T5 GROW LIGHT TIPS
Although T5 lights are famous for emitting very little heat,
this doesn’t mean you can put the bulbs an inch above plant
canopies, as this distance will still damage the plants.
a certain amount of hours of light and dark to grow properly,
and you need to simulate these conditions indoors, too.
Light cycles tend to differ based on what plants are being
grown under artificial lighting. For example, there are 12/12hour cycles, 18/6-hour cycles and even 24/0-hour cycles of
light/dark periods. To find the right cycle for your plants, I
suggest either researching the needs of the variety of plant
you’re growing, or basing your cycle on what the approximate light cycle would be if the plants would be growing
outdoors during their season. Typically, more light means
faster growth, which results in bigger plants and bigger yields
no matter what you are growing.
“MORE LIGHT MEANS faster growth,
which results in bigger plants and
bigger yields no matter what
species you are growing.”
Other Parameters
The best height for a T5 grow light is about 6-8 in. above
the plants, but you should increase that gap to 12
in. if your plants don’t like heat or they are in
the seedling growth stage. If the T5 fixtures
are at this height, the light from the bulbs
will be intense enough and bright enough
for plants, but the heat won’t be able to
damage your plants. Some plants need
less-intense light, so just monitor your
plants and see what works for your
indoor garden set-up.
Light Cycles
You are almost ready to go—all that’s left is
figuring out the right light cycles, and then
you can turn on your lights and start
growing. A light cycle refers to how
many hours you keep the lights turned
on for and for how many hours you
leave your plants in the dark.
Light cycles are used to simulate
night and day. Outdoor plants get
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Maximum Yield USA | December 2015
You are finally all set to turn on the lights and start growing,
but there are a few words of caution before you begin, though.
Since you are growing plants indoors and your growroom
might be small, you need to watch not only how
much water your plants need, but the temperature of the room the plants are in as well. Plants
tend to drink more water in different stages of
growth, but just like humans, they need more
water the hotter your growroom gets. This is
why you need to install a ventilation system if your grow lights
make the room too hot, and why
you need to closely monitor how
much water the plants need by
checking their soil humidity
level every couple of days.
By following the steps
outlined above and
monitoring your plants
regularly, you should be
able to grow great plants
and get big yields using
T5 grow lights.