If you're already set in your ways, I can understand why you would stick to what you're familiar with .... however....
These fluorescent lamps would be better used in a fish-tank than for growing weed, and even there, reefers are quickly ditching the tubes for cree cobs.
I know there was a specific argument made by RM3, but the tried and true reality is that florescent are both inefficient at converting electricity to photons, and way too high in blue. While it's nice to experiment, I know from first hand experience that these designer spectrum fluorescent tubes are somewhat of a novelty, and that actinic tubes in particular are actually the lowest value.
I did see more frost from the actinic tubes, but it also lengthened flowering. I actaully have pictures of my 500W tube array and the finished plants on weedfarmer.com from back in the early 2000s if that still exists. (I don't think it does)
RM3, I know you never intended to argue that florescent are better than HPS for flowering, but I am, however, willing to argue the other way around. HPS lamps are far superior to ANY fluorescent tube available on the market when it comes to flowering. In my opinion, this thread is very misleading, and doesn't really focus on any of the advanced aspects of light, in fact everyone seemed to glaze over when discussing phytochromes, which technically should be one of the only things being discussed in this
advanced thread
.
Instead, it's turned into a discussion about which color temperature flourescent lamps to buy.
For about 2 decades now, HPS has beaten all fluorescent tubes, t5s, high output.. whatever. fluorescent is dino tech, and should be phased out slowly. For cree cobs.
Especially in veg!!