Lighting Question 10000k or 5000k?

[steveboss94]

Hey i have a dual t5 one bulb is 10000k the other just says B
and a t8 with a sunlight bulb will these be any good for the grow
i have the option of replacing all 3 with 5000k bulbs . what should i do?? TIA

 

[steveboss94]

i also have 6500k cfls placed around plant these will be used for the top

 

[AMileHigher]

What you have are aquarium lights. The T-5 10000K bulb is a White Actinic bulb and the "B" bulb is a Blue Actinic bulb probably a 10000 or 15000Kelvin bulb. The T-8 sunlight bulb is probably a 5000/5500K bulb. The "K" is the Kelvin rating for a bulb measured in Degrees. in the aquarium world, 5500K is a white spectrum bulb simulating direct sunlight at noon great for growing algae and plants in shallow water as well as the MJ meds in our tents. >9700Kelvins is a blue/purple spectrum that simulates clear blue skies, no direct light, that is filtered by 10-30 ft of water, great for growing deep water corals, not so great for photosynthesis. if you were going to use those bulbs I would keep the T-8 and switch the T-5's to the 5000k, and depending how many plants you were growing, add more bulbs or wattage. 24W bulbs I think are 2ft bulbs, 3 are probably enough to veg 1 plant. Oop's just saw you have 6500K cfls, never mind.