T5 vs MH for *VEG*

BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
Ok, I am a HID type guy.

But the T5 seem pretty good for veg. But they are kinda pricey.
(I haven't looked into a DIY deal like a HID. I have access to CNC lasers to cut out anything I want)

But looking for *good* opinions.

Heat, light, power consumption.

this is ONLY for VEG and CLONING. Flowering will be on HPS in a different room so switchable ballast isn't a perk.

A 2 foot, 2 lamp fixture with bulbs is $125. I could get an MH for that too.

I have a 4 foot by 3 foot veg area (closet, so full height.)

Thanks
-bbb
 
GrnMan

GrnMan

Well-Known Member
I picked up a 2ft T8 with hood and chains to hang it from for like 12 bucks at Wal-Mart. They stay under that and a few 27 watt CFL's for 3 weeks.

No need to spend hundreds of dollars on some flouros. I'll post a pic...
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
GrnMan said:
I picked up a 2ft T8 with hood and chains to hang it from for like 12 bucks at Wal-Mart. They stay under that and a few 27 watt CFL's for 3 weeks.

No need to spend hundreds of dollars on some flouros. I'll post a pic...
Click to expand...
My current veg room is a 70W HPS (left over hand-me-down) and a 4 CFLs.

Maybe I'll just get some single bulb fixtures and run them vert in the corners.
Then some CFLs (maybe a few of them killer CFLs, the 65-150W (real) )

Or worse case, I use the 4 footers in the garage. That needs lighting SO badly. (might retire the 2 150W HPS to the garage when/if I get the 400W)
 
GrnMan

GrnMan

Well-Known Member
Yea, something like this?



Those run about 50 bucks, you could still do it cheaper and be fine. That would definitely work though.

Here's the T8's I got...





 
D

DR. VonDankenstine

Well-Known Member
I run a 8 tube 4 foot T5 for my veg and it seems to work fine--437 watts--it does the job but does put off some heat/close to a 400 mh. Plants stay squat and bushy---it's a tossup on the 8tube4ftT5-vs-400MH.
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
Yeah, thats the 'style' I thought about. (haven't looked hard since I was on the t5 kick until today, when I did the "huh? how much light? for how much watts? spurred from a CFL thread)

Maybe one of them and 3 or 4 single four footers in the corners.


(Damn! just when I thought I had it figured out!...... lol)

GrnMan said:
Yea, something like this?



Those run about 50 bucks, you could still do it cheaper and be fine. That would definitely work though.

Here's the T8's I got...
Click to expand...
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
DR. VonDankenstine said:
I run a 8 tube 4 foot T5 for my veg and it seems to work fine--437 watts--it does the job but does put off some heat/close to a 400 mh. Plants stay squat and bushy---it's a tossup on the 8tube4ftT5-vs-400MH.
Click to expand...
I have a lot of faith in floro for veggin! hence the OP.

The T5s seem to be the killer of the floros.

So each tube is the typical 48W? (-ish)


What the lumens for ONE bulb/tube? They don't add, but since there are more tubes, you can get less shading.

Also since you use them for veg, do you mix and match the colors at all?

-bbb
 
GrnMan

GrnMan

Well-Known Member
BigBudBalls said:
I have a lot of faith in floro for veggin! hence the OP.

The T5s seem to be the killer of the floros.

So each tube is the typical 48W? (-ish)


What the lumens for ONE bulb/tube? They don't add, but since there are more tubes, you can get less shading.

Also since you use them for veg, do you mix and match the colors at all?

-bbb
Click to expand...
I beleive my T8's are @ 1500 lumens @ 17 watts. This is why I throw in the extra CFL's as well. I think mixing the colors would be an excellent idea. It's always good to have both color spectrums IMO.
 
blinkykush

blinkykush

Well-Known Member
yeah i have the same light T5 4' 8 bulb, its 40 k lumens and I thought 50 watts per bulb...but i am veging very well under them. i keep the lights an inch from my tops and added 2 red spectrum bulbs to the mix giving me some red...and i move my babies around a lot. the light seems to be so evenly spread with the t5.
 
D

DR. VonDankenstine

Well-Known Member
blinkykush said:
yeah i have the same light T5 4' 8 bulb, its 40 k lumens and I thought 50 watts per bulb...but i am veging very well under them. i keep the lights an inch from my tops and added 2 red spectrum bulbs to the mix giving me some red...and i move my babies around a lot. the light seems to be so evenly spread with the t5.
Click to expand...
Yea-40 k lumen, but the bulbs are 54 watts for some reason. Any info?---How is the mix of light working for you?
 
blinkykush

blinkykush

Well-Known Member
I noticed when i added half red and half blue the plants seemed to get thicker stems and stock got thicker. all in all the growth seems constant and they are getting bushy. minus the Noob mistake I made by not accounting for the fert. in the fox's ocean soil. I should have waited to use the nutes. but its all going well, i like mixing the light spects up.
 
FullMetalJacket

FullMetalJacket

Well-Known Member
Lumens "don't add" like you said but having a better spread of light makes up for the lumens lost in the distance needed to travel when you have a single point of light. At least i think..lol. And for all you people who are advanced physics people, i know lumens add in some situations, but i am referring to the simplified method people use for this board which is accurate enough...

These T5s do generate more heat than i thought they would...Probably close to the MH i replaced with them...

I am using a new wave 8 bulb 2' T5 fixture in a 2ft x 2 ft veg area. So you you guys think replacing 2 of my blue spectrum bulbs with red would be the way to go?
 
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