WHAT ARE THE BEST T5 GROW LIGHTS FOR INDOOR GROWING?
If you are a cannabis grower looking for lights to power your indoor grow op, T5 fluorescent grow lights may be a great choice for you. All kinds of plants can be grown under T5 lighting, including marijuana, without the high expense of metal halide or HPS systems. HPS lights use a ton of energy, waste a lot of energy on heat, and the bulbs have to be replaced every year. T5 fluorescent lights are great for early vegetative growth as well as starting seedlings or clones. They are also energy efficient, and can end up saving you a lot of money in decreased electricity bills over the long run.
Fluorescent bulbs are also long lasting and on average have a 50,000-hour lifespan, put out much less heat when in use than many other choices, and are very efficient in their use. Because of this, they are often used for more than just vegetative plant support as they can light up quite a bit of space much more efficiently than traditional, regular bulbs.
From an efficiency standpoint, most HPS lights edge out T5 fluorescents, although only by about 40 lumens per watt. However, the increase in efficiency has a trade off in the form of increased heat output. If you’re using HPS lights, you’ll need to place them further from the canopy of your garden. You may also need to vent the heat out with fans and ducting if they run especially hot.
On top of that, HPS lights take up more vertical space in the garden. If your growing area is small and not too high, your plants may find themselves cramped for space as they grow when using HPS lights.
If you decide on T5 grow lights instead of HPS, you’ll lose out in lumens per watt, but will have a cooler grow room with less space taken up by your lighting system. You’ll also spend less money on energy costs in the longer run, even though T5 bulbs are more expensive than HPS upfront. T5 bulbs last longer and degrade slower.
HID systems are exceptionally powerful lights that require a lot of parts to work properly. To run HID lights, you need:
No matter what type of HID lighting you choose, they will always run hotter than T5 grow lights. Again, you’ll need to deal with this excess heat somehow — ducting, venting, or fans are all good options. You simply have to pay a price for the extra power you’re getting.
With T5 bulbs, you gain space, but may need to customize your bulbs to get a spectrum of light you can bring a plant to flower with. That’s one of the downsides of T5 bulbs that many people don’t talk about.
This is for good reason — LEDs are extremely efficient, they put out minimal heat, and last for ages. Manufacturers like to talk about their 100,000+ hour lifespan, but what they fail to mention is that there is a serious drop in efficiency after about 30,000 hours or so.
You might be saying, “OK, but that’s still better than T5 grow lights, which last for about 20,000 hours.” And you’d be right, but LED lights are typically more expensive than T5s, although the price has come down slightly in the past year or two.
In the end, it will come down to your budget and your preference, especially with some newer white LED systems coming onto the market.
They are also available to mount both vertically and horizontally and come with a rope hanging system. The units are easy to daisy chain together as well, and depending on the size unit, 3 to 6 fixtures may be able to be run off one outlet. It also boasts a switch to help control your lumen output- which is distributed at a 120-degree angle to better reach the entirety of your growing plants.
Considered a very cool unit, you can place this within very close proximity (within 3 to 4 inches) of your young plants to provide them with very directed light from the reflective aluminum housing. The unit can also be hung vertically, or horizontally with the included hooks and chains, and up to 5 separate units can be daisy-chained together to cover a larger grow space. Measuring 46 inches long and 12 inches wide, this narrow construction makes it a versatile choice for smaller grow spaces as well.
The more tubes with greater length, the bigger your fixture will be.
Rule of thumb: Get the largest size your indoor garden can comfortably accommodate.
Why?
Most modern fixtures allow you to turn on/off separate bulbs. This feature will enable you to adapt the grow lights for the best light efficacy and save electricity consumption as well. So with a large-size fixture, you can customize the light output for different plants. In contrast, you'll never be able to do that if you get a small fixture right from the start.
Also, a larger and more powerful fixture also helps you to back up in case you extend your growing spaces in the future.
There are two common reflector styles:
This feature is beneficial because not only it helps you save energy by turning off some wasted bulbs, but it also gives you the ability to light planted areas. And best of all, it's handy when you grow different types of plants which you can customize the light intensity to fit.
T8 lights are also quite inefficient when compared to T5 lights, so there’s really no reason to consider anything but T5 fixtures as long as you’re set on fluorescent lighting.
WHAT ARE T5 GROW LIGHTS ?
They’re a special type of fluorescent T5 grow light that has become the industry-standard for growing seedlings and greens indoors. The bulbs are 5/8″ in diameter and are some of the most efficient fluorescent bulbs you’ll find on the market. In the past, T8 and T12 bulbs were used, but these have fallen out of favor due to the massive efficiency increase in T5 bulbs. In fact, you can’t even manufacture T12 bulbs anymore in the United States — they’re that inefficient!WHAT IS FLUORESCENT LIGHTING?
Fluorescent lighting is created through a chemical process of gases and mercury vapor interacting which produce an invisible UV light. This then illuminates the inside of a glass tube to produce a ‘white’ light that you can see. These glass bulbs are set within a ballast, a mechanism that stabilizes and interacts with your bulb to control the output of your lamp.WHY CHOOSE FLUORESCENT LIGHTING?
As mentioned, different lights provide differing spectrums for your plants to use. Fluorescent bulbs typically provide more light found in the blue spectral range but can incorporate some of the cooler oranges as well. Typically bulbs are offered from around 3000k (orange) to 10,000k (blue) temperatures, and closely mimic the light plants would receive if grown outdoors during daylight hours. This spectral range supports early plant growth through maturity and is best utilized during these stages.Fluorescent bulbs are also long lasting and on average have a 50,000-hour lifespan, put out much less heat when in use than many other choices, and are very efficient in their use. Because of this, they are often used for more than just vegetative plant support as they can light up quite a bit of space much more efficiently than traditional, regular bulbs.
How Do T5 Lights Compare to Other Types of Lighting?
T5 vs. HPS
High pressure sodium (HPS) lights hold a venerated position in indoor gardens worldwide. They’re powerful and efficient lights that can bring almost any plant from seedling to fruiting stage.From an efficiency standpoint, most HPS lights edge out T5 fluorescents, although only by about 40 lumens per watt. However, the increase in efficiency has a trade off in the form of increased heat output. If you’re using HPS lights, you’ll need to place them further from the canopy of your garden. You may also need to vent the heat out with fans and ducting if they run especially hot.
On top of that, HPS lights take up more vertical space in the garden. If your growing area is small and not too high, your plants may find themselves cramped for space as they grow when using HPS lights.
If you decide on T5 grow lights instead of HPS, you’ll lose out in lumens per watt, but will have a cooler grow room with less space taken up by your lighting system. You’ll also spend less money on energy costs in the longer run, even though T5 bulbs are more expensive than HPS upfront. T5 bulbs last longer and degrade slower.
T5 vs. HID
High intensity discharge (HID) lights are another option to look into. Technically, HPS lights are in this category, but let’s take a look at the HID category in general to understand what differences lie between it and T5 lights.HID systems are exceptionally powerful lights that require a lot of parts to work properly. To run HID lights, you need:
- Bulbs
- Reflector
- Ballast
- Socket
No matter what type of HID lighting you choose, they will always run hotter than T5 grow lights. Again, you’ll need to deal with this excess heat somehow — ducting, venting, or fans are all good options. You simply have to pay a price for the extra power you’re getting.
With T5 bulbs, you gain space, but may need to customize your bulbs to get a spectrum of light you can bring a plant to flower with. That’s one of the downsides of T5 bulbs that many people don’t talk about.
T5 vs. LEDs
Without a doubt, the biggest craze in grow lights over the past few years are LED grow lights. Their popularity has exploded, and so has the manufacture of these lighting systems.This is for good reason — LEDs are extremely efficient, they put out minimal heat, and last for ages. Manufacturers like to talk about their 100,000+ hour lifespan, but what they fail to mention is that there is a serious drop in efficiency after about 30,000 hours or so.
You might be saying, “OK, but that’s still better than T5 grow lights, which last for about 20,000 hours.” And you’d be right, but LED lights are typically more expensive than T5s, although the price has come down slightly in the past year or two.
In the end, it will come down to your budget and your preference, especially with some newer white LED systems coming onto the market.
Grow Light Comparison by Type
For a quick look at some of the benefits and downsides to each type of lighting as compared to T5 lights, have a look at this chart. As you can see, no matter what type of lighting you choose, you have to make a trade-off in one area or another.| Light | Lifespan | Temp | Distance | Lumens/Watt | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T5 | 20,000+ | 95°F | 2-4″ | ~110 | $5-10/bulb |
| T8 | 25,000+ | 100°F | 2-4″ | ~90 | $3-5/bulb |
| HID | 10,000+ | 600°F | 6-10″ | ~125 | ~$15/bulb |
| HPS | 18,000+ | 500°F | 4-6″ | ~140 | ~$10/bulb |
| LED | 50,000+ | 70°F | 10-16″ | ~25 | ~$200/sqft |
3 Best T5 Grow Lights Review
HYDRO CRUNCH T5 HIGH OUTPUT FLUORESCENT GROW LIGHT
- Lamp Quantity: 4-8
- Temperature: compatible 2700-6400k
- Works with timers: yes
- Warranty: 1 year
They are also available to mount both vertically and horizontally and come with a rope hanging system. The units are easy to daisy chain together as well, and depending on the size unit, 3 to 6 fixtures may be able to be run off one outlet. It also boasts a switch to help control your lumen output- which is distributed at a 120-degree angle to better reach the entirety of your growing plants.
PROS
- High functioning and durable
- Great vegetative growth support
- Bright and well focused
CONS
- May have some shipping issues, covered by warranty
PRO TIP
These lights are geared towards mid-sized to larger grows, and due to the ease of outfitting your housing with a wider spectrum of lights, is able to support almost all stages of plant growth very well. Lightweight in nature, you can adjust your height and placement easily also if the need arises.
DUROLUX T5 DL844S HO FLUORESCENT GROW LIGHT
- Lamp Quantity: 4
- Temperature: 6500k
- Works with timers: yes
- Warranty: 5 year
Considered a very cool unit, you can place this within very close proximity (within 3 to 4 inches) of your young plants to provide them with very directed light from the reflective aluminum housing. The unit can also be hung vertically, or horizontally with the included hooks and chains, and up to 5 separate units can be daisy-chained together to cover a larger grow space. Measuring 46 inches long and 12 inches wide, this narrow construction makes it a versatile choice for smaller grow spaces as well.
PROS
- Can be hung vertically and horizontally
- Great for transitioning plants to full sun
- Very cool to run
CONS
- Ballasts may go out but are covered for 5 years
- Aluminum housing can bend easily
PRO TIP
Although a longer, more narrow unit, this is a good light for smaller grow spaces due to how cool it runs. With the opportunity to link up to 5 units together you can also increase your light footprint exponentially for more serious, or even commercial grows. The 6500k output is specific to early growth and development, and does not meet the plants needs for high yield production however, so the light is best used for maintenance and growth.
SUN BLAZE T5 HO FLUORESCENT INDOOR GROW LIGHT FIXTURE
- Lamp Quantity: 1-8
- Temperature: 6500k
- Works with timers: yes
- Warranty: 1 year
PROS
- Great for maintenance and early growth
- Cool to use, and bright
- Easy to hang
CONS
- Some issues with plug coming loose
- Aluminum may bend
PRO TIP
The amount of sizes offered in these lights are awesome, and provide lighting for the smallest of needs to some of the largest. With a 3000 – 6500k spectral range (depending on your bulb choice), you can support early plant growth through bloom and production easily, and in some cases- with a flip of a switch
Things you should know before shopping for T5 grow lights
There are some crucial factors you need to know to maximize your buying decision.Sizing
The thickness of the T5 bulb is standardized to 5/8’’, but the length can vary. Two typical tube lengths are two and four feet.The more tubes with greater length, the bigger your fixture will be.
Rule of thumb: Get the largest size your indoor garden can comfortably accommodate.
Why?
Most modern fixtures allow you to turn on/off separate bulbs. This feature will enable you to adapt the grow lights for the best light efficacy and save electricity consumption as well. So with a large-size fixture, you can customize the light output for different plants. In contrast, you'll never be able to do that if you get a small fixture right from the start.
Also, a larger and more powerful fixture also helps you to back up in case you extend your growing spaces in the future.
| 2 Foot Long | 4 Foot Long |
|---|---|
| 1 bulb | 1 bulb |
| 2 bulbs | 2 bulbs |
| 4 bulbs | 4 bulbs |
| 6 bulbs | 6 bulbs |
| 8 bulbs | 8 bulbs |
| 10 bulbs | 10 bulbs |
| 12 bulbs | 12 bulbs |
Bulb Temperatures
T5 grow lights have two bulb temperatures. Each has its function in assisting plants through all stages of growth.- 6,500K bulbs are practical for microgreens, seedlings, and plants in the harvest. These are the most popular T5 Kevin bulb type.
- 3000K bulbs help plants to flower and give fruit
The reflector design
The reflectors do increase the focus your T5 lights, which helps improve the efficiency of your lights.There are two common reflector styles:
- Rectangular reflector: You can place the reflector closer to the plants for better coverage
- Gullwing style: This is ideal if you need to place your grow lights higher. This design allows you to redirect light back into the grow room if it's seeping out
Ability to control the bulbs separately
Look for a T5 fixture that has this extra feature. You can control the lamps independently by dimming or switching off some while others stay on.This feature is beneficial because not only it helps you save energy by turning off some wasted bulbs, but it also gives you the ability to light planted areas. And best of all, it's handy when you grow different types of plants which you can customize the light intensity to fit.
Difference Between T5, T8, and T12 Lights
In the not too distant past, you could choose between T5, T8, or T12 fixtures for your garden. However, progress happens and things change. In 2012 the Department of Energy banned the manufacture of T12 fixtures simply because they are so inefficient when compared to alternative technologies. While you can’t buy new T12 fixtures, they’re still out there in the used markets and existing gardens…although i don’t know why you’d want to track them down. They’re bad.T8 lights are also quite inefficient when compared to T5 lights, so there’s really no reason to consider anything but T5 fixtures as long as you’re set on fluorescent lighting.
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