IXOYE
Active Member
Sorry bud, it took me so long to reply:
I used to use those $10 "grow lights" from walmart...not bad for a small situation (like a couple seedlings) but when you're dealing in large buckets like you have I wouldn't bother spending $50 on 5 lill grow lights. Go with shop lights and some T8 tubes like in mr drywall's pics or here:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202052422/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
....That fixture is 4' long, holds two bulbs and costs $20. A two pack of 48" daylight t8s (6500k) costs $6 - So for $26 you'd be getting a lot more than what 5 of those $10 grow lights can give you -- saving you half the cost too. They plug-in and are easy to mount (they just hang by chains). I went with two fixtures like this (a total of 4 bulbs), and vegged four great plants under them.
You can also buy t5 light fixtures but my home depot didn't have the plug-in and go kind, only the type that you hard wire and I couldn't be bothered with doing that at the time. But you could build a panel of t5s for a lot less than $150 -- i've been researching buying vs. building a t5 panel for my next grow and have decided to build one--just mount some t5 fixtures on a piece of plywood, I figure. I use my HPS for flowering though my hydro-shop guy said t5s would do well for me in flowering too. I got the HPS 'cos I never used it before and was curious. I am happy with the HPS but kinda' wished I went with t5s 'cos its hot for my little poorly vented closet. But for an entire bedroom the HPS is the way to go once you flower.
I used to use those $10 "grow lights" from walmart...not bad for a small situation (like a couple seedlings) but when you're dealing in large buckets like you have I wouldn't bother spending $50 on 5 lill grow lights. Go with shop lights and some T8 tubes like in mr drywall's pics or here:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202052422/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
....That fixture is 4' long, holds two bulbs and costs $20. A two pack of 48" daylight t8s (6500k) costs $6 - So for $26 you'd be getting a lot more than what 5 of those $10 grow lights can give you -- saving you half the cost too. They plug-in and are easy to mount (they just hang by chains). I went with two fixtures like this (a total of 4 bulbs), and vegged four great plants under them.
You can also buy t5 light fixtures but my home depot didn't have the plug-in and go kind, only the type that you hard wire and I couldn't be bothered with doing that at the time. But you could build a panel of t5s for a lot less than $150 -- i've been researching buying vs. building a t5 panel for my next grow and have decided to build one--just mount some t5 fixtures on a piece of plywood, I figure. I use my HPS for flowering though my hydro-shop guy said t5s would do well for me in flowering too. I got the HPS 'cos I never used it before and was curious. I am happy with the HPS but kinda' wished I went with t5s 'cos its hot for my little poorly vented closet. But for an entire bedroom the HPS is the way to go once you flower.
