I recieved my Solarstorm 400w today, approximately 7 days after it was shipped via UPS ground. I plan to winter over annual summer garden plants this winter and some cuttings, get a start on caladiums and elephant ears in the spring, keep a gardenia going through the winter and hopefully get lots of flowers in the sroing and summer, and try my hand at getting a couple of orchids to bloom. I also generally grow and try to propagate African Violets. Notnsurenhow many of these "projects" will get time under my SolarStorm as space will be limited. Other sources of light in the house: a large south-facing bay window, a 4x48 T5 flourescents, and a two-bulb T12 daylight fluorescent?

I have an indoor garden in my small basement with a two-shelf 2x4 wire shelving untit where the fluorescents are installed. I have set up the solar storm in a corner to cover approx 2x3 area. It is perfect for the small space i have but i will have tough decisions on what to put under it ... Since space will be limited.

What comes in the plain black box: the lamp unit, power cord, two T8 UVB bulbs, and a few sheets of informational paper. There is a toggle switch for Veg and Bllom modes, and an on/off switch for the UVB bulbes. First complaint .. There is no on/off switch for the LEDs... You have to unplug it to turn it off. Other than that, this runs very quiet and generates little heat ( more than the 4 T5s but not enough to require additional ventilation). I run a small clamp-on fan continiously to circulate air and have a large floor fan when it gets warm and humid. I also have a dehumidifier dowm there for the summer months .. No need during the winter.

initial impression: I am going to love this light ... It is compact and quiet and seems to produce a lot of usable light.

I will try to upload a photo of the fixture if i can figure out how to do that. Tomorrow will show the setup.

Welcome to the forums!


SME

Thanks ... My note posted only half my note posted. Will have to rewrite it

I might need some help to upload photos. Is there a trick to it? I haven't been able to getit to work.

I think they need to be converted to jpeg or they might be too big but I'd need more info to be of any help. Are you getting an error?

When i try to attach a photo it doesn't let me browse my files. The "choose file" button is greyed out.

Create a "Photobucket" account and link to the pics.

Was that error during the first two posts or even now? Perhaps it was restricted while the new members are moderated.

I don't recommend linking outside photo sharing services because if the photos get deleted or moved it breaks the grow journal too.


YMMV...

dwcled wrote:Create a "Photobucket" account and link to the pics.

Cant figure out how to do that.

SisterMaryElephant wrote:Was that error during the first two posts or even now? Perhaps it was restricted while the new members are moderated.

I don't recommend linking outside photo sharing services because if the photos get deleted or moved it breaks the grow journal too.


YMMV...

The greyed out button is still greyed out.