Project complete...finally

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Project complete...finally

Thanks Phillip.

The 2nd set of photos makes all the difference. Guess I posted right as your were adding more.

Would you mind sharing how that type of business works? I don't mean to pry, I have always wondered how the profit versus time works out for selling crops. Do you sell to grocery stores or restauraunts? If you have a link to a site which covers all of this, I would appreciate it. It sounds like a much more stable career. I'm always looking to get out of web development (IT in general) and back to my roots (raised on an angus farm). It's just tough to find a different career which pays as well and has any kind of security (not like IT has any security at all).

Thanks,
Lowkee

That's going to take a while, and as I am up to my butt in crocs at the moment, I have to remember I have a swamp to drain.
So I will get back to you when I have some free time if that's not rude of me.
Cheers
Phillip

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Project complete...finally

Nice growhouse Kiwi..

All natural sunlight or any high spectrum HID lighting?

Now you have raised a topic I am very interest to learn about.
I just use natural lighting.
Get 12hrs a day in summer, but can get cloud sometimes.
In winter 10hrs at least with no cloud.
I am not the smartest Roo in the paddock, and from all the reading I have done on artificial lighting so far has utterly confused me.
If you or others have an understanding of it in relation to growing plants,, please let me know, and I will pick your brains.
Cheers
Phillip

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Project complete...finally

Hey Kiwi, I'm not the brightest bulb in the box myself, but I am the Souteast Regional Sales Manager for the 4th largest lighting manufacturer in the world..
What I know is that of course natural sunlight is absolutley the best. With the amount of sunlight you have down under (10 hrs in winter) maybe the expense of adding HID lamps would just cut into your profits. I do not know what the KW/PH rate is for you..

If plants could "see" light, the would see each color of the light spectrum individually, Red, Blue, Green & yellow.
Each color has a different level of NW (Nano Wave) and each color has a different effect on the plants.
In order of NW levels..

Blue (350 to 500 NW) = increased chlorphyll activity, stomata movement and the plant will grow towards this source.

Green AND yellow (500 - 650NW)= Doesnt do a dang thing..

Red (600 - 700 NW) = produces chloroplast


Since obviously Blue and Red are the only colors that work, many companies (such as mine) make a dual burner lamp that has a High Pressure Sodium burner as well as a HID burner in the same bulb, that enables you to switch (via the ballast) between Blue during infancy and then Red after.

There are also flourescent lamps that can achieve spectrums close to the HID lamps, but you would need so many that it becomes more feasible to run the HID.

Again, I'm no expert, I know enough to be dangerous on this subject. But IMHO, you have plenty of natural sunlight. HID systems are often used for turning dark warehouses into greenhouses..