Hydroponics Unlimited Blog » Hydroponics

Feliz Blue Fluorescent Grow Lamps and Feliz Red Fluorescent Grow Lamps

hydroponicsunlimited — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:53:20 +0000

We just added two new items to the online inventory, Feliz Blue and Red Fluorescent Lamps.

Feliz Blue Fluorescent Grow Lamps:

Ideal for use with our Sun System 8 and Bright Wing® fixtures. (300Watt does not fit Bright Wing and is not ETL listed)
Proven success in high humidity.
Designed for horticulture.
Full Spectrum.
Fits standard mogul base socket.
Cool spectrum for vegetative growing.
6 month warranty.

Feliz Red Fluorescent Grow Lamps:

Ideal for use with our Garden Bright and Bright Wing fixtures. (300Watt does not fit Bright Wing and is not ETL listed)Proven success in high humidity.
Designed for horticulture.
Compatible with digital timers.
Warm spectrum for flower production.
Fits standard mogul base socket.
6 month warranty.

New Product: Bio Bizz

hydroponicsunlimited — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:46:58 +0000

We’ve just added four new products from Bio Bizz! Bio Bizz TopMax, Bio Bizz Alg-A-Mic, Bio Bizz Bio-Grow and Bio Bizz Bio-Bloom.

Bio Bizz TopMaxx - BioBizz TopMax fuels prolific blooming while enhancing the flavor of herbs and vegetables in any garden. TopMax is perfectly suited for soil but can be used in other growing media as well. All BioBizz products are certified organic by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).

Bio Bizz Alg-A-Mic – Listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), this all-natural energy booster contains concentrated seaweed, trace elements and hormones of vegetable origin, amino acids, and vitamins. Alg-A-Mic can be used as a soil drench or as a foliar feed.

Bio Bizz Bio-Grow - BioBizz Bio-Grow (8-2-6) liquid fertilizer is ideal for promoting lush growth during the vegetative cycle, particularly in soil gardens. Bio-Grow can also be used as a plant tonic during the flowering stage. The natural sugars in Bio-Grow benefit bacteria in the soil while the additional micronutrients and vitamins boost overall plant health. Certified organic by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).

Bio Bizz Bio-Bloom – BioBizz Bio-Bloom (2-6-3.5) encourages abundant flowering and fruit production by supplying much needed macro- and micronutrients as well as enzymes and amino acids.

JD Lightings Electronic Balances — Just Added

hydroponicsunlimited — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:01:02 +0000

We’ve just added JD Lightings Electronic Ballasts to our inventory — 400 Watt, 600 Watt and 1000 Watt. Check them out below and to purchase and for more information head over to Hydroponics Unlimited.

JD Lightings high performing Electronic Ballasts are a technological revolution that creates energy efficiency and produces more Lumen output than magnetic ballasts. This grow light system works with both Metal Halide (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) Lamps . They are silent, lightweight, extremely efficient – 99.9% power factor, soft starting, increases lamp life and reduces lumen depreciation. They eliminate the need for conversion lamps or multiple light systems. MH lamps are better suited for seedlings and vegetation stages, while HPS lamps promotes fruiting and flowering.

Dimmable Features

50% 75% 100% and 110%

E-Ballast Features

Extruded aluminum housing is engineered to dissipate heat and keep the components cool.
Resin-sealed case for completely silent operation
Resettable circuit breaker for short circuit protection.
Wire core 120/240V compatible
Completely silent and lightweight
Operates both HPS & MH lamps
Extremely efficient – 99% power factor
Detachable power cord that allows easy change over
Available in 250, 400, 600, and 1000 Watts
5-YEAR WARRANTY — 3 year full + 2 year prorated

Proper Plant Conditions from Beginning to End

hydroponicsunlimited — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:59:36 +0000

Check it out, Proper Plant Conditions from Beginning to End all in one page. What we have been using for years now is available to all and you can print out as many copies as you like and plaster them all over your indoor garden. Download the PDF below and also below is a image sample of the PDF. You can always access the pdf via http://hydroponicsunlimited.com as well.

Download Proper Plant Conditions (pdf)

Hydroponics Cloning Instructions and Tips

hydroponicsunlimited — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:52:26 +0000

Cloning Instructions

- Start by cleaning and sterilizing EVERYTHING (trays/domes/scissors/razor blades).

- Soak rooting medium in R/O (reverse osmosis) water mixed with both of these products:

- Nature’s Solution Compost Tea (1 cup per gallon of R/O water) (Root Soak

- KLN Rooting Hormone (2 teaspoons per gallon of R/O water) & Spray)

- Re-soak rooting medium in above solution every 5-8 days (pour any excess water out of tray).

**The trick is to let the grow medium dry out 5-8 days prior to re-soaking (approximately 75% dry). The clones will try to put out roots to find water

- Squeeze the excess water out of the rooting medium (coco plugs or Grodan blocks) and place the medium in tray.

- Keep PH between 5.4 and 6.4

- Take 8″ long clones and place in a cutting tray submersed in room temperature R/O water (this is the safest way to cut a clone).

- Cut down the 8″ long clone to 4″- 6″ at a 45 degree angle underwater.

- Dip 4″ – 6″ long clone (1/2 inch deep) in one of the following Rooting Hormone.

- Clonex Gel

- Dip & Grow

- Rootech

- Wood’s Rooting Compound

- Place clone 1″ deep in one of the following grow tray medium.

- Coco Plugs

- Oasis Cubes/Wedges

- Grodan Blocks

- Cut all large fan leaves on the clone in half with sterile scissors.

- Spray clones immediately with the same mixture from LINE #2.

**Mist clones with this spray once every three days

- After spraying the clones, spray the humidity dome with the same mixture then place the dome over clones and keep the ventilation holes closed.

- Place clones in a dark or subdued light for 24 hours.

- After 24 hours, open (halfway) ONLY 1 ventilation hole and put a Dual Florescent Light (T-12) or a Single T-5 Light Fixture 1″ – 2″ over the humidity dome.

- Set light timer to 20 hours ON and 4 hours OFF.

- Place Heat Mat under the tray and set thermostat at 77 degrees (always keep clones 74-79 degrees).

- After 5 days, open (halfway) the 2nd ventilation hole.

- After 14 days, open (entire way) both ventilation holes.

- You should have rooted clones ready to transplant in 14-21 days.

- 24 hours prior to transplanting, prop open the humidity dome 1″ – 3″ to let air in to harden the clones off.

Tips for after Cloning

**When taking clones from clone tray, feed roots with 1/4 strength bloom nutrients for the first week (PPM should be 300 – 500 and PH should be 5.3 – 6.3).

Advanced Spraying for Veg – Flower

**All sprays should be mixed with 1 quart R/O water and a wetting agent (such as Coco-Wet, SM-90 or Dutch Master Saturator) to make plant sprays.

First Week of Veg: Spray rooted clones with 3/4 tsp. Canna Rhizotonic and3/4 tsp. Grotek Insta-Green. Spray once per day for 5 days.

Second Week of Veg: Spray plants with 1 tsp. Ful-Power Fulvic (Humic) Acid and 1/4 tsp. Dyna-Gro Foliage-Pro. Spray once every other day for 5 days.

Third Week of Veg: Spray plants with 1/4 tsp. Silicate and 1/4 tsp. Messenger (and 1 drop PH Down). Spray only once this week.

Fourth Week of Veg: Spray plants with 3/4 tsp. Canna Rhizotonic and 1/2 tsp. Spray-n-Grow. Spray only once this week.

**This is a good week to cut clones and trim plants before going into flowering

First Week of Flower: Spray plants with 4 tbsp. Dutch Master Max FX Flower and 3/4 tsp. Canna Rhizotonic. Spray only once this week.

Second Week of Flower: Spray plants with 1/4 tsp. Messenger and 1/2 cup Nature’s Solution Tea. Spray only once this week.

**You should start to see small flowers now. The following will be your last spray.

Third Week of Flower: Spray plants with 1 tsp. Ful-Power Fulvic (Humic) Acid and 1 1/2tsp. Sray-n-Grow. Spray only once this week.

**If you wish to keep spraying plants in the flower stage, use Dutch Master Max FX Flower with a very fine misting spray only. Spray once per week.

Hydroponics Growing Tips to Help You Grow Big

hydroponicsunlimited — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:24:02 +0000

1. Keep your air temperature 10 – 15 degrees less at night (except in the clone & seed stage).

2. Flush plants every three weeks with a flush product or water with 1/4 strength nutrients and Cannazym or Hygrozyme.

3. No need to run CO2 when lights are off (nighttime). The plants make their own CO2.

4. If you run CO2, run the temperature at 76 – 80 degrees when the lights are on.

5. CO2 levels should be at 600 – 900 during the Vegetated stage.

6. CO2 levels during the Flower stage should be at 1100 – 1500.

7. First watering should be when the lights first come on (morning).

8. Last watering should be 1-1/2 hours before the lights shut off (most mediums).

9. Change your nutrients every 7-14 days.

10. Always pour your nutrients in your reservoir one at a time so they mix slowly.

11. Always keep an air bubbler and air stone in your reservoir for oxygen.

12. Never water plants when the lights are off unless the plants look like they are wilting from no water (this is very rare).

13. If using R/O water, add Calcium/Magnesium/Iron.

14. Spray your plants 45 minutes before turning lights on (or when the leaves are dry).

15. Spray water temperature should be between 75 – 85 degrees (luke warm).

16. I recommend using Foliar Spray all thru the vegetative stage and once every 5-7 days during

the first 3 weeks of flower.

17. PH is how acidic or how alkaline your water or nutrients are. Hydro = 5.3 – 6.3 , Soil = 6.2 – 7.2

18. The following meters measure your nutrients/food levels. PPM (Parts Per Million) , TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) , EC (Electro Conductivity)

19. I highly recommend Microbial Inoculants like Nature’s Solution Tea or Great White.

20. Store all your nutrients in a cool and dark place.

21. Spray plants for bugs every 7-10 days (spray for spider mites every 3 days) or use an auto sprayer 24/7.

22. If water temperature falls below 63 degrees, add a heater. If water temperature above 76 degrees, add a water chiller.

Roof to Table – Hydroponics Makes it Possible

hydroponicsunlimited — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:10:48 +0000

The other night on Dateline NBC, in the last segment they featured a restaurant in New York with a simple concept. We grow what we serve, and they can do this thanks to Hydroponics! It’s the first of its kind — they grow the produce and herbs on the roof of their restaurant using a tower system and thanks to the processes of hydroponcis they can go from seed to mature plant in 7 weeks, allowing them to supply the entire restaurant for at least 10 months out of the year. The video is below, source is Dateline NBC.

A little hydroponics ditty

hydroponicsunlimited — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:59:12 +0000

Hydroponics Grow Bulbs, HID Lamps and T5

hydroponicsunlimited — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:56:29 +0000

Lighting systems for growing indoors and hydroponics have grown intensively more in tune with the needs of hydroponic growers and gone are the days of lighting your garden with standard bulbs.

Available now are a range of bulbs to use depending on your needs for intensity of output and spectrum of light. Light intensity is measured in lumens — 1 lumen = 1 candlefoot of light (amount of light on one candle at one foot distance). Estimates show that the average amount of lumens per square foot should be within the 2000 range. Spectrum is the range of colors that the light produces. Plants need a variety of spectrum depending, from red/orange to blue/green — red for budding and blue for vegetative growth.

Right now on the market there are HID and Florescent bulbs to choose from. Florescent will get the job done, but the intensity of the light is lacking and the light would have to remain a few inches away from the plant to get the best results. Florescent bulbs are great for the home hydroponic garden as they are cheaper or the person new to hydroponics. HID (High Intensity Discharge) bulbs are more expensive, both to purchase and to run, but the results are worth the cost for the serious grower. HID works by shooting a current into the bulb and when a certain voltage is hit, gas sparks creating arc light. HID gives off a mixed spectrum of light making them a great choice for hydroponics and indoor gardening.

There are also new developments using LED lights that Nasa has been experimenting with. This could one of the best things to hit the hydroponics lighting market and could push both florescent and HID to the brink of extinction — but only time will tell.

A little more on bulbs…

You can put any bulb in any hood, but you need to make sure that your ballast wattage matches your bulb wattage. Depending on the wattage of your bulb, you want to make sure that the plant is positioned at the right distance from the bulb (1000 watt=2 feet, 600 watt=18 inches, 400 watt=12 inches, 250 watt=12 inches). You want to have at least 100 watts per plant. Grow bulbs last an average of 1 to 1.5 years. Grow bulbs are specifically engineered for growing and are tuned to the color spectrum for plants to grow.

The best bulb for white ballasts is Hortilux, while for digital ballasts the best bulb is Ushio. T5 modern fluorescents with smaller tubing come in cool white and warm white. Cool white is best for vegetation and the warm white is best for flowering. You can also mix cool/warm/cool/warm/cool/warm within your hood for full spectrum light. These bulbs are only sold at grow stores. Metal Halide bulbs are for vegetation growth and has a blue spectrum. HPS (High Pressure Sodium) bulbs provide for more flower production with its red spectrum making flowers grow faster. If you have any questions or are unsure of the right bulb for your growing purposes, contact us.

Check out our Artificial Lighting Guide for more information…

Hydroponics Lighting Glossary of Terms

hydroponicsunlimited — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:54:16 +0000

We can all use a reference guide and so here for your pleasure is a glossary of hydroponics lighting terms. Print it out, bookmark it, write em down — this should cover any terms you stumble across while walking down the path to growing godliness. If you ever have any questions on anything hydroponics, shoot us an email to info[at]hydroponicsunlimited.com.

AGROSUN

A metal halide bulb manufactured exclusively for Hydrofarm which puts out 38% more light in the red portion of the spectrum than regular metal halide lamps.

AMPERE (AMP)

The unit used to measure the strength of an electric current.

ARC

The luminous discharge of electricity between two electrodes in HID lighting.

ARC DISCHARGE

A transfer of electricity across two electrodes (anode and cathode), characterized by high electrode current densities and a low voltage drop at the electrode.

ARC TUBE

The enclosure which contains the luminous gases and also houses the arc.

BALLAST

An auxiliary piece of equipment designed to start and to properly control the flow of power to gas discharge light sources such as fluorescent and high intensity discharge lamps. In metal halide systems, it is composed of the transformer, capacitor and connecting wiring; sodium systems require an ignitor in addition to the transformer and capacitor.

BU

An industry code indicating that the bulb is to be operated only in a base up position.

BULB

The glass outer envelope component of an HID lamp which protects the arc tube.

BULB WALL TEMPERATURE

The temperature at the bulb wall of a lamp, which effects lumen output and input wattage and which is important in lighting calculations.

CANDELA (CD)

A unit of luminous intensity in a given direction, equal to one lumen per steradian.

CANDLEPOWER (CP)

The luminous intensity of a light source, as expressed in candelas.

CANDLEPOWER DISTRIBUTION CURVE

A curve that represents the varying distribution of luminous intensity of a lamp or luminaire.

CAPACITOR

An electronic device that can store electrical charge. The capacitor is one of the main components of an HID lighting ballast. Because they can store a very strong electrical charge, capacitors can be very dangerous to someone who is unaware of this fact and opens a ballast in order to examine or repair it. If one does not know how to safely discharge the stored electricity, one should allow a trained technician to do any ballast repairs.

COLD START TIME

The length of time required to bring an HID lamp to 90% light output from a cold condition.

COLOR TEMPERATURE or KELVIN TEMPERATURE

The unit of measurement to express the color (spectrum) of light emitted by a lamp; the absolute temperature of a blackbody radiator having a chromaticity equal to that of the light source (see correlated color temperature).

CONVERSION BULB

A bulb of a certain spectrum type (e.g. sodium) specially designed to operate while used in the fixture/ballast of a different type (e.g. metal halide). The most popular conversion bulbs by far are sodium conversion bulbs, which allow one to have the sodium spectrum while still using a metal halide system.

CORRELATED COLOR TEMPERATURE (CCT)

A specification of the color appearance of a light source, relating its color to that of a blackbody radiator, as measured in Kelvins (K). CCT is a general measure of a lamp’s “coolness” or “warmness.”

DOME

The portion of an HID outer bulb located opposite base (the neck and threads).

DOME SUPPORT

The spring-like brackets which mount the arc tube within the outer envelope (bulb).

DISCHARGE LAMP

A lamp that produces light by discharging an electric arc through a mixture of gases and gaseous metals.

ELECTRODES

Filaments located at either end of a discharge lamp that maintain an electrical arc between them. See arc discharge.

FIXTURE

The electrical fitting used to contain the electric components of a lighting system.

FLUORESCENT LAMP

A discharge lamp in which a phosphor coating transforms ultraviolet energy into visible light. Fluorescent lamps are good for starting seedlings and rooting cuttings, but do not have enough intensity to sustain aggressive growth in plants in the later stages of life, and are not efficient enough in their conversion of electrical power to lumens of light output.

FOOTCANDLE

A standard measurement of light intensity, representing the amount of illuminance on a surface one foot square on which there is a uniformly distributed flux of one lumen. More simply, one footcandle of illuminance is equal to the light emitted by one candle at a distance of one foot.

FREQUENCY

The number of waves or cycles of electromagnetic radiation per second, usually measured in Hertz (Hz).

HALOGEN LAMP

A short name for the tungsten-halogen lamp. Halogen lamps are high pressure incandescent lamps containing halogen gases such as iodine or bromine which allow the filaments to be operated at higher temperatures and higher efficacies. While excellent for home lighting and similar applications, halogen lamps are not effective or efficient as grow lights due to their limited spectrum and high operating temperatures.

HID

The popular acronym for High Intensity Discharge.

HIGH-INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID) LAMP

A general term for mercury, metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps. HID lamps contain compact arc tubes which enclose various gases and metal salts operating at relatively high pressures and temperatures.

HIGH-PRESSURE SODIUM LAMP

High-pressure sodium lamps operate by igniting sodium, mercury and xenon gases within a sealed ceramic arc tube. Sodium lamps emit light energy in the yellow/red/orange regions of the spectrum; the red spectrum stimulates flowering and fruit production. Many indoor gardeners switch to sodium lamps when it is time to induce flowering or fruiting of their plants.

HOOD

The reflective cover used in conjunction with an HID lamp. The more reflectivity a hood can provide, the more effective it is.

HOR

An industry code indicating that the bulb is to be operated in a horizontal position.

HOT SPOT

The area immediately under an HID lamp where the light intensity is strongest. Hot spots cause uneven growth, but can be remedied by using light movers.

HOT START TIME

The length of time required to bring an HID lamp to 90% light output after a short power interruption.

IGNITOR

A component of the ballast necessary for the starting of the bulb in sodium systems.

ILLUMINANCE

The density of incident luminous flux on a surface; illuminance is the standard metric for lighting levels, and is measured in lux (lx) or footcandles (fc).

ILLUMINATION

The act of illuminating or state of being illuminated. This term is often used incorrectly in place of the term illuminance to denote the density of luminous flux on a surface.

INCANDESCENT LAMP

A light source which generates light utilizing a thin filament wire (usually of tungsten) heated to white heat by an electric current passing through it. Incandescent lamps are the most familiar type of light source, with countless application in homes, stores and other commercial settings. Light is produced by passing electric current through a thin wire filament, usually a tungsten. Incandescent lamps are totally ineffective as grow lights; they have very limited spectrum, are very inefficient in their conversion of electrical power to lumens of light output (lumen-to-watt ratio). They also put off far too much heat per watt to use in horticulture, even if the above-mentioned problems did not exist.

INTENSITY

A term referring to the magnitude of light energy per unit; light intensity diminishes evenly as you get further from the source.

KELVIN TEMPERATURE (K)

KILOWATT (kW)

A unit of electric power usage equal to 1,000 watts.

KILOWATT HOUR (kWh)

A measurement of electric energy. A kilowatt hour is equal to 1,000 watts of power used over a period of one hour.

LAMP

An electrically energized source of light, commonly called a bulb or tube.

LAMP LIFE

A measure of lamp performance, as measured in median hours of burning time under ANSI test conditions.

LAMP LUMEN DEPRECIATION (LLD)

The decrease over time of lamp lumen output, caused by bulb wall blackening, phosphor exhaustion, filament depreciation, and other factors.

LAMP STARTING

Generic term used to describe a discharge lamp’s starting characteristics in terms of time to come to full output, flicker, etc.

LIGHT

Radiant energy which can be sensed or seen by the human eye. The term generally applied to the visible energy from a source. Light is usually measured in lumens or candlepower. When light strikes a surface, it is either absorbed, reflected or transmitted. Visible light is measured in lumens.

LIGHT MOVER (e.g. Hydrofarm’s Light Track)

A motorized device which moves an HID lamp back and forth across the ceiling of a grow room to provide more even distribution of the light.

LUMEN

A measurement of light output; refers to the amount of light emitted by one candle that falls on one square foot of surface located at a distance of one foot from the candle.

LUMINAIRE

A complete lighting unit, consisting of a lamp or lamps together with the components required to distribute the light, position the lamps, and connect the lamps to a power supply. Often referred to as a “fixture.”

LUX

A standard unit of illuminance. One lux is equal to one lumen per square meter.

METAL HALIDE LAMP

A high-intensity-discharge lamp in which the light is produced by arcing electricity through a mixture of metal halides. The light produced by metal halide lamps is in the white-blue spectrum, which encourages vegetative growth and “bushiness” while discouraging upward growth. This is the bulb to use in the first, vegetative phase of plant growth.

MERCURY VAPOR LAMPS

The oldest member of the HID family, mercury vapor lamps work by arcing electricity through mercury vapor. While more efficient than incandescent, halogen and fluorescent lamps, mercury vapor lamps have the least efficient lumen-to-watt ratio of the entire HID family. This, combined with an improper color spectrum for horticultural applications, makes mercury vapor lamps a poor choice for a grow light.

NECK

The narrow, tubular end of the HID bulb, attached to the threads.

PARABOLIC REFLECTOR

A lighting distribution control device that is designed to redirect the light from an HID lamp in a specific direction. In most applications, the parabolic device directs light down and away from the direct glare zone.

PHOTOPERIOD

The relative periods of light and dark periods within a 24-period. Also referred to as daylength.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

The growth process by which plants build chemical compounds (carbohydrates) from light energy, water and CO2 (carbon dioxide).

PHOTOTROPISM

The gravitation of a plant part toward a light source.

REFLECTOR

The term sometimes used to refer to the reflective hood of an HID lamp.

REFLECTIVITY

The measure of the reflective quality of a surface; the relative ability of a given surface to reflect light away from it without absorbing, diffusing or otherwise compromising the light’s quality, intensity and spectrum.

SOCKET

The threaded, wired receptacle that an HID bulb screws into.

SODIUM LAMP (HIGH-PRESSURE SODIUM LAMP)

SON-AGRO

A sodium bulb which, according to the manufacturer, produces 30% more blue light than standard sodium bulbs. The 430-watt SON AGRO also emits 6% more light than the standard 400-watt sodium lamp.

SPECULAR REFLECTION

The redirection of incident light without diffusion at an angle that is equal to and in the same plane as the angle of incidence. The specular inserts included in Hydrofarm’s HID lighting systems work on this principle.

STERADIAN

A unit solid angle on the surface of a sphere equal to the square of the sphere’s radius.

TRANSFORMER

The component in the ballast that transforms electric current from one voltage to another.

U (for UNIVERSAL)

An industry code indicating that the bulb can be operated in any position: horizontal, vertical (base up) or any other.

ULTRAVIOLET (UV) LIGHT

Light with very short wavelengths, out of the visible spectrum.

UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES (UL)

A private organization which tests and lists electrical (and other) equipment for electrical and fire safety according to recognized UL and other standards. A UL listing is not an indication of overall performance. Hydrofarm offers the only complete line of growlight systems that is UL-listed.

WATT (W)

A unit used to measure electric power. One watt equals one joule/second.