Quote:
Originally Posted by ivanaz
I've searched the forum but couldn't find anything on using LEDs as grow lights. They have come down in price so I am considering adding them to my current modest setup of 2 ft fluorescent tubes (instead of just adding more tubes). I've looked at red and blue 3528 and 5050 LED strips. Does anyone have any experience with LEDs? Any thoughts on LED vs fluorescent? I only plan to use the lights for the first 2.5 months, until I can get the plants outside.
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I would suggest going for additional tubes or adding a few fixtures with CFLs in them. For one LEDs are still expensive for the amount of light required for good growth of seedlings (at least 800-1000 lumens, most that are cheaper are in the range of 600 lumens), and two they typically have a fairly tight light spectrum. They are much less of a full spectrum light source (unless you have multiple rated at different nm ranges and they are close is proximity) than daylight fluorescents.
A four foot 2 lamp fluorescent fixture from HD or Lowe's is $12-13 and two 6500K daylight bulbs are about $5-8. Conversely, one can buy 3 26 Watt CFL daylight bulbs for $10-15 with some really cheap sockets and get almost the same results for less total outlay but have to do some DIY wiring and the such. If you attempt the 2nd option be sure to keep things safe and out of any source of water.
LEDs show some promise for the future but currently for the lumen rating and spectrum requirements of multiple diodes they are much less economical than fluorescents. Especially for the use of seedling starting a few months out of the year. Continuous indoor growing might be another thing entirely.
M2C
Colin