Simple lighting question

[catfishclyde]

im starting my perpetual grow. Already have first set of plants in flower under a 1000w hps. Getting ready to start the 2nd set in veg and was wandering what size light I need for 5 plants? Plan to mainline them to 8 colas each... 1ft to 1.5 ft tall before throwing to flower under the hps. Looking to use a t5 fixture. Will a 4ft 8 bulb fixture be good? Could I possibly go smaller? Growing in 3.5 gallon hempy buckets.

 

[Dynamo626]

That will work but personaly i would use a 600w hps or a cmh instead though.

 

[xtsho]

I use a 4 ft 4 bulb T5 fixture for veg. You want a high output fixture that uses the 54 watt bulbs. More light is better but if you're just vegging to 1.5 ft it will work fine. I used to use a 400 watt MH for veg but now that I'm using a tent the T5 works great and doesn't put off much heat. You can get 5 plants in those size pots under a 4 bulb but 8 would be better and is what I wish I had.

 

[hotrodharley]

I use a 4 ft 4 bulb T5 fixture for veg. You want a high output fixture that uses the 54 watt bulbs. More light is better but if you're just vegging to 1.5 ft it will work fine. I used to use a 400 watt MH for veg but now that I'm using a tent the T5 works great and doesn't put off much heat. You can get 5 plants in those size pots under a 4 bulb but 8 would be better and is what I wish I had.

The positive side of T5 is being able to keep them shorter and bushy. In my experience. Besides saving watts and BTUs.

 

[xtsho]

The positive side of T5 is being able to keep them shorter and bushy. In my experience. Besides saving watts and BTUs.

And they last forever with very low heat. I'm still using a ten year old fixture. I've replaced the bulbs numerous times. I use the 6500k bulbs. Plants seem to love it.

 

[hotrodharley]

Left a big 150 watt fluorescent over my DWC last summer for 3 days so I could go on a road trip. Came back and the plant had grown around it. Burned slightly in a few spots. It grew like 13" in that time under that big bulb. It's 5K.

 

[Kingrow1]

T5 and T8 crew member

Mine put 30,000 lumems at the bulbs and i only need 5000-10000 for veg and a lot less for seedlings.

I grow very good plants at over a foot from my 4 x 24w T5 lightwave unit.

Best T5 unit - Ati dimmable.

T5s are total workhorses, buy the exspensive bulbs for proper spectrum £15 for Arcadia T5 freshwater, tropical and plant growth bulbs.

Not to keen on grolux or equivelants

 

[Kingrow1]

Also Lumen Gang since 2011, fuck those ppfd loosers

 

[nurrgle]

I clone and veg under 4x8 t5’s. Works great for me, I don’t notice much shock but I transplant at the same time.

Also plants are only under t5 in 4”squares. After they get bigger they go into my room.