T5 High Output Fluorescent

Any one using these T5 High Output Fluorescent lights?
What are the Advantage and disadvantages?

i use them for vegging and love them

used T5HO for veg and am currently 3 weeks into flowering using the same lights (with a different spectrum of course). They are pretty cheap, definetly effective, and don't produce enough heat to worry about setting a smaller grow room on fire. The only con is that growing is a little slower than the more expensive MH and HPS systems. For example, expect a strain that can be done flowering in 8 weeks to take 9 or even 10 weeks. I recommend them.

love the t5s. slight mutations, if you get the plant to close. went away for three days, came back and one plant grew up into the light. no burn.
i bought a 2' 4bulb 6500k 96watt. went back 2 weeks later and saw a used 2 8 bulb set. could not help my self. so i start seeds and clone under the 96w, and setting up mother room with the other set.

i love my t5, vegging plants love them to. of course the trick is 2 spectrums of light in one ballast at a decent price. if you ask most growers that use them the only down side is the longer growing period.

I have 2 plants in a 2 x 2.5 x 6.5 (ft) area. I used a 2 ft. 4 bulb T5 for vegetating 5 plants. Had (2) 6500k and (2) 3000k bulbs. Killed 3 of them for being male.

I added a second T5 fixture with the same 4 bulb mixed spectrum setup for flowering. I'm at the end of the 4th week of flowering and I'm pleased with their development to this point. I'll have to wait and see if the maturity extends past the nine weeks estimated for these tow strains. They are looking nice.

gsspike said:

Any one using these T5 High Output Fluorescent lights?
What are the Advantage and disadvantages?

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Purchase cost per lumen is a little higher than some other methods. But, operating cost per lumen is lower. Some of the very newest T-5s have multi layer phospher (5 or more) and can be used throughout the entire grow cycle. Most only have 1-2 layers however.

Knally said:

I have 2 plants in a 2 x 2.5 x 6.5 (ft) area. I used a 2 ft. 4 bulb T5 for vegetating 5 plants. Had (2) 6500k and (2) 3000k bulbs. Killed 3 of them for being male.

I added a second T5 fixture with the same 4 bulb mixed spectrum setup for flowering. I'm at the end of the 4th week of flowering and I'm pleased with their development to this point. I'll have to wait and see if the maturity extends past the nine weeks estimated for these tow strains. They are looking nice.

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do you have a journal or pics. hydro shop owner also said you could go from start to finish.
my biggest problem right now in the flower room the the heat the 1000w hps puts out. i would love to go all t5s. i would rather spend the money on more lights than more exhaust or AC. i have got to see your end results. are the buds tight/dense like HPS or fluffy and airy?

i think plants Veg faster under T5

Just took new pics. End of 4th week of flower. Dutch Dragon and Strawberry Cough from seed. with 4 bulb 2 ft. T5 for veg and 2 of the 2 ft. 4 bulb T5's with 4 3000k and 3 6500k bulbs. Hydro shop owes me one 6500k for a bad one shipped.

I've tried three other grows in a cabinet with a 400 MH/HPS and burned the shit out of 2 of the crops and the other was just like burned popcorn in a way. Temp's just way too high even with the door wide open and fans running in the basement.

New grow area plus very low heat lights that put out 16,000 lumens on light adjusters might make this one a success. Don't want to jinx it and call in the "Grow Gremlins"

These were under a 4'-8 bulb mixed 1/2 red 1/2 blue. 18 oz 12 plants. VV

I'm anxiously waiting now. Even more.

Nice job 1.5 oz per plant. What strain?

rrabbit said:

i use them for vegging and love them

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everyone i've talked to that has them loves them. I have them.. low enerygy.. Lots of light looks like heaven in my closet.. n well it does the job for vegging even blooming But i'm still going wit hps for flower

Knally said:

I'm anxiously waiting now. Even more.

Nice job 1.5 oz per plant. What strain?

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Those are Widow and Crystal. I have blue varieties and a new HempStar/ TexadaTimeWarp cross created by Yetie (from another forum) that I am calling HempWarp. So far I like the profile of the HempWarp the best, or maybe I just didn't veg them as long, not sure.
Point is, you can grow with the T-5's. The 8 tube will beat a 400wattHID Period, it should, it uses 40watts more power. I think it rivals the 600watt hid's. It is simply the right choice for closet growers, or spend a little more initially and get the LED's. There are several threads here using the led's, ThunderChunky (sp) has one that has been going for a few months, and there have been some new members, MstrWilliam and..shit name slips me mind right now. You get the idea, there are alternatives that work better for Stealth growers then the hid furnaces do. VV

I have to agree with VictorVIcious on the use of T5's for stealth because of the low heat output, energy efficiency and compactness.

I don't have experience or knowledge of the LED's yet so can't comment.

I have attempted to grow 5 other times in a 2 x 2 x 3 cabinet with a 400 watt MH/HPS and fried all 5 attempts. No problem from seed to vegetative. Had to start flowering when they were under 10 inches because of no head room to grow except straight into the light. I had a glass reflector and inline fans running and still temp's were always 85 - 90. The leaves were always washed out or crispy. Any finished bud was already dried and rank, low potency. I'm pleased with the T5's so far.

This is my first grow that I have been able to have any height. I have a 3+ foot Strawberry Cough & a 2.5 ft. Dutch Dragon. I can let them grow nearly into the light.

Knally said:

I have 2 plants in a 2 x 2.5 x 6.5 (ft) area. I used a 2 ft. 4 bulb T5 for vegetating 5 plants. Had (2) 6500k and (2) 3000k bulbs. Killed 3 of them for being male.

I added a second T5 fixture with the same 4 bulb mixed spectrum setup for flowering. I'm at the end of the 4th week of flowering and I'm pleased with their development to this point. I'll have to wait and see if the maturity extends past the nine weeks estimated for these tow strains. They are looking nice.

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What do you mean by that? (The part in bold, italic lettering.)

A buddy of mine uses 4 x 4 bulb sets T5's (16, 4 foot bulbs in 4 fixtures) and his plants grow very well and his yield is good. I use a 1000w MH and a 1000w HPS from seedling to harvest - for the same number of plants my yield is twice what his is, sometimes more. It all depends on the many personal factors involved which lighting is best for you. If T5s seem like the best choice for you personally, you can't go wrong. Yes, they are very good lights, but you can never change the fact that more light is always better.

I'm very pleased with my T5's. But in this thread and some others that I have read have said that one disadvantage of the T5's is that it takes longer to fully flower a strain than the HID's. How much longer? I don't know.

I can't confirm or dispute that since I have no reference point. This hopefully (go away Grow Gremlin Jinx) will be my first successful grow. I have failed 5 times from too much heat from a 400 watt HID.

I couldn't imagine too many more bud sites and filling out any more than they already are with the T5's. I'm not going to be greedy yet to improve my yield until I get a couple of grows under my belt.

Thanks every one! I'm happy I started this thread, I'm learning a lot.

I have 2 6 lamp t5 high bays and i simply love them. Vegg, Flower, they r great. for a small closet or confined grow area the t5 is the way to go