are cooltubes any good?

VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER

VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER

Well-Known Member
I am looking into buying a 250watt cooltube for a small 2 plant scrog grow. I see some people say they are not worth the money because you lose some of the power from the light. Is this true or not? Are they worth the money?
 
SableZen

SableZen

Well-Known Member
The good: They have less width than most air cooled hoods. Cost is relatively low for an air cooled solution. Versatile (vertical or horizontal placement).

The bad: Light distribution is not as even compared to decently designed air cooled reflectors/hoods.

Depending on your setup and need for air cooling - I don't see why anyone could say they might not be worth the money as a broad statement. I actually prefer a full hood for better light distribution but I'm currently using a cool tube in a smaller sized tent (no way I could fit my old hood in there). Any air cooled hood/reflector/tube is going to lose some light intensity (mostly UV spectrum though) from the glass but this is also counter-acted in practice by being able to put the bulb closer to the plants.
 
racerboy71

racerboy71

bud bootlegger
SableZen said:
The good: They have less width than most air cooled hoods. Cost is relatively low for an air cooled solution. Versatile (vertical or horizontal placement).

The bad: Light distribution is not as even compared to decently designed air cooled reflectors/hoods.

Depending on your setup and need for air cooling - I don't see why anyone could say they might not be worth the money as a broad statement. I actually prefer a full hood for better light distribution but I'm currently using a cool tube in a smaller sized tent (no way I could fit my old hood in there). Any air cooled hood/reflector/tube is going to lose some light intensity (mostly UV spectrum though) from the glass but this is also counter-acted in practice by being able to put the bulb closer to the plants.
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i tend to agree with this.. cool tubes tend to have the worst light spread pattern out of all hoods, and it's just as easy to use a air cooled hood and get better results imvho..
 
J

JointOperation

Well-Known Member
only worth using if u cannot control your temps with a barebulb or vert setup.. if u cannot control temps.. cooltubes and aircooled hoods works great.. but for a 250w.. u dont have much light penetration.. so the glass is only going to take more of your light away.. so i would add more ventilation instead of a cooltube.
 
tip top toker

tip top toker

Well-Known Member
If only a 250w, it really depends on whether you actually need it, verses simply having good ventilation.

that said, as above. If you have space, then get a proper hood, but if that's not an option, then cooltubes do a pretty good job at getting temps down, so better than nothing.
 
S

sandgroper888

New Member
Cooltubes are great if you've got high temps to contend with and do the job for sure.......yep proper hoods put the light down better for sure also..........Dont Mock CoolTubes they rock.......they make the possible.......possible......
 
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