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Do T5 powerVEG bulbs really make a difference?

Benvanboro

Benvanboro

Member
I'm considering upgrading my T5 bulbs to either the eyeHortilux veg bulbs, or the Quantum Badboy triphosphor coated bulbs. Do they really make that much of a difference?
Cheapest I am seeing the PowerVEG bulbs go for is $26.00 each, the Quantum bulbs I can get a set of 8 for $65.00 total!!
My real question is, does any of this even matter when it comes to T5? Is there a real difference? Or are all 6000k-6500k HO T5 bulbs the same?
I have a 4ft 8 bulb DuroLux fixture, used strictly for propagation and first few weeks of veg.

I know there are some people straight killing it with T5 lighting, I would love to be schooled on the subject! Thanks for your time everybody, how you're all having a great weekend!
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Speed of Dark
Veteran
My garden total of 48" T5 bulbs is down to 24 from a high of 120 when I was younger and more ambitious.

My single bulb of choice, with no close second place, is Zoo Med's Flora Sun. I usually mix in a Wave Point "Ultra Cola" for freshwater aquarium greenery. It is basically a red/blue in fluorescent form, not good as a stand alone but kicks butt filling in the reds missing from those "veg" bulbs.

Another Wave Point, "Reef and Plant Accelerator" is violet/far red, which also is supplement only and helps those white fluorscent's.

UVB is the major reason for T5, Zoo Med ReptiSun 10 puts out 5 watts UVB per tube, enough to balance 1000 watts of general purpose light.
I use seven of them with 5600 watts and it stunts the plants just a bit.
The FloraSun bulbs put out over a quarter watt of UVB per tube, balancing it correctly if it is the only bulb being used, as I said up above, no other bulb is even close to this one for stand alone use.
 
Benvanboro

Benvanboro

Member
Phaeton said:
My garden total of 48" T5 bulbs is down to 24 from a high of 120 when I was younger and more ambitious.

My single bulb of choice, with no close second place, is Zoo Med's Flora Sun. I usually mix in a Wave Point "Ultra Cola" for freshwater aquarium greenery. It is basically a red/blue in fluorescent form, not good as a stand alone but kicks butt filling in the reds missing from those "veg" bulbs.

Another Wave Point, "Reef and Plant Accelerator" is violet/far red, which also is supplement only and helps those white fluorscent's.

UVB is the major reason for T5, Zoo Med ReptiSun 10 puts out 5 watts UVB per tube, enough to balance 1000 watts of general purpose light.
I use seven of them with 5600 watts and it stunts the plants just a bit.
The FloraSun bulbs put out over a quarter watt of UVB per tube, balancing it correctly if it is the only bulb being used, as I said up above, no other bulb is even close to this one for stand alone use.
Click to expand...

Awesome info! Very helpful! So in my case, I am only using my fixture (4ft 8 bulb) for propagation and the first 3-4 weeks of veg. Do you think I should go with all FloraSun bulbs? Are the reds necessary at that point? Or am I going do see better growth development/tighter node spacing from tossing a couple "wave points"?
How many would I want in an 8 bulb fixture? Like a 2:6 ratio red:blue?
One of my bulbs just went out about 5 minutes ago so I am going to be getting new bulbs today!
Thanks for the help!
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Speed of Dark
Veteran
I hesitate to give specific usage advice as there are always exceptions. After I spent a year dialing in my clone/veg area for a specific sativa strain I was given an indica. The clones all tried to die in the sativa set up. Putting it back to general purpose allowed the clones to live.

That said, at least half the bulbs are FloraSun.
The Wave Point "Ultra Growth Wave" (Ultra Cola,they keep changing the name) is blue/deep red and works well for fast growing veg but not so much in budding. Their "Reef Accelerator" is violet/Far Red and is better in budding.
For general purpose and seedlings it is all FloraSun.

Most fluorscents and all tri color fluorescents have three spikes of output matching our eyes ability to see. FloraSun has more of the inbetween spectrum than most brands, many of which are relabeled residential bulbs.

Photos are current configuration, it changes.
 

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Benvanboro

Benvanboro

Member
Phaeton said:
I hesitate to give specific usage advice as there are always exceptions. After I spent a year dialing in my clone/veg area for a specific sativa strain I was given an indica. The clones all tried to die in the sativa set up. Putting it back to general purpose allowed the clones to live.

That said, at least half the bulbs are FloraSun.
The Wave Point "Ultra Growth Wave" (Ultra Cola,they keep changing the name) is blue/deep red and works well for fast growing veg but not so much in budding. Their "Reef Accelerator" is violet/Far Red and is better in budding.
For general purpose and seedlings it is all FloraSun.

Most fluorscents and all tri color fluorescents have three spikes of output matching our eyes ability to see. FloraSun has more of the inbetween spectrum than most brands, many of which are relabeled residential bulbs.

Photos are current configuration, it changes.
Click to expand...

Very interesting, you guys are the first to mention these FloraSun bulbs. Everyone else is pointing me toward quantum and hortilux. The hortilux and florasun are more similarly priced, and seem very expensive. Is the difference truly that impressive? at 20-30 per bulb, as apposed to 60-80 for a pack of 8?
 
P

Pwyll

Member
I used two of the Full Specrum +UV in a 6 bulb T5. Keeps the plants very short. I definitely recommend that bulb. Only used for early veg though
 
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Phaeton

Phaeton

Speed of Dark
Veteran
Spectrum graphs of T5 bulbs, note the colors are not continuous.

This link is all GE fluorescent bulbs, quite a variety.
http://assets.sylvania.com/assets/documents/faq0041-0800.83f1d8de-3fe1-4d24-a209-d95f6cac74b9.pdf

Flora Sun.
http://www.lighting-gallery.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10517/ZM39FS_S.jpg

Powerveg has been mentioned, here are the graphs for their output.
http://www.eyehortilux.com/products/power-veg.aspx

I mentioned Ultra Cola.
https://www.wharfaquatics.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=WA4273

Reptile bulb outputs with the reaction spectrums included. The balance between DNA damage and useful intensity is delicate with dwarfism happening rather suddenly.
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/images/phototherapyphosphor/UVAcombospectrawithD3andDNA-AS.gif

This last link I have posted many times. This time for the illustration showing what the sun's spectrum looks like at the point it hits the leaves. Right near the beginning.
http://www.lighting-gallery.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10517/ZM39FS_S.jpg

Nothing matches the smooth power of the sun, but some bulbs are worse than others.
 
BombBudPuffa

BombBudPuffa

Member
Veteran
I love my powerVEG bulbs. I was skeptical also at $26 a bulb but I doubt if I'll use any other brand after trying them.

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P

Philmore Jars

Member
Benvanboro said:
Very interesting, you guys are the first to mention these FloraSun bulbs. Everyone else is pointing me toward quantum and hortilux. The hortilux and florasun are more similarly priced, and seem very expensive. Is the difference truly that impressive? at 20-30 per bulb, as apposed to 60-80 for a pack of 8?
Click to expand...

Florasuns are available for $12 for 54w 4ft
 
M

MJINC

Member
I used the Eye PowerVEG I got for $20 each for a year or so on my clones and they are pretty good but I question the difference in price over some of the other T5's on the market for a 1/3 of the price. I'm testing out the AgroLED iSunlight LED T5's someone gave me and so far I've been pretty impressed. If they last as long as most LED's then it will be a nice replacement
 
CanniDo Cowboy

CanniDo Cowboy

Member
Veteran
Purchased 12 of the Power Veg bulbs at almost 30 bucks a pop. I expected better performance. As it turns out, just another shiney lure to drag in front of the growers, IMO. As some have stated, there is better out there and for less money. A lot less. cc
 
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