Flouro Tube questions

I am thinking about using flouro tubes to veg and for moms but I am not sure what to pick. I know veging plants need 6500k light temp but the tubes I see on 1000bulbs.com have really low lumens compared to the soft white one. My question is does the light temp matter more then the amount of lumens for veg? And what watt bulbs are good to use? Or am i better off doin the CFL's

thanx

PoeEttic said:

I am thinking about using flouro tubes to veg and for moms but I am not sure what to pick. I know veging plants need 6500k light temp but the tubes I see on 1000bulbs.com have really low lumens compared to the soft white one. My question is does the light temp matter more then the amount of lumens for veg? And what watt bulbs are good to use? Or am i better off doin the CFL's

thanx

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If your looking for more lumens your better off with CFLs

I'd reccomend the flouro tubes...used them lots, great for clones and moms. They put around the same lummens if you get the right ones, I use T8. Cfls are ok...but they don't cover as much an area as flouro tubes will.

For best results use a ratio of 3 5000K:1 3300K, it represents the closet spectrum to the sun, and if you use them in your flowering as well will produce you more trich production.

Cool white/Warm white,combo.

A 26w CFL has a cylinder(spiral) length of about 2.5', and 3/8" diameter.

T8's work good. Look for plant/aquarium specific bulbs. They're far superior to most others(dual spectrum, all you need). If anything, supplement with 2700k for the rich orange-red light.

T8's are a thing of the past...


54 Watt T5 HO fixtures rule for this I have a buddy that uses a 8 bulb all 6500K fixture ,
and his plants grow as fast as my 1000 W MH (and his grow MUCH fuller than mine).

I am a FIRM believer. These things are the shit for Veg. You can get a 6 bulb fixture
totaling 30,000 Lumens. You can put any combination of 6500 , 3500 or 2700 K Bulbs in it as well

Also if a ballast say "Maximum Power: 28W" that means that it can power like 3 x 8watt bulbs right?

It means it will accept max 28W bulbs. You a little confusing on what you mean though.

I agree that T5's are great...but thery're alot more expensive then T8's, and it sounds like he's on a budget...if not, go with the T5's. But i'm telling ya 5000K and 3000K througout the entire grow will yield you some pretty frosty buds. Done it...proved it.

homegrownboy said:

It means it will accept max 28W bulbs. You a little confusing on what you mean though.

I agree that T5's are great...but thery're alot more expensive then T8's, and it sounds like he's on a budget...if not, go with the T5's. But i'm telling ya 5000K and 3000K througout the entire grow will yield you some pretty frosty buds. Done it...proved it.

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so the bulb lumens are of no concern?

Lummens are important...yes...and most T8 tubes will provide around 2500-3000 lummens per tube. I had 10 tubes equalling 30,000 lummens. Heres a pic of my last grow with flouro's in a closet setup. I ran the flouro's throughout the veg and flower stage. My plants will produce less yield...but I guarantee on average of 20-30% more trich production. The second pic is only 1 week into flowering, it could be just the strain (White RhinoXGod Bud), but every plant looked like sugar coated buds only 1 week in.

homegrownboy said:

Lummens are important...yes...and most T8 tubes will provide around 2500-3000 lummens per tube. I had 10 tubes equalling 30,000 lummens. Heres a pic of my last grow with flouro's in a closet setup. I ran the flouro's throughout the veg and flower stage. My plants will produce less yield...but I guarantee on average of 20-30% more trich production. The second pic is only 1 week into flowering, it could be just the strain (White RhinoXGod Bud), but every plant looked like sugar coated buds only 1 week in.

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I want to put a couple 24" bulbs in my grow box for the veg, seedling, and mother side. Maybe 4 bulbs. If I got a ballast that powers 2 48" bulbs could I hook that up to 4 x 24" bulbs or am i not on the right track? I think I will use the T8's...for now.

PoeEttic said:

I want to put a couple 24" bulbs in my grow box for the veg, seedling, and mother side. Maybe 4 bulbs. Thanks for all the help guys I cant wait to put it together. I think I will use the T8's...for now.

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Good luck with your grow.

I'd reccomend the 4' ballast setups, but if 2' is all you can fit in there...then away ya go...lol.

homegrownboy said:

Lummens are important...yes...and most T8 tubes will provide around 2500-3000 lummens per tube. I had 10 tubes equalling 30,000 lummens. Heres a pic of my last grow with flouro's in a closet setup. I ran the flouro's throughout the veg and flower stage. My plants will produce less yield...but I guarantee on average of 20-30% more trich production. The second pic is only 1 week into flowering, it could be just the strain (White RhinoXGod Bud), but every plant looked like sugar coated buds only 1 week in.

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You dont have 10 tubes equaling 30,000 lummens you just had 10 tubes each with 3000 lummens. When you add bulbs you dont add there lummens together, You just get more of a coverage for the plant. I had the same thinking when i was justing starting using cfl's

sagincj said:

You dont have 10 tubes equaling 30,000 lummens you just had 10 tubes each with 3000 lummens. When you add bulbs you dont add there lummens together, You just get more of a coverage for the plant. I had the same thinking when i was justing starting using cfl's

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This is a topic that has been discussed for a few years here and proven you CAN add lummens together. Simple science and a few lummen/lux meters proved so!

sagincj said:

You dont have 10 tubes equaling 30,000 lummens you just had 10 tubes each with 3000 lummens. When you add bulbs you dont add there lummens together, You just get more of a coverage for the plant. I had the same thinking when i was justing starting using cfl's

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Then why do red, green, and blue light make white light?

Answer: light is additive.

Use closest possible from 5500K (wich is daylight balanced)! Really PERFECT for growing, 4ft tubes, the more you can afford the healthiest your plants will be... Place a few of them Vertically and the others Hozizontally... It will ensure a nice light for the undergrowth as the plants will grow Believe me, I had Wonderful results using this kind of setup!

The best floros tubes do not have a standard kelvin rating(usually called plant/aquarium lights), but are dual spectrum.

And for the Lumen and lux and everything: read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumen_(unit)

As soon as you use a light spectrum (5500K) wich the plants 'feels' you are ok... Even If you are using 25 000W of tungsten (3200K) your plants will stretch and die from lack of light...

ALWAYS remember: illuminance is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the light... So, if you are 1ft close to the plant (with a 5500K light), you have x intensity of light (where x will be 200 for the light intensity in this exemple) if you get 6in from the plant (2X closer) you don't have 400 but 800 of light intensity !!! Keep this in mind

don't ask me what is the unit for the light intensity in this exemple IT'S ONLY an exemple

you can use a lightmeter like ones designed for photography (Gossen Lunasix 6) on ebay.. it gives Lux etc... for the reading of light intensity...

If you were using 25,000W of incandescent lighting you'd probably start a fire.

You'd also need over ten 20 amp branches to do this. It'd also cost $1,800/month at 10 cents per kWh.

LOL I know, it's an exemple pushed to the extreme hehehe but you're right btw!