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So I want t-5s right?
- Thread starter growclean
- Start date
somebody041
Member
curious also...
The main goal is enough light, and not too much heat. T-5 can be great, MH can be great, T-8 can be great, CFL can be great. It's all how you use it. Just make sure they have enough light per square foot(50W, 4-5K lumens). Don't obsess too much over what type, just make them a happy home.
E
EvilTwin
Hi Guys,
I use a fixture with six 48" T5-HO daylight bulbs. Don't know the brand...bought it at a commercial lighting outlet.
I find it's most useful to keep clone Mommas under. When I've used it as a veg light...the plants get very tight node spacing which you'd think would be good...but then once the plants go into flower and stretch, they take on a strange configuration with a bunch of useless bushiness down at the bottom. This could be prevented by raising the light, but I switched over to a 400mh for vegging which I prefer.
And I've actually thought about removing the T5 ballasts and mounting them remote. The T5 bulbs are cool but the ballasts are very warm...just like an HID.
So those are my thoughts for what it's worth...
ET
I use a fixture with six 48" T5-HO daylight bulbs. Don't know the brand...bought it at a commercial lighting outlet.
I find it's most useful to keep clone Mommas under. When I've used it as a veg light...the plants get very tight node spacing which you'd think would be good...but then once the plants go into flower and stretch, they take on a strange configuration with a bunch of useless bushiness down at the bottom. This could be prevented by raising the light, but I switched over to a 400mh for vegging which I prefer.
And I've actually thought about removing the T5 ballasts and mounting them remote. The T5 bulbs are cool but the ballasts are very warm...just like an HID.
So those are my thoughts for what it's worth...
ET
Lord Doobie
Member
I think magiccannabus' answer is a very good one
what someone may want to do is show the start up costs, convenience, and longevity when using different bulbs...
what someone may want to do is show the start up costs, convenience, and longevity when using different bulbs...
B
B. Self Reliant
completely different uses. MH's have a potential for greater output and intensity, which is nice for vegging plants for longer than say a week or two after rooting. On the other hand, T5's have a much more even distribution of light over the area being grown, so clones will grow much more uniformly, even without moving or rotating them. The problem with T5's is that they lack the intensity to properly veg plants that are much taller than 6" or so. If you keep them under there too long, they don't grow any more branches, they just stretch the main stalk between the branches that already exist.
My vote for clones is hand down the T5's. For the first week of vegging, which is all I ever need, I also prefer the T5's. For anything else, a MH is best, and one could even say necessary.
My vote for clones is hand down the T5's. For the first week of vegging, which is all I ever need, I also prefer the T5's. For anything else, a MH is best, and one could even say necessary.
Joey Roastbeef
Member
the highest watt (21')T5 bulb i can find local is only 13 watts and i forgot how many lumnes. IIRC it about 1000 lumens but i may be wrong, just going of the top of my head.
my veg cab is just under 4 square feet more like 3.75. so for a T5 setup i would need 200 watts and 16 - 20K lumens. So i would need almost 15 1/2 13watt T5's?
i don't think i could fit that in the cab.
or are there T5 bulbs that are higher in watts and lumens that i can't find?
The main goal is enough light, and not too much heat. T-5 can be great, MH can be great, T-8 can be great, CFL can be great. It's all how you use it. Just make sure they have enough light per square foot(50W, 4-5K lumens).
Good advise. I love my 4 tube T5. Very low heat is why I originally bought this type. Find it best for as has been said, Cuttings, starting seeds, vegging clones. Vegging to long they will start to get legging, long stems.
E
EvilTwin
T5-HO 48" bulbs are 54 watts so my 6 bulb unit is 320watts and is 18" wide. That's 4 square feet which gives just over 50 watts/sf. T5 and T5-HO are different animals.
I've actually considered using this fixture for a 4 sf scrog. I think there'd be adequate penetration for that.
ET
I've actually considered using this fixture for a 4 sf scrog. I think there'd be adequate penetration for that.
ET
Joey Roastbeef
Member
i can only use 21" T5 my cab is 23"x 21" and change but it's under 22"
edit: i found higher watt and high lumen 21" T5 bulbs, but i believe they do not work with the ballasts i already have. dammit
edit: i found higher watt and high lumen 21" T5 bulbs, but i believe they do not work with the ballasts i already have. dammit
growclean
Grow Clean.... Go Fast!
Thanks for all the replies. I think it sounds like I may eventually want both, but I may just start with the MH from the sounds of it. So.... I DON'T want t-5s... HA!
B
B. Self Reliant
There's certainly nothing wrong with MH, and you can use 'em for everything from clones to vegging in 5 gallon buckets. Like any other light source that comes from a single point (as opposed to an array of T5's) you'll have a hot spot in the middle and it will be less intense near the edges. Nothing a little rotating can't fix!
My T5's are typical grow fixtures, and they accept bulbs that are roughly 22" or 24" long. Each bulb draws 24 watts, comes in warm and cool spectrum, and are advertised as 2500 lumens each. A 2' (4) tube fixture fits perfectly over one of the typical cheap black seedling/cloning tray. Regardless of what kind of T5 grow fixture you get, you're looking at providing 5000 initial lumens per square foot.
Whether that's enough for a SCROG or not is each individual grower's call. I saw saw a very competent grower harvest 1.25 oz's from a 2' (4) bulb T5 fixture. He used (2) 6" pots filled with canna coco coir & AN nutrients and scrogged SFV OG Kush cuts over the full 2 square feet. Very fluffly bud, and you're not gonna catch me spending my time that way, but an ounce is an ounce, so to each their own!
My T5's are typical grow fixtures, and they accept bulbs that are roughly 22" or 24" long. Each bulb draws 24 watts, comes in warm and cool spectrum, and are advertised as 2500 lumens each. A 2' (4) tube fixture fits perfectly over one of the typical cheap black seedling/cloning tray. Regardless of what kind of T5 grow fixture you get, you're looking at providing 5000 initial lumens per square foot.
Whether that's enough for a SCROG or not is each individual grower's call. I saw saw a very competent grower harvest 1.25 oz's from a 2' (4) bulb T5 fixture. He used (2) 6" pots filled with canna coco coir & AN nutrients and scrogged SFV OG Kush cuts over the full 2 square feet. Very fluffly bud, and you're not gonna catch me spending my time that way, but an ounce is an ounce, so to each their own!
I have given out too much reputation in the last 24 hrs... I'll get around to ya
You want a T5 High Bay fixture. Basically 4-8 4' T5 HO lamps with ballasts built into a fixture that is meant for mounting 20+ feet up in a warehouse to replace a MH 400 fixture. They definately work well for going from just rooted clones to 6+ inches, but I'm not sure about the spacing issue brought up here.
Look for high bay fixtures with google. I just found a 4 lamp one for $70. Much cheaper than the grow shops and it's the *SAME* thing. You could even find one without lamps and get hydrofarm tubes but you will save money if you find the K ratings of the bulbs they sell and get another brand.
Look for high bay fixtures with google. I just found a 4 lamp one for $70. Much cheaper than the grow shops and it's the *SAME* thing. You could even find one without lamps and get hydrofarm tubes but you will save money if you find the K ratings of the bulbs they sell and get another brand.
RoomRaider
Member
I just get the $12 home depot 4' double fixture fluros. T12. 40w per bulb, so 80w
I've vegged from seed over a month, 12+ nodes, stayed under an inch b/t nodes. Can fit roughly 30 of those under 3 fixtures 4'2"x2' It fit 70 plants in those small square pots. They also branch nicely, don't stretch. Got some really nice Christmas tree looking ones. Leaves have grown into the lights before, sometimes they bleach/burn a little, other times they ask for more.
I've vegged from seed over a month, 12+ nodes, stayed under an inch b/t nodes. Can fit roughly 30 of those under 3 fixtures 4'2"x2' It fit 70 plants in those small square pots. They also branch nicely, don't stretch. Got some really nice Christmas tree looking ones. Leaves have grown into the lights before, sometimes they bleach/burn a little, other times they ask for more.
Lord Doobie
Member
that's the problem with those suckers...the ones available locally are too big or low wattage...for decent t5's, it looks like you'll have to order everything online, do your own wiring, buy the bases, buy the bulbs, buy a ballast, and get a reflector...and it's relatively expensive. Someone had a couple of 24 inch 55w t5 ho bulbs in a fixture for $75 plus shipping...even more expensive
