Fluorescent Vs Hps In Flowering Room

[Biff 123]

DOes anyone know the pros and cons to using fluorescent lights in the flowering room? I've heard HPS flowers quicker, but fluorescent lights are more econic to run. Is there additional time to flower? Or will the buds be smaller with fluorescent? Appreciate any help on the matter.

[GanjaWarrior]

floros....cheaper to run...less heat to worry about.... the cons being, loose fluffy buds. so if youd like to save money by growing less buds its the way to go. if ud rather get more and better quality by spending a bit more.... get a hps

[THC-Farmer]

Fluorescent lighting will produce a more sparse flowering structure. Your plants yields and overall quality will be significantly lower than they would under HID lighting. This is because the fluorescent lights don't emmit enough light energy for the plant to metabolise the nutrients in the amounts required for full bloom production. The result is an underdeveloped plant.

 

Certain fluorescent lighting works quite well for vegetative phase though because the plant doesn't require as much light energy to produce its vegetation. I don't recommend standard fluoroescent lighting for any phase of growth however; they just don't emmit enough light energy and often times the spectral output (color of the light) is not intended for plant life but instead simply for human eyes and visibility. High output T5 fluorescent lighting is optimal for vegetative growth. It's best to have an evenly mixed spectrum of 3000K and 6000K lighting to achieve the best possible results.

 

For bloom phase however, you will require a lot more light energy to achieve full, large, and dense bud formation. I also recommend full-spectrum lighting for bloom phase. A mixture of HPS and MH is optimal.

 

Don't skimp on lighting. It's one of the single most important aspects of plant life. Remember, you're trying to supplement the Sun. A very difficult and daunting task...

 

If in fact you do decide to stick with fluorescent lighting for the time being, do yourself a favor and at the very least invest in a High Output T5 system. 4 lamp 4ft systems are very efficient and fairly priced.

[Guest drcanna-pest]

There is no difference in flower time. No matter what you use for lights...it all depends on the strain. The T5 lighting I use to flower gives me nice dense buds...not quite as big but a very nice yield. Less heat in the summer makes it way easier to maintain temp and humidity. Of course the lower electric bill makes it all worth it. I will always flower with a T5 w/ HPS. My results are excellent.

[THC-Farmer]

There is no difference in flower time. No matter what you use for lights...it all depends on the strain.

Yea, that too. ^ Good call.

 

The plants life cycle is a genetic trait. Just like each strains growth rate, aroma, color, bud structure, and potency. These are all genetic traits of which we really can't change on an individual plant other than providing an insufficient environment; thus creating a deficient plant.

 

You want to provide the plant with the best possible environment so it can provide the healthiest most vigorous growth that that particular strains genetics will allow.

[Biff 123]

thanks for the tips/advice. i'll run with the hps for flowering.

[T1420]

You only get out what you put in...

floros....cheaper to run...less heat to worry about.... the cons being, loose fluffy buds. so if youd like to save money by growing less buds its the way to go. if ud rather get more and better quality by spending a bit more.... get a hps

[T1420]

T5 sucks!! buy BIG grow BIG HID ONLY!!! Lifes too short to walk.... JUST RUN!!!!

[wolf]

get the book "buds for less" ....8 oz's for less than $100

shows how to use compact flourecents lights.....the advantage is less heat and you put lights 2 inches from the plant

seed to bud in 69 days

 

wolf

[kmack1982]

I would like to see some results of a HPS w/ T5 if you don't mind

 

There is no difference in flower time. No matter what you use for lights...it all depends on the strain. The T5 lighting I use to flower gives me nice dense buds...not quite as big but a very nice yield. Less heat in the summer makes it way easier to maintain temp and humidity. Of course the lower electric bill makes it all worth it. I will always flower with a T5 w/ HPS. My results are excellent.

[Wired4Success]

Heres the story guys. T5 light quality is just as good or better than HPS. Period.

 

The real problem is T5 does not throw the light as far as HPS. Thats it.

 

12" is probably the realistic distance for T5 lighting. So if your doing a scrog and maintain the light and buds less than 12" from the top of the screen, T5 should work just as good as an HPS. Anything farther than 12" and T5 light intensity drops amazingly quick.

 

I personally wouldn't use T5 for flower. But its the only thing I would use in veg.

[Sinsemillaplease]

Heres the story guys. T5 light quality is just as good or better than HPS. Period.

 

The real problem is T5 does not throw the light as far as HPS. Thats it.

 

12" is probably the realistic distance for T5 lighting. So if your doing a scrog and maintain the light and buds less than 12" from the top of the screen, T5 should work just as good as an HPS. Anything farther than 12" and T5 light intensity drops amazingly quick.

 

I personally wouldn't use T5 for flower. But its the only thing I would use in veg.

 

You just said t5 "light quality" is >= hps despite less lumen output and less coverage area at the same wattage. That's a nonsensical statement and I mean that in the nicest way I possibly can.

 

high output t5 ~ 90 lumens per watt

digital HPS ~ 160 lumens per watt

 

Choose based on your ability to cool the lamp. The economic decision isn't as obvious as some have made it out to be. Do what is right for your circumstances... others may not understand what those may be.

Edited June 25, 2011 by Sinsemillaplease

[+budhabit]

I have been flowering with Litro full spectrum T8 bulb for 5 months and have not seen my yields drop much but need a few more grow cycles to make an accurate assessment I will tell you this my utility bill has dropped 2/3 so I am all for florescent Litro T8 there brighter then T5 and run a lot cooler so cool you can grow your pant right up into the bulb without burning them. Litro lights were developed 8 years ago for human health to combat seasonal effective disorder but it was also discovered that are great for Growing and was introduced into the Grow market a year ago last April. 3 White widows grow under 4 Litro bulbs that consumed 24 watts each produced 7 ounces and you can reduce the wattage even more by connecting them to 220 down to 18 watts a bulb also I no longer need AC to cool my room the only cheaper way to grow is a Green House.

[tricloud]

Heres the story guys. T5 light quality is just as good or better than HPS. Period.

 

The real problem is T5 does not throw the light as far as HPS. Thats it.

 

12" is probably the realistic distance for T5 lighting. So if your doing a scrog and maintain the light and buds less than 12" from the top of the screen, T5 should work just as good as an HPS. Anything farther than 12" and T5 light intensity drops amazingly quick.

 

I personally wouldn't use T5 for flower. But its the only thing I would use in veg.

 

How can it be equal or better than hps if it don't penetrate like an HID? lol come on man......

 

T5's don't have near the penetration that a 1000 watt hps lamp does and thats the real story......

 

Also when i try to keep males (my father plants) under t5's they tend to go into flower on me. Some strains or plants require more intense light during veg than others so T5's don't always work out. In general they are ok for veg but they don't kick like a 400 watt MH and can't shine a light on the 1k MH for veg.....

 

T5's are cool if you are having heat issues or are cramped for space, other than that, flower with HID lighting......

Edited July 10, 2011 by tricloud

[LongHairBri]

How can it be equal or better than hps if it don't penetrate like an HID? lol come on man......

 

T5's don't have near the penetration that a 1000 watt hps lamp does and thats the real story......

Haven't you heard? Their SPECIAL!

[Darkmatter]

Haven't you heard? Their SPECIAL!

 

[Wired4Success]

How can it be equal or better than hps if it don't penetrate like an HID? lol come on man......

 

 

I said the light quality is equal or better. I followed that by saying it doesn't throw light as far (penetration).

 

I know this because I have been into saltwater tanks & coral propagation for over 15yrs. During that time I did alot of research on the subject and designed quite a few setups. Electrical and lighting is also my profession.

 

I'm just saying....

[+budhabit]

floros....cheaper to run...less heat to worry about.... the cons being, loose fluffy buds. so if youd like to save money by growing less buds its the way to go. if ud rather get more and better quality by spending a bit more.... get a hps

 

I use Litro florescent 4 ft t 8 in veg and flower and my buds are just as big and dense as they were when I flowered them under a 1000 watt hps that is a fact the only difference is I use 2/3 less power and no heat issues

[Musicianized]

I've smoked a LOT of buds grown under HID that weren't as tasty and nowhere near as stoney as the harvest from this plant was.

 

Flowered under 157 watts of CFL bulbs. I wouldn't ask for better, almost 3oz off of this plant.

 

Gaahh I guess Im at my upload quota and can't post the pic...

Edited July 25, 2011 by Musicianized

[jimmy]

I have been flowering with Litro full spectrum T8 bulb for 5 months and have not seen my yields drop much but need a few more grow cycles to make an accurate assessment I will tell you this my utility bill has dropped 2/3 so I am all for florescent Litro T8 there brighter then T5 and run a lot cooler so cool you can grow your pant right up into the bulb without burning them. Litro lights were developed 8 years ago for human health to combat seasonal effective disorder but it was also discovered that are great for Growing and was introduced into the Grow market a year ago last April. 3 White widows grow under 4 Litro bulbs that consumed 24 watts each produced 7 ounces and you can reduce the wattage even more by connecting them to 220 down to 18 watts a bulb also I no longer need AC to cool my room the only cheaper way to grow is a Green House.

[jimmy]

I have been trying to get some info on the Lithro Lighting and my internet search is not paying off,When I asked about the lighting @ my local hydro shops I was told that the lighting is no good and that's why the don't carry it..Is there a place in Michigan that carries the Lithro Full Spectrum T8 lighting? If so I need that info because a reduction in my energy bill and less heat and good quality meds is worth looking into.

[peanutbutter]

Using the CFL bulb in an array, you can have much greater light density than with the T-5's.

 

OK .. an 4 bulb array of T-5. 54 watts per bulb. = 216 watts over 8 square feet. Or 27 watts per sq ft. (assumes the fixture measures 2' x 4')

 

50 watts per sq ft is a good number for growing. Peek light outdoors is 83 watts per sq ft.

 

So if you are using 27 per sq ft, you are light starving your plants.

 

Which could explain poor results in flowering.

 

To use the technology, you need to hit that 50 per sq ft. Or at least try to get there.

 

Here is an example of a CFL array:

 

 

Notice that I could have placed the fixtures closer together if I wanted to.

 

The light density of that array is:

First off .. 26 watts per bulb. I count it as 25 for rounding.

To achieve the same amount of lighting as with a t-5 fixture would require two of the fixtures in that picture. Side by side the array would measure about 2 sq ft.

So I space them apart, as I don't need that much light density. Two fixtures, side by side, would produce more than 100 watts per sq ft.

 

The T-5 fixtures don't have the light density to produce flowers well.

 

CFL arrays can and do.

[roofratMI]

Nice work PB. Looking good

[Green-Nubie]

why not use the komee god cfl bulbs if going the that way P.B.????????

 

15,000 Lumen 200 watt...

Edited December 26, 2011 by Green-Nubie

[Honeyoil]

yeah, pb. 20 new bulbs would only be $2,000.