"Popcorn Lover" wrote in message
3...
I have a gloxinia, a hydrangea and a few other indoor plants on a plant
shelf
in the living room. I've been using a fixture with dual 40 watt Gro-lights
over them for years now, but it's not real great for getting some of the
plants that require more full sun, to bloom.

What other kinds of lights are available, that won't bust the budget or
use
massive amounts of energy, but will simulate direct bright sunlight
better?

I have read that Gro-Lights aren't any better than standard fluorescent
bulbs. Maybe you just need a fixture with more bulbs (or higher output)
that is closer to the plants. The amount of energy received by the plants
is inverse to the square of the distance to the source. Moving the fixture
closer to the plants will significantly increase the amount of light energy
they receive. In aquariums, especially heavily planted ones or reef tanks,
people are using high output fluorescent fixtures and/or metal halide
(mercury vapor) lamps. I would probably look into the high output
fluorescent bulbs as they are more efficient and don't produce large amounts
of heat. Here is a link to a search:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...nt&btnG=Search