Hi. This is new to me,so please go easy on me. I have several AeroGrow gardens,and have had great success growing most anything I plant in my gardens. I have 3 'Classic 7 pod' gardens, thats the big ones,in the AeroGrow world.

Ok...I have a small collection of African Violets that I would like to try to grow under the lights from one of my AeroGrow Gardens. I need the room and light to grow more. The lightbulbs say they are 1560 Lumens and 26 Watts PER bulb, at least I think it is PER bulb,it uses 2 bulbs in the garden, and it is VERY bright!

They are a 'compact fluorescent' type, with reflectors behind them, and running water under the growtray top, that I could place 6-8 min or semi mini violets, or a few big AV's on, and they would get humidity from the water, and light from the bulbs.

BUT my problem is I dont know if this is a lot of light? To much light? Not enough light?

They are adjustable,from about 4ins away from the violets crowns, to about a foot away. I could use 1 bulb, if 2 is to strong. But I dont know if 1560 Lumens is a lot? Or if 26 Watts is a lot? Per bulb. I know that together, I get great huge flowering petunia gardens year round, or mini tomato plants year round.

Does anyone know if these bulbs are to bright, or not bright enough, or what? I had a few violets sitting by the side of 1 garden for a few weeks, and they grew and bloomed! They had not bloomed in years. So they must be great lightbulbs. But these were on the side, and there was a full garden of petunias absorbing a lot of the light, I am sure. And these AV's still grew and bloomed. I tried to put some directly under the lights, and they burned in less than 3 days and died. I cant loose anymore. So..I figured that I should find out if 1560 Lumens is a lot? And if 2 bulbs, that strong, is to much for violets? About how far should I put the lights away from the plants? I can remove 1 bulb,and make it darker. But I have not tried any more violets, since I lost the last 2.

So..anyone? Has anyone any idea how strong these lights are? Is 1560 Lumens a lot? Is 26 Watts per bulb a lot? It sounds like very little. BUT it grows tomatos, and they are light hogs! And they grow other flowers/herbs/veggies,the gardens work great..but I think it would be a great way to grow some violets. I know violets grow so great under lights. But are these lights to much if I use them directly? Or not enough, or what???

Help!!! Please.