grape ape starting under t5-light??

[pellegringo3302]

first time grower here

i have 16 grape ape seeds that i germinated and planted in a 50/50 Pro-Mix and Ocean Forest blend.

they have been sitting 8 inches under the 4ft 6 bulb t5 for 24 hours under continuous light. about 4-6 have poked through the soil.

my question is how long can i keep them under the 24/0 cycle before they need switch to 20/4 or even 18/6?

i have also read that it is best to start at 8 inches away from container then move closer ( 6"- 4")as the leaves form..??
further then closer??

 

[Green_science]

Switch to 18/6 right away.
I would not put a light that big that close to them, I would have it more like 12 inches away.

 

[pellegringo3302]

Thank you for your reply, switched the cycle
here we go!

 

[pellegringo3302]

actually, scratch that.. the temp dropped pretty fast. i think i'm going to keep them under 24 till i figure out a better way to insulate them.

 

[canna woop!]

yes, the light use for temperature would make sense. just don't bake them. I sometimes mist the sides of the container (not the plant directly) to keep the humidity a bit up; near temperature.

or try having the 6 hours off during the day time so it is more balanced

 

[papaduc]

Keep them on 24. Nothing wrong with it. There's no set time when they need to be switched to 18/6. Some people go right through veg on a 20-24hr veg cycle.

With any fluorescent light, get it as close to the plant as possible while maintaining a good temperature at leaf level. If you blow a fan directly up and underneath, you'll find that the bulbs of most fluoro fixtures run cool to the touch.

If you can keep the leaf level temps cool with a fan, then you can lower the bulb til it's within 1-2 inches of the seedlings and watch them explode. That's where fluorescent light comes into it's own - when it's really close.

 

[pellegringo3302]

thank you papaduc, i like the idea of having the light close, i decided i'm gunna go 24 for the first two weeks, then switch them to 18. they seem to be loving the flours and the current temp