t8 or t5

[oldschoolvdub]

So, I've done a lot of searching on here and on the internet and I'm having trouble coming up with a good answer to this question.

I have 4 or 5 4ft fluorescent t8 fixtures with standard bulbs. I would rather not buy new t5 fixtures if I don't have to. Has anyone had good results using t8's? And if so, what bulbs did you use.

If I have to buy t5s I can, I just don't understand the difference really and what I would benefit from. It is going to be for a real small grow under a garage bench.

Thanks in advance.

 

[PainWrek]

i use t-8s for veggin and clones. t-5 are hella expensive. the only difference is you can fit more t-5s in your space cuz they're a little bit smaller. 5, and 8 are the measurements of the diameter of the tube. i use 8 t-8 bulbs in a 2.5x5 space. if i used t-5s i could fit 10 or 12 in the same space. same amount of light, but your able to add more tubes....

hope this helps

 

[Phenom420]

No man, all you get is lanky plants with light fluffy buds
CFLs, MH, HPS is WAY better

Welcome to RIU

Your "regualr" bulbs are prob NOT the right color spec for growing.
here is the colors you need
blue for veg red/orange for flower.

 

[PainWrek]

t-8s are fine for veg, but you won't have near the quality of buds that you would from flowering under a high pressure sodium.

 

[Phenom420]

t-8s are fine for veg, but you won't have near the quality of buds that you would from flowering under a high pressure sodium.

I use some T8's 6500%5850k bulbs and I use them on seedlings for a few days and after that 1 CFL per plant and then they grow into bigger racks with more lights as they grow.

I use CFLs for veg and 2 HPSs for flower.

 

[NavySupra]

Although I have never grown under them, I built a number of 1.6 overdriven 4' t8 fixtures. With overdriving the T8 will produce a noticeably greater amount of light(at one time I had the lumin compairson but this was a few years ago). I had four fixtures, two lamps each so a rough guess of 256 watts of consumption, with about 160w actually getting turned into light. If I remember correctly, overdriving by one step was the most efficient, while being slightly less efficient than a non overdriven fixture. My plan was to combine a 400w HPS with those fixtures to improve my blue and uv output.

Due to space constraints at the time I ended up just using my 400w hps to grow and mounting the t8's to light some benches in the shop. Best bench lighting I ever mounted!

 

[oldschoolvdub]

I really would like to stick with fluorescents for the whole process if possible. So would it be possible to start out with lets say a 6500k t8 bulb, and then move to a 3000k bulb for flowering? And if I use CFL's, do I have to use a certain style bulb? Or can I just use any old CFL. And do they also work for flowering as well as veg?

 

[Phenom420]

I really would like to stick with fluorescents for the whole process if possible. So would it be possible to start out with lets say a 6500k t8 bulb, and then move to a 3000k bulb for flowering? And if I use CFL's, do I have to use a certain style bulb? Or can I just use any old CFL. And do they also work for flowering as well as veg?

Yup that will work
any CFL I get mine at lowes/home depot
sylvania.

 

[NewGrowth]

i use t8's to root my clones with good results

 

[Phenom420]

i use t8's to root my clones with good results

Sup NG
does seem rooting plants like the less intense floros for the forst week or 2
they just dont promote much else
you will have a hard time trying to flower with tubes
I started that way and learned FAST it was a waste.

 

[NewGrowth]

Sup NG
does seem rooting plants like the less intense floros for the forst week or 2
they just dont promote much else
you will have a hard time trying to flower with tubes
I started that way and learned FAST it was a waste.

Yah I flower with 2000w of HPS, just use those for my clones . . .

 

[Phenom420]

Yah I flower with 2000w of HPS, just use those for my clones . . .

Yeah I got 2 1Kws myself
I use those agro max bulbs
have u tried a dual arc bulb¿

 

[NewGrowth]

Yeah I got 2 1Kws myself
I use those agro max bulbs
have u tried a dual arc bulb¿

No not yet those bulbs are really expensive. I use USIO Hi-Lux grow lamps they have the lowest return rate of all the bulbs and are by far the highest quality lamp I have ever used. Not even the Hortilux bulbs perform as well.

I'll probably be adding another 2k watts here in a couple months and I know my partner was interested in those bulbs so we might try them out.

 

[oldschoolvdub]

So if I were to flower with the fluorescent lights, what would be the best ... T5, T8, or CFL. And what would be the best as far as energy usage. This is my first grow that hasn't been outside, and I need to keep it cheap and easy.

 

[NewGrowth]

So if I were to flower with the fluorescent lights, what would be the best ... T5, T8, or CFL. And what would be the best as far as energy usage. This is my first grow that hasn't been outside, and I need to keep it cheap and easy.

I've seen good results with the T5's in flower the trick is to keep the plants short and the light close to the tops. You will never get the same results you would with an HID however.

 

[Phenom420]

So if I were to flower with the fluorescent lights, what would be the best ... T5, T8, or CFL. And what would be the best as far as energy usage. This is my first grow that hasn't been outside, and I need to keep it cheap and easy.

CFL but they arent enegry effecitve compared to HIDs ran with 240V
I use to run over 140CFLs that sucked well over 45amps (and for less plants)
now I dont use but 10 to flower all mine.
T8's are pointless for flowering unless you dont want any weight, T5's will do a little better but for the money just get a cheap HPS 4or600W

 

[Phenom420]

No not yet those bulbs are really expensive. I use USIO Hi-Lux grow lamps they have the lowest return rate of all the bulbs and are by far the highest quality lamp I have ever used. Not even the Hortilux bulbs perform as well.

I'll probably be adding another 2k watts here in a couple months and I know my partner was interested in those bulbs so we might try them out.

Ahhh
yeah these were the first I've tried.
They do excellent, but again these are my first.

Im goin digi and add some more after this haul and I was thinking about those hortix, but now u got me thinking.

I really wanna try a dual bulb thoo....

 

[NewGrowth]

Ahhh
yeah these were the first I've tried.
They do excellent, but again these are my first.

Im goin digi and add some more after this haul and I was thinking about those hortix, but now u got me thinking.

I really wanna try a dual bulb thoo....

Yah my distributer said the Hi-Lux have less than 1% return rate, the hortilux is close to 10% of all the Hi-Lux bulbs we have sold not one has been returned yet. Taken back two hortilux and some others though.

 

[Phenom420]

Yah my distributer said the Hi-Lux have less than 1% return rate, the hortilux is close to 10% of all the Hi-Lux bulbs we have sold not one has been returned yet. Taken back two hortilux and some others though.

hmm
well I cant complain about mine or anything
I use cool tubes and all and keep my plants around 7-10 inches, got some small ones that arent that close but it's def doing the jobby.

 

[Knally]

Order of success.... H.I.D. (HPS, MH) High Output T5'S, CFL's. T8's and T12's are pretty much wotrthless.