full spectrum CFL?

adfjk89 · Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:06 pm

Will these be as good as sunlight? I have a majesty palm and a ponytail palm bonsai....my room is in the basement so I have to move the plants every day to get any sunlight through the small east facing windows..I got a 27W full spectrum from home depot ..it was the only full spectrum they had and it says its the 100w equivalent to the old bulbs thanks

kdodds · Tue Sep 20, 2011 8:23 am

A single 27W CF bulb will not support a larger palm. Possibly, if the tree is only inches from the lamp, it might survive, but it won't thrive. For long term keeping in a basement, you'll probably want to eventually go with T5HO. MH and HPS lamps will work too, but produce far too much heat. HTH.

adfjk89 · Tue Sep 20, 2011 12:44 pm

well I wouldnt be able to use something that size in my room although its probably my best bet...the other bulbs I found are here [url=https://www.amazon.com/Full-Spectrum-Light-Bulb-daylight/dp/B0019HZQPM/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=thehelpfulgar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325]https://www.amazon.com/Full-Spectrum-Light-Bulb-daylight/dp/B0019HZQPM/[/url] ...they are full spectrum 85W which they say is equivalent to 300w

adfjk89 · Tue Sep 20, 2011 5:22 pm

do you think that with the 85w they would do ok? I have another room I can keep them in that already has the long tube fixture on the ceiling that I can put t5 bulbs in but I wanted to have the plants in my room if possible without setting up some lighting system in it? thanks

kdodds · Tue Sep 20, 2011 9:43 pm

You get a lot of scatter from those spiral bulbs, which means a lot of lost light. A single 85W CF spiral is probably about the equivalent of a 12" T5 (not HO). The 85W (if it's true 85 and not "85W equivalent") will probably be pretty okay for each tree individually. I'd suggest a minimum of a 14 hour photoperiod, though, no more than a foot from the tree tops.

adfjk89 · Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:48 am

ok thanks and what exactly do you mean by a minimum photoperiod of 14 hours? that means that I should have light on it the other 10 hours of the day?

kdodds · Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:26 am

No, the light should be on for 14 hours, off for 10. It's not science though, 12 hours might be okay, or 16 might be necessary. 14 is a good starting point.