Hydrofarm EnviroGrow T5 4FT 8 Tube Fixture

[Gio555]

Hi everyone!

For many reasons, I am considering to grow my orchids (mostly phals, catts and laelias...30 plants more or less) all year round under artificial light...so I am looking for a good fixture.

As I don't want to use mh or hps (they run too hot in my opinion), I am focused on fluorescents.

I found an Hydrofarm EnviroGrow T5 4FT 8 Tube Fixture with 8 t5ho 4 feet 54w 6400k neons.

Anyone is using it?
Do you think it's a good source of light?

Thanks for any advice!

Giorgio

[jmmehler]

I am using several, 4 lamp, 4 ft T5 HO fixtures. Most of the vendors will allow you to mix the lamps. I always get half 6000k and half 3000k. The 6000k (white light) tubes promote plant growth. The 3000k (red light) tubes promote blooms.

[Ray]

Giorgio, I don't grow under lights, but I am a discount reseller of Hydrofarm products, and I sell many, many of those.

You will be able to grow anything under a fixture that big. In fact, if kept too close to the plants, it has enough output to burn those that prefer low-light conditions.

There is absolutely no need to change the bulb color temperature.

[Tschimm]

I also grow under T5 with 6400k and asked many people if I should also use 3000k additionally.
But nobody had a clear answer except the weed growers, they use 3000k for more yield

[Gio555]

Thank you for your advices!
So I will go straight to buy this fixture.
Honestly I was wondering if would be better to change half of the 6400k bulbus with other at 2700k.
It would be not a big expense, 15 or 16 euros maximum.
But I also think this change is not mandatory....so I am always is time for this experiment.

Thanks again!
Giorgio

[jmmehler]

Be sure to get a good timer to automatically turn the fixtrue on and off. I can't tell you how long to set the timers for, but I picked up an interesting tip from the AOS webinar last week, on growing under lights. It involves reducing the time the lights are on, by 1 hour in October, another hour in November, and another in December. January remains unchanged, Add an hour in February, and then one more in March, and again in April. Hope this helps.

[Ray]

The color temperature in fluorescent bulbs is the corrected, or "correlated" color temperature, "corrected to appear like that spectrum to the human eye, NOT to actually provide that spectrum.

The 6400°K bulbs included with the Hydrofarm fixture are plant light bulbs that provide the spectrum the plants need. Going to a warmer color reduces the amount of blue provided.

[Gio555]

Originally Posted by jmmehler

Be sure to get a good timer to automatically turn the fixtrue on and off.
[...]

Thanks jmmehler!
For a brief period I have grown phals under three, 10 wat leds.
I used this light scheduler:
spring -> 14 hours
summer -> 16 hours
autumn -> 13 hours
winter -> 12 hours
I think I will start with this, then I will see.

Originally Posted by Ray

The color temperature in fluorescent bulbs is the corrected, or "correlated" [...]

This is very interesting Ray.
I didn't know the bulbs included with the HydroFarm are actually specific for plants.
I thought they were common neons.
Ray, you are a reseller so maybe you know best...how many hours they last, before I have to replace it?
I know neons lose performance after a certain number of hours.

[Ray]

First of all, they are fluorescents, not neons - that's entirely different...

Hydrofarm is focused on indoor gardening, so plant light spectrum is what you get by default, whether it is their own (I suspect Chinese-made) bulbs, or other brands they carry.

Vendors frequently quote 2 years as the usable life of T5 bulbs, but I recommend replacing them annually. Naoki posted some interesting results in THIS THREAD that suggests more frequently might be better.

[Andre]

Hello,
I have an 8 bulb 4 foot model. It was good for my smaller plants. I found adding the 2700 k bulbs had no benefit. I'm not using it right now as I went back to a 1000w metal halide... I have lots of tall Dendrobium species, Vandas, and other light hungry plants.

One thing that I would do differently if I want to use it again at some point is, the have it on a table high enough that I don't have to bend down to see my plants. I have flipped over many pots, and watering was difficult trying to bend down and search blindly through my collection. The light was good enough to bloom Cats. and small Dends if the canopy was close was 10-15cm above the canopy.


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