Tried that. Also tried 4-tube 4-foot fixtures. Don't. 8-foot tubes are heavy,
very expensive, and it takes two people to change one. Not worth it.
4-tube fixtures don't last. The outer holders get loose. Your best bet is
4-foot 2-tube shoplites, two side-by-side for catts, oncidiums, etc. Be sure to
get the full strength ones, not the energy savers, if they are still available.
Nonsense. I use 8 foot, standard and high-output lamps in my pleurothallid growing areas. They are not in any sense heavy, cost about $8 US, and I have no problem changing the lamps by myself. 8 foot lamps use a spring-loaded mounting that make it easier to swap the lamp than a standard 4 foot fixture. I have never had a problem with the mounts in the 15 years they have been use.
A pair of 8 foot standard output lamps provide enough light to make pleurothallids very happy, even when significant space exists between lamp and plant. High-output lamps made almost too much light, allowing me to reduce day length, and when I was growing oncidiums and other kindred plants they were quite happy, too. The extra usable length means more plants under the lamps. I much prefer the 8 footers over the 4 footers, and I do have some setups with 4 footers, too, so I have the experience.
Carl "bright" Gustafson
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