I need help im trying to figure out what cheap light bulbs grow plants?
i have one of those swirlly light bulbs that are supposed too save energy will this work it says
Helical 13W
120VAC 60hz 180mA
FLE 13HT3/2/SW
FC
Will this work pls help i nead cheap cheap and somthing i can buy at a store a Normal store not like wallmart or the mall a small hardware store
Florescent lights have been used for growing plants probably since their inception. I remember my aunt growing African violets beneath 4 foot tubes in the 50s. Florescent tubes are used to illuminate aquariums as well. The sizes of long florescent bulbs are listed as T12, T8, and T5. The T stands for tubular and the number for eighths of an inch; T12 = 1 & 1/2 inch, T5 = 5/8 inch. CFL florescent correspond to approximately T4 in size. The smaller the diameter of the tube the hotter the lamp is. T12s are so cool they can be in direct contact with a plant without burning it. T8s are still fairly cool, but T5s will scorch any leaves that touch them. CFLs should not be allowed to touch the plant; danger of combustion is low, but not impossible. However, plants can be much closer to CFL bulbs than to incandescent bulbs.
You can buy a basic strip light fixture used in bathrooms for under $20. These were made to hold the globe bulbs without shades, but they hold any standard base bulb including CFLs. The fixture can be mounted so the bulbs orient to the plants horizontally, or vertically. Supposedly more light is directed out the end of CFLs than from the sides, but I cannot confirm this.
One other thing you might consider is "color temperature" which has nothing to do with actual temperature. Plants tend to use specific wave lengths of light for particular types of growth. Blue light is said to promote leaf growth, and red light to promote flowering. The higher Kelvin or K number the bluer the light. This number is often, but not always printed on the base of the bulb. A full spectrum, or daylight bulb, as well as soft-white all produce a warmer color light. Below are links to an article on CFLs, and to a picture of a strip light fixture.
A look at what is currently available on eBay
Items recently purchased from this site
10 x 125w CFL Bulb Blue 6400k Grow Lamp SAD Light E27, NEW LumiGrow ES330 Grow Light 660nm Deep Red LED 350w BULB, 1000 Digital Grow Light Package 4 Ballast Bulb Hood LOT, Plasma Grow Light Plasms Light Bulb - 300 watts!, T5 HO Fluorescent Grow Light 48" 4 lamps 6500K Veg Bulbs Sun Hydroponics 216W , T5 HO Fluorescent Grow Light 48" 4 lamps 6500K Veg Bulbs Sun Hydroponics 216W, 4 NEW PCS Hydrofarm Lumatek 1000w 240v HPS/MH Dimmable E-Ballast Grow Light Bulb, Hortilux BLUE 250W Watt Metal Halide Grow Light Bulb - 6 Pack, NEW Lumigrow ES165 LED Grow Light 660nm Deep Red LED 165w BULB, T5 Fluorescent 16 Light Quantum Bad Boy Grow Lamp Fixture T-5 with BULBS!!!, QTY: 6 NEW 1000w HPS EYE HORTILUX BULBS Grow Light 1000 Watt BALLAST GROW LIGHT , 1000 watt DIMMABLE DIGITAL GROW LIGHT KIT 1000w HPS w BALLAST BULB HOOD Sodium , 1000 watt DIGITAL GROW LIGHT Kit 1000w HPS w BALLAST BULB HOOD Sodium Halide MH, Quantum T5 Bad Boy 12 Lamp Fixture Grow Light T-5 Fluorescent BadBoy with BULBS!, High Pressure Sodium HPS,600W Grow light bulb (Qty 12), UltraGrow 1000W HPS Grow Light Setup Kit Package /Hood+Ballast+Bulb 6" 8" Large , Grow Lights Advanced LED 180 W Extreme Flower- 3w bulb 11 wavelength , 6 HYDROFARM 200W GROW LIGHT REPLACEMENT BULBS FLC200D, 1000W Economy MH Grow Light Sys (w/ Hortilux Blue Bulb), NEW 48" 4Ft 8 TUBE T5 FLUORESCENT GROW LIGHT 6500K BULB, Quantum 1000w Ballast Plantmax HPS Bulb Grow Light A/C, Earth Worth 600 Watt Gorilla Grower Grow Light Kit High Pressure Sodium Bulb, LOT OF 6 - 1000w SunMaster HPS Grow Lamp Bulb Light, UltraGrow 400W HPS Grow Light Setup Kit Package / Hood+Ballast+Bulb 6" 8" Large , UltraGrow 600W HPS Grow Light Setup Kit Package / Hood+Ballast+Bulb 6" 8" Large , 1000w watt Grow Light Package BEST Ballast+ Bulb+ Hood, 600 watt Grow Light Package - Ballast Bulb & Hood L@@K, 600w watt Grow Light Package BEST Ballast+ Bulb+ Hood, 600 watt DIMMABLE DIGITAL GROW LIGHT KIT 600w HPS w BALLAST BULBS HOOD MH sodium, New 1000w Grow Light Kit w/, XXXL 8"Air Cooled Reflector, HPS Bulb Hanger, 6 pc SUNMASTER 1000w HPS bulbs CASE Grow Light Sodium Lamps 1000 watt 1,000 w , Reef Light 3w LED Aquarium Coral Grow Lighting Atinic Blue Moon and Bright White, Kessil H350 Magenta 350w LED Grow Light Bulb Lamp - flower hydroponics h 350, 12ea HYDROFARM 125W GROW LIGHT REPLACEMENT BULB FLC125D, 600 watt DIGITAL GROW LIGHT 600w HPS BALLAST SODIUM BULB w HOOD AIR COOL KIT MH, New 1000w Grow Light Kit w/, XXXL 6"Air Cooled Reflector, HPS Bulb Hanger, 400 watt DIMMABLE DIGITAL GROW LIGHT KIT 400w HPS w BALLAST BULB HOOD Sodium 600, 1,000 watt DIGITAL BALLAST & BULB Combo Kit GROW LIGHT HPS MH Lamps 1000w w UL , Galaxy Master Blaster 1500w Watt Ballast + Bulb - Hydroponics Garden Grow Light, iPower 1000W HPS Grow Light Setup Kit Package /Hood+Digital Ballast+Bulb 6" 8" , (4) 1000 WATT Grow Lights USHIO HILUX GRO HPS Bulbs, Advanced Nutrients Baddass Grow Light Bulb Electronic Ballast 1000W 8100-BE-1000, New 1000w Grow Light Kit w/, LRG 8"Air Cooled Reflector, HPS Bulb Hanger, 1000 Watt HPS/MH Air Cooled Hood/Cool Tube/Wing Reflector 1000W Grow Light Kit, Ballast & BULB Quantum 1000w Dimmable Digital Grow Light Ballast Hortilux , 400 watt DIGITAL GROW LIGHT Kit 400w HPS w BALLAST BULB HOOD Sodium Halide MH , TWO -T5 GROW LIGHTS COMPLETE w (37) T5HO BULBS 6 lamp 24" Fluorescent Veg Bloom , LOT OF 6 - 600w SunMaster HPS Grow Lamp Bulb Light, New 1000w Grow Light Kit w/, LRG 6"Air Cooled Reflector, HPS Bulb Hanger, SUNMASTER 600 WATT HPS Case 6 Grow Lamp Bulbs w 600w SODIUM SUPER light hortilux, Quantum T5 Fluorescent Grow 8 Light Fixture WITH BULBS, X12 LU1000W 1000 W HYDROPONIC GROW LIGHT BULB SUPER HPS, 25 HPS GROW LIGHT BULBS SON-T SODIUM 400w 400 WATT LAMP,