Illicithunter
Active Member
I need a T5 light for seedlings. Just to keep them alive until I put my plants under the MH light. I wanna go low wattage and cheap as possible. Any ideas? Thanks
Cheapest seedling light
- Thread starter Illicithunter
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Illicithunter
Active Member
Yea it's gonna be just for seedlings. What's the max watt you would go?
Grojak
Well-Known Member
I've started seeds under my 4' 8 bulb 435w T5 before… you can't really over-do-it with the T5,8,12's. They do put out heat and T5 is more intense than T8 and T8 more T12 so you just have to be leary of heat / light intensity. If you run a single bulb T12 (my very first seed light) you can put it almost onto of your beans, with a 2' T5 I am usually 8 - 10 inches above.
Illicithunter
Active Member
I keep reading not to exceed around 12-24 watts for seedlings...or maybe it was rooting clones. I'm just gonna grab a 24 watt T5. They're around 30-40$ like you were saying. I think anymore light wouldn't be absorbed by little sprouts. Just wasted light.
Grojak
Well-Known Member
can't go wrong with that 2' T5, it's been a part of my grow for 3 or 4 years, do my rock wool clones and my 24 site cloner under it and any new seedlings, also all new clones (from others) get quarantined under this light. I'm currently popping beans in a tent under a 200w CFL due to an electrical issue I'm working out and seems to be working fine, got 2 healthy seedlings sprouted and just put a few more in today.
LetsGetCritical
Well-Known Member
people have seedlings under 1000watts
Illicithunter
Active Member
Isn't this just wasted light at this early stage?
LetsGetCritical
Well-Known Member
yeah but some people do it
Illicithunter
Active Member
I have a dimmable 1000 watt I've never used, when I put my plants under it I'm gonna run it at 1/3 power for a week and then 1/2 all the way through Veg. In bloom it's gonna be at full power.