T5 Fluorescents

[rygo796]

Anybody ever try growing under T5 fluorescent lighting? I Figure I could fit a 4 bar 4foot setup in my clsoet which would work well for heat issues, and they say they put out 5000 lumens per bulb, which I could scrog under and being so close to the plant it would be like using somewhere between 250 and 400watt HPS.

Any thoughts?

[OmegaVermelho]

T5 tubes are great and u get nice results, but u wont get near a 400w HPS unless u use shit loads of them tubes...i use an HPS for flower and she puts out 52 000 lummens so it means u would need 10 of those T5´s.Anyway for small spaces tubes are allways a smart choice and they´re cheap and take less juice the HID´s so all things considered they´re a good choice.

[rygo796]

I know the 400 HPS puts out higher lumens, but I figured since the T5 is closer to the plant wont the efficiency be better.

What I mean is that since the 400 is x feet away it only uses x% of its lumens while since the T5 is y feet away it uses a higher percentage of its lumens...

I'm not saying I think its as good as a 400HPS but I feel it would be somewhere equivelant to the 300HPS range being so close to the plants

[invision]

nope no way you can have all the tubes you want you still only have 5000 lumens now you just have a better spread of your light where a single 400watt hps bulb produces 52,000 lumens and just like the hps two 400watt bulbs does not equal 104,000 lumens

i heard good things about the T5 series they are great for scrog.... i dont mean to rain on your parade you can still get outstanding plants using those lights im jut explaining the lumen part of it :)

[OmegaVermelho]

In all i´ve read i must say that fluoros are a real good deal, not because they are more effective cause they are not (even if they do stay closer to the plants, wich is related to light dispersity) but for the simple fact that they are cheapper to buy, produce less heat (another reason why u can hang them so close to ur plants) and they pull a fair less amount of juice out of the power line...

In other words i use Fluoro tubes for seedlings and veg only, after that i put them under the 400w HPS...but i can tell u for sure that my next grow will have both of them in the room...and after this next grow i will try one of those MH conversion bulbs just to compare results...u should try that urself if u can...if u can´t, well stick to the fluoros they sure can deliver....happy growing m8.

[postmandave]

dont worry the 4x 4ft t5s wiill do the jod these lights in cool blue are good for veg i was using 8 x 5ft 58 watt t5s for the last 2 years with exellent results hear are some picks.keep them about 6 inches from the plants and they will do 8 plants for 4 weeks veg any more and you would need to add some more lights .hope this helps be safe the postman.PS these plants were trained for to go under a scrog so the are lst

[rygo796]

Good info on lumens, much appreciated.

Since my room is roughly 4X2 I can get a 4bar T5 and then maybe a couple small bars for the sides to help supplement...I would get a 400watt instead but I just don't have the means to cool the room im growing in...I have used a 1k MH/HPS in the past but my current living conditions just wont allow me that luxory.

[Garden Knowm]

POSTMAN.. you lights look closer than 6 inches.. your plants look GREAT

iloveyou

796--

A T5 set up will work great.. keep them 1 inch or less from your plants and have a fan blow gently on your plants in between the lights and your canopy..

FLower when the plants are SHORT.. like 6-10 inches.. you will get great results..

iloveyou

[postmandave]

the man says it all. we bow to you garden and yes they are nearer than 6 inches lol 1 inch i think lol be safe all the postman.

[DH06]

just so you know (if you don't already) you will get SOME heat from the T5 setup but not near as much as the HPS, but more than normal floro's....I'm running 2 4' 8 bulb fixtures (new wave by sunlight supply) and they did put some heat into my veg room

[rygo796]

Yeah i know they do put out some heat...but 2 4' 8bulbs WOW! I wouldnt imagine something like that being 'cool' necessarily.

I have light experience with CFLs but I figure Ill do like postman, 1" or so with the single 4bulb fixture with a fan cooling between the 2...and of course adjust height as needed for heat.

[kdspecial]

I have the 2ft Version 4 bulbs 2000 lummes each in the top of my cab. So far for growing it works really well. I believe the reflector has alot to do with it as well. I remember reading about it on the net. SunSystem T5 2fter German technology reflector.

I plan to add some cheep side lighting to the cabinet in top compartment and flower with this light. I will post the results.

Regardless tubes are simple for me no heat in a small space.

kd_special

[Racerx]

Sun Systems T5 HO, 4 bulb setup. Seen 3 of them do some pretty good stuff. Takes a longer and yeah, needs to be really really close, but they are seriously cool. A 400 watt HPS produces SIGNIFICENTLY more heat. But it also produces more growth too. I dont think anyone will argue that T5 will out perform an HPS. However for vegging and clones they can be great!

[dusto2k3]

hey dude, if you search for my other posts, you will see picsof my setup. I use a 6 tube 2' fixture in harmony wioth 2 4' cool whites and 2 4' wartm white florescents. Works greats. My plants have really really dense growth. These t5ho's are great but expensive.

[rygo796]

I wasnt so much of thinking about doing 400HPS stuff with the fluoro's but I was thinking it was possible to have similar output to a 250HPS, which I was considering, but I like the lower heat output of T5

[Garden Knowm]

Hey Special..
I see lights.. but I don't see anything BATHING in them?

iloveyou