T-5, T-8, T-12....Whats the difference?

sun system lighting has a 24in ballast for about 115.00 and you got 4 free lights... if you can find that deal i would think about getting it ... 4 blue for veg...1 blue and 3 red for flower...i used it and nutes on my first grow and got 12 grams about drying/curing and i learned alot

$175 and you get a 48" 4 lamp T5 at the link i provided earlier.

UTurn said:

If I decided to purchase this system http://www.contractorlighting.com/high-fluorescent-4lmp-t5ho-120277-p-152.html?osCsid=8da3fb47aa26bb5c0bf27d4647ae1332, could I put these 80 watt bulbs in it http://www.specialty-lights.com/531035.html?

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No. 80 watt = 60", 54 watt = 46.5"
You will have 46.5" with that fixture.
Keep in mind, T5HO can heat up a room as much as hid. Watts are watts as far as heat goes. The aircooled hoods on hid make them preferable to T5HO for blooming in most cases. If the room is cooled, I really like the features of T5HO since spectrum and spread are more easily manipulated.

will t5ho flourescents work as well as hid or mh?

IMO, for long thin scrog or sog, they are better. Get 14"-18" away or for square areas and the hids win.

Yeah i forgot to mention that all the lights that i got were all HO or high output. as for the heat it really isnt the same i hooked my 600w hps up in my closet the other day to see how hot it was onna run me waiting for my flower cycle and compared to the t5 it is nothing. I have 4 of the 8 bulbs on mine lit up with panda plastic all around it and a fan and it is about the same temp as my room maybe like 2 or 4 more but compared to an HID cfl is way cooler and you can put them literally 3 or 4 inches away from the light. I have 2 600w hps and i almost used my cfls instead cause of heat.

with your t8 fittings i mean yeah them would work really any light as long as its the right spectrum of color and has enough watts and youll be fine ya know. just do what easiest and cheapest for you. I want to know what you eventually get man . they have cheap like 250 watt lights maybe you should pick one of them up in the future and like totally switch the Metal Halide and the HPS out for the different cycles

Well I dont plan on buying the lighting system for a few more weeks but I will definitely keep you updated. Thanks alot guys, got good input from everyone.