From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Utah

Grow lights for starting AG's and other vegetables

have growers switched to LED?
or stayed with T5's?

I found these the other day on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015YX8Y00/ref=gl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3GQPGND287XKZ&coliid=I3SSB9LPSBV1FU&psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/HQRP-Square-Light-System-Hanging/dp/B008A699NA/ref=pd_sim_86_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008A699NA&pd_rd_r=6QJAB9DZBJ32CXNQ56SF&pd_rd_w=LWoO9&pd_rd_wg=kCgnz&psc=1&refRID=6QJAB9DZBJ32CXNQ56SF

https://www.amazon.com/KINGBO-Reflector-Spectrum-Seeding-Flowering/dp/B01LYBGVRG/ref=pd_sbs_86_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01LYBGVRG&pd_rd_r=6QJAB9DZBJ32CXNQ56SF&pd_rd_w=6XhmJ&pd_rd_wg=kCgnz&psc=1&refRID=6QJAB9DZBJ32CXNQ56SF

Thoughts? Comments?

3/6/2017 2:54:20 PM

President - GPC

Cant go wrong with T5 badboys

3/6/2017 3:17:41 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I switched to T5 last year but going back to T8s. I really liked the t5s but to much heat for my setup. So it really depends on your setup. Get as much light as you can and keep the temp at 85 for germination and 80 once they start growing.

3/6/2017 4:31:01 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I have spent the last 1 1/2 years growing with different lights. I have available for my use...metal halide, hps, led, cob led, t5 ,and ceramic metal halide etc. I have done experiments and can get over 7000 uMols of PAR light at canopy level without raising the temperature high enough to cook a plant. This is 3 times the light level at the brightest place on earth at noon. With all this observation of the various light sources..this spring I will be starting my plants under a t-5. Seedlings to me seem happy at about 300-400 uMols of light. My t-5 supplies this amount at about 12 inches above canopy level. For a full indoor grow i don't recommend the t-5, but for seed starting it is very good.

3/6/2017 6:51:01 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Looking at the websites you listed gordon. All these are quite low power. My 150 watt led will put out 300-400 uMols in a 2 ft x 3 ft area at 18 inches. This is an LED with top grade Cree bulbs. The cheaper bulbs will be about 1/2 of that. If you were starting just one seedling..i think the lower wattage LED would be sufficient, but if you were to start many....I think you would decide that it wasn't good. That is not the fault to LED lighting..it would be not enough wattage.

3/6/2017 7:21:23 PM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

T5 vho bad boys rock

3/8/2017 9:27:55 PM

Partlow,Va

I switched to a new setup last year and could not keep from burning the edges or new growth. Even with the lights 24" above the plants.
What I bought is the Sun Blaster F54T5 6400K, 4-4'bulb setup. They are thin bulbs. Does this sound like the right light because it seems too strong for me?

3/11/2017 8:58:57 AM

Minneapolis, Mn

I used 2 of 6 T5 VHO's at start, 12" from them, and then turned on the other 4 after two weeks, 18" off plants, with a small fan running at them from a distance to move the hot air off of them....I found I had burned cots with cheap Home depot florescents 1" away if I didnt run a small fan in the room, towards them.

2/24/2018 5:10:26 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

i just saw a grow light I fell in love with today. It is a white light led...putting out 1400 uMols of light at 12 inches. Same distance with a t5 vho would be at about 300-400 uMols. Owner of the store showed me another...put out 2400 uMols at 12 inches. All white light..no purple confusion. T5's are a decade behind....this new lights are not cheap though.

2/24/2018 5:21:07 PM