Suspending Lights?

So after a good learning experience with my first seed... I am looking of ways to make sure my lights don't overheat my plants, and also a good way to suspend them (so that they can be raised as the plants grow).

I am trying to be creative by sketching whatever comes to mind then thinking of how to apply it... but the best I can think of is some sort of sawhorse looking thing where the legs can be adjusted (start further away so light is lower, then push the legs closer so that the light rises).

Anyone have some good ideas? I have 6-8 seed germinating right now and I am looking to put them into rockwool cubes inside a humidity dome tray (I am not planning on keeping the dome on it as I have heard that you want to keep humidity around 50% and no higher or else it will promote fungues growth, correct me if I am wrong here :/)

Also I plan to use (2) 23 watt 6500k CFLs and place the seeds in two rows of 3, and placing the bulbs in between like this:


seed.........seed.........seed
........bulb.........bulb........
seed.........seed.........seed


Is this adequate lighting for the first couple weeks before transplanting? After I transplant to a DWC system in which I will probably use 5gal buckets for each plant... I am trying to still figure out if I am going to grow all the seeds that germinate or just pick 3 of the best and go from there (I'm still pretty inexperienced so I don't know if I will be able to handle 6-8 plants in my apartment with limited space...)


Thanks

Are you in a room or a tent? Room you can put 2 eye hooks into studs, hang small pulleys and make yourself a simple piece of wood or something to mount both lights onto one piece that you could raise and lower at will. Just make your rope long enough to run to the side wall, and put a cleat (like to tie off ropes on boats).
Simple, quick, and probably les than 20 bucks for the supplies.

I would use more lights. One for each plant plus 3 or more around the plants

I hang my lights from lag hooks screwed into ceiling joists and screwed in well. I then use dog chain to hang them. Easy to lower or raise by a few links. Secure as hell. Learned after a 4.6 quake knocked one loose and it took my two best plants out (of course) and badly damaged 2 others. Tying wood and lights and other Rube Goldberg claptraps? Lag hooks. Pilot drill the holes the width of the shank of the lag screw so you are only cutting threads for, well, threads. And better to drill your pilot too small and use a crescent wrench to twist that bitch in there, mister.

Awesome, I am going to end up making some sort of pulley system I'm pretty sure...

So as for seedlings... (they are still germing right now) when I put the seed into the rockwool tap root down, do they need light? And do they really need one 23w CFL light per plant? They're so damn small and they will be close together.. I figured they would need a bulb each once they got around 6 inches, but not as seedlings.

I also had an issue with high temps last time I had too many bulbs... although the weather in SD is cooling down a bit.

Not sure if you are dead set on the do-it-yourselfer approach, but I got these to raise and lower lights from a local grow store. Super quick and easy... Not expensive:

http://htgsupply.com/Product-Pair-of-Rope-Ratchets-75-lb-max.asp

Looks like they are $13 and some change at the store that link goes to... hope this helps.

You can get the rope ratchets a little cheaper on Ebay. Don't get spring loaded "yo-yo's". They retract with force and can do damage. I had one hit the ceiling and nick the sheet rock. Rope ratchets are stronger, get the 1/8 cord size.

YouHighBro said:

...as I have heard that you want to keep humidity around 50% and no higher or else it will promote fungues growth, correct me if I am wrong here...

Click to expand...

50% is about right during the flowering stage... but 60% for veg

timbo123 said:

50% is about right during the flowering stage... but 60% for veg

Click to expand...

How can I control humidity if I am keeping them in my apartment bedroom? I could keep them in my closet but I am afraid of over heating this new batch of seedlings like I did with my first... SD is still pretty warm right now and I don't have an AC :/ just a typical room fan...

Right now I have my rockwool sitting in 5.5 pH water for another 5 hours or so then putting the seeds in the rockwool tap root downward then putting them in a one of those germination boxes with the lid since it keeps moisture in... also do I need light for when they are still seeds or wait until the sprout emerges?

i use bycycle hoists i got at a sporting goods store. they are heavy duty and those ones from the hydro stores look so weak.

YouHighBro said:

How can I control humidity if I am keeping them in my apartment bedroom? I could keep them in my closet but I am afraid of over heating this new batch of seedlings like I did with my first... SD is still pretty warm right now and I don't have an AC :/ just a typical room fan...

Right now I have my rockwool sitting in 5.5 pH water for another 5 hours or so then putting the seeds in the rockwool tap root downward then putting them in a one of those germination boxes with the lid since it keeps moisture in... also do I need light for when they are still seeds or wait until the sprout emerges?

Click to expand...

Well... i found that results aren't too good without exhausting the heat from the grow room and circulating fresh, cooler air in. Your results may vary.

As for humidity... you can raise it by hanging damp towels in the area... (I use a little bleach in the water because I fear mold) or a bucket of water sitting in the closet with them. You can get a dehumidifier to lower humidity if that is what's needed.

Yes... you need to have light shining down on those seeds that haven't popped out of the soil yet.

You are going to get best results in a grow space where you can control the environmental factors such as light, heat, air flow and humidity,

superstoner1 said:

i use bycycle hoists i got at a sporting goods store. they are heavy duty and those ones from the hydro stores look so weak.

Click to expand...

The rope ratchets hold 75 lbs each. Two on a light is 150 lbs. The yo-yo's are a lot less, maybe 15 lbs?

timbo123 said:

Well... i found that results aren't too good without exhausting the heat from the grow room and circulating fresh, cooler air in. Your results may vary.

As for humidity... you can raise it by hanging damp towels in the area... (I use a little bleach in the water because I fear mold) or a bucket of water sitting in the closet with them. You can get a dehumidifier to lower humidity if that is what's needed.

Yes... you need to have light shining down on those seeds that haven't popped out of the soil yet.

You are going to get best results in a grow space where you can control the environmental factors such as light, heat, air flow and humidity,

Click to expand...

So should I get a fan and position it in my window to recirculate air out of the "grow room" which is my apartment room. I won't be putting them in the closet... unless I can think of a cheap easy way to sustain that without buying a ton of equipment...

What's a good way to make sure my closet doesnt over heat if the door will be closed?