. So everything is planned to be based at table, rather than counter height, so I can sit, and have everything (does anyone ever have "everything" they might need to plant?) at a height where they can be easily reached and used as needed. It's really hard accepting this limitation, but, hey, at least I can still garden! So pots and containers it is, along with easy access to planting needs! I can do this! Beats the hooey out of not gardening at all!!!

Opening the garage door is something I will certainly do, when temps allow. Otherwise, when it's especially cool and damp (Ouch!) I can bring in my trusty heater to make the area more bearable to these tired old gardening bones. My doctor told me my bones and body structurs have worn out before I did. Pretty good assessment, I told her!

I totally LOVE your prediction "Shoe!" I plant to have a great blast with my new toys.

I suppose I should procure a thermometer as well, to determine if I should, or should not, use the heat mat as well, or if I need to use some sort of protection between the heat mat and the germinating seeds and seedlings, at least for most plants. "Uh, DH, you're sooo sweet! Kiss, kiss. Would you mind picking up a thermometer for me when you're at WallyWorld?"

I already know that some seeds want darkness to germinate, so I guess the heat mat will work well with them?

Thanks again to all my DG buddies for providing your growing advice! Is DG great, or what????

Love & Hugs to all of you!

Judith, Metal halide lights are an HID lights.....and those puppies get HOT HOT HOT.
I use MH lights on my saltwater reef aquariums, and have 2 fans blowing at all times to defuse the heat otherwise the temp goes up fast.
Here's where I buy my replacement bulbs....when they are to old to use on my aquariums they are rotated over to the grow station.

Marc

edited for fat finger typos

This message was edited Feb 3, 2005 10:09 AM

Ah, Rikerbear, thanks for the clarification! I'll certainly keep your input in mind when we are deciding on height!!!! Thanks!!!

Your welcome, and good luck :-)

Judith for 30 bux I bought a pair of light pulleys that have cords that pull out so the light height can be adjusted by raising or lowering the light as needed. I have 400 watt and 1000 watt lights. the four hundred watt is mounted on a nine foot trolly that moves the light back and forth the length of the table my light is no closer than three feet. Light makers are guilty of overstating the useful coverage of their lights be prepared to reposition your seed flats every day or so as I doubt the 250 watt light will effectively cover a three foot wide area yes it will throw light on it but it will not be strong enough to grow the far edges right.The first big clue will come when you notice the plants at the edges leaning to the center. Ernie

Thanks a lot, Ernie!

Yeah, I figured as much about the area of effective coverage.

The pulleys sound like a great idea!

3 feet above, sounds about right.

Now all I have to do is get DH working on installing these babies for me. He's very sweet, but also very busy, so I don't nag. I could be using them right now, but, I guess they will be great whenever they get installed!

You know how guys are! LOLOLOL!
Well, I do too!
Couldn't make it without them!
Love you guys!!!!

BTW, Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!

My Valentine's been with me for over 20 years! I'm hoping for 20 more, at least!!!