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I'm not sure if this the right place to post this. I've been looking up info on bonsai trees all day and I'm not finding very good info compared to what I'm hoping to get here.
I few weeks ago I was looking into gettting a bonsai tree. I mentioned to my girlfriend I wanted a Chinese elm. I then started looking into caring for one of these little trees, I found out that I do not have enough light outside and growing them indoors with artificial light seems to be a no no.
Last week I was telling my girlfriend how I can't have a bonsai because of my lack of outdoor light(I live in an apartment and my patio is heavily shaded with trees) she informed that I better figure it out because she got me one for christmas and it will be here in the next couple days!
Crap. Now I have to cram all the info I can to keep this tree thriving.
Lighting:
From what I understand I can keep it under dual t8's in a shoplight fixture. The only one I have is in use on a tank right now. I've spent all my money on Christmas presents I do have some stuff laying around. I just don't have a solid answer on how much light I need. What can I use? I have a current USA reef fixture with 4 t5ho's and a 150w mh. I'm sure this would be more than enough,probably way to much and all the bulbs are actinics.
I also have an 18" t8 fixture along with a desk lamp and cfl but I'm not sure of this is enough. I would like to order a 10 or 20 watt led floodlight to hang over this in the near future.
For now, do I use the reef fixture with all bulbs or a combo of what it has? Or the t8 and cfl combo?
In the future should I order the 10 or 20 watt led flood. I'm thinking 10 because the one I have puts out the same lux as a dual t8 shoplight.
Can I water/fertilize with tank water from my high tech?
I also read that I need to put it outside for a couple months a year for a "dormancy period" during this time does it need lots of light? If so I plan on putting whatever led floodlight I choose outside with it.
I really don't want to kill this tree it was not cheap. Any info on bonsai's would be great.
I few weeks ago I was looking into gettting a bonsai tree. I mentioned to my girlfriend I wanted a Chinese elm. I then started looking into caring for one of these little trees, I found out that I do not have enough light outside and growing them indoors with artificial light seems to be a no no.
Last week I was telling my girlfriend how I can't have a bonsai because of my lack of outdoor light(I live in an apartment and my patio is heavily shaded with trees) she informed that I better figure it out because she got me one for christmas and it will be here in the next couple days!
Crap. Now I have to cram all the info I can to keep this tree thriving.
Lighting:
From what I understand I can keep it under dual t8's in a shoplight fixture. The only one I have is in use on a tank right now. I've spent all my money on Christmas presents I do have some stuff laying around. I just don't have a solid answer on how much light I need. What can I use? I have a current USA reef fixture with 4 t5ho's and a 150w mh. I'm sure this would be more than enough,probably way to much and all the bulbs are actinics.
I also have an 18" t8 fixture along with a desk lamp and cfl but I'm not sure of this is enough. I would like to order a 10 or 20 watt led floodlight to hang over this in the near future.
For now, do I use the reef fixture with all bulbs or a combo of what it has? Or the t8 and cfl combo?
In the future should I order the 10 or 20 watt led flood. I'm thinking 10 because the one I have puts out the same lux as a dual t8 shoplight.
Can I water/fertilize with tank water from my high tech?
I also read that I need to put it outside for a couple months a year for a "dormancy period" during this time does it need lots of light? If so I plan on putting whatever led floodlight I choose outside with it.
I really don't want to kill this tree it was not cheap. Any info on bonsai's would be great.