My t5 puts out less heat than my 250 watt HPS. My current theory is that t5s with this custom spectrum would actually produce better quality meds than the HPS (I know I'm gonna get shit for that statement). I am considering moving my lights around and having my t5 in a closet in the room because the HPS throws too much heat and I kinda wanna start flowering. All I need is one more timer. My whole isssue with HID lighting is the monochromatic lighting. I believe that aside from plasmas, the best lighting method is to use a multitude of spectrums. This is why I think we have LEDs and those
Sun Spinner thingies. PAR charts show two things in my opinion. They show what light is most utilized by plants and demonstrate plants efficiency at converting light to energy. If you were to look at a PAR graph for the sun, you would see that the sun's spectrum is practically the complete inverse of what frequency of light plants crave. I will say my only gripe with t5s are plants do not stretch under t5s as much ast hey do with HPS. This is why I incorporated both lighting schemes into my grow plan.
when I was convinced that CFLs were better than HPS I found a very interesting article... I wish I could find it...
High-pressure sodium lights yield yellow lighting (2200 K). They are used for the second (or reproductive) phase of the growth. If high-pressure sodium lights are used for the vegetative phase, plants will usually grow slightly more quickly. Fluorescent lights produce less
luminosity* than high-intensity discharge lights. Bulbs rated in the higher Kelvin temperature range (5,000 to 6,500) emit more blue-spectrum light and those in the lower range (2,700 to 3,000) emit more red-spectrum light, although both also provide full-spectrum light in lower intensities.
*luminosity - Measure of brightness
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Spring Light
Light of the lengthening days of spring is dominated by the blue part of the light spectrum. Seedlings need blue light for the growth of stems, stalks and leaves. Thus spring is the growing season for plants.
Summer Light
Summer is the time plants blossom and grow buds. The red part of the light spectrum slowly dominates the light of early summer. Red light encourages plants to flower, the first step of sexual reproduction and the growth of fruits. As the summer progresses, the amount of red light in the sun's natural spectrum increases. The red light plus shorter days and cooler nights toward the end of summer signal to plant hormones that it is time for fruit to ripen and later, for leaves to change color and fall.
Fall and Winter Light
In the fall and winter, when many plants are dormant and cease growing, the spectrum of light from the sun is dominated by cool red and purple colors.
With all if this into account. Try to replicate the sun through the seasons.
My advise would be to Veg with the T-5 and Flower with the HPS..... And pick up an almanac. Great info about the sun and seasons. I have been an outdoor grower for more of my grows and the thing I have been trying to do is replicate the sun.
Shit sometimes I will make a fake thunderstorm and rain.... Joking...
