INSANE $5 ppfd boost

[JohnAndSancho]

Ok, I guess this is for both of the other people on here who grow indoors, and it may be a "duh" moment. 

 

Lights are Barrina T8 4ft parallel to each other and measurements were taken with the Photone app measuring from the ultra accurate distance of the tip of my thumb to the tip of my pinky finger. 

 

Before - ~300ppfd 

 

After - with some duct tape and a $4 shower curtain liner, and lots of sweat (it's 85°, swampy, and I am standing on a rickety antique chair because safety)

 

~450ppfd, peaked at 470 in one spot. That is freaking amazing for $6 and some duct tape. I'll eventually get to the other side, my head says I need to get on level ground and my nose says I need a shower. But that's an insane boost, and I've still got to engineer a way to get the lights to be, you know - not crooked. Your boy has a plan for that too. Now I can maximize these high dollar lights on these nanners. 

[JohnAndSancho]

@5am your unwanted bastard children are being well taken care of. 

[5am]

They're certainly growing! But you have switched out your bulbs multiple times, right? Have you noticed any difference in growth speed with the various lights? Do they get any sunlight or is it grow light only? At this rate I wonder if you will have to raise the lights or move the bananas to the floor before risk of frost is gone and they can go outside.

[JohnAndSancho]

1 hour ago, 5am said:

They're certainly growing! But you have switched out your bulbs multiple times, right? Have you noticed any difference in growth speed with the various lights? Do they get any sunlight or is it grow light only? At this rate I wonder if you will have to raise the lights or move the bananas to the floor before risk of frost is gone and they can go outside.

Oh I've already had to raise the lights for a couple. I think I started these under Wal Mart shop lights, then I returned 3 of them so I could buy these higher end tubes, then I was gonna return these until they gave me $50 off lol. So they've been under these for a month. 

 

I'm fixing to start getting stupid with fertilizer, too. I absolutely want them to be monsters when spring comes. Sure I'm gonna regret it, but that's the fun part. I've got some Dr Earth Organic Tropical fertilizer I got on clearance for like $3.50 and a sample packet of Wellspring"s Banana Fuel that I've used once and already noticed a difference. I'm getting 1+ new leaves a week already on the bigger ones I got from you, and the big Blue Java and Mekong Giant are catching up and living up to their reputations. I ain't mad at all. 

[Mazat]

On 12/12/2025 at 8:50 PM, JohnAndSancho said:

Ok, I guess this is for both of the other people on here who grow indoors, and it may be a "duh" moment. 

 

Lights are Barrina T8 4ft parallel to each other and measurements were taken with the Photone app measuring from the ultra accurate distance of the tip of my thumb to the tip of my pinky finger. 

 

Before - ~300ppfd 

 

After - with some duct tape and a $4 shower curtain liner, and lots of sweat (it's 85°, swampy, and I am standing on a rickety antique chair because safety)

 

~450ppfd, peaked at 470 in one spot. That is freaking amazing for $6 and some duct tape. I'll eventually get to the other side, my head says I need to get on level ground and my nose says I need a shower. But that's an insane boost, and I've still got to engineer a way to get the lights to be, you know - not crooked. Your boy has a plan for that too. Now I can maximize these high dollar lights on these nanners. 

Well done, John🤗. It looks very good👍

[JohnAndSancho]

4 hours ago, Mazat said:

Well done, John🤗. It looks very good👍

Preciate it! I'm still not done, I've gotta do the other side and then make some proper refractors for the lights, and figure out a way to get duct tape to stick to bricks 😂 its fallen a few times. Seriously though 50% more measurable usable light for $5 is insane. It's like a ghetto grow tent now and between this and the fertilizer the bananas have already responded. 

[Mazat]

54 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Preciate it! I'm still not done, I've gotta do the other side and then make some proper refractors for the lights, and figure out a way to get duct tape to stick to bricks 😂 its fallen a few times. Seriously though 50% more measurable usable light for $5 is insane. It's like a ghetto grow tent now and between this and the fertilizer the bananas have already responded. 

Indeed, John. KI answer.I use it sometimes, not often. For crafting or creating something. Also for chess when I play occasionally, but it's very, very powerful.

However, the human connection is much better and more important.

Solutions:

Recommended Tapes for Tensile Strength:

 

T-Rex Brute Force Tape

This heavy-duty duct tape uses Forge-Link™ technology, allowing a single loop to hold over 360 kg (700 lbs), providing extreme tensile strength.

 

Gorilla Tape

Often called the strongest tape in the world, Gorilla Tape is an extra-strong type of duct tape (fabric tape). It provides a strong and durable bond for a wide variety of materials.

 

tesa Powerbond Ultra Strong Mounting Tape

This is tesa®'s strongest mounting tape and is ideal for indoor and sheltered outdoor applications where it is subject to tensile forces. According to tesa.com, it can achieve a holding power of up to 10 kg (22 lbs) per 10 cm (4 inches) of tape.

 

BOMEI PACK Duct Tape

This extra-strong, fabric-reinforced repair tape has high adhesive strength and is waterproof. The gauze (fabric) within the material is the structural and strength-providing element that ensures tear resistance.

 

PVC packing tape with natural rubber adhesive

For sealing heavy boxes, PVC tape with natural rubber adhesive is particularly tear-resistant and durable.

 

[JohnAndSancho]

2 hours ago, Mazat said:

Indeed, John. KI answer.I use it sometimes, not often. For crafting or creating something. Also for chess when I play occasionally, but it's very, very powerful.

However, the human connection is much better and more important.

Solutions:

Recommended Tapes for Tensile Strength:

 

T-Rex Brute Force Tape

This heavy-duty duct tape uses Forge-Link™ technology, allowing a single loop to hold over 360 kg (700 lbs), providing extreme tensile strength.

 

Gorilla Tape

Often called the strongest tape in the world, Gorilla Tape is an extra-strong type of duct tape (fabric tape). It provides a strong and durable bond for a wide variety of materials.

 

tesa Powerbond Ultra Strong Mounting Tape

This is tesa®'s strongest mounting tape and is ideal for indoor and sheltered outdoor applications where it is subject to tensile forces. According to tesa.com, it can achieve a holding power of up to 10 kg (22 lbs) per 10 cm (4 inches) of tape.

 

BOMEI PACK Duct Tape

This extra-strong, fabric-reinforced repair tape has high adhesive strength and is waterproof. The gauze (fabric) within the material is the structural and strength-providing element that ensures tear resistance.

 

PVC packing tape with natural rubber adhesive

For sealing heavy boxes, PVC tape with natural rubber adhesive is particularly tear-resistant and durable.

 

Yeah I'm not proud but I use it too. Apparently there's a special kind of stucco tape designed especially for stucco and brick but I think paying $10 just for a roll of tape kinda goes against my whole low-buck theme. I was kind of hoping the mortar was soft enough to hammer thumbtacks into it but it seems like it's the strongest thing in the whole house (of course). There's some nails in the brick that were used to hold some old shutters (this wall used to be the exterior wall of the house) so I'm hoping my zip ties through the curtain tied to those nails will hold. We're getting VERY creative in here 😂