T8 grow?

I have an idea for a grow space, but it's short and long.. perfect for a fluoro SoG. I don't want to bite the bullet and buy T5HO w/ 3K bulbs, as it's a bit pricy, so I'm wondering if anyone out there has done a T8 grow on the cheap and how that went.

Before you start hating on this idea, just keep in mind I'm already a CFL PC Case grower with real decent success. If my current 111W, 2 plant PC grow puts out less than 2 OZ. total, I'll be shocked. I've seen enough T5HO grows on here to know that fluoro can put out buds that compete w/ HID. I'm just wondering if the drop off from T5HO to T8 is really that dramatic. If it is, I don't want to waste my time.

So.. fluoro growers be proud.. lemme know if you've accomplished this feat.

Thanks,

~ER~

i use t8 for my clones and early veg, no clue how'd they do flowering under that kind of light. sorry but i dont think any non hid can compete with a hid, well i use 1k watts for all lights. The t8 veg's fine tho. if you're using a small space just grab a smaller hps and switch the lights for flower. Your buds will thank you!

im growing og kush under 4 t8 bulbs and 1 43 watt cfl and mine is looking amazing!

ftc Lando said:

i use t8 for my clones and early veg, no clue how'd they do flowering under that kind of light. sorry but i dont think any non hid can compete with a hid, well i use 1k watts for all lights. The t8 veg's fine tho. if you're using a small space just grab a smaller hps and switch the lights for flower. Your buds will thank you!

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I would love to, but 2.5 feet height and about 8 feet long, hid might not be the right choice for the space. I have a shit ton of auto white Russian seeds that get abou a foot and a half tall, too. 8' tubes sound perfect. Just trying to figure out how balls I have to go on the fluoro. Also, I gotta disagree on your hid / non-hid comparison. Having peeped MANY t5ho grows, I'd put 8 4' t5ho lamps up against a 600W hps any day. And the setup costs about $400 less and minimal cooling needed. Seriously.. Search this site for t5ho.

OPENURMIND420 said:

im growing og kush under 4 t8 bulbs and 1 43 watt cfl and mine is looking amazing!

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Awesome to hear, man. If you can share photos, I'd be pumped.. Having grown some kickas cfl bonsai, I know fluoro can put it out, but I'm curious to see a t8 flower because I have only seen t12 t5 t5ho and a weird t100-something. I read the t8 ballast is very quiet and puts out great power. My home depot has 3000 K t8 bulbs, too.

you have to go balls out on the flouros to yield any sort of tight bud.It can be done,but you essentially have to surrround them in light to flower.Buds will be light and airy,at least from my exp.

luvvin growin said:

you have to go balls out on the flouros to yield any sort of tight bud.It can be done,but you essentially have to surrround them in light to flower.Buds will be light and airy,at least from my exp.

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Are you saying w/ T8 or fluoros, in general?

Ive been using flouros from the beginning because that's all I could afford and im happy with what im getting. Its all on what you can afford and have available. Make the best out of it. I know this doesn't answer your question but you just have to experiment. Good luck!!!

I was growing in a closet that's 6ft x 3ft and I had 2 4foot 2 bulb ballasts at 6500k bulbs and my plants did very well...but of course flowering came and I threw a 400hps in there and was done
...fluoros are great for veging...I'm sure they'd work for flower...worth a shot...me personally will always flower with hps because I don't want to risk losing yield with a low intensity setup...I'd like to follow your progress though

09 was the year...