Any one use the new quantum t5HO bad boy 16 bulb

[captain chronic]

Any feed back on this would be helpful Im considering buying 2 of them for a 4x8x6' high tent to use only during vegging heard they are great. or am I better off using a MH and/or HPS for vegging.
I will be using 1000w HPS's for flowering

 

[ProGroWannabe]

I haven't used the Bad Boy (yet!) but I have an 8-bulb Sunleaves Pioneer and I've even flowered with it. Way better results than most would expect. The last round I flowered out four Appalachia 6 girls in a DWC tub under it and pulled over 6 zips. That's not big weight, but that shows that the T5's are damn-sure capable.

So yeah, if I can flower with mine, you can definitely veg very well with the Bad Boy.

 

[nippirt]

If I already had sealed reflectors and dedicated ductwork for the HPS lights I'd probably use MH lighting for vegging.
"Quantum T-5 4 ft - 16 Lamp Fixture 864 W"
I'm sure these are great for vegging but I don't see an advantage in your situation, other than even light distribution.

 

[Hilbilly on nos]

if i was going to light a 4x8 tent with t-5 id go with seperate 4 or 8 tube fixtures for it that way u can change locations of lights to suit your needs ie. spread them out for a better coverage i use the 4 tube t5 on a 4x8 that is for veg only and its nice being able to move them up or down indivadually. but think about the power useage vs using hps to veg were talking in the neighborhood of 150 watts more for a lot more lumens. if its a heat issue thing id go for the t5 if its not a heat issue id go for more lumens .
with out checking numbers and making a uneducated guess im guessing the t-5 are 80k lumen with 16 bulbs at 864 watts and if i rember correct the 1kw hps can go up to 150k lumen.
in my experiance there is little difference in a hps to a mh veg cycle but the t5 will grow em shorter with closer nodes were u can get em closer
just some food for thoughts there cpt cronic

 

[lid]

I use 2x4 8 -t5 fixture for early veg and it does a very good job. tight internodes and short bushy ladies. very happy with it.

 

[rock202020]

I haven't used the Bad Boy (yet!) but I have an 8-bulb Sunleaves Pioneer and I've even flowered with it. Way better results than most would expect. The last round I flowered out four Appalachia 6 girls in a DWC tub under it and pulled over 6 zips. That's not big weight, but that shows that the T5's are damn-sure capable.

So yeah, if I can flower with mine, you can definitely veg very well with the Bad Boy.

I also run a 4 ft 8 bulb set up for both veg and flower. Its really amazing how nice of bud the t5's can put out.

My buddy has a 400w HID set up and weve been discussing a plan where I would be vegging all the plants and he would flower them. Everytime he sees my plants in veg he is in shock at how close each internode is. I always throw a few extra seeds in and veg them out for him when im at that stage. He loves how there isnt as much wasted space between internodes and most of the plant is bud when finished.

If its a choice between t5 or HID all the way through veg and flower id say HID no doubt. But for veg only I highly doubt you find anything that can outperform t5's right now.

 

[Iron_Lion]

I've got 4 4 foot 4 bulb t5's in my sitting in my basement, I just dont see the draw. I've got 5 HPS lights in all different sizes that I'd reach for long before the t5's. The HPS's just have what seems to be a much stronger penetrating light, I've also veg'd with different arrays of CFLs that seems to have slower growth than HPS or MH, I now only use them for keeping moms.

 

[growbert]

For (pre-)vegging purposes, is there any reason to get any red bulbs at all, or make all 16 blue?

I'll be flowering under 1kw HPS bulbs but need a system to give a large number of clones a decent 3 - 7 day veg and thought this light would probably get me better performance than a 1kw MH would over a 4x4.

 

[Lazyman]

FOr another option, there are VHO T-5s now, here's one:

Product 13/41



larger image Solar Flare T5 VHO Fixture 4 Foot 8 Lamp 120v
$449.95
The Solar Flare T5 VHO Fixture 4 Foot 8 Lamp will change your opinion of fluorescent grow lights. The Solar Flare VHO (Very High Output)is made from 95% reflective European aluminum reflectors. It uses a major brand solid state electronic ballasts for long life. They are manufactured for dedicated 120v or 240v input power (order the right one!!).



Specifications

* Heavy duty white steel housing
* Louvered and slotted for efficient cooling capability
* Comes complete with 2 chrome wire hangers for mounting/hanging
* Backlit on/off switch. 8-lamp and 12-lamp models offer 2 switches for a variety of lamp configurations
* Daisy chain feature allows multiple fixtures to be plugged together
* VHO Lamps offer 7200 lumens - 95 watts each
* Solar Flare dimensions: 47" x 29" x 4.5"
* Voltage: 120v

* Purchase your choice of lamps separately. Do not use HO lamps with VHO fixtures

 

[growbert]

Interesting... how recent are the VHO tubes, and are they easily available from multiple vendors at competitive prices? So far seems similar in pricing (from Grow Light Express) as typical F54T5HO's.

But as far as covering a larger area, though, I'm curious if a 16-bulb T5HO system that will physically span 4x4 a little easier will be better off for non-flowering purposes, or if you can get "even better" performance out of these T5VHOs lit from a more central point (doubt it).

Of course if I got two 8-bulb units to cover a 4x4, I'm sure I could get good results but not sure if it'd be worth the money.

 

[growbert]

Actually turns out the Solar Flare 12-lamp version (1140w) is pretty damned near 4x4 as far as fixture dimensions (47" X 44"). Wonder how much heat it puts out, considering the wattage, and whether the extra distance required from bulbs will negate much of the advantage?

The Quantum Bad Boy 16-lamp (864w) version is 46.5" x 46", basically a 2" width increase if everything else is equal. Which does make a little bit of a difference but if the VHO bulbs are that much more intense, maybe not.

VHO fixture itself is as much as the fixture + bulbs of the Quantum.

Plus the Quantum is so much sexier looking; it would just put a smile on my face just to look at it every day. Not sure which way to go...

 

[RoyceDaMastiff]

I actually use the Solar Flare 8 Lamp. I use alternating blue and red spectrums. I am getting spectacular results.

The lamp is huge, it is heavy, it is bright as hell. It draws 6amps of power on full blast. It definately puts out a bit of heat. I use it in my 4x8 tent, with a inline an & filter and my temps hover around 80, with ambient around 75.

 

[Tony Aroma]

Interesting... how recent are the VHO tubes, and are they easily available from multiple vendors at competitive prices? So far seems similar in pricing (from Grow Light Express) as typical F54T5HO's.

VHOs are not new. They've been around for many years. I started using them on my aquarium over 10 years ago. I still have a couple on my small reef aquarium. If anything, I think they are getting pretty rare these days. They were the precursor to CFLs back in the day. A way to get high output from a fluorescent, typically about 3 times the light from a comparable standard-output tube. But now that CFLs are so common and don't require a special ballast, I think VHOs are soon becoming a thing of the past.

BTW, they used to have HOs too, which were about 2 times the light of a standard tube. I don't think they even make those anymore.

 

[grow nerd]

Tony Aroma, HO's are the "standard" when it comes to T5 grow light fixtures. (i.e., F54T5HO). Thanks for the info on the VHOs.

RoyceDaMastiff, have you ever run all-blue bulbs for vegging? Or more blue than red? I'm going to be using my T5s for pre-vegging only, and wondering if I'll gain anything by adding any red lamps, maybe as many as a 1 red:1 blue ratio.

 

[Growbrass]

VHOs are not new. They've been around for many years. I started using them on my aquarium over 10 years ago. I still have a couple on my small reef aquarium. If anything, I think they are getting pretty rare these days. They were the precursor to CFLs back in the day. A way to get high output from a fluorescent, typically about 3 times the light from a comparable standard-output tube. But now that CFLs are so common and don't require a special ballast, I think VHOs are soon becoming a thing of the past.

BTW, they used to have HOs too, which were about 2 times the light of a standard tube. I don't think they even make those anymore.

All T5's are HO except for the new VHO setups (atleast the brands designed and sold for growing, aquarium t5 equipment may not be the same).

Since you apparently think T5-HO are "not even made anymore" (when they are the norm) then I must take what you say about VHO with a grain of salt. Tony I know there are NO(normal output) t5's but if anything is getting phased out it is those. Try to find NO/HO/VHO bulbs for sale, then tell me what you think isn't used much anymore =)

 

[Tony Aroma]

Since you apparently think T5-HO are "not even made anymore" (when they are the norm) then I must take what you say about VHO with a grain of salt. Tony I know there are NO(normal output) t5's but if anything is getting phased out it is those. Try to find NO/HO/VHO bulbs for sale, then tell me what you think isn't used much anymore =)

That's why I said, "I think." As I said, my only experience with fluorescent tubes is with my aquarium. Never used them for growing. Several years ago, VHOs were pretty common in that hobby. Now they are pretty rare, at least among people who frequent aquarium forums and talk about their lights. I can't remember the last time I saw anybody mention HOs for their aquarium. And the aquarium lighting supply store I buy my VHOs from hasn't carried HOs for a while now.

My main point was that VHOs are not new.

 

[Growbrass]

That's why I said, "I think." As I said, my only experience with fluorescent tubes is with my aquarium. Never used them for growing. Several years ago, VHOs were pretty common in that hobby. Now they are pretty rare, at least among people who frequent aquarium forums and talk about their lights. I can't remember the last time I saw anybody mention HOs for their aquarium. And the aquarium lighting supply store I buy my VHOs from hasn't carried HOs for a while now.

My main point was that VHOs are not new.

Got ya my man! Not sure if you took what I said as rude, but it truly wasn't intended that way. Typing words with the correct emotion or delivery is a bit tricky for me at times =)

Grow on buddy, grow on!

 

[Cheeb]

All that being said,

It was my understand that the Quantum BadBoy T5s are "overdriven" HOs.
The bulbs are still normal HOs, but the Quantum Fullham Ballast is pushing them harder then a normal t5 fixture like a Pioneer, New Wave, or Sunblaze.

Any truth in this? or is a Quantum T5 HO unit no different then a normal Sunleaves Pioneer T5 unit?