Why T5's instead of LED's?
- Thread starter wil2279
- Start date
friedguy
Well-Known Member
There are tradeoffs for both.
LEDs are more efficient can target spectrums great and last many years. They have a much higher initial cost.
Fluorescents have a nice full spectrum that can output UV are inexpensive and easy to acquire. Not as efficient as LEDs.
As LED pricing, availability and technology keeps getting better you'll see more and more growers ditching fluorescents and switching to LED.
LEDs are more efficient can target spectrums great and last many years. They have a much higher initial cost.
Fluorescents have a nice full spectrum that can output UV are inexpensive and easy to acquire. Not as efficient as LEDs.
As LED pricing, availability and technology keeps getting better you'll see more and more growers ditching fluorescents and switching to LED.
wil2279
Well-Known Member
I was going to say... The cost of a good HO T5 fixture is on par with low to mid-range led fixtures that I think are better options. However I cannot say this for face because I have not gown with LEDs yet... Hopefully soon. I have most of my stuff purchased. I'm waiting until I move into my new place before I start anything now
Heisengrow
Well-Known Member
No reason other than cost.
churchhaze
Well-Known Member
T5 should be outright abandoned in favor of white leds. Even the cost argument doesn't hold up anymore. T5 are just a big expensive waste of money, particularly for veg.
OneHitDone
Well-Known Member
Care to recommend an led that you would consider a 1:1 replacement for a 8 lamp 4ft T5?
Tejashidrow
Well-Known Member
What wattage will they be replacing???
OneHitDone
Well-Known Member
It is pretty obvious and should be a known wattage for those always so quick to dismiss T5 such as @churchhaze
Curious what led product he is recommending that is going to give identical or better growth characteristics to an 8 Lamps T5
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churchhaze
Well-Known Member
432W of T5 at @ estimated ~25% gives 108W PAR.
There are a lot of ways you could get this, but I'm using gen 7 vero 18 C at 700mA which is estimated ~49% efficient. You'd need 220W of this to get the same PAR.
So to answer the question, 11-12x vero 18 at 700mA. There are obviously a lot of right answers to this. T5 is always the wrong answer in 2019.
churchhaze
Well-Known Member
Thats about 115 dollars worth of LEDs, 100 dollars in drivers, and 120 dollars in heatsinks if you use the 10"x10" heatsinkusa ones I have.
335 dollars
How much can you get a T5 fixture + 8 T5 tubes for? I'm finding anywhere between 200-300 dollars. It really does look grim for T5. The difference would be amortized in less than one years worth of electricity and tube replacements.
335 dollars
How much can you get a T5 fixture + 8 T5 tubes for? I'm finding anywhere between 200-300 dollars. It really does look grim for T5. The difference would be amortized in less than one years worth of electricity and tube replacements.
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OneHitDone
Well-Known Member
You keep overlooking that nasty little detail that led keeps having issues with - SPECTRUM
What specific led Spectrum / diode are you promising will deliver the same growth performance as a T5?
Roger A. Shrubber
Well-Known Member
money....i got a 4 foot 8 bulb t5 fixture for 35 bucks on sale, bulbs are cheap, i use a mix of spectrums, get good results.....
when i can get an led for about 60 bucks total that will run a 3 by 6 veg room, i'll trade up...
when i can get an led for about 60 bucks total that will run a 3 by 6 veg room, i'll trade up...
old buzzard
Well-Known Member
I got (2),4 foot 8 bulb T-5 HO fixtures with mixed spectrum (through entire grow) and 8, 4 foot t-12 bulbs for side light.(less intensity) I am putting over 100,000 lumen s of good mixed spectrum light even through flowering.and over 1100 watts directly on plants.In a 4x8 tent and the plants turn out great.For me I like the t-5s and do not want to use anything else.each way has advantages and disadvantages and no one is ignorant just because they do not do it like you.Some have better results with one set up and cannot use another for the other person it may be the opposite,dose not mean one way is always better, only for you it is.I get massive bud covered in sugar under t-5s if you cant then use something different.I think 4 or more OZ of dried and cured bud per plant for a small Kush is pretty good.I like having the mix of light spectrum the T-5s give me.I found that gave me better results over the entire grow.For me perhaps not you.just my 2 cents worth,probably only worth 2 cents.
churchhaze
Well-Known Member
All of them. You're full of shit. T5 is known for having poor spectrum.
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churchhaze
Well-Known Member
I've grown with HPS, fluorescent tubes,and LEDs, all in both flowering and veg. You'd think I would have realized after 4 years of using the leds that something is a miss. Nope. Big yields, good plant and bud shape, good resin production, etc. The 3000k 80cri spectrum is amazing.
On the other hand, whenever I've grown with fluorescent tubes of any kind, flowering has taken longer than usual and produced crappy looking buds. I would never recommend anyone go the tube coffin route.
Lucky for me that I am not obligated to convince you of anything. I am rewarded directly for following my own advice.
On the other hand, whenever I've grown with fluorescent tubes of any kind, flowering has taken longer than usual and produced crappy looking buds. I would never recommend anyone go the tube coffin route.
Lucky for me that I am not obligated to convince you of anything. I am rewarded directly for following my own advice.
old buzzard
Well-Known Member
Thats your experience.Not mine.Why so angry?maybe you need to smoke some pot grown under t-5 so you can chill out some.There are to many other things to get excited about in life.Look the last Kush I grew was so hard of buds you could push hard on them and not even make a dent in them not fluffy or airy at all.There are so many variables to a grow sometime people just over think things.There plants,Living, if you have a green thumb or not in the end is the issue.(knowing how to read your plants)all this technical stuff only works if you understand it,if not it gets you in trouble.My plants finish on time,there time.chill out dude you might learn something from someone who does things different than you.By telling people there full of stinky stuff no# 1 you will never teach anyone else anything no# 2 you will never learn yourself, I have never learned anything from someone who always agrees with me.Perhaps you made some mistakes when using t-5 like I might if I were using led.that would be on me not the light.Lord knows I made my share of mistakes.Be blessed churchhaze have a good day and continue growing good smoke.We are not the enemy.