HO T5 lights

[bass ackwards]

Anybody got any info on these lights? I would like to use them for both veg and flower. Can this be done? I have two small areas which I can flood with lighting for either veg or flower.

Respect bass

 

[Maj.Cottonmouth]

I use and like my T5 bank for veg but I do not think they would work well for flower and you will need veg and flower spectrum bulbs. If you are buying a new setup I would look at small HID setups like a 250 watt CMH rig.

 

[someotherguy]

I have a store-bought, 4bulb, 2ft T5 HO fixture that totals only 96watts, ...in the same sized space I put 165watts of PL-Ls and could have fit a fourth 55watter bringing it to 220watts. ...so for me the PL-Ls are a better value.

...another advantage to a DIY PL-L set-up is you would remote the ballast outside the grow space, I can't do that with my T5 without completely gutting the fixture.

Like the Major said, if you can fit a small HID, that's the way to go but if that's not feasable i'd recommend PL-Ls and running the 4100Kelvin bulbs which will give you almost the same spectra as a CMH, just not the same intensity..

...on the off chance you are unfamiliar with PL-Ls I offer a few pics to illustrate.

this is a typical set-up showing 2x 55watt bulbs and a Fulham, Workhorse8 ballast rated at 220watts so able to run 4 of these bulbs.

...and this is a crappy shot of my own cloning factory where i've mounted 1 bulb up top, above my 'cloners', and 3 bulbs down below, above newly rooted and vegging clones.

Hope this helps, SOG

 

[pinecone]

The T5 HOs with the 6500k bulbs work great smaller plants in veg - every bit the equal of my 400w MH or CMH IME. You could flower with them, but you would want to grow your plants pretty flat to the pots (i.e., train the to grow horizontally).

Pine

 

[pearlemae]

I run T5s for both veg and flower, just change the bulbs when going from veg to flower. It's a 2'x2' 8 lamps fixture rated at 196 watts. Contrary to what some folks say you can grow killer smoke with T5 CFLS. Proofs in the pics.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=29620http://

www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=21006

 

[bass ackwards]

Maybe I will look into CMH lights and use one of them for flowering. I'd certainly do it if I can find a 600w bulb since I already have the ballasts for 600w HPS. As for vegging and mothers I guess I will use the five 125w CFL's I already have. I am trying to keep heat down along with electrical consumption. After giving this setup more thought I don't think I could do much better than I can using my existing equipment. Although the spectrum of the CMH bulbs looks better than my HPS bulbs. But I've used them(HPS) with good results before.

This go around I plan on harvesting just one plant a month, every month. I will keep plant numbers down to a minimum,(one mother,one plant in veg,and one flowering), and odor control should be easy to manage. If push came to shove I would be able to pull the plants and run them through a chipper and flush them down the toilet easily in an hour.

I will be running a new strain from Serious Seeds, an eight week sativa,which I will veg and LST for however long it takes till I feel I can harvest 1lb./plant. Or One pound a month.

That is my plan so far, any comments or suggestions are welcomed and will be considered. Needless to say I'm looking forward to this grow since I have been waiting for almost two years to get my hands on this strain, which has yet to be introduced to the public.

Respect bass

 

[PetFlora]

Rockin the T 5 HO grow using a combination of Quantum Grow bulbs (only cause I had them + a variety of coral bulbs (aquarium).

This pic was taken Tuesday: the buds have already doubled in size. I had to bend her as I could not raise the fixture any higher. She's roughly 5ft tall, and loaded with side branches and bud sites.

Check out my journal for updates

 

[someotherguy]

You're welcome.