AltarNation
Well-Known Member
Would be cool to get my hands on one of those testers, but I don't have the extra cash to throw around. Oh well.
The thing that turn me off from that bulb is the green spike right at the very bottom of the PAR curve. Doesn't this mean that the plant is using that green light least efficiently? Seems like the least efficient use of your wattage. What about the green looking like it goes off the page? I found this graph. It looks like the blue has a nice spike, but the green is worrisome to me.I understand these graphs the same way you do. To determine what percentage of the bulb's energy is being used in a spectral range you look at the area under the curve for that range compared to the area under the curve for the entire bulb output. As you noted, the actual area of green light is quite small (and we want some of that green anyways). I really like how this bulb fits the PAR curve:
View attachment 1900709
None of these bulbs are perfect (and we don't even know what the Fiji Purple puts out), but this seems like a pretty solid bulb to me. The Coral Wave is also nice, but not an alternative to this bulb. I see it as a complement, filling in all that 420 (the only thing the Flora Sun is missing in terms of PAR) and adds some far red as well.
While you're paying attention to y-axes, you can note that this overlay uses a different y-axis scale from the spectrum graph (it is showing the percentage of light at that spectrum that is absorbable) - but it shows you how this bulb puts out light in proportion to the efficiency of the PAR curve (except for the 420 range, which can be filled by super actinic in veg and coral wave in flower)
hehehe no problem Altar... Yes! I was just stating that is has indeed been confirmed that the graph that everyone on the net thinks is the Fiji Purple, is actually the graph for an unavailable nlite bulb, and also that it has been confirmed that there are no graphs for KZ bulbs.For the record, when I said "it hasn't been confirmed" I was stating that it is not necessarily the actual graph for the fiji purp. If you're saying it's been confirmed that it ISN'T the right graph, then I stand corrected, but I wasn't saying it necessarily was the right graph at all, i was simply saying that there is a lot of doubt that it is the right graph and that it is quite possibly NOT the right graph. I was attempting to warn what you said, basically.
That was definitely my primary concern as well and is the reason I didn't buy any of those. I'm having very good results with the mix I'm using (Coral Waves/Fiji Purps/454/75.25/Red Suns)The thing that turn me off from that bulb is the green spike right at the very bottom of the PAR curve. Doesn't this mean that the plant is using that green light least efficiently? Seems like the least efficient use of your wattage. What about the green looking like it goes off the page? I found this graph. It looks like the blue has a nice spike, but the green is worrisome to me.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4479
Just my opinion, I don't think I'll be using that bulb.
The graph that you linked to is not correct. I posted about that a little while ago. I emailed the company and got actual graphs.The thing that turn me off from that bulb is the green spike right at the very bottom of the PAR curve. Doesn't this mean that the plant is using that green light least efficiently? Seems like the least efficient use of your wattage. What about the green looking like it goes off the page? I found this graph. It looks like the blue has a nice spike, but the green is worrisome to me.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4479
Just my opinion, I don't think I'll be using that bulb.
I have some of these and can confirm they are 54w. I'm not sure how long they will hold up but I got them for $10 ea.I agree that the FloraSun's spectrum looks fantastic. BUT I will throw in a word of caution, as the link on Foster Smith aquatics posted above states the 48" is only 39W... hrm... I would confirm that you are getting a 54W HO bulb with that FloraSun... I have always said that it is a great looking spectrum though! Not to replace Red Suns... rather as possible Fiji Purple replacements... (cost)
Also, I will let the pr0f chime in, but I seem to remember a good bit about the quality of manufacturing that could be an issue with low-end bulbs... ZooMed was not exactly at the top of the list... The ZooMed and CoralLife ones seem to be more low-end PetSmart/PetCo type bulbs... I dunno... /shrug.
--EDIT--
Just had that Foster Smith link wrong above... Here is the correct link for 54W T5 HO FloraSun: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+13821+23649&pcatid=23649
The Red Suns' peak is the same as the high orange peak (NOT 680) on the Flora Sun (the one that goes above the PAR curve in the chart I posted earlier), according to its chart:Re: the FloraSun bulbs, Perhaps you are right in the sense that there is a lot more red activity in that bulb... but if you have red suns in there it should help cover that as well. Google is 404ing on me, otherwise I'd double check the red sun's spectrum again.
I would suggest Air temps between 70-80*F during lights on 85*F with Co2, 60-80%Rh during veg & below 50% during flower, H2o temps should be kept below 72*F If you have a chiller 59-65*F depending on flowering stage.Anyone want to chime in on what they feel is their ideal air temp and humidity? Also water temp.
Any H.O T5 will work.Whats an alternative to the Badboys you guys are using? I have heard way too many issues with the quality.
Find me one!Any H.O T5 will work.
I would recommend people start buying products made in there own country.