Quantum Badboy

Does anyone here have any experience with the T-5, 4 foot fluorescent light fixtures? I love this light but would like to ask a few questions from someone who has spent some time with one. Anyone out there?

I have 2 badboys for sale and a hydro farm.. The bad boys perform the best of all t5's. Has the best reflectors. But it puts out more heat than other t5's. The heat is from the drivers. Not the bulbs. Hydro farms run much cooler over all. Over the canopy the badboy runs cooler. Above the light the badboy creates a good amount of heat.

I bought an eight bulb fixture without bulbs for about $205.00 new, good price with shipping. 54 watt bulbs recommended. Well in shopping for Spectralux bulbs I ran across 95 watt output T-5's and purchased them. VHO instead of HO bulbs. I called the distributor and asked him if I might be damaging the ballasts and he assured me that I was in murky territory and that it wasn't recommended. My gut feeling is that these bulbs reflect potential output wattage and not the demands being made on the ballasts. Ever tried running any of these? They've been running fine for nearly two months and they have an amazing light intensity considering the low heat output. What do you think? What do you want for your Bad boys?

The 95w bulbs last half as long as the 54w. They don't make the right bulbs in 95w for horticulture

Thank you.

I got an 8 bulb I've had for about 2 years. Rarely use more than 4 at a time though and I'm phasing it out with led. It does put out a lot of heat (a lot more than I thought when I bought it), but leaves have to actually touch the bulb to burn at all. What Hyroot said sounds about right. Any other ?'s ask away.

Hyroot did help direct me to what I want to know. I thought that I was really smart buying the VHO bulbs but they actually generate less intensity of light (lumens or footcandles) than the reviews say that the 54 watts do. Tallen, can you tell me what you think of alternating red and blue lights in eight bulbs. One red, one blue and so on? One day I hope to be able to afford an LED system. Thanks for your thoughts.

Just get zoo med flora suns from drfostersmith.com. Best full spectrum t5 bulbs. Run in flower and veg.

I haven't used any of those bulbs but this thread can tell you all about using the colored bulbs: https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/358190-led-without-leds-my-first.html

Or save yourself some reading and just ask Petflora, he was active on that thread and is still active here on the forum

If you want a bulb for both veg and bloom just get the flora suns.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4479