can i use a very expensive aquarium light?

calicatt79

calicatt79

Well-Known Member
I'm using CFL's right now for my babies (they are about 9 weeks old) what I was wondering is this:
i keep eyeballing the light i have over my 55 gal tropical fish tank. im pretty sure its t5 or something like that, it's got a purple setting, a daylight setting (more on the white side) and a led setting . it cost about $200 when i bought it. my question is will it be noticeably beneficial if used for my plant when i begin flowering? thanks :)
 
Filthy Phil

Filthy Phil

Well-Known Member
Google the bulb model for its color temperature, compare that to a googled weed light need chart to see if it fits in line. Thats the closest I can answer you...wouldnt have at all except no o.e else has....
 
calicatt79

calicatt79

Well-Known Member
well thank you ;) i appreciate it. i'm going to do that!

oh dear i wouldn't let my poor fishies suffer, i'll just use my cheaper flo tube till harvest time :) but i only wanted to do it if it would be significantly worth it.
 
calicatt79

calicatt79

Well-Known Member
Filthy Phil said:
Google the bulb model for its color temperature, compare that to a googled weed light need chart to see if it fits in line. Thats the closest I can answer you...wouldnt have at all except no o.e else has....
Click to expand...
that's too funny....i just said to myself "is weed light need chart even a real thing"? and apparently it is, thanks again...lol!
 
Gastanker

Gastanker

Well-Known Member
The actinic blue bulb will help a small bit and the 10000/6500K bulb will help it a bit more. The moonlight LEDs will not help. Keep the fixture as close to the plants a possible.
 
calicatt79

calicatt79

Well-Known Member
ok i googled the bulbs and this is whats inside:
​
156W
Configuration:
4 x 39W T5 High Output fluorescent tubes
3 x dual Bluemoon LEDs
 
hyroot

hyroot

Well-Known Member
You can definitely use aquarium bulbs. They have the best spectrum and the highest par of any light or bulb. I use a 4ft t5 8 bulb with aqaurium bulbs amd it kicks ass. Like anything you need the right bulbs and the right amount of red, blue, green and yellow.. I use 3 korallen zutch fiji purple, 3 uvl redsun, 2 wave point coral waves. Check my journal on my profile. Check out the threads led without led under indoor and club t5 under cfl and other flourescents in indoor growing.

Maybe the hid and led companies will finally start making the proper spectrum that plants use.

Also keep the light about 10 inchs away minimum. For spectrum blend. Any closer and the plants wont be able to absorb the whole spectrum and only be getting light from one or 2 bulbs.
 
ClosetGarden

ClosetGarden

Active Member
I use a T5 for my reef aquarium. You'll just need to change the bulbs to 6400k for veg and 3000k for flower. T5's grow great plants.
 
thc&me

thc&me

Active Member
T5 high-output lamps are great for vegetating plants, or perhaps flowering very short plants, but they're no substitute for HID lamps when growing larger plants. T5 bulbs come in an assortment of colors and it's quite easy to combine several different bulbs to find the optimal light spectrum for photosynthesis. While they are quite economical to operate, replacement bulbs and ballasts are expensive. They put out far less heat than HID lamps, so they are perfect for confined spaces, but T5 bulbs lack the intensity of metal-halide or high-pressure sodium bulbs. I can tell you from experience, that HID will put out bigger buds than any florescent on the market. They may not have the perfect spectrum, but their lumen per watt ratio and intensity are unrivaled. Plus, HPS lamps with enhanced blue-spectrum are available.
 
hyroot

hyroot

Well-Known Member
thc&me said:
T5 high-output lamps are great for vegetating plants, or perhaps flowering very short plants, but they're no substitute for HID lamps when growing larger plants. T5 bulbs come in an assortment of colors and it's quite easy to combine several different bulbs to find the optimal light spectrum for photosynthesis. While they are quite economical to operate, replacement bulbs and ballasts are expensive. They put out far less heat than HID lamps, so they are perfect for confined spaces, but T5 bulbs lack the intensity of metal-halide or high-pressure sodium bulbs. I can tell you from experience, that HID will put out bigger buds than any florescent on the market. They may not have the perfect spectrum, but their lumen per watt ratio and intensity are unrivaled. Plus, HPS lamps with enhanced blue-spectrum are available.
Click to expand...

Pshhhh depends on the bulbs and the spectrum. you cant say a fixture lacks intensity. the higher the spike and fewer of them the more intense and more energy. i have plenty t5 bulbs that penetrate much better than an hid of similar wattage hid's. Just because it looks brighter does not at all mean the plant uses that light. hid lights up the room more than it does anything for a plant. Lumens are visible light to what humans see not what plants see. plants see PAR. the number of photons between 400 and 700nm. Hid's have very poor par.


this is what plants absorb. chlorophyll A makes up 75% of chlorophyll
View attachment 1981270action%2520spectrum%2520en.jpgView attachment 1981272
 
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