Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: steve96 on January 14, 2014, 20:40

Title: under sunbed lightslights?
Post by: steve96 on January 14, 2014, 20:40

im thinking of using an old six foot sunbed light, do you think it would be ok ? . I have many tubes from an old sunbed and was going to fix them to a fish tank light starter, the tubes are 25 watt. does this mean they are cheap to run?

Title: Re: old sunbed tubes as a alternative light
Post by: Totty on January 14, 2014, 21:29

I think it unlikely, that you will do your plants any good at all by using sunbed lights I'm afraid. Large levels of uv rays are given off by sunbed bulbs which in time will scorch young plants irreparably, the same as it would burn somebody who stayed in a sunbed for too long.
Any amounts of UV given off by normal lights, or growlights is negligible.
Plus unless you use lights that give the correct spectrums of light for either flowering, or for vegetative growth, the plants just won't benefit from it.
There are some good lights on eBay that are very reasonably priced, starting around 20 quid maybe.

Totty

Title: Re: old sunbed tubes as a alternative light
Post by: RichardA on January 14, 2014, 22:23

not only will they do little for your plants ( in my opinion) but will seriously endanger your own eyes.
R