LED Without LEDs -My First T5 Grow

hyroot

Well-Known Member
I know everyone has been back an forth on the fiji's, even me..... From what ive saw the last batch and this batch. The girls in one row on the side with 2 fiji's are swelling up more than the side with one fiji. I have 2 rows of 4 under the t5. now im starting to think the fijis are the best bulbs out of all of them. I plan on buying another t5 in a week or 2. So I wil do a comparison between 2 t5's . One with 4 fiji's and 2 redsuns. Another with 4 redsuns and 2 fiji's.
 

Redoctober

Well-Known Member
Man, I was within 2 keystrokes of buying that New Wave. I'm glad I saw this. I thought something was fishy with that listing. There was no mention of a Christmas sale or anything, and the fixture seemed to be priced way out of range. Not to mention that Hydro Galaxy has a pretty piss poor feedback rating for an Amazon store (70% or something). I've never done business with any vendor that has less than a 90% feedback, and even that's pushing it. Sorry you guys got screwed :( I guess the worst that happens is that you pay the full price but it still sux moose cock to get jerked like that! The silver lining might be that the New Wave is a very nice unit imho. Much nicer and sturdier than the Badboy, and it's completely assembled.

I've had one Flora Sun fail on me but overall I'm impressed with the bulb. Actually I had all Flora Suns in my fixture for the past week until my other bulbs arrived today, when I swapped out for Red Suns and an actinic. Still waiting on my Coral Waves. The Flora Sun seems to have the full balanced spectrum, yes a bit of a wasted green peak, but it is pretty much what the Fiji Purple was supposed to be. Which kind of leads me to believe that if the Fiji Purple was actually anything like its "supposed" spectral graph, it would appear white, like the Flora Sun. This makes me think that it is really much more of a blue spectrum bulb, which may explain why some are having sub-par flowering results with it, because we have been treating it like a balanced, dual spectrum bulb which I don't think it is. Just a hypothesis...

In fact I am contemplating leaving one half of my 8 bulb fixture all Flora Suns for the rest of flower, or maybe swap one out for a Red Sun. Just got my Red Suns and after reading all of your troubles, I'm not throwing away any of the packaging because I fully anticipate having to send some back. I hope Marine Depot is good about returns!
 

hyroot

Well-Known Member
Man, I was within 2 keystrokes of buying that New Wave. I'm glad I saw this. I thought something was fishy with that listing. There was no mention of a Christmas sale or anything, and the fixture seemed to be priced way out of range. Not to mention that Hydro Galaxy has a pretty piss poor feedback rating for an Amazon store (70% or something). I've never done business with any vendor that has less than a 90% feedback, and even that's pushing it. Sorry you guys got screwed :( I guess the worst that happens is that you pay the full price but it still sux moose cock to get jerked like that! The silver lining might be that the New Wave is a very nice unit imho. Much nicer and sturdier than the Badboy, and it's completely assembled.

I've had one Flora Sun fail on me but overall I'm impressed with the bulb. Actually I had all Flora Suns in my fixture for the past week until my other bulbs arrived today, when I swapped out for Red Suns and an actinic. Still waiting on my Coral Waves. The Flora Sun seems to have the full balanced spectrum, yes a bit of a wasted green peak, but it is pretty much what the Fiji Purple was supposed to be. Which kind of leads me to believe that if the Fiji Purple was actually anything like its "supposed" spectral graph, it would appear white, like the Flora Sun. This makes me think that it is really much more of a blue spectrum bulb, which may explain why some are having sub-par flowering results with it, because we have been treating it like a balanced, dual spectrum bulb which I don't think it is. Just a hypothesis...

In fact I am contemplating leaving one half of my 8 bulb fixture all Flora Suns for the rest of flower, or maybe swap one out for a Red Sun. Just got my Red Suns and after reading all of your troubles, I'm not throwing away any of the packaging because I fully anticipate having to send some back. I hope Marine Depot is good about returns!
the fijis only appear white when next to another bulb. Run the fijis by themselves and you will see how purple they are. Im still sticking with them. At least for now. If you mix blue and red you get purple. If the flora suns appear more white. Then obviously there is more blue energy than red. My 6500 k bulbs have less Than 5% red and appear very white. My aqua blue special has 5 and 10% red and 45% orange and 100% blue . It has a hint of purple. More on te blue side though. But with the added red, orange is why.
 

Undercover Cop

Active Member
I know everyone has been back an forth on the fiji's, even me..... From what ive saw the last batch and this batch. The girls in one row on the side with 2 fiji's are swelling up more than the side with one fiji. I have 2 rows of 4 under the t5. now im starting to think the fijis are the best bulbs out of all of them. I plan on buying another t5 in a week or 2. So I wil do a comparison between 2 t5's . One with 4 fiji's and 2 redsuns. Another with 4 redsuns and 2 fiji's.
For vegging Id almost be willing to put money that the one with more Fiji's will do better for veg, they have the full blue spectrum as well as the red peak where the Red Suns are almost all Red, and blue wavelengths are needed prominently over red in Veg phase. I'd be interested in seeing a t5 grow through veg with two fixtures, both with 2 blues either 420 or 460, and both with two 6500k's, then one with two Fiji's and one with two Red Suns. Or each with 2 blue then 4 Fiji's /or/ 4 Red Suns. Just to show the response specifically to each bullb, and if the Fiji would work as a suitable replacement for the Red Sun... I AM STILL STEAMING OVER THE FACT THAT 2 OF THE 4 RED SUNS I BOUGHT ARE SHIT and CRAPPED OUT within ONE WEEK!

2011-12-24 01.09.27.jpg <-- 2nd Red Sun, in 8 bulb fixture with half the other tubes turned off, 2nd bulb down is a normal Red Sun, 3rd down is another fucked up tube, half as bright and even dimmer on left side.

2011-12-20 05.21.26-1.jpg <-- 1st one to go out. Dim/out on one end, bright on the other

Or if anyone plans to get one of the Phillips or Osram/Sylvania Pure Red tubes. They peak at 610nm but otherwise are all red, I'd love to see how the do despite not having that perfect 630 or 660 peak.

Either way, Id be interested to know the results from this and will def stay tuned.



need money for weed.jpg
 

organicbynature

Active Member
This is a panel of Flora Suns and Coral Waves. From top to bottom it is FS, CW, FS, CW (the FS look pink and the CW look purple).

side_lighting.jpg

The Flora Suns look whiter than this to the eye, but there you go I guess.
 

pr0fesseur

Well-Known Member
THIS BETTER NOT BE A WASTE OF $$ because I have spent $750 on T5 bulbs to make this shit happen! Anyway, I emailed the store I purchased the Gro-Lux T5's from and they are OUT OF STOCK. Yeah, thanks for letting me know 3 weeks later. Needless to say that order is CANCELLED! I have now been running FloraSuns and 6500K bulbs half and half in my fixture for veg and it is FANfuckinTASTIC! The plants love that combo and they have doubled in size in only 3 days. I purchased some ATI ProColors since they are super cheap $9.50 a bulb in place of the FloraSuns because they are pretty much identical. Anyway, I'm starting to realize that at least for vegging, plants need more of the full spectrum. I had my half 6500K and half FloraSuns in one area and the PAR only T5's in another, and the 6500K/FloraSun plants are about 10 times bigger. Same everything for nutes and time started.
YOU CANNOT USE ACTINIC/RED ONLY SETUP...
im pretty damn sure i mentioned to have some 75.25 10000k bulbs in the mix...
 

pr0fesseur

Well-Known Member
Quantum was owned by Amerinada Dist. and recently sold to Discount Hydroponics who also owns C.A.P. and Digilux. Very few people including myself are using Badboys. Most people here have Hydrofarms, Sunblaze, Radiion, New Wave, htg, Tek, Maxlume, various aquarium brands, etc......... He's not pushing their ballasts and he has already said the quantum t5 bulbs are crap. He would of got fired or demoted for that one, so I doubt that he works for Quantum.

Prof if there is a chance you work for Quantum how about hookin up a homie price on BB??
Nope dopnt work for quantum jsut like the ballast... there is a copycat out there thats Green but i couldent find anyone that sold the damn things...
Aquarium fixtures are too compact to give a good footprint.. if i could afford(Time&Money) to build them i would with the parts i have mentioned here previously... Maybe ill start my own shop ;)
 

pr0fesseur

Well-Known Member
I'm planning on getting a badboy any day now to start using this method. I'm wondering if anyone who has experience can tell me what type of heat I can expect from the ballast. My grow space is limited and its possible that the metal of the ballast could actually be touching wood.

Does the ballast get really hot to the touch? Could this pose a fire hazard? What if there was a half inch of clearance between the ballast and the wood?
Not a fire hazard i can touch the entire ballast/fixture/bulbs without burning myself...
 

pr0fesseur

Well-Known Member
I know everyone has been back an forth on the fiji's, even me..... From what ive saw the last batch and this batch. The girls in one row on the side with 2 fiji's are swelling up more than the side with one fiji. I have 2 rows of 4 under the t5. now im starting to think the fijis are the best bulbs out of all of them. I plan on buying another t5 in a week or 2. So I wil do a comparison between 2 t5's . One with 4 fiji's and 2 redsuns. Another with 4 redsuns and 2 fiji's.

UHHH DUH!!! i have been premoting them since day one.. theres a reason i use them as my "base" people...
 

Undercover Cop

Active Member
This is a panel of Flora Suns and Coral Waves. From top to bottom it is FS, CW, FS, CW (the FS look pink and the CW look purple).

View attachment 1952778

The Flora Suns look whiter than this to the eye, but there you go I guess.
Flora Suns look alot like RedWaves. They would prob look alot like Fiji Purps or Coral Waves if they didnt have the green spike in em View attachment 1952822 I like the 660 spike, its rare. and the red peak is kinda short but its wide, showing a majority of its output in the red range.
 

Undercover Cop

Active Member
Just a pic to show how I attach a cheap ass desk fan to my fixture with a binder clip to blow down the length of my tubes. Its really easy with the Radiion 4 bulb fixtures cuz they have the plug on the end to Daisy Chain with.

2011-12-24 00.56.03.jpg
*as you can see, my leaves are just reaching up towards the light... they love it!
 

falcon223

Active Member
I wish I could show a pic of my light, but I got screwed. Here is the email I got back.

0249715-0476202:
1 of New Wave 48 T5 HO Fluorescent Light Fixture 4FT 8 Lamp [ASIN: B000W4VJM2]

------------- Begin message -------------

Ok, well we are very sorry, I wish there was something we could do to resolve this, I am not sure what you meant when you wrote "But you are the first company to not oner your mistake to my satisfaction". Please let us know what we did not do to your satisfaction. We will issue you a full refund as soon as possible and we understand if you do not wish to purchase from us in the future and we were just trying to offer you something on top of your refund. Sorry once again.
 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
I know everyone has been back an forth on the fiji's, even me..... From what ive saw the last batch and this batch. The girls in one row on the side with 2 fiji's are swelling up more than the side with one fiji. I have 2 rows of 4 under the t5. now im starting to think the fijis are the best bulbs out of all of them. I plan on buying another t5 in a week or 2. So I wil do a comparison between 2 t5's . One with 4 fiji's and 2 redsuns. Another with 4 redsuns and 2 fiji's.
I think we are looking for a Fiji replacement that provides Fiji's STATED spectrum but at a lower price. I am using the Wave Tech Coral Waves + Red Suns. I think the better test would be same number of Fiji vs Coral Waves My $0.02
 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
Just a pic to show how I attach a cheap ass desk fan to my fixture with a binder clip to blow down the length of my tubes. Its really easy with the Radiion 4 bulb fixtures cuz they have the plug on the end to Daisy Chain with.

View attachment 1952829
*as you can see, my leaves are just reaching up towards the light... they love it!
Excellent idea. I have the same fan.

You can adjust the aim to gently shake the young plants, too.
 

pr0fesseur

Well-Known Member
Just a pic to show how I attach a cheap ass desk fan to my fixture with a binder clip to blow down the length of my tubes. Its really easy with the Radiion 4 bulb fixtures cuz they have the plug on the end to Daisy Chain with.

View attachment 1952829
*as you can see, my leaves are just reaching up towards the light... they love it!
FYI
COOL YOUR TUBES FROM THE LABEL END ONLY!!! by creating a cool spot on the bulb anywhere else you will damage your phosphors, and overwork your ballasts.
 

pr0fesseur

Well-Known Member
i must have missed the second grow. what page is it? i would have assumed you would be posting the most.
If you look at my posts through time you will see that my first crop was ravaged by mites, died then had my shit raided by the fuzz who promptly returned my equip with nothing to charge me with(TRUECRYPT USE IT!) ... i relocated and returned to the thread with a new batch of Kandy Kush and sharks breath.
 
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