I'm considering investing in an indoor light for winter. Do you think this light would be sufficient for about 10 trees? http://www.specialty-lights.com/960110.html Tek Light T5 HO Fluorescent Grow Light 4ft 8 Bulb 432W From what I've researched there are certainly brighter and more efficent lighting available, but this is going to be installed in an unused bedroom indoors and I'm really paranoid about the potential fire risks associated with a "hot" lamp. In addition, I've also discovered it can be beneficial to provide the growth medium with heat as well. Any ideas on what you could use for a household environment? Laying a heat pad on the carpet doesn't really seem right to me (although I could be mistaken here depending on how hot they actually get, never seen one in person).
The heater mats are fine on carpet, they dont get that hot, but it is more efficiant to put them on something so the carpet doesnt absorb the heat, the best thing is a piece of insulation foam, i use dow blue chemicals foam, the foam stops the heat leaking downward and less heat is needed to warm the pots, ones with a thermostat will only run a very short time every now and then once the pots are warm The lamps, that btype may work, i have never tried them, but i have used CFL 250W and 400W flourescent lamps, neither have been very good one was needed for each plant as they only produced the light intensity close up to the bulb, CFL `compact flourescent tube` type are ok if you have a small area to light, you can get the correct light spectrum to grow as they are made for growing things unlike normal house flourescent tubes that some people use for small areas there are also led panels, these produce no heat and are very low cost to run but produce very little light area, again one for each plant is needed the best type is one of the ones that get hot, the hetal halide or a wide spectrum sodium lamp, they give better results and warm the room reducing any need for heating, they are not a real fire hazard or anything, mine used to be standing on the carpet, leaning on cardboard boxes and never even came close to burning anything , the bulb gets very hot (like most bulbs), the reflector just gets slightly warm for 10 trees,i wouldnt bother with flourescent they generaly need to be very close to do anything, with one metal halide lamp it will light the whole lot , even from the other side of the room
