Looking for best posible veg lights

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igotagun

Well-Known Member
my veg area is 6x12 x10tall im looking for even coverage and would prefer the lights be mounted above head height
my current light set up is 1000 mh 2 area51 sg60 panels and a 8 bulb t5
I veg in soil and grow plants to be bushy and about 5 to 6 ft tall befor flowering

I know 6 400w mh should do nice job in that area but considering all options
Anyone ever veg with gravitas?
oh yea my budget is about 2 k
 
dadio161

dadio161

Well-Known Member
With that kind of budget I would go with 4 foot , 4 bulb T-5 fluorescent lights .
Get maybe 4 to 6 of them to cover your area as needed . Start with 4 and you can add more as you think you need .depending on how you set up the plants . Low electricity usage and low heat . You can get the lights down low to the plants . Add a couple of oscillating fans to circulate the air and keep things cool .
 
bicit

bicit

Well-Known Member
dadio161 said:
With that kind of budget I would go with 4 foot , 4 bulb T-5 fluorescent lights .
Get maybe 4 to 6 of them to cover your area as needed . Start with 4 and you can add more as you think you need .depending on how you set up the plants . Low electricity usage and low heat . You can get the lights down low to the plants . Add a couple of oscillating fans to circulate the air and keep things cool .
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This is a Terrible idea, t5s are less efficient than 1k metalhalides. That would be a step backwards.

I think the new philips 860watt all start or 315w light emitting ceramic would be the best options.

If you have the time, a diy cob based led panel would outperform all of the aforementioned.
 
nomofatum

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
T5 or T8 is far from ideal. They work and can hit ideal light levels and great distribution, but efficiency sucks. If you want absolute best lighing for veg, put 7000 lumens per sqft of 6500k + UVA. Cool white 6500k LEDs will be your most efficient with MH being 2nd most.
 
C

churchhaze

Well-Known Member
vero 29 5000k would be great... You could spend a ton of money trying to get the "best possible" veg lamp.

cxb3590 5000k top flux bins would be the best possible veg lamps, but also the most expensive.
 
bicit

bicit

Well-Known Member
dadio161 said:
^^^ I strongly disagree with you . I use T-5 lights and I am very happy . I grow killer clones and my electric bill is very low . Heat is easy to control .
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T5's may work, I never disputed that. However he asked for the 'best possible' and for options to be mounted 'above head height'.... T5's don't fit the bill in either instance.

Seeing as they're only ~25% efficient before accounting for reflector losses and must be mounted within inches of the canopy in order to reach proper intensity levels. Metal halides are 35-40% efficient, and can be mounted above head height without issue. Modern cobs can be 35-60%+(not a typo) efficient depending on the ultimate configuration. Though they need reflectors in order to be mounted above head height.
 
nomofatum

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
churchhaze said:
vero 29 5000k would be great... You could spend a ton of money trying to get the "best possible" veg lamp.

cxb3590 5000k top flux bins would be the best possible veg lamps, but also the most expensive.
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Depends on your personal needs actually. I only run indoors in winter, so I actually don't give a shit about efficiency, I also use electric heat, really nice to keep me under radar, my lights cost $0 to run regardless of efficiency, assuming they don't generate more heat than I need (only a concern in spring.)

So for me the best is Epistar 6500k LEDs, but just because they are cheaper and easier to fit than almost any other lighting option. Doesn't Vero make a 6500k? 5000k is ok, but put a 6500k of the same make/watts and it will win hands down.
 
nomofatum

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
bicit said:
T5's may work, I never disputed that. However he asked for the 'best possible' and for options to be mounted 'above head height'.... T5's don't fit the bill in either instance.

Seeing as they're only ~25% efficient before accounting for reflector losses and must be mounted within inches of the canopy in order to reach proper intensity levels. Metal halides are 35-40% efficient, and can be mounted above head height without issue. Modern cobs can be 35-60%+(not a typo) efficient depending on the ultimate configuration. Though they need reflectors in order to be mounted above head height.
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The mounted within inches thing is total bullshit. I am driven nuts by how many people misunderstand the inverse square law. That law is about light spreading out, not about how far away you are from the source. If you line your walls with mylar, you only lose 2% per contact with the wall, making the inverse square law null and void after traveling far enough to hit the reflector + a hair more for the loss. This is why lumens or par watts per sqft is the best measure for a room lined in reflectors.

Fitting enough T5/T8's is a hell of a bitch and will involve lining the walls to hit 7000+ lumens per sqft.
 
bicit

bicit

Well-Known Member
nomofatum said:
The mounted within inches thing is total bullshit. I am driven nuts by how many people misunderstand the inverse square law. That law is about light spreading out, not about how far away you are from the source. If you line your walls with mylar, you only lose 2% per contact with the wall, making the inverse square law null and void after traveling far enough to hit the reflector + a hair more for the loss. This is why lumens or par watts per sqft is the best measure for a room lined in reflectors.

Fitting enough T5/T8's is a hell of a bitch and will involve lining the walls to hit 7000+ lumens per sqft.
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You could run more lamps or you could mount them closer. Neither option is particularly attractive.
 
Alienwidow

Alienwidow

Well-Known Member
igotagun said:
my veg area is 6x12 x10tall im looking for even coverage and would prefer the lights be mounted above head height
my current light set up is 1000 mh 2 area51 sg60 panels and a 8 bulb t5
I veg in soil and grow plants to be bushy and about 5 to 6 ft tall befor flowering

I know 6 400w mh should do nice job in that area but considering all options
Anyone ever veg with gravitas?
oh yea my budget is about 2 k
Click to expand...
The way i see it theres two choices.
If you want your plants to get huge fast and dont care about the power bill go with 1000s and crank it up.
If you want tight internode spacing and cheap electric bills with lower start up cost and less spent on cooling go with t5s
 
I

igotagun

Well-Known Member
Im not really into building a light panel so im thinking either 2 1000w or 600w mh heats not really a issue for me

but thanks for the info
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
nomofatum said:
You can, but won't have the same quality foundation for flower. Thinner stems and taller, less bushy with HPS. 6500k + UVA makes thick stems and bushy plants that can support more bud.
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For my own reasons, I'm very happy with my results, thanks.
 
S

ServingSize1oz

Active Member
Alienwidow said:
The way i see it theres two choices.
If you want your plants to get huge fast and dont care about the power bill go with 1000s and crank it up.
If you want tight internode spacing and cheap electric bills with lower start up cost and less spent on cooling go with t5s
Click to expand...
Not sure where you got the idea that T5s lead to lower electric bills, but they're less efficient than metal halides, considerably so actually...

T5s have a maximum lumen per watt ratio of around 100. Metal Halides can get around 115 or 120, and have greater penetration.
 
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