Are these T5 fixtures from Home Depot any good?

[Xero000]

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Thinking of using a pair of them (one on each side vertically) as supplemental lighting in a 2'd x 3'w x 6'h cabinet under a 90W tri-band LED as the primary overhead source.

Worth it or a waste with that configuration in mind? I am trying to start out slow, especially with regard to power consumption and won't mind upgrading lights in the near future. I know people use T5's successfully, but I'm not clear if only the high-output (HO) T5's produce decent results.

Thanks!

 

[somebody041]

why not just buy the high output ones for about $12 more and get double the lumens?

 

[Xero000]

Do you have any specific recommendations?

 

[CannaSmile]

Tek lights are amazing...pretty much anything from sunlight supply from tents (SunHut), to hoods, to lights. All the best products from my experience and I have bought things time and time again...

 

[pinecone]

Do you have any specific recommendations?

I have a 4 lamp Tek high output T5 system for veg and it works very well. The Tek line stuff is kind of expensive, but there are cheaper options for even in the range of products offered by Sunlight Supply. In particular, the New Wave or Sun Blaze systems should work well for growing.

http://www.sunlightsupply.com/hort/...e=subcat&title=Fluorescent Lighting&pagenum=1

Pine

 

[ToughGirl]

Why not get 3 t8's? It would still be less than one t5.

 

[dbo24242]

t5ho is way more intense and better for plants. get hps for flowering and you're set.

 

[ToughGirl]

I don't know much about the ho's, but I know that the only difference between t8's and t5's is electrical savings. But the costs of the ballasts and the bulbs far outweighs the savings, especially if you change the bulbs a lot (and I change mine 2x a year). I use 3- 4' t12's, and 3 -4' t8's (12 bulbs all together) and I can veg trees with them. They are less than $20 a piece and bulbs are dirt cheap, especially if you buy them in bulk. I already use 2 hps' for flowering, but I considered getting some t5's until a guy that worked at an electrical supply store talked me out of them. Again, I've never used t5ho's, but if you're considering buying those regular t5's, get t8's and save yourself a bunch of $$$

 

[pinecone]

I don't know much about the ho's

The HO T5s put out nearly 2x as much light as the t12s or t8s and are nearly as efficient as a 400w HID on a lumens per watt basis. Additionally T5 bulbs come in 6500k (blue-white) and 3000k (orange) so with one fixture you can fine tune the spectral distribution you want for your plants.

Pine

 

[ToughGirl]

The HO T5s put out nearly 2x as much light as the t12s or t8s and are nearly as efficient as a 400w HID on a lumens per watt basis.
Pine

I've read that myself, but have you ever seen buds from a t5ho? They're pretty pathetic. And to use them for a supplement, at that price, is pointless. Just get an HID and use it with the UFO then. I thought what X000 was trying to do was spend a couple bucks at home depot to help his LED out. Might as well get some CFL's and call it a day.

 

[magiccannabus]

I flower with T8s. My buds aren't pathetic. I'm sure equivalent or greater amounts of T5HO lamps could outperform my setup. That said, I am adding a 250W HPS because there's no lights covering the top right now. Fluoro tubes are very under-appreciated.

 

[ToughGirl]

I flower with T8s. My buds aren't pathetic. I'm sure equivalent or greater amounts of T5HO lamps could outperform my setup. That said, I am adding a 250W HPS because there's no lights covering the top right now. Fluoro tubes are very under-appreciated.

I've budded plants with them myself. Maybe I've just become spoiled over the years, but the buds I got from t8's were very very light and fluffy and didn't amount to much. If you are getting fat buds with t8's, I'd like to know how you are doing it, because I couldn't, and growing plants is really my thing. I own a greenhouse and grow plants for a living. That being said, you are correct that they are under appreciated. I buy them in bulk for vegging, I already said that. I can grow trees under them, they are safe and easy to use, and don't produce much heat, and the electrical costs are next to nothing. I'm probably going to buy a few more next week to add a little more side lighting.

My thoughts were this: XERO000 wanted to know if the t5's from HD would work, everyone in mj forums naturally points to the most expensive T5HO's available, most of which cost way more than just buying a 400w hps. If he's using a UFO to begin with, he's trying to save money. I suggested T8's, which are so much cheaper and are very functional. I don't want to argue or sound like a know it all, but in my opinion there is no point blooming under a t8. I have a 400w hps that I also think is underpowered to bloom under. It works, but not like 600. In my blooming rooms, from now on, they are either 600 or 1000w. I don't get the point of growing for all those months to get an ounce or two. And if you only have one room (or cabinate) for everything and are limited on space, then why not just get a 400w hps and MH conversion bulbs? They are only about $175 at HTG.

Again, with a 90w UFO as your main source of lighting, I would just go with t8's or cfls for supplimental lighting. T5HO's are too expensive if you change the bulbs often. Now, if you have giant vegging tables with 30 plants on each, then who cares what they cost? Go with T5ho arrays (or mh's) and rock those plants till they are bushes!

 

[Xero000]

Thanks for the feedback and provocative discussion. I am enjoying following along and learning from the ideas that you are offering!

I admit that an HPS/MH system would be more effective and even long term economical, but I need to maintain a lower energy consumption profile for the time being.

In any case, those HO SunBlaze strips look to be a much better value (2'/24W @$28 & 4'/54W @ $33) than that HD fixture I was considering - so thanks much for keeping me from wasting time & money there.

I think I will give them a try with the thought in mind of using them to supplement an upgrade to HPS in the not-too-distant future.

Extra thumbs up to ToughGirl for her pseudo-moderation - did not go unnoticed!

 

[THC farmer]

go to www.future-brite.com and you could get single t-5 HO 4 foot 54 watt 5000 lumen fixtures that are feather lite for 20 buck for the bulb and fixture (no reflector just the aluminum frame that holds the bulb ends in it) the ones from dome depot ar not HO there fore they are not even to be considered when using flouro lights if that is the case, getting a t-5 thats not HO i would go with the t-8's or 12's even. my .2

 

[Hydro-Soil]

The HO T5s put out nearly 2x as much light as the t12s or t8s and are nearly as efficient as a 400w HID on a lumens per watt basis.

The issue I have with the T5 and T5HO lamps is they don't put out maximum lumens unless they're at 95F. That means if I cool my plants with moving air and it cools my lamps (so the grow space is a balmy 75F) I'm losing efficiency and using extra electricity (as the lamps try to heat up to temp).

Try the PL-L lamps if they're right for your situation. They have a lot fewer options as far as reflectors go and everything is pretty much DIY but they're awesome lamps. Basically a T5 tube bent in half and they put out maximum lumens at 75F! Perfect for your plants. (The wide kelvin choices are also very nice.... 10,000K to 2700K)

 

[cocktail frank]

they will work, just get the right color spectrum for your needs.
for veg, get 830
for flower, get 860 (might be 865, not sure 110%)

 

[ToughGirl]

I admit that an HPS/MH system would be more effective and even long term economical, but I need to maintain a lower energy consumption profile for the time being.

Extra thumbs up to ToughGirl for her pseudo-moderation - did not go unnoticed!

Just FYI here, there are a million misconceptions about the costs of HID lighting. A 400w running 24/7 may increase your electric bill by maybe $13 tops. My laptop uses almost 400w! Hell, my surround sound amp is 1700watts! People lead you to believe that your bill will come and it will be $2000, honestly it's just not the case. I'm running way over 2000 watts all together (including 3 fans and exhaust, a 400w and a 600w hps, and 6 -4' fluoro's) and my bill isn't all that much.

As for moderation, that wasn't my intention. So many people on these forums are convinced you have to spend tons of money to grow nice plants. It's just not true. But I think it's a guy thing to have bigger more expensive things. If I showed people how to grow 10 lbs of buds for $20, someone would argue with me that they can do it better for $3000. For your needs, and what I'm getting from your questions and responses, you're not looking to spend a ton of money. And I can fully appreciate that, that's my basic philosophy as well. I don't understand why people want to spend so much money to grow pot, unless you're making a living off of it, then go with the best. With a little experience, and maximizing what you have, this can be a very affordable, rewarding hobby.

 

[FunkBomb]

I've been using the cheap $10 4 ft. shoplights from Home Depot for years. They work very well for vegging plants or cloning.

I agree with what ToughGirl says. You don't need very much to grow high quality reefer. I grow in a tent and it's about as simple as it can be. I paid back all my gear after the first grow I completed. It's not so much the equipment, but the time spent observing and learning that makes all the difference at harvest time.

-Funk

 

[JefersonAirplan]

Sounds like you are on a budget as tuffgirl said.


I agree with her, buy more t8s. They are cheaper. Will probably run cooler too.

 

[Balance]

I've used a couple T5HO's. If the bulb doesn't say 54Watts HO ... its not the right kind.
A Four bulb/ Four foot fixture (HO) has the same output as a 400 watt Hid. With 1/2 the energy consumption. These numbers are irrefutable.
Been awhile since I've flowered with them. They occupy the Mommy/Daddy room.
However, here's a couple trees I grew with T5's.