Using red/blue horticulture light to grow plants

8852 Views 16 Replies 11 Participants Last post by AquaLady86, Apr 11, 2017

jmeeter

Discussion Starter · Mar 31, 2017

I'm thinking of setting up a tank inside my garage to grow some plants to make money on the side and I'm wondering if a horticultural LED grow light would work? I know in the SW world they are popular in refugiums.

I was actually looking at some other bulbs and they were tested to be 150 PAR at a height of 24 inches...

Something like this:

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roadmaster

· #2 · Mar 31, 2017

Light's would work. Best Roll an old car/truck into the garage to help justify odd lighting schedules and frequent trip's in/out.
"just tinkering"

Reactions: 1

Sean W.

· #3 · Mar 31, 2017

Yep, totally will work, better in fact than any "planted tank" light. It gives the plant the exact color spectrum it needs to grow. It just doesnt look very pretty... but money is pretty... so... it all works out

If you grow the plants emersed (out of water) you (almost) cant give the plants too much light. Check out my video here showing how I had success with growing plants.

Remmy

· #4 · Mar 31, 2017

What interests me is if the transition to the more traditional white light would be problematic, or would it be similar to emmersed/submersed transition where new leaves grown in the new conditions are suited for the light they're receiving

Sean W.

· #5 · Mar 31, 2017

Remmy said:
What interests me is if the transition to the more traditional white light would be problematic, or would it be similar to emmersed/submersed transition where new leaves grown in the new conditions are suited for the light they're receiving

It wouldn't be problematic. It wouldn't go through any transition.

easternlethal

· #6 · Apr 1, 2017

if you're going to transition them then why not just use white light in the first place and save yourself the hassle? once you get past 100 par it really doesn't matter the light. co2 control and ferts makes a much bigger difference for submersed plants at those parameters.

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jmeeter

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 3, 2017

Sean W. said:
Yep, totally will work, better in fact than any "planted tank" light. It gives the plant the exact color spectrum it needs to grow. It just doesnt look very pretty... but money is pretty... so... it all works out

If you grow the plants emersed (out of water) you (almost) cant give the plants too much light. Check out my video here showing how I had success with growing plants.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bK_kfbLN3M

Wow. You blew my mind. I know exactly what I'm going to do now!! 😁

dcutl002

· #8 · Apr 3, 2017

It'll work.

Sean W.

· #9 · Apr 3, 2017

jmeeter said:
Wow. You blew my mind. I know exactly what I'm going to do now!! 😁

Sweet, just remember me when I come to you for plants haha 0

Reactions: 1

Solcielo lawrencia

· #10 · Apr 3, 2017

No green light = no elongation of internodes.

sohankpatel

· #11 · Apr 3, 2017

Solcielo lawrencia said:
No green light = no elongation of internodes.

This means? I have never heard the term, sorry.

jeffkrol

· #12 · Apr 4, 2017

2

sohankpatel said:
This means? I have never heard the term, sorry.

Area between the "nodes".

Between leaf attachment points.

Heavy blue light leads to little expansion of th internode area creating compact, yet bushy plants..

the blue LED NI inhibited internode elongation by approximately 60%. The inhibitory effect of blue light occurred during the night interruption and in the subsequent light period. These results indicate that blue light could be used to inhibit extension growth and therefore could reduce the application of plant growth retarding chemicals.

https://scholars.opb.msu.edu/en/publications/blue-light-inhibits-stem-elongation-of-chrysanthemum-3

Tomatoes..

Could LEDs replace plant growth retardants?

Researchers at Michigan State University used LED lights to produce compact flower and tomato seedling plugs.

Impatiens..

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Sean W.

· #13 · Apr 4, 2017

Solcielo lawrencia said:
No green light = no elongation of internodes.

jeffkrol said:
Area between the "nodes".
Between leaf attachment points.

Heavy blue light leads to little expansion of th internode area creating compact, yet bushy plants..

https://scholars.opb.msu.edu/en/publications/blue-light-inhibits-stem-elongation-of-chrysanthemum-3

Tomatoes..

Sooo... We want elongation of the internodes?

jeffkrol

· #14 · Apr 4, 2017 (Edited)

too much makes the plants look "spindly".. You want a balanced growth..

http://lighthort.com/2017/02/14/far-red-new-red

The “best” spectrum is what produces the crop characteristics growers want for their customers in their particular growing environments.

http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2016.01144/full

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Cate

· #15 · Apr 4, 2017

I am using "grow lights" on my aquarium and can testify to the fact that it encourages growth between the internodes. My plants are looking slightly spindly. I was wondering why and now I know. Thanks.

jeffkrol

· #16 · Apr 4, 2017 (Edited)

jmeeter said:
I'm thinking of setting up a tank inside my garage to grow some plants to make money on the side and I'm wondering if a horticultural LED grow light would work? I know in the SW world they are popular in refugiums.

I was actually looking at some other bulbs and they were tested to be 150 PAR at a height of 24 inches...

Something like this:

Old style Apogee quantum sensors are not very good w/ those types of lights especially if using 660nm reds....

.
One more study.. Dandelions??
https://www.researchgate.net/public...nin_Content_of_Dandelion_Taraxacum_officinale

In our study, anthocyanin content was significantly increased in 24 ～33% with supplemental red and mixed red light treatments

In contrast, blue light increased levels of anthocyanins in tomato (Giliberto et al., 2005) and Capsicum annuum (Azad et al.,2011). More studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms of
anthocyanin production Publication: Effects of LED Light Illumination on Germination, Growth and Anthocyanin Content of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/public...nin_Content_of_Dandelion_Taraxacum_officinale [accessed Apr 3, 2017].

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AquaLady86

· #17 · Apr 11, 2017

Interesting read

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