I am looking into hydroponic gardening here shortly, as I hear nothing but great things from this method. Currently outdoors in a raised bed I am successfully growing various tomatoes and bell peppers, and in pots/planters on my deck I have rosemary, basil, cilantro. I can handle my outdoor gardening well enough, so I am not a complete newbie to soil gardening, however hydroponic gardening is something I know little to nothing about.
Here is where I need some help and I am eyeballing this (not advertising, I swear) - Emily's Hydroponic system:
[url=https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-EMSYST-Emilys-Electric-Garden/dp/B000053F9E/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=thehelpfulgar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325]https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-EMSYST-Emilys-Electric-Garden/dp/B000053F9E/[/url]
This appears to be in my price range, simple enough to operate and has good reviews everywhere I look. My first problem is this and hardly ever in any review I read do the owners say what their light source is while using this product. Whether it's natural, mixed, fluorescent, LED, etc..
So with the right hydroponic kit in mind, I then look at a lighting system, unfortunately due to how my house is situated, I will not get any direct sunlight into any of my windows nor my garage, so I am looking at using a lighting system for my hydroponic kit as the only light source. I have been looking at what appears to be the companion lighting system to the hydro kit: (again, not advertising as you will read below)
[url=https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-2-Foot-Start-Light-System/dp/B0006856EQ/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=thehelpfulgar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325]https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-2-Foot-Start-Light-System/dp/B0006856EQ/[/url]
I have read reviews on both Emily's kit and the lighting system, what I cannot discern is if people are using the Hydroponic kit with what sort of light source, or if people using that light source I linked are going hydroponic or soil. My bottom line question is this and Would I be able to grow veggies/herbs from start to finish, using the hydroponic kit and linked light and that light only? If not, are there better lighting systems I should look at, maybe better hydroponic kits (told you, not advertising)..that aren't going to cost me $100+ dollars a piece? Maybe one of those LED lighting systems I see on Amazon perhaps? the panel style ones, not the bulb (which as I understand it, is too expensive and doesn't cover much gardening area)
My ultimate goal is to convert an empty bedroom into a hydroponic gardening area, while keeping my utility bills low, and my initial investment, as low as possible too. Would the two items I linked work for me? Am I able to sacrifice buying the most expensive lighting system because I am going hydroponic and that method is more forgiving (is it?)
I am looking forward to making this purchase sometime in the next week, and I promise to post pics of my progress and to be helpful when I can.
Thanks.
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Derrick_CO
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rainbowgardener
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Those are just fluorescent shop lights. I am NOT a hydroponic gardener, so I have no idea if shop light are enough. That is what I use for starting seeds, but I have a vague idea (no experience) that you need something more high intensity if you want to grow it all the way to maturity/ fruiting, especially for fruiting things like tomatoes and peppers, as opposed to leafy things like lettuce.
IF you are going to just use shop lights, you don't need the fancy frame for it. Here's a picture of my seed starting operation, just to show you the lighting:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12209&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=seed+starting+operation&start=0
That was early in the seed starting season 2009. Somewhere there's some pictures of the 2010 incarnation that had two full tiers of lights.
IF you are going to just use shop lights, you don't need the fancy frame for it. Here's a picture of my seed starting operation, just to show you the lighting:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12209&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=seed+starting+operation&start=0
That was early in the seed starting season 2009. Somewhere there's some pictures of the 2010 incarnation that had two full tiers of lights.
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Derrick_CO
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Well I am willing to give other lights a shot, I just don't know what is best for me and my setup. I have seen some LED panels..maybe this?
[url=https://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Systems-LEDGP14-Grow-Light/dp/B001N4K2QE/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=thehelpfulgar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325]https://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Systems-LEDGP14-Grow-Light/dp/B001N4K2QE/[/url]
[url=https://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Systems-LEDGP14-Grow-Light/dp/B001N4K2QE/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=thehelpfulgar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325]https://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Systems-LEDGP14-Grow-Light/dp/B001N4K2QE/[/url]
Rainbowgardener gave you very good advice Derrick and hopefully I might be able to expand on it just a bit. I'm no expert by any means but I have been growing hydroponically for several years and learned a few things the hard way. There are other members here who have some hydro experience and hopefully they will share their knowledge.
Let's start with the Emily system. Yes, it would grow some plants for you. Is it the best value for the money, no it is not. If your a bit handy a trip through a home store can build a much better system for $84. The Emily system is a version of Deep Water Culture (DWC) where the plants root are continuously bathed in a nutrient solution. Issue here is one, the resv is only 2 gallons, secondly, you would have to remove the top portion to check the PH/PPM on a daily basis. DWC is an excellent hydro method (and there are several) but it has it's issues, primarily control of solution temp and access for solution maintenance.
Lighting is critical, cut corners here and it's a lost cause. As for the LED light your looking at, I have 4 of those mounted together on a piece of plexiglass and it looks really cool but it's worthless. I'd give them to ya but they aren't worth what the shipping would cost. My sucessful gardens have been with HID lighting and for fruit bearing plants 50watts per square foot is the general base line, herbs and leafy vegetables can do well under less.
Not meaning to be negative of your choices so far but you did ask for opinions. Good luck and I'll help in any way I can.
Hydroguy
Let's start with the Emily system. Yes, it would grow some plants for you. Is it the best value for the money, no it is not. If your a bit handy a trip through a home store can build a much better system for $84. The Emily system is a version of Deep Water Culture (DWC) where the plants root are continuously bathed in a nutrient solution. Issue here is one, the resv is only 2 gallons, secondly, you would have to remove the top portion to check the PH/PPM on a daily basis. DWC is an excellent hydro method (and there are several) but it has it's issues, primarily control of solution temp and access for solution maintenance.
Lighting is critical, cut corners here and it's a lost cause. As for the LED light your looking at, I have 4 of those mounted together on a piece of plexiglass and it looks really cool but it's worthless. I'd give them to ya but they aren't worth what the shipping would cost. My sucessful gardens have been with HID lighting and for fruit bearing plants 50watts per square foot is the general base line, herbs and leafy vegetables can do well under less.
Not meaning to be negative of your choices so far but you did ask for opinions. Good luck and I'll help in any way I can.
Hydroguy
Derrick, I was browsing through Ebay this morning and ran across a light that would work for most any decent indoor hydro garden. I am by no means saying anything about this seller but the type of light that would work for your garden. Be patient when surfing Ebay and you'll soon find some bargains and also some junk so know what your looking for:
https://cgi.ebay.com/400-watt-Sunleaves-Pulsar-Mini-MH-and-HPS-Bulbs-/280544581462?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4151c29756
Best of luck to ya,
hydroguy
https://cgi.ebay.com/400-watt-Sunleaves-Pulsar-Mini-MH-and-HPS-Bulbs-/280544581462?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4151c29756
Best of luck to ya,
hydroguy
That fixture is a T5 'high output' fluorsecent fixture. It is made for growing smaller plants. Its better (more lumens and better spectrum bulbs available) than a regular 'shop light' fixture.
That said, your fixture has no bulbs, and the T5's lose their spectral output in about 6 months. so you'd be replacing the tubes every grow season probably.
The LED systems are not proven technology yet either. Cool stuff, and cool/low power too, but not cheap or well proven.
Honestly you'll be best off with something like a 400W metal halide, if you can vent the heat from it.
Contrary to what you might read, many many plants do NOT need a high pressure sodium fixture to make plants bloom/fruit up. Peppers and tomatoes both simply work off the photo period, not the spectrum. Plus there are some cool wide-spectral-output metal halide bulbs now if you did need one.
You can get a new fixture for around $80 and bulbs start at $20.
That said, your fixture has no bulbs, and the T5's lose their spectral output in about 6 months. so you'd be replacing the tubes every grow season probably.
The LED systems are not proven technology yet either. Cool stuff, and cool/low power too, but not cheap or well proven.
Honestly you'll be best off with something like a 400W metal halide, if you can vent the heat from it.
Contrary to what you might read, many many plants do NOT need a high pressure sodium fixture to make plants bloom/fruit up. Peppers and tomatoes both simply work off the photo period, not the spectrum. Plus there are some cool wide-spectral-output metal halide bulbs now if you did need one.
You can get a new fixture for around $80 and bulbs start at $20.
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Hydrogardener
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I have a very similiar T5 lighting system. Mine is a bit bigger and with these lights you are going to want 4 ft and 6-8 bulbs in a light. This will be enough light to grow a small garden. I would suggest starting small, that is a good kit to start with. I would suggest getting a TDS pen (about 40 dollars) to be able to see how much fertilizer you have put in. I would also suggest a good rounded fertilizer to add in, you do need a hydroponic fertilizer, dutch master 1 is a good one to start with.