I also use the shop lite fixtures but I put the grolux tubes in them, the tubes are about $6.50 each and I've used them for about 4 years now. I use plastic chain on the fixtures and swag hooks in the ceiling to raise and lower as needed. I start about 300 plants a year and my system works very well. Charlie -----Original Message----- From: owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com [mailto:owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com]On Behalf Of Bob Shuman Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 8:03 PM To: Chile-Heads@globalgarden.com Subject: Re: [CH] Grow lights Dan Gillis wrote: > It's getting to be that time of year again, and I was wondering if anyone > had any thoughts on grow lights. <snip> We start about 1000 pepper plants, about 250 tomato plants and an assortment of others (no, not recreational plants) in our basement. The fancy grow lights cost quite a bit to buy and use quite a bit of juice. We have had good luck with the cheap 2 tube flourescent shop lights you find at home centers for about $7. I install one cool white tube and one warm white tube (sometimes marketed as a kitchen or bathroom tube) in each fixture. I keep them about 2" above the leaves for 16 hours a day. I also keep an oscillating fan on them 16 hours a day to develope thick, strong stems. I think it speeds up the harding-off process, and lessons our fungus problems, too. I find that too warm nighttime tempuratures make for spindly stems, so I drop the nightime temperature in the house to 60 degrees F. We've done this for several years, and never fail to get nice bedding plants this way. Just my 2 cents.... Hobby Farmer