Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

Discussion forum for the various methods and structures used for getting an early start on your growing season, extending it for several weeks or even year 'round.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old May 15, 2014   #1
HydroExplorer
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 132
Default Has anyone tried light tubes for gardening?

I'm trying to work out a way I could use light tubes to grow stuff indoors with natural light. I was just wondering if anyone has tried it, what they did and what the results were.
HydroExplorer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 15, 2014   #2
rags57078
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 278
Default

can you post a pic of the light tubes ?
rags57078 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 16, 2014   #3
HydroExplorer
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 132
Default

I didn't build them. I'm trying to find someone with a working design so I can copy it.

Light tubes used in homes are usually round tubes made from highly reflective aluminum. It's literally a tube that goes up through the roof and terminates in the ceiling (similar to a skylight)

I was thinking of coming up with a way to build my own using mylar to line plastic drain pipes or something along those lines to direct light from outside into my basement. So I could have my main feed tube that goes right into the basement and have other tubes directing light from several different locations into my main feed tube. It's currently just an idea but I want to actually build this.
HydroExplorer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 12, 2014   #4
dutchbucketsby
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Arlington,Tx
Posts: 8
Default

I think you would have to supplement with additional light. They really brighten up a dark room, but it is still just a small window. You could check with a light meter.

Kirklee
dutchbucketsby is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 13, 2014   #5
lefolly
Tomatovillian™
 
lefolly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Washington, Z8b
Posts: 25
Default

Checking out some of the THC enthusiasts sites what gets recommended are these solar grow lights but boy are they pricey. They claim 16500 lumens, which is about a 150w HPS bulb.
lefolly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 18, 2014   #6
dutchbucketsby
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Arlington,Tx
Posts: 8
Default

My neighbor has 3 light tubes. He said that he will use my light meter to document lumens inside and out side at close to the same time and height.

19 years ago I grew tomatoes in a Mylar lined closet with eight old style fluorescent bulbs hanging vertically. The medium sized fruit tasted like home grown even though it was winter.

I believe a light tube would have made them even better.

I think that was about the time that hydroponics started to kick in. I registered a website called " Closet Grower " to sell Mylar. At the time it was priced like gold and was very hard to find. Dang I was on the first wave, Internet website, cutting edge product, hip web name that would attract a cross section of computer nerds.

If only Google had been in place, someone might have bought some of the web names I bought.

My foray into this new tech didn't help me become rich and famous, but the $1200 I spent for my 1st used computer (ALL PROGRAMS WERE ON FLOPPY DISC AND GAMES WERE INCLUDED) in 1991 WAS THE BEST MONEY I EVER SPENT ! My wonderful partner learned so much that she has become quite an expert.

I'm glad she loves me !

When I get the readings I will post them.
dutchbucketsby is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 19, 2014   #7
dpurdy
Tomatovillian™
 
dpurdy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Norwich, New York
Posts: 255
Default

HydroExplorer,
Check out solatube on the web. They have a lot of info on their pages.
dpurdy
dpurdy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:50 AM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★