Simple lighting question

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.

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

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.

xtsho said:

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.

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

hotrodharley said:

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

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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.

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.

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

Also Lumen Gang since 2011, fuck those ppfd loosers

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.