Shelves and lights for seedlings - how would you do it?

[oakley]

Click on this link for google image,

https://www.google.com/search?q=seed...w=1280&bih=735

[throwaway]

Right so take this one:

https://www.google.com/search?q=seed...wd1EowriMmz9M:

Putting 4 1020 trays side by side per shelf rather than 2 lengthwise per shelf looks/sounds phenomenal for density - one shelving unit should get 72-96 plants from seed to plant out. But is a single two-bulb shop light still enough to cover the whole shelf? Or would you have to somehow mount two fixtures per shelf? Or just rotate the tomato plants so they receive similar lighting over time?

[dmforcier]

Originally Posted by throwaway

But is a single two-bulb shop light still enough to cover the whole shelf?

IMO, no. Four tubes, no matter how many fixtures it takes to mount them.

[Worth1]

Depends on if you can build things and do electrical work.

[KarenO]

If it is an option for you, take advantage of maximum natural light also . I place my light stand (Costco steel wire 5 shelf unit with 48” plug in shop lights hung with light chain and s hooks to adjust ) in front if a large south facing window and supplement that natural light with flourecent 16 hours per day.
Way, way way more lumens of light for your seedlings than a basement set up of artificial lights alone
KarenO

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by throwaway

Ah, so the lights are oriented in the same direction as the trays?

The lights are oriented the same way as the shelves, and the trays are oriented the opposite way. If I orient the trays the same way, only two will fit on each shelf end to end. Putting them front to back gets me room for four, but any plants on the end that hangs off the shelf won't be under the lights. That's why I leave then end pots empty.

[Father'sDaughter]

This is closest to my set up. Two light fixtures per shelf and kept down nice and low over the seedlings. And, of course, with the trays turned the other way.

[KarenO]

Mine is much like that but in front of a big south window. I find that it Makes a significant difference. Once the rack fills up and I need more space, I place my trays the other way too. I think it is important to turn the trays every day, that helps even the light because the ones closest to the window get a lot more light.
KarenO

[ddsack]

I have had this set up for many years. I wired together two cheap metal shelving units back to back so that the foot print would have more stability and I could have access to both sides.


I adjust the light height both by hooks and chains, and by blocks of wood (or books!) under the trays.



The lower lights are held up by metal rods going through the existing holes in the shelf supports.


The top shelf lights are suspended from boards laid across the top of the unit.


Due to the back middle bracings, some trays can not pass through the middle, so I let them overhang and fill them only to where the lights hit, keeping the weight off the ends.



There are four possible lights per level, but I only use what I need at the time.

[oakley]

I have 4 shelves, each just have a 'two banger' 4 ft light. Just the two bulbs
and works fine.

2 are the LED's from Costco. (I do have two still in the box and
had planned to add but never got around to it last year as all
plants were doing so well.)

I'm also just about fully switched to 1010 trays. 1020's are being
used for hardening off, doubled up for strength. Just too unwieldy
and hard to clean. Hard to shift around. 1010's I can spin, fit in the
slop sink, and start a full 36 cell of similar seed like dwarf or micro
hunting. Seed with similar growth height.

I'm helping a couple co-workers get set up for 2018 but a shame they
are hard to find...the 1010's with 36cell inserts. Burpee has them on Amazon
but stupid expensive.
They also want to try micro greens since they will
have the light set-up anyway. One light, two bulbs, 4 1010 trays. All seeds
will come from me as I have everything ten fold. Well under a 100 each,
more like 65-70 by
splitting the cost of the trays, packs of ten. A 5th extra tray to start another
micro green tray that needs darkness anyway, stacked under one of the four,
for the first few days of germination.

This was just a germination test I did last month under a single two bulb
light bank. In a 1010, 10x10 inch 36 cell tray. I did end up potting up 6
micros for winter growing but barely looked after these remaining...
destined for the compost heap. Sure four bulbs is best but not necessary.

[dmforcier]

Originally Posted by throwaway

When you say 2 lights per shelves, do you mean 2 fixtures or 2 bulbs?

Originally Posted by dmforcier

IMO, no. Four tubes, no matter how many fixtures it takes to mount them.

Let me amend that to include natural light. My first setup used two T12 tubes in a shop light fixture essentially without a reflector. It was set in front of a south-facing glass door. Mostly indirect light with maybe an hour of sun some days. They did just fine though a little leggy. There was enough natural light that the transplants could sit on unlighted shelves and do okay. (By that time they could live outdoors during a few days a week so got direct light too.)

(One reason I still like T12s is that they run cool enough that you can set the seedlings grow up around them. Don't try that with T8s. But I do use T8s now to fit four tubes in the shelving unit.)

[Worth1]

Here is a rehash on the T sizes and what they mean.
The number is 8ths of an inch in diameter.
So T 12 is 12 8ths or 1 1/4 inch in diameter.
T 8 is 8/8ths or 1 inch.
T 5 is 5/8ths inch.
There is no reason to cram the lights as close to the plant with the smaller lights anyway because they put out more light/watts/energy per square foot.
If I weren't using CFL lights I would use T5 lights probably making my own fixtures.
Worth

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

This is closest to my set up. Two light fixtures per shelf and kept down nice and low over the seedlings. And, of course, with the trays turned the other way.

These are exactly the type of shelves I suggested earlier in the thread.
In my opinion they cant be beat for this application.

As far as shock from electricity is concerned there is no danger of it if proper grounding/bonding is practiced and using GFCI outlets or cords.
That green wire is there for a reason use it and run one from it to the frame work if a person wants to.
I would.


Worth

[oakley]

I agree it is most excellent. But our OP mentioned $$$ and $$.
Not sure what the budget allows but 200$? plus trays and soil?

I live in a hobbit home and don't have room for it, so I make do
with much less and still produce what I need. Year round micro
greens,...last winter 3 dozen micro tomato plants, 3 dwarfs...
many micro sunflowers. 150+ tomato starts and all the other
misc, 36 cell 1010 tray of peppers....

Just being helpful and positive and encouraging....

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by oakley

I agree it is most excellent. But our OP mentioned $$$ and $$.
Not sure what the budget allows but 200$? plus trays and soil?

I live in a hobbit home and don't have room for it, so I make do
with much less and still produce what I need. Year round micro
greens,...last winter 3 dozen micro tomato plants, 3 dwarfs...
many micro sunflowers. 150+ tomato starts and all the other
misc, 36 cell 1010 tray of peppers....

Just being helpful and positive and encouraging....

No doubt.
One thing I do is look at the total cost of anything before I start any project.
Cant help it due to my experience in construction.
Throughout the years I have collected and still do so much stuff I can build almost anything for almost free.
You could start a small hardware store and lumber yard with what goes in the trash at a big construction site.
If I had to buy and build it the cost would be over what it would if I would have just bought the chrome shelves.
And no it doesn't bother me one bit to have this stuff stashed around the place.
Then there is the matter of tooling including saws drills and so forth.
If you have them then all is well.
I have seen simple projects go over the top in price due to folks needing to go out and get everything they need to make what would be almost nothing to me.
Due to the amount of tooling I have.
I call this the one thousand dollar dog house phenomenon.
Next is the ability to use the tools and how to use them.
The original thread starter didn't mention anything but cinder blocks and plywood shelves.
Both can be bought without tools.
Without a good table saw it is a pain in the tail to cut big sheets of plywood accurately, trust me I have had to do it and still do at times.
Even PVC projects can add up in cost real fast.

Worth