How much better are T-5's than T-12's?

I am looking at set ups for a my indoor grow, I have one seed started that i plan on cloning a few times. I wanted a 2 foot fluorescent set up, and see that the T-5 is about $40.00 more, I have read T-5s are the best, but am wondering is it worth that much more when the T-12 set up is only like twenty bucks...

way better.... more lumens, more everything!

go with t8 in my opinion. Price wise I was happy with these for veg.... they have grow-lux bulbs, put out a purple color (blue and red?), and I also got 2 5000k blue spectrum (2 of these 2 growlux). That along with two 200 watt cfl's, I have a cheap, efficient veg room that makes nice, bushy plants.

rocknratm said:

go with t8 in my opinion. Price wise I was happy with these for veg.... they have grow-lux bulbs, put out a purple color (blue and red?), and I also got 2 5000k blue spectrum (2 of these 2 growlux). That along with two 200 watt cfl's, I have a cheap, efficient veg room that makes nice, bushy plants.

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I would go with his idea soild, yet efficient

t5s will put out far superior lumens but they will put off more heat than standard flouros. I use them for veg and flowering with excellent results. It is true that the duller flouros will veg plants sufficienttly but you need more of them and way less light penetration into the canopy of the plant. There is no wrong choice between the two

Significantly better.

Myles117 said:

but they will put off more heat than standard flouros.

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I disagree. My T5's put off no heat, even in the hottest days of summer they were cool to touch. A few times the tops of my plants would grow into the bulbs overnight and no signs of stress or burn marks ever appeared either.

idk what to say.... i've touched my t5 bulbs and they don't burn me but they are hot to the touch without doubt and have burned every tip that has grown into them.