Help me compare two T5 lights!

So the two lights I'm looking at are T5 FLUORESCENT FLUOREX GROW LIGHT = 400 MH compact CFL - eBay (item 270519295940 end time Feb-07-10 20:00:43 PST)

and

High Tech Garden Supply

They're both 4 bulb, 4ft long lights. I know HTG supply is a pretty well known supplier, but I've never heard of the other guys. The benefits of their light is that the lights are farther from the reflective surface, and that the reflector is a bit longer than the standard reflector on the sides, which might help get more light to the plants.

Does anyone have any comments about why either one would be a better setup? I need to decide pretty soon.

Both look like they'll work good. Just make sure you order the right bulbs. I've bought some stuff from HTG and have never had a problem

Any more advice? I'd like to order tomorrow. Anyone have any experience with the first seller?

Don't know the first seller but there's some BS in the ad copy and that always makes me wary. (216W t5 equals 400W MH? I don't think so....that reflector is nothing special, same basic design as the HTG offering--as cheap as you can make it... also, I'm not so sure moving the the reflector out, away from the tube, will help--probably the opposite. T5's were designed with a small tube diameter for a reason...)

With shipping, that first one's $170. Too much.

I've ordered from HTG before. The shipping's discreet and reasonable, so I'd go with them. I'm NOT familiar with that fixture, though... looks pretty "entry-level" to me, as does the eBay unit.

On the downside, I ordered a quantity of HTG "store-brand" T5 tubes and won't do it again. Some were DOA, some blew on first ignition, some worked for awhile...none were visibly as bright as GE's, Ushios, or anything else I have. They were so cheap I never even bothered to complain about it, though...HTG probably would have tried to make it right.

So, I'll order from them again, just don't stock up on their cheapo bulbs. I'd actually consider tightly spaced T8 shoplights as an alternative to either of these fixtures. Neither seems to be a great bargain.

Just my .02, Hermie

Yeah, the HTG one would be about $150 after shipping is applied, so that saves me $20. The local hydroponics store is offering the one in my link for $155, however it seems like you would lose a lot of light without the reflector coming off of it. Am I correct? I'm new at this.

Link to Local Light

Go with the Hydrofarm at that price.

Disregard everything on that ebay site. For one thing, those are NOT even fluorex lights. The're also $185 with shipping--I was looking at the opening bid price. WAAAY too much $$$.

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it seems like you would lose a lot of light without the reflector coming off of it

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Not really. You've gotta keep the tubes so close to your plants-- 1 to 2" if heat permits -- that those "side flaps" are going to be irrelevant. You can make something like that out of car dash-reflector stuff if you 'must' have it. The built-in reflector in the Hydrofarm light is probably vastly more effective than on that eBay light.


I could have stopped reading when I got to this:

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You can intensify light levels further since the cool running F54T5â??s can be laid right on top of the plants without burning them.

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That's absolutely stupid. Totally incorrect. The guy's got a bit of negative feedback, too. Go figure...




So, are you going to use this for a vegging light, or to flower? (Or both?) You might need to think about bulb choices. :smokin:

Go with the Hydrofarm at that price.

Disregard everything on that ebay site. For one thing, those are NOT even fluorex lights. The're also $185 with shipping--I was looking at the opening bid price. WAAAY too much $$$.

Quote:

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it seems like you would lose a lot of light without the reflector coming off of it

---

Not really. You've gotta keep the tubes so close to your plants-- 1 to 2" if heat permits -- that those "side flaps" are going to be irrelevant. You can make something like that out of car dash-reflector stuff if you 'must' have it. The built-in reflector in the Hydrofarm light is probably vastly more effective than on that eBay light.


I could have stopped reading when I got to this:

Quote:

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You can intensify light levels further since the cool running F54T5â??s can be laid right on top of the plants without burning them.

---

That's absolutely stupid. Totally incorrect. The guy's got a bit of negative feedback, too. Go figure...




So, are you going to use this for a vegging light, or to flower? (Or both?) You might need to think about bulb choices. :smokin:

i went to a local grow shop by me and grabbed a 2' 4bulb t5 hydro farm. right now i've got it under 4 plants and there doing great. you can bring those t5's down within inches of those plant giving them great light. all my plants are short and bushy for now. lookin good :thumbsup:

Well I decided on a light. In actually didn't go with either one of ones from above. I got a 4 foot 6 light T5 setup made by Sun Blaze. The Sun Blaze 46 I beleive. I'm going to use this light for vegging and flowering... at least for my first grow. I got 5 feminized White Widow seeds from Nirvana today, so I'm really excited to get started.

Now I just need to install a ventilation fan in the ceiling of the closet! :thumbsup:

Thanks for your advice guys. It talked me out of buying the ebay lamp with the large refector.