Recommendations for seedling lights

[ngen]

Hey this season i started my plants under 2x1300 lumen flouros. They were all run under that from 2-6, when they were taken outside, then from 7-10. (20/4). Their wasn't as much growth as i would have liked, too much node spacing, too lanky....

Next season i need something with a little more light. I plan on having them indoors for 5 weeks before bringing them outside again. Would like to run 22/2 for a week, 21/3 a week, 20/4 a week, 19/5, 18/6, then before putting them outside. I've not run into anyone working time down like this is it just over complicated?

I want a light that will result in the best all around growth, definitely 400 watt or under. i can also use the 2 flouros for side lighting. Seriously i start to learn towards hps then i go back towards hallides and run around in a circle.
soil food web- couldnt be simpler. electronic do-dads information overload.

 

[Iron_Lion]

my 250w mh gives me some seriously tight internodes, then from there they go under 600W hps.

 

[420ish]

how many plants you starting?buy a couple of hgl's 63 watt leds!i use a first gen hid hut ufo and a ebay knock off for veg and they work great.hgls 63 watters arent much more then a 90 watt ebay knock off and their veg looks great.

 

[mean mr.mustard]

MH

 

[ibjamming]

What's wrong with CFL? I use them for seedlings all the time...they work great. 3-4 seedlings in beer cups under a 23/100W CFL works great for seedlings. They don't need much light...not strong light anyway. Mine stay nice and short...no stretching. Cheap to buy and cheap to run.

Save the "big lights" for when they're needed. The first 2 weeks...CFL work great!

 

[mean mr.mustard]

You don't have to stop using CFL's at the seedling stage, they can bring in some buddage as well:



I just read the first post and figured that I might as well suggest what the person was already considering.

 

[jasondanzig]

do a t5 4ft 8 bulb, runs at about 430 watts and produces about 40,000 lumens. has much less heat output than a 400 mh and much better light dispersion. i run 1 in my 4X4 veg room, works like a charm, click my link below to see my t5 in action.

 

[Hank Hemp]

I love my T-5's

 

[John Deere]

+1 on the T5's. My plants love 'em.

 

[MAD DAWG]

I got 2 4ft High Output 54w 6400k T5's and love them.

 

[lvclosetgrower]

Ive personally always used my very first lamp an old no hood 400w hps never really tried MH.

 

[killerweed31]

i use mh 250w for first month and then hps 250w for the rest..but only because i grow in small space and the internode coming good with mh, but if i have enough space sure , i want one of 600w mh+hps, i see some thread where grower use 600w and very very huge bud , i think the space between internode coming more short if the plant have enough space to grow..recently i grow many plant in small space but i put much plants and then stretching more then what i hope bro!!

 

[the gnome]

I'm with the T5 club

I have a T5 HO 4ft 6-bulb(6500k), it puts out a healthy 30,000 lumens.

I'm going to get the 8-bulb set up as soon as I can,
if you get the 8-bulb unit it has 2 on/off switches so you can use 4 bulbs.
you can customize the amount of lights you need for the number of plants
you have at the time
AND
you save $$ on the elec and not have to deal with the heat with an HID lamp.

all these T5 units(sunsystem-sunblaze) and most others also have an outlet on the end of the housing so you can daisy chain multiple units together or it can use for a accessory outlet for other projects you may doing in the veg room, I have an air pump/bubbler stone attatched to mine so I aereate a bucket of water for my babies
My plants are a few days shy of one month and from using the T5 sunblaze they are
absolutely thee biggest and best looking seedlings Ive ever had

 

[Harinama]

i concur with a 6 6400k bulb t5. Just make sure and keep it <2" from the tips of the plants.

 

[SmilinBob]

2 26w 6500k CFL Tight nodes, healthy growth, very cheap

 

[ngen]

Awesome responses, thanks everyone, i will definitely check out every product mentioned in this thread.

 

[jasondanzig]

Awesome responses, thanks everyone, i will definitely check out every product mentioned in this thread.

or just the t5's

 

[ngen]

or just the t5's

definitely looking like my favourite option so far.

was thinking of going with the 8 tube 2 footer:
http://www.hydrofarm.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=10705

but part of the reason i was attracted to it was that the gnome said it had the on/off, which this product doesn't list.

http://www.hydrofarm.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=9011
strongly considering getting this one. seems like alot better value despite having less tubes, has the on/off and a bit more space for plants directly underneath it.

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

I love my T5's too, they make plants grow compact. Where corn grows well, cannabis can go in pretty late, like mid June. You could get indoor plants fairly large in just a few weeks, so that would make planting time late May. Also, you should try to match the daylength of your indoor lights to the June 21 length in your area. That way you can get the momentum going to grow some trees.

 

[the gnome]

definitely looking like my favourite option so far.

was thinking of going with the 8 tube 2 footer:
http://www.hydrofarm.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=10705

but part of the reason i was attracted to it was that the gnome said it had the on/off, which this product doesn't list.

http://www.hydrofarm.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=9011
strongly considering getting this one. seems like alot better value despite having less tubes, has the on/off and a bit more space for plants directly underneath it.

ngen, I know for sure the 4ft 8bulb units have the 2 switches,
not sure on the 2 footers?

I wouldn't go with the 2 ft units,
I strongly recommend going the 4ft route.
just better all the way round imo
what ever you decide, good luck my friend