T5 or cfl ???

[craiggiebob]

Alright
Just got my self a veg cab I currently have a t5 lightwave 4 tube 96w in total!!
What I wanna know is this gonna be sufficient enought for say 5 seedling up until there ready to flower? Then just keep the best lookin one as a mother plant?
Or should I get rid of the t5 and get a 250w cfl??
Or could I get 2 red spec t5 bulbs and turn my t5 into duel spec 2 white 2 red? Cheers for any input

[skunksmoka2k8]

Tbh t5s are pretty good for propagation, but you will not be able to veg these to a decent size before flower.

Dont get me wrong they will grow and flower under t5 but the results will not really be worth the time and effort in my opinion.

Go with a higher powered cfl and a decent reflector and keep it as close as possible until ready to flower.

What light are you planning on using to flower?

[craiggiebob]

This is just a veg cab mate I have a 600w hps on digi ballast
Just need to know weather t5 would be good nuff for veggin plants at least 5 weeks? Or am I best gettin a new cfl and reflector? Maybe dual spec if any betta at veggin? Cheer man

[craiggiebob]

Go with a higher powered cfl and a decent reflector and keep it as close as possible until ready to flower.


Got ya :)

[Bobby Digital]

second that ^^^ 250w cfl 6400k blue for veg, you can get them nice n bushy under that light before you flower :)

[Anonymiss]

T5 are much more efficient than compact lamps.

A typical 200 Watt compact lamp provides 9,000 to 10,000 lumens (45 to 50 lm/W).
192 Watts of T5 high output will give 14,000 lumens (73 lm/W).

So if you have the space, the T5s are almost certainly a much better bet.

ETA:

250 Watt compact is about 12,000 lumens.
240 Watts of T5 HO is 17,500 lumens.

It really is no contest, in my opinion.

[lostorstolen]

I think its all a matter of opinion I use the 4 bulb T5' s as well dual spectrum and I find it vegges quite nicely for as long as you wish to continue. But in all honesty have never used a cfl. I would think the T5's would do quite well in an enclosed area I use mine in a 8x6 room with no trouble. Peace

[craiggiebob]

Bastard didn't want anyone to second it haha oh well! Thanks to my tool of a dad he got me t5 rather than cfl, man at shop obviously sold him the more profitable light,
Oh well not me dads fault think I'll be gettin cfl Thursday? If am only gonna be mothering will you think I'll need a 250 or a 125 will do? And what's the runnin spec of a 250w is it like 100w running cost or does it consume 250w of elec?
Cheers

[Mr Swilly]

T5 are much more efficient than compact lamps.

A typical 200 Watt compact lamp provides 9,000 to 10,000 lumens (45 to 50 lm/W).
192 Watts of T5 high output will give 14,000 lumens (73 lm/W).

So if you have the space, the T5s are almost certainly a much better bet.

ETA:

250 Watt compact is about 12,000 lumens.
240 Watts of T% HO is 17,500 lumens.

It really is no contest.

Agree , I have used t5 for cuts, early veg. The only cfl veg light which compared equally/favourably watt for watt to the t5 was a 125 purple nurtrelite. You can't get them anymore for love nor money.

[craiggiebob]

Question is:......!
T5 lightwave 4 tube... 24w per tube

Or

Cfl 250...

All in a veg tent 60x60x140?

[Bobby Digital]

for me the lightwave you got is not big enough to say veg 6 plants to a decent size, where as the 250w cfl will, if you already got the light wave it wouldn't hurt to use it on seedlings and then switch to the cfl when they bigger..

[craiggiebob]

for me the lightwave you got is not big enough to say veg 6 plants to a decent size, where as the 250w cfl will, if you already got the light wave it wouldn't hurt to use it on seedlings and then switch to the cfl when they bigger..
Sound mate think I'll just invest in one!! :) plus do u know the runnin cost of the cfl? Cheers man

[Bobby Digital]

no mate, there are some lekkie calculators on the site/web you can look at. cant be much tho i would think?

[Mr Swilly]

For me the structure of the t5s also makes a difference.
10 flat 24w bars in a t5 flat reflector is better distribution of light than the same 10 bars wound in a cylindrical 250w cfl under a Dutch barn reflector. As anon said, they shove out more light as well.
So craigee, the answer is 10x24w t5s over a 250w cfl any day of the week. It will cost more to buy but well worth the money IMHO.

[craiggiebob]

For me the structure of the t5s also makes a difference.
10 flat 24w bars in a t5 flat reflector is better distribution of light than the same 10 bars wound in a cylindrical 250w cfl under a Dutch barn reflector. As anon said, they shove out more light as well.
So craigee, the answer is 10x24w t5s over a 250w cfl any day of the week. It will cost more to buy but well worth the money IMHO.

Only have 60x60x140
So a think the cfl is better over the t5 at the mo,
Pissed off more money to spend ah well money I'd be Savin on bud :)

[WEEDBHOY]

lightwave t5 i had the 8bulb version they run hot so i got rid ov mine and bought a 250 metal halide and i am well happy with it...all the best

[Anonymiss]

Question is:......!
T5 lightwave 4 tube... 24w per tube

Or

Cfl 250...

All in a veg tent 60x60x140?

You're kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place.

You'll get more light from the 250 Watt compact lamp than from four 24 Watt T5s, which you'll need, but it will cost more to run. You'd need six or seven T5 lamps to equal the output of the compact, but they'd only use 144 or 168 Watts.

Either way, you'd still be right at the lower end of what you want. Eight of the T5s would be pretty good though, and they'd be considerably better (and cheaper to run) than a 250 Watt compact.

Are you dead-set on using fluorescent technology? If not, have you considered a 150 Watt (ceramic) metal halide instead? It might be a good move.

Why don't people sell six- or eight-lamp 600 mm T5 fittings? They'd be really useful.