Lights online

[johnblagg]

point actually was that a 2 foot t5 tube puts out more than enough light to grow the same plant that a 4 foot t5 can because the total lumens are not all in one area and a 2 foot t5 of 28 watts produces 2,900 lumens nominal and a four-foot 54W T5HO lamp is 5,000 lumens

2900 lumens in a 2 foot long tube is actually more than 5000 lumens spread out along a 4 foot long tube and would have no less ability to grow the same plant under it

---------- Post added at 12:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:29 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Merlyn

That's ok, you're right and I'm right also. I get your point, but you missed mine. BTW, I guess you don't worry about cost efficiency because if you overamp your bulbs they fade out quicker = UNefficient cost wise and I'll not argue that point with you.

actually I do not over amp my lights at all....I run a electronic ballast that can run anything from a 48 watt to a 98 watt set of two bulbs and I run two 65 watt tubes off each ballast ....I do build my own lights and they work great a pl type bulb 4 1/2 inches long and 8 inches wide putting out 65 watts of power driven by a ho electronic ballast

[Merlyn]

I missed the 'pl' and 'ho' acronyms but I gather you're not talking about florescent at all !?!?

[johnblagg]

Originally Posted by Merlyn

I missed the 'pl' and 'ho' acronyms but I gather you're not talking about florescent at all !?!?

YES I am,
Ho = high output as in High output ballast or ho t5s

Pl is a type of compact flourescent bulb


here are a couple of my home made ones ....Im running 5 of these in two bulb configurations and get 130 watts from each set ....havent took the time to build a reflector yet but LOl dont realy need it since the reflected light off walls and celing fill the room with enough light I can put anything anywhere I want realy

[BioWheel]

Originally Posted by johnblagg

YES I am,
Ho = high output as in High output ballast or ho t5s

Pl is a type of compact fluorescent bulb


here are a couple of my home made ones ....I'm running 5 of these in two bulb configurations and get 130 watts from each set ....haven't took the time to build a reflector yet but LOl don't really need it since the reflected light off walls and ceiling fill the room with enough light I can put anything anywhere I want really

You really need reflectors on those CFLs. A lot of light is wasted without them. I have a light meter and you'd be surprised. Even if you could make something with tinfoil or a white board would work.

[johnblagg]

Originally Posted by BioWheel

You really need reflectors on those CFLs. A lot of light is wasted without them. I have a light meter and you'd be surprised. Even if you could make something with tinfoil or a white board would work.

actually I get more than enough light on the plants under them as is and the extra is reflected off flat white walls and celing just fine to illuminate the rest of the room enough to grow anything I want anywhere in the room. I have 1500 foot candles at 6 inches away under them as is and just a nice tinge of red to leaves now and do not want to raise the lights buy making holes in my new drywall celing with eye hooks to hang lights

---------- Post added at 05:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:14 PM ----------

everything I have gets more than enough light and floor space is illuminated well also

[BioWheel]

Originally Posted by johnblagg

actually I get more than enough light on the plants under them as is and the extra is reflected off flat white walls and celing just fine to illuminate the rest of the room enough to grow anything I want anywhere in the room. I have 1500 foot candles at 6 inches away under them as is and just a nice tinge of red to leaves now and do not want to raise the lights buy making holes in my new drywall celing with eye hooks to hang lights

---------- Post added at 05:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:14 PM ----------

everything I have gets more than enough light and floor space is illuminated well also

I'm not saying you don't have enough light. I'm saying you would have more efficient lighting with reflectors. That way - you could move the plants further away, cover a wider area with the same lighting and be able to add more plants without adding more lumens.

[johnblagg]

Originally Posted by BioWheel

I'm not saying you don't have enough light. I'm saying you would have more efficient lighting with reflectors. That way - you could move the plants further away, cover a wider area with the same lighting and be able to add more plants without adding more lumens.

LOl and what I saying is I have lots of plants in the room that the lights provide for great as is and I dont have room for more plants on the tables I have 60 in the room now including one phaius that is at present 4 feet wide in a tub 2 foot wide by 1 foot deep, the light that is bouncing off the celing and the walls is in fact being utilized just fine as it is and the phaius are growing like weeds. I barely have room to walk between stuff now and do not want lights hanging above every single plant from the celing and making me have to duck nor do I need too the way it is works fine...shoot even my den aggregatum bloomed last month and off to the side not directly under a light ....reflectors would actually force me to move the lights up higher and add more to cover what is not directly under them then...some times you dont need to concentrate it all down and the even lighting reflected off the walls and celing let me grow every thing I have tried so far with no issues.shoot my geraniums are growing like weeds in fact and fireing up to go into a hevay bloom soon and they sit in the center of the room and get nothing but reflected light ---thats pretty efficient.
Lol I have over 860 watts of flouescent lighting in the room now and none is wasted

[bballr4567]

Well, my wife surprised me with the light. Got here today. It's the 54W 2ft T5 light with reflector from Hydrofarm.

My ceiling is about 2ft from the top of the leaves. Should I mount it there?

[johnblagg]

nice light ,I keep a 65 watt light about 1 foot over my plants but height is going to depend on the kind of plants you have and some one else might be better to advise you on that ...I have mainly high light catts

[bballr4567]

4 phals so far.