Canna Connoiseur
Active Member
T8 bulbs and the associated ballasts were created to combat the relatively high operating costs of the t5s.
T5 vs T8
- Thread starter typhoon
- Start date
209 Cali closet grower
Well-Known Member
I veg only with t5 now. t5 will kick a t8 butt any day
VTMi'kmaq
Well-Known Member
hydrofarm t-5's i really dont care what anyone lese tells ya op! here this is what they look like
in my opinion you shouldnt skimp on equipment for medicine! Not during veg or flower imo. Hydrofarm have been around for years ,they stand behind there products, and those darn lights can grow ANYTHING!
in my opinion you shouldnt skimp on equipment for medicine! Not during veg or flower imo. Hydrofarm have been around for years ,they stand behind there products, and those darn lights can grow ANYTHING!
oceangreen
Well-Known Member
t5 all the way
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
Indeed T5 are superior, but there are downsides too. They burn out very quickly - under a year life span. The T8s last four years and keep most of their brightness over the whole life span. T8s are very cheap initial cost too compared to T5. $10 - $14 per four foot T5 vs $3 -$5 for T8 replacement bulbs.
I use T5s and probably always will, but for people on a budget T8s are a very good option also.
Everything has it's place.
koolaid209
Member
I just switched recenty so I have not tried to use them in veg. IM using the 54w HO 6500k lights to veg right now and so far my ladies are loving the switch. The t8's and the cfls i was using before worked but the amount of light im putting out now is totally increased since the swicth. It wasnt to much money either since I found them on CL. That sure helped. Im still new to the MMJ scene but being able to grow your own and know whats in it sure is nice.
VTMi'kmaq
Well-Known Member
t-5's are better than t-8's! period!
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
Yes, but T8s will work in a pinch. Not everyone has money.
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
Thats pretty good. THe manufacturers say to change them every few months of continuous use. Mine seem to last 8 months to a year.
Pic 1 is the same age as pic two. 1 is under T5 and 2 is under T8. I had to move further away from plant 1 so you can see that the bucket appears smaller. That's how much larger plant 1 is. They are both 4.5 weeks old. The T5s have really tight internodal spacing, the leaves are twice the size, and the roots are massive in comparrison!!
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GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
No doubt the T5 is better suited for horticultural use. But for something cheap that works, high output T8s are a good alternative. My friend mixes the T8s with CFLs and has a pretty impressive veg setup going.
Yes, they are the same strain and both are from clones. Identical batch and age.
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
Are the ones under the T8s in a drip system? Not as nice as the one under the T5 but they sure do look healthy.
Yes, both plants are under the identical systems other than the lights.
nicedreamz
Well-Known Member
Hey guys, i'm running seeds for the first time and was gonna get a T5 from home depot. The only lights they had was 2 bulb 24" and really skinny bulbs. I didn't catch the lumens/watts. Will this be enough to sprout my seeds with? Or do i need a 4 bulb 48"? My plan was to just start seedlings under T5 and after they sprout throw under 600W. Then when i start flower, change my bulb to 1000W. If anybody has some suggestions or a link to a decent T5 light from HD or lowes i would appreciate it very much!! I have to pull the trigger today! Sorry for short notice.