CFL versus T5 OR T8. WHICH IS BETTER??

well im sure im gonna have some smart asses post about using HID or LED instead. lets not do that ok?? this thread is meant to discuss the differences and so on about flourescent lighting for growing marijuana effectively.

i have used t12 lights for years. even now as i learn they are hardly useful anymore, i have a 4ft fixture in my little closet along with my 3 socket homemade light fixture with CFL's. i have noticed its harder to postion the cfl's properly in order to get the max lumens on yur plant. where as under a tube its easier to just place it near the damn plant and your good to go. so does that mean that the lumen rating on a flouro tube is for all the way across the tube? if so isnt that a better choice unless you can afford to get a zillion cfl's....

I would say go with the T5 or T8 for your main lights, they are simpler if your garden is big enough to deserve them. CFL's would be great still for supplemental lighting though!

Dispursment of light in a fluro tube is true all but the last inch of the tube ends. Heads up. Manufactures have already quit making t12.

I bought two 4x48" t5's to use, then realized that when Im just growing small seedlings, T5's are kinda overkill. Not too bright to use, just wasting alot of energy lighting 3' of unused space. I custom made several different CFL reflectors, and found that using 26w 6500k bulbs, Im getting ALOT better growth for my small seedlings. Im waiting until they're big enough, prob 6-9" before I put them under the T5's, a little more spaced apart than they are now. I plan to use one of my 4x48" fixtures to veg under, then Im gonna put one standing vertically for side lighting using 3000k bulbs in my flowering room. two of these attached around a conical reflector makes ... lol notice Im using the T5's as a level platform for my small bubbler and cfl's

This is what I use.

On the vegging table:
T8 for clones.
T8 and T5 for veg (T8 sidelight).

In the budroom:
T8 with residential bulbs for sidelights with sativa.
T5 with red aquarium bulbs for sidelights with indica.
CFL's at 2700K for bottom lights with indica, mixed success. Timing still being dialed in.

Not wanting to be a smartass I am not mentioning the forbidden lighting, but the budroom uses fluorescents only as supplements, not mainlights.
I have used T5's for main budlights in the test room, the bud was OK, but the method is not my preference.
T8 was not adequate for budding to my expectations.

Neither did I answer which is better, each is better for the use it is put to, clone, veg, bud, or supplement. None are an absolute, all are relative.