Lighting Brand New Grower, Needs T5 Advice.

[StickMan]

Advice on pots: A mistake that many, many people make when filling the pots is leaving the soil too loose. After a while and a few waterings, the soil level sinks up to a few inches and the lower leaves of the plant are down under the level of the top of the pots. This is bad for circulation and an ideal breeding ground for mold on the top of your soil.
Also, it's hard enough to feed your plants (smaller, bushier phenos) when all of the foliage is above the top of the pot. If you're using airpots where you have to water slowly and develop a sort of system to do it, you'll constantly be splashing your leaves with your nutes solution and that can burn your leaves (IF they're below the level of the top of the pot).
To avoid this, you have to "pack" the soil in the pots. You don't want the soil to be like cement and rock hard, but you want it tight. What I do is start with an empty pot, add about 2 inches of soil, spray it down with some specially treated water, then lift the pot a few inches above the ground and let it fall. See? -now it's only 1 inch of soil. Next, add another two inches of soil, spray, lift, drop... and repeat this process till the pot is full. If you do this, the soil level will stay flush with the top of the pot till the end of the cycle.
Spraying with water while filling the pots leaves you with a pre-moistened
environment that your beans will love to come to life in.

Noods, thanks for sharing your knowledge, I will definitely remember that when I get started.

You might think about getting 2) 4-bulb fixtures, instead of 1) 8-bulb fixture... much easier for bulb changes and, if you do have a serious failure, it only affects half your lighting...

IMPORTANT: Make sure to get T-5 HO. I almost bought a regular T-5 fixture and the lumen output of the two isn't even close... It was on a grow website, and sold as a grow light, so be careful.​

TX, thanks for yout advice, I almost ordered the 4'x8 tube fixture today. Glad I didn't!
It makes a lot more sense to get 2, 4 tube fixtures, yea it probably will cost a little more, but like you said it is some insurance.

By the way, I will be growing some of HighRises offerings for my first grow. I will be posting a journal when I get started.

Thanks for all the help and advice everyone

 

[X]

By the way, I will be growing some of HighRises offerings for my first grow.

You won't regret that... top shelf, every one!

 

[StickMan]

You won't regret that... top shelf, every one!

TX, reading through all of your grow journals on this gear, was one of the main inspirations in wanting to try to grow them.

If mine grow and look just half as good as yours do I will be elated.

 

[namvet25]

Hey all you T5ers, I have never grown yet, but doing massive research here on AFN.

Anyway, my plan right now anyway is to get one Commercial brand, 4 foot long 8 bulb light.

Planning on using this light with ‘veg bulbs’ to start plants indoors, and then finish them off outdoors this summer. (after hardening them off of course)

After the outdoor grow season is over I plan on growing 2 autos at a time with this light.

I do plan on using ‘bloom bulbs’ at the appropriate time. Will this size light be enough without any additional lighting for 2 autos?

Anyone heard anything bad about Commercial brand? From my perspective the quality looks as good as the “Bad Boys”, just somewhat less expensive. But I will spend the extra money for the Bad Boys if need be.

Thanks Everyone, this is an incredible forum, with incredible people!

http://www.fluorogrow.com/index.php/premium-grow-light-fixtures.html These are the lights I have and I really like them.

 

[StickMan]

http://www.fluorogrow.com/index.php/premium-grow-light-fixtures.html

http://www.fluorogrow.com/index.php/...-fixtures.html These are the lights I have and I really like them.

Those lights look like the cat's meow.
Thanks, for the heads up namvet.

 

[X]

http://www.fluorogrow.com/index.php/...-fixtures.html These are the lights I have and I really like them.

CRAP!!! I just spent about $100 too much... Those are some great prices and the gear looks very nice!!! :thumbs:

 

[Kid Ki]

Using 3 two ft T5's myself on 2 autos. I bought both veg and flower bulbs, so while the gals are in veg I use 2 6400k and 1 3000k. When they go to flower I switch lights to 2 3000k and 1 6400k. Lumens are key with T5's, usually 2500 lumens a plant at least. With my 3 bulbs its working just fine. I'm a experienced outdoor grower of 12 years but had to learn all over again with autos. So far I'm hooked, and hope to upgrade my T5's this coming fall. Always go with the HO as well!
Good luck with ur grow..

 

[Joe383]

http://www.fluorogrow.com/index.php/premium-grow-light-fixtures.html These are the lights I have and I really like them.

Dam wish I would have seen these before I ordered my QuantomT5 it’s 23” wide and these are only 16” for the 8 bulb set up, 2 of these wouldrock in a 3’ X 5’ Grow tent which is what I wanted to do L

 

[BigRig]

So the general consensus is to go with two 2' eight bulb lamps rather than one 4' eight bulb lamp?

 

[X]

So the general consensus is to go with two 2' eight bulb lamps rather than one 4' eight bulb lamp?

I think most of us prefer 2 (4', 4-bulb lamps) instead of 1 (4', 8-bulb lamp). I've personally never seen a 2', 8-bulb t-5 lamp advertised, but they may exist.