LED Strip Lights/Kelvin for seed starting

11 years ago

Hello, so I am fairly new to indoor growing and have decided to get some lights for the sole purpose of seed starting in the spring. I have some shelfs that I would like to uses that are about 12 inches high. I would like to do LED strip lights on the bottom of the above shelf but the highest Kelvin I can find is 3,000. What I have read is that you need a minimum of 5,000K. Is this true even for seed starting? I do not want to do incandescent because it would take up too much room and use too much electricity. I also do not want to do the purple LED grow lights due to the high cost and I do not want that look. I really like the idea of just being able to stick the strips on and plug them in. Do you guys have any other ideas? Here is what I am looking at:

https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/65253/FLX-5050WW1201.html

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Comments (3)

smatthew_gw
11 years ago
If you look harder that website has a cool white version with a kelvin of 4200K
SouthCountryGuy Zone 4b-5 SE BC
11 years ago
IMHO, in very general terms, for seed starting the temperature of the bulb isn't as important as when growing the plants to maturity. What is more important is the quantity of the light. With the lights you provided the link for you would need about 80-100 of them to provide enough light for an area large enough for two flats 12" X 48". Without enough light you're going to grow leggy, weak plants.

The cheapest way to light an area described above is to use fluorescent T8 shop lights.

Good luck

SCG
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GreggGJG
11 years ago
I have used 4000k 250 watt - 21,000 initial lumens metal halide lights for years and have had great results starting onions, peppers, tomatoes and numerous flower seedlings. The first year I used these lights the peppers and tomatoes bloomed and the peppers even started to produce peppers. I use 2 grow light fixtures that cover a 24" x 48" grow area each. I start about 200 seedlings a year..
I learned to start the seedlings later because I didn't want 18" tomato plants and blooming peppers in my basement. I'd prefer to let that happen in the garden.
When I first started growing seedlings there wasn't the huge selection of grow lights that are available today. But I've stuck with the MH because they work for me, and because a single 250 watt bulb will cover a 24" x 48" area with light to spare. I pay $ 15.00 for the bulb and I get 15,000 hrs +. That's about 3+ years. I keep the lights about 24" from the top of the plants.
I would have to use at least 8 luorescent T8 shop lights to cover the same square footage as 2 metal halide. If each florescent T8 bulb consumes 40 watts then I am consuming a total of 320 watts. With MH lights I am consuming 500 watts.
Another very important added benefit is MH lights produce heat. When the lights are on I am able to maintain temperature of 70 degrees to 75 degrees. When the lights are off temperature stays between 60 degrees to 65 degrees.
I have heard that the higher Kelvin ( up to 6500 K ) is best for starting plants. But I agree with SCG that brightness is very important and perhaps more important than very high Kelvin temps.
I can't see spending $80.00 on a 6500K bulb. I may as well buy the veggies at the supermarket.
Gregg