T5 GROW LIGHT TIPS
Choosing the Right Lights
To use T5 grow lights properly, there are
a couple of things you need to know that
will determine how successful you will be
at growing under these lights. The first
thing is how to choose the right T5 fixture
and the right bulbs.
“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.”
Fixtures: When it comes to choosing a grow light fixture,
there are a couple of things to think about. First is the size
requirements for this grow light. There are more than a
dozen size variations, so you need to figure out the size of
your indoor garden and then fit the lights to your space.
T5 grow lights typically come in two different lengths and
around six different bulb configurations. The most common
T5 grow lights are 2- or 4-ft. long and have 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 or 12
bulbs per fixture. If you are thinking of growing only a few
small plants, you might get away with having a 1- or 2-bulb
set-up that is 2- or 4-ft. long, but if you want to grow a whole
bunch of plants, you will have to invest in an 8- or 12-bulb
set-up that is 4-ft. long. This larger size will cover a lot of plant
mass without using too much electricity.
Bulbs: When it comes to choosing bulbs, there are even more
options to choose from. Bulbs not only come in different
energy varieties, but also in different color temperatures.
When choosing between normal output (NO), high output
(HO) and very high output (VHO) bulbs, I recommend
going for the middle ones. HO bulbs are the best of both
worlds—they are efficient, yet long-lasting, and will provide
super-bright light for your plants.
As far as color temperatures go, different plants have
different light requirements, so I can only suggest a
general guideline, which is to start with 6,500-K bulbs
when plants are in the vegetative stages of growth. This
is approximately the color temperature of light on a
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Maximum Yield USA | December 2015
summer day. Otherwise, use 3,000-K bulbs when plants
start to flower. This color temperature is warmer (more
sunset-like), with a red tint to it, so it will best suit
blooming plants.
Setting Up
Now that you have selected the right
fixture and bulbs, it is time
to set up your grow lights.
The first thing you need
to think about when setting up T5 grow lights is
the height, or how high
above plant canopies
you are mounting
your fixtures.