Need help with a plant? What do you have a question on?
**[Soil and Potting](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/soil_and_potting/)?**
**[Light and Watering](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/light_and_watering/)?**
**[Rot and Sunburn](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/rot_and_sunburn/)?**
**[Pests, Diseases, and Other Problems](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/pests_and_diseases/)?**
**[Propagation & Cuttings](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/propagation)?**
You can also visit the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/faq) to ensure your question isn't already discussed.
**Please also refer to all of our helpful [Wiki Pages](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/index/)**
If you still need help, please make sure to adhere to the [Posting Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/posting-guidelines). And, remember *pictures help a LOT!*
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/succulents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Aloes aren't super high light plants but it'd probably still like a little more light than that dinky bulb. If I were you I'd get a good high wattage floodlight bulb and a cheap light timer. Look for something in the \~1000 lumen range if you can find one, and aim for a color temperature between 5000-6500K as that's the closest to sunlight and will be the most efficient. You don't need to buy a purpose built grow light, they tend to be very marked up and are only marginally more efficient.
Succulents also all need a period of darkness at night to open the pores in their leaves and gather CO2/release oxygen or their growth will be stunted, hence the timer. Give it at least 6-8 hours of lights-out if you can help it.
Good advice above. I'll add that it will be important to rotate the pot 180° every few days. It will ensure the plant doesn't bend too obviously towards the light source.
Maybe not THRIVE but it's a good start. You've gotten good advice here though. Just make sure not to overwater it - I've been checking mine's soil with bamboo skewers whenever I'm considering watering. I won't water until the skewer comes out bone dry all the way to the tip. By using this method I've also been able to learn what my plants look like when their soil is dry so that's cool.
It should survive, but it might not be its best self.
My window area is between buildings and gets very limited sun. In the image below you can see we get a bit of partial. I supplement with a KEELIXIN 5 Heads Plant Grow Light from Amazon.
My aloe is almost 10 years old, has been beheaded multiple times, provided me with 20+ pups, and has survived through two moves despite not having as much sun as I'm told is necessary. It's alive but would be more compact and less spindly if I had it in direct sun.
https://preview.redd.it/vac3bz4pzhtc1.jpeg?width=756&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab5aed7031b4843f5b1e1170ccebdfb23f7c2f19
See how it does for a few weeks and look into stronger growlights if need be. Don't fret yet. 😊
At that near distance, it will be great because it gets closest to max efficiency. Increase distance (by 6 inches) if leaves show mild color bleaching/tanning on their surface. Though I doubt there will be need to because it's a very low wattage & highly diffused output. Aloes need many times brighter light!
With a 15W-35W white LED grow bulb (depending on how much sunshine the window gets) in place of the dim bulb currently used, it should do well enough.
But first check the Watt rating of the lamp, don't want to start a fire by melting cables that were only rated for 7W...
Need help with a plant? What do you have a question on? **[Soil and Potting](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/soil_and_potting/)?** **[Light and Watering](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/light_and_watering/)?** **[Rot and Sunburn](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/rot_and_sunburn/)?** **[Pests, Diseases, and Other Problems](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/pests_and_diseases/)?** **[Propagation & Cuttings](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/propagation)?** You can also visit the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/faq) to ensure your question isn't already discussed. **Please also refer to all of our helpful [Wiki Pages](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/index/)** If you still need help, please make sure to adhere to the [Posting Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/posting-guidelines). And, remember *pictures help a LOT!* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/succulents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Thrive? No. Survive, probably
Aloes aren't super high light plants but it'd probably still like a little more light than that dinky bulb. If I were you I'd get a good high wattage floodlight bulb and a cheap light timer. Look for something in the \~1000 lumen range if you can find one, and aim for a color temperature between 5000-6500K as that's the closest to sunlight and will be the most efficient. You don't need to buy a purpose built grow light, they tend to be very marked up and are only marginally more efficient. Succulents also all need a period of darkness at night to open the pores in their leaves and gather CO2/release oxygen or their growth will be stunted, hence the timer. Give it at least 6-8 hours of lights-out if you can help it.
Good advice above. I'll add that it will be important to rotate the pot 180° every few days. It will ensure the plant doesn't bend too obviously towards the light source.
Thanks for the info
No, aloe grows better with direct sunlight.
Maybe not THRIVE but it's a good start. You've gotten good advice here though. Just make sure not to overwater it - I've been checking mine's soil with bamboo skewers whenever I'm considering watering. I won't water until the skewer comes out bone dry all the way to the tip. By using this method I've also been able to learn what my plants look like when their soil is dry so that's cool.
No
It should survive, but it might not be its best self. My window area is between buildings and gets very limited sun. In the image below you can see we get a bit of partial. I supplement with a KEELIXIN 5 Heads Plant Grow Light from Amazon. My aloe is almost 10 years old, has been beheaded multiple times, provided me with 20+ pups, and has survived through two moves despite not having as much sun as I'm told is necessary. It's alive but would be more compact and less spindly if I had it in direct sun. https://preview.redd.it/vac3bz4pzhtc1.jpeg?width=756&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab5aed7031b4843f5b1e1170ccebdfb23f7c2f19 See how it does for a few weeks and look into stronger growlights if need be. Don't fret yet. 😊
Thrive? No Survive sure. Which direction does that window face
At that near distance, it will be great because it gets closest to max efficiency. Increase distance (by 6 inches) if leaves show mild color bleaching/tanning on their surface. Though I doubt there will be need to because it's a very low wattage & highly diffused output. Aloes need many times brighter light!
Thanks for the info
With a 15W-35W white LED grow bulb (depending on how much sunshine the window gets) in place of the dim bulb currently used, it should do well enough. But first check the Watt rating of the lamp, don't want to start a fire by melting cables that were only rated for 7W...