T5 Lighting Wattage ?

I have read a lot about the T5HO lighting and how cool it runs. I got one to try it. Since 2' bulbs are only 24W, is it the same as a 24W CFL for light power to the plant? What is a good ballpark Watts per plant with T5 and with CFL? Thanx

Would there be a better place to post this question? Since I am a Newbie, I thought here was appropriate.

There is an indoor growing forum,
as well as a CFL and florescent sub-forum.

But to my knowledge, the 24w in the tube are spread throughout the bulb.
So....
instead of a direct light like CFL with reflector...
/8\ <<<CFL with refelctor
1600 lumens (approximate) <<<output

OR

/------------------\
400 400 400 400

Get it?
I don't...

puckuck said:

There is an indoor growing forum,
as well as a CFL and florescent sub-forum.

But to my knowledge, the 24w in the tube are spread throughout the bulb.
So....
instead of a direct light like CFL with reflector...
/8\ <<<CFL with refelctor
1600 lumens (approximate) <<<output

OR

/------------------\
400 400 400 400

Get it?
I don't...

Click to expand...

hahaha dude i laughed so hard when i read the last part. lol.

Anywho, I think light distribution and intensity are different beasts, more intensity means more penetration and photosynthesis. more distribution means a larger area of photosynthesis. soo a cfl with a reflector will provide less plants with more intensity.

Im a big fan of T5's for vegging. works well for me

I like both for veg too. I have the 2 foot htg t5 fisture, 10k lumens and a place for 3 cfls as perimeter light. I like to put warm lights for the cfl's and the cool white forthe t5's to get a bit broader spectrum.

I run a 2ft 4 bulb T5 unit just under 100 watts in my mother tent 36x24 with 5 moms and some clones and it works great and head is a non issue.