I posted this on another forum, but didn't get too many responses.. any ideas? :)

I'm looking for something like a floor lamp like this http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/black_floor_lamp_281_prd1.htm to provide my paph insigne some (more) light.

Right now I have it by my window and according to my light meter it gets about 800-1200 fc's of light for about 4 hours or so. I'd put it under my rack of t5's but some of the leaves are so long (think 2 ft.+) that it usually knocks over the other plants and takes up way too much room. It's like a monster :ohmy:

Now this BlueMax floor lamp has a rating of 10k lux which (thanks to google) calculates to 929 fc's at 18". I'm thinking if I put it closer I'd have a much better fc reading? Say closer to my goal of 2000 fc's? I hope I'm calculating this correctly..? :confused: Any help would be appreciated, since I have the basics down on artificial lighting but no real specifics.

That is very interesting but will it really benefit your Paph, I really don't know. It may work if the plant gets natural light for 4 hours. Hopefully someone with more knowledge would respond.

That is very interesting but will it really benefit your Paph, I really don't know. It may work if the plant gets natural light for 4 hours. Hopefully someone with more knowledge would respond.

I figured because it was full spectrum it would be beneficial, once I get my terrarium going for some other orchids in my collection the insigne will lose the window spot.

If it is full spectrum then I assume your plant would benefit.

For $200, I definitely do not think that it is worth it. It may give your plant some extra light, but you can get another dual bulb 4ft T5 fixture that would be way more beneficial for about $100.

For $200, I definitely do not think that it is worth it. It may give your plant some extra light, but you can get another dual bulb 4ft T5 fixture that would be way more beneficial for about $100.

I don't know that it's worth it either a) because I don't have seasonal depression and b) it's an expensive reading lamp lol.

I'm seriously out of space since I live in a condo with no balcony. I would've opted for another bank of t5's but the only way I'd have any room for it is hanging it from the ceiling in the living room which is a no go :(

I don't know that it's worth it either a) because I don't have seasonal depression and b) it's an expensive reading lamp lol.

I'm seriously out of space since I live in a condo with no balcony. I would've opted for another bank of t5's but the only way I'd have any room for it is hanging it from the ceiling in the living room which is a no go :(

Could you get a table then use a wood frame to suspend the t5's over the plants instead of screwing it in the ceiling?

Could you get a table then use a wood frame to suspend the t5's over the plants instead of screwing it in the ceiling?

I could also try to mess around with the rack I already have all my other t5 fixtures on, but I'm just afraid it would give out something close or over 3000 fc's since I wouldn't be able to adjust the shelves that much and the plant would be too close to the fixture.

Go with T8's instead of T5's to lessen the intensity

Another knock is that the floor lamp will not have much utility down the road. If you can figure out a way to hang another more conventional plant lighting fixture where you need it now, it would be a better investment as it would be something you could use in the future if you move to a new house or expand your setup.

Have you looked into compact fluorescents? You could hang/mount a couple incandescent sockets and use spiral fluorescents to spotlight on the plant. They would have to be close to the plant to be effective.