Dwarf hairgrass growing very slowly emersed

[Kehy]

I'm attempting the DSMin a little 6" .5 gallon bowl I have, just to see if it's possible for me to make a carpet. The good news? It's growing. The annoying news? It's taken me 3 months to get what a lot of people can get in a couple weeks, and from the looks of things, I'll have to wait for another 3 months to have something resembling a carpet. Oh the joys of low light scaping, low tech scaping...I could probably speed things up if I just flat out used sunlight.

-dirt planted bowl
-40 watt desk lamp about 14" above
-...it's growing at least?

[mistahoo]

I would just leave it in the sunlight and use that light you have as supplemental lighting, or lower the light. 14" is pretty high up for only 40w.

[Kehy]

It is, but the light is being shared with a 10" tall vase tank. I'm just whining, but since the growth looks healthy (if slow) I'll leave things be until it gets warm enough to put things outside. Nothing quite like natural sunlight, haha.

[mistahoo]

I'm doing DSM for HC. One is under a 14w 5500k CFL and a 18w 6500k CFL. The other is under natural sunlight. Lately the temp here has been around 50-70F. The HC seems to be doing fine in the low temps.

[Jeffww]

DHG has always grown slower for me emersed than submersed.

[mistahoo]

Originally Posted by Jeffww

DHG has always grown slower for me emersed than submersed.

+1 For some reason it doesn't seem to grow as fast as you'd think it would emersed.

[Kehy]

We're still frosting here pretty much every night, so chances are I won't be putting things outside until about April-May. Where I'm at the frost lasts a long time, the summers get into the 100's, and you might have 2-3 months of good growing weather...Oh well. I think I might add a second lamp in the mean time, another 40 watt much closer down.

[mistahoo]

Or change out the bulb for a 18w compact fluorescent bulb? Equivalent to a reg 75w bulb and saves more money on electricity bill. Maybe add two lamps with 18w bulbs since one is for a vase? You could use the second one on that tank. Just make sure it's 5500k-6700k for optimal growth.

[Kehy]

I'm using desk lamps because of limited amounts of space, so a lot of bulbs won't fit. I have looked into using CFLs, but no stores around here carry them in the right spectrum under $10. Since I don't pay for utilities, I'm not extremely concerned, but I do use energy saving bulbs everywhere else around the house. For now though, let's see where an extra 40 watts gets things

[Jeffww]

Spectra is completely irrelevant to a plant's needs. 2700k will work just as well if not better than 6500k. Color of the bulb is only important to the appearance not PAR. So for an emersed set up color temp is a moot point.

[mistahoo]

Originally Posted by Jeffww

Spectra is completely irrelevant to a plant's needs. 2700k will work just as well if not better than 6500k. Color of the bulb is only important to the appearance not PAR. So for an emersed set up color temp is a moot point.

If they're the same PAR, based on what you're saying, the 2700k bulb will grow plants equally well if not better than the 6500k? Just curious but have you tried this yet in an emersed setting or are you just preaching to the crowd?

I know for sure in a submerged setting, what you're saying is the opposite. I have a tank under 6500k bulbs and the one under 2700k bulbs actually has a higher par rating. Same brand too if that makes any difference? Turns out the plants with the 2700k grow slower and doesn't look as healthy as the ones with the 6500k. I do remember reading something about spectrum being more important than temperature though. I'm guessing the spectrum on the 6500k bulbs are much better at growing plants? I'm no scientist or genius, so don't take my word for it.

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[Kehy]

Well I think I solved the lighting issue.

[Jeffww]

Originally Posted by mistahoo

If they're the same PAR, based on what you're saying, the 2700k bulb will grow plants equally well if not better than the 6500k? Just curious but have you tried this yet in an emersed setting or are you just preaching to the crowd?

I know for sure in a submerged setting, what you're saying is the opposite. I have a tank under 6500k bulbs and the one under 2700k bulbs actually has a higher par rating. Same brand too if that makes any difference? Turns out the plants with the 2700k grow slower and doesn't look as healthy as the ones with the 6500k. I do remember reading something about spectrum being more important than temperature though. I'm guessing the spectrum on the 6500k bulbs are much better at growing plants? I'm no scientist or genius, so don't take my word for it.

Sent from my spaceship using Tapatalk 2.

Growers of certain recreational plants can attest to the usefulness of the 2700k bulb. Additionally there is PAR data comparing the color temps in the CFL PAR thread. The 2700k had the same if not slightly more PAR, however it was still within the range of uncertainty for the meter so they could very well be the same.

[mistahoo]

Originally Posted by Jeffww

Growers of certain recreational plants can attest to the usefulness of the 2700k bulb. Additionally there is PAR data comparing the color temps in the CFL PAR thread. The 2700k had the same if not slightly more PAR, however it was still within the range of uncertainty for the meter so they could very well be the same.

Sounds interesting. I'd still like to see someone chime in who has first hand experience. My first hand experience seems to be the opposite of what you're claiming.

[mistahoo]

Hahaha there you go Kehy! It's definitely going to start growing faster!