I'm not sure but my aerogarden lights are automatic and they stay on for 14 or 15 hours a day.

Thanks wertach.

I will experiment and see what happens. I have read some articles that seemed to indicate grow lights was equivalent to sun but I'm sure that depends on several factors.

Look into LED grow lights. I started using them last spring for my seedlings, within 5 weeks they were 1.5 ft tall and the stems were huge. I didn't even bother with fans. If you get full spectrum lights you can start from seed all the way to edible tomatoes. It was by far the most tomatoes I ever got. I transplanted them outside 2 weeks early because I didn't want to transplant them again, they were 2.5 ft by then. They're a little bit spendy but take very little electricity compared to CFL lights.

I thing there is a forum in Houzz called " Growing Under Light". You might want to go there and get more opinions.

sey

Those of us that grow out seed....usually use cfl lights for the seedlings in winter. I use inexpensive shop lights...and have had great luck. Buy the bright (not soft) light bulbs. Keep lights very close proximity to plants!

Vince,

What type of LED lights do you uses ? projector type, normal light bulb shape or somthing that can be used in place of 48" T4 CFL ?

The last one is attractive to me. But it costs 6 times as much as CFL.

Electric usage wise, CFL and LED are not much different.

Sey

Thanks , Vince

Yes, the LEDs are pricey for sure. I think I will stick to my CFL system. I have 3 dual 48" with cool tubes. They have worked well last couple of years. From germination to plant out ( ~ 5-6 weeks) I grow pretty nice seedlings/ plants, 8 -12" tall and pretty stocky. This year I will start about 30. The final re potted size will be 3" pots. They should fit under 2 twin bulbs fine. Last year I had all 3 of them going, because i had more seedlings plus about 20 peppers . No more peppers this time, just tomatoes. No more begging people to take some free plants. hehe

Sey

LED's are great for supplemental lighting, especially for mature plants. They are light-weight, are very bright, long-lasting, and extremely efficient. But because I keep my heat as low as is comfortable in the winters, I like florescent tubes for seedlings. They are easy to manage, fairly efficient, yet produce just enough heat to help keep the space at a good temp.

rgreen,

I also thought that LED's are good choice if yoy want to grow something to maturity. For seedlings I find CFL's more practical.I want them stay in vegetative state and not flower. Under cool spectrum they do just that.

Sey