Recommend me a fluorescent ballast 2'x2' T8 or T12 - Veg

[cnile]

Hello. Im looking to purchase a 2 foot by 2 foot flourescent ballast with some type of reflector for my seeds/clones and mother. i have a 2 foot by 4 foot closet for seeds/clones/mother so im going to get two of them.

I heard t8 or t12 bulbs & balast are better for seeds/clones. i read they are not as strong as t5's which can burn the young plants and just be too strong for them.

any advice please help.

Im looking to buy a nice quality product, a two foot by two foot 4 bulb flourescent ballast for my veg, what brands/types do you guys recommend. I stopped by home depot and they have shit. so looking to buy from amazon or something similar. THANKS!!!!!!

 

[jhfhklsnhfldk]

For starting my plants I have used CFLs and T-8 Fluoros. I have really low end fixtures. The cheapest I could find. I have had no issues with them. I have no experience with T-5, but that is mainly due to the high price. With CFL and T-8, I generally run the light at about 1.5-2" away from the plants.

Hope this helps, and maybe someone with a better answer will show up.

 

[yourseed]

Been using T5 on cuttings, seedlings etc and never had an issue yet with burning plants. Lots of good growth but no issues

Sent from my E2303 using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[Crippled]

I have a lightwave t5 2ft long probably 1.5 wide? 4 bulb 96w total it works well there are other options available aswell im sure

 

[Major PITA]

T-5's work fine for seedlings (I've used them for years), but IMO, they are not worth paying extra for. Just get the least expensive fixture you can find (probably a T-12), hopefully with 6500K bulbs. The difference in PAR between a T-12 and a T-5HO is not enough to justify the added expense. Either one will work great for sprouting seedlings. Neither is going to do well for the full veg cycle.

Since your closet is 4' wide, why not get one 4' fixture and save some $$$?

I use these. They work great for starting seeds and for toddlers. I think they were about $50 each off "d bay". They can be daisy chained so you only need to plug one into a timer, and you can turn on/off two of the four lights in each fixture when you want more/less light.

 

[cnile]

I really appreciate it guys, you have answered everything and more.

thanks so much this help in buying.

i think i have chosen, im going to go with a 4' 4 bulb fixture with a nice reflector, here is a pic and thanks again!

 

[cnile]

I need help with one more thing please.


How much light do i need in my little dome? im reading this t5 fixture, 2 foot long with 4 bulbs in the 6500k veg light tempature at only 10,000 lumens. is that even enough?

 

[Major PITA]

I need help with one more thing please.


How much light do i need in my little dome? im reading this t5 fixture, 2 foot long with 4 bulbs in the 6500k veg light tempature at only 10,000 lumens. is that even enough?

Which light do you mean? You said you are going with a 4' long fixture, then a 2' long fixture for "your little dome".
Also, how big is the area you plan to cover with the light? You said your closet is 2'x4'. For good results, my usual recommendation is 50 watts per square foot. 2x4x50=400 watts. That would require four of the 2' fixtures, or two of the 4' fixtures. It sounds like you plan to (at least) cut the amount of light in half. You can certanily grow with that much light but yield will suffer since there will be very low light penetration into the canopy and the canopy area will be greatly reduced.

 

[cnile]

based on Major PITA picture, the 2 fluro balasts and plants on the shelving unit, it looks like the 2' 4 bulb fixtures i got will work at least for those size of plants. so i ended up getting two of them- 96watt fixtures / 4 bulb / t5 / 6500k temp bulbs - that will be over a clone/seed dome thats round the same size, 2' by 1.5' or so and the second same fixture over them for a bit after hardened in dome and transplanted. then to a 600 watt hetal halide.

so maybe i should i mentioned. this fixtures - 96watt fixtures / 4 bulb / t5 / 6500k temp bulbs

those numbers u gave, 400 watts were probably for later plant growth, like weeks in, by then they will be under my metal halide

im looking for seedling fluro recomened watts per square foot or more helpful would be how many lumens of t5 6500k do seedlings want when they are just cracking. each 2' t5 bulb is around 2k lumens. i cant imagine they would want 4 bulbs just sprouting??

are ment for seedlings/clones and begining veg growth, not long under them.

that should be ok?


thanks


oh yea the second fixture will be helping mothers in that small closet i hope also.

so clones/seeds under these fixtures and mothers in that closet, 600 metal halide veg room and 600 hps flower.

 

[Major PITA]

Ahh! Very different. My little setup works great for what you are talking about. I run the same setup except in the 2' long, 54 watt version. Each light covers a 1'x2' shelf great. Since your space is 2' deep, I think you'll want every bit of the 4 bulbs and 96 watts. I keep mine within 1" - 2" and the plants love it. I usually have them there about a month before moving them to the HPS.

 

[jhfhklsnhfldk]

This is a cheap set up that gives me the fastest start of any method I have used. T-8 and CFL

 

[cnile]

damn thats a lot more light than i thought a seedling would want.

Schtiggy, thanks

Major PITA, thnaks

so i guess ill start my seedlings in a dome at like


watts: 96
bulb: t5
color temp 6500 (or around 5k)

medium: germinate in papertowel for a day before cubes then rockwool cubes

environment:
in a dome, high humidity
temp:78F
start opening the vents on dome at about day 2 or 3 a little each day
let em breath a couple times a day
spray after about 10 days with like a 200ppm seedling solution, GHfloro probably



hope it works

 

[Major PITA]

In case it matters in your choice, I've never used a dome.
In my limited experience with domes, they cause mold and rot. I don't even like them with them for cuttings/clones. No need.
You could absolutely start them with less light. Since you need to cover a 2' wide area, you'll probably need to keep the light higher than I do in order to cover the entire space, so I think you'll be glad to have all of it.

 

[cnile]

the reason i think a dome might help is because of the climate of where i live. it is very dry and very cold outside. of course the light will help but something wet at night i think might get quite cold.

maybe 68 degrees on a cold night and real low humidity/ dunno maybe ill crack it right out the gate. ill be checking often. maybe it was a waste of money, hope not.

 

[jhfhklsnhfldk]

the reason i think a dome might help is because of the climate of where i live. it is very dry and very cold outside. of course the light will help but something wet at night i think might get quite cold.

maybe 68 degrees on a cold night and real low humidity/ dunno maybe ill crack it right out the gate. ill be checking often. maybe it was a waste of money, hope not.

My winter grows have to be in a CGE (closed grow environment) due to the low humidity and temps as well. My tent is completely closed with co2 added. Temps and humidity end up much higher and more manageable. I have 4 running and the 2 oldest will be 35 days tomorrow, the other 2 are about 10 days behind. In about a week, I will open the system back up. They are large and flowering nicely (I should state that I am growing autos). Once I remove the co2 and open the system, the temps and humidity should be perfect for a FLOWERING plant. Change of season is probably the biggest hassle for me. If I have a good winter, I am going to stop growing the other 3 seasons all together.

 

[Major PITA]

The RH in my germination area typically runs 30% - 35% and about 75F degrees in the room, but the "micro climate" surrounding the seedlings is a different due to heat from the lights, and moisture from the soil and plants' transpiration.

The other reason I don't like a dome is the plants don't get fresh air and the plants tend to stretch more (less light / no breeze). I keep a small fan on 24/7 to help the babies develop stronger stems. Roots get water and nute's. Leaves get air and light.

You'll do fine with the dome, but you might try some plants w/o and compare the results.

 

[cnile]

i ended up gooing with the t5's and i like them thansk


also i didn't really need the dome.

i used it tell they sprouted cause of my low RH where i am. even then i had vents open and air moving around the space. also refreshed air in it every so often


then i used a small humidifier for the space they were in, worked out.