Is a 400w MH really better than a 4-8 T5-HO bulbs for veg?

MichiganMedGrower

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
since1991 said:
I just want my t5 lamps to work in my veg and nursery area without replacing a shitty ballast all the time. Fulham ballasts are frikin junk. Come to think of it...alot of the hydroponic store gear is just plain shitty equipment. From shit made in asia ballasts and bulbs to overpriced watered down hydroponic nutrients. And junk mini split air conditioners..fans...pH meters...alot of the stuff this industry offers us growers is crapola. I seriously got to start sourcing alternatives for cheaper and/or better quality gear and supplies.
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I stick with sunlight supply brands. Higher quality many times in my opinion.

I had one new sunblaze 8 bulb come with a bad ballast out of 4 lamps. They replaced the whole lamp right away. And let me keep the new bulbs.

I have had no failures for 3 years of continual use since then.

Well a couple of flickering Chinese bulbs.
 
mauricem00

mauricem00

Well-Known Member
MichiganMedGrower said:
I think you are referring to UV B and the only proof I can find from testing is that uvb increases only thc. Not cbd.

And it increases only if and where it hits directly on the plant. And if used the last 2 weeks of flowering it will cause the same increase in thc as if used from the start of flower or earlier.

I am not finding any proof of the other benefits you mentioned or any that uva does any of this.

Got some new info to link?

I am seeing recent marketing by led companies saying different but that is because they can only offer uva at this time and not uvb and want to cash in on a proven study.
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it has been a while since I studied this issue but studies on UVB are flawed in that they do not filter UVA from the light source. sunlight has very little UVB but about 5% uva . there are many studies on the effects of UV on fruit and vegetable plants but very few studies using cannabis. the effect may be stain dependent since many strains have been grown under HPS for many generations and may have adapted to this type of light but my own experience with SSH,NL and GG has shown and improvement in potency, taste and plant health using a little UVA in the mix.I would imagine hortilux did a little research on this issue before developing their powerveg fs plus UV bulb. would be a stupid business decision not to
 
jimihendrix1

jimihendrix1

Well-Known Member
I use the Arcadia T5 54w Dragon Reptile bulb. Its the most powerful UVA/UVB bulb on the market.

I use them at a rate of 108w x 4 x 4 area, combined with a Hortilux HPS 145,000 lumen Superbulb.

I use them in both Veg, and Flowering at a rate of on 2/3rdds f the time. 12 hours get 8 hours UVA/UVB. They are started at 24 inches abouve canopy, and dropped to 18 inches if its not to much.

Ive found UVA/UVB is best for plants that originate from areas high in UVA/UVB, like the Equator, or Really High Altitude. Some strains may show minimal response.

18 gets 12.

I turn them on after the HID have been on for 2 hours in flower, and 3 hours in vg.

They go off with 2, and 3 hours of light from HID still left on respective cycle.

Ive noticed a big difference in potency. Been using SSH for 3 years, and the first time I used these lights, the potency greatly increased. Id say 15-20% increase.
 
jimihendrix1

jimihendrix1

Well-Known Member
You also have to use the Arcadia Reflector/Ballast with these lights. Others will create Hot Spots, and Roast the plants.

Arcadia is also 46 inch vs 48.
 
ilovetoskiatalta

ilovetoskiatalta

Well-Known Member
since1991 said:
You and me both. I want at least 8 of em. Preferably 630 watt double ended cmh. One to go next to every 600 gavita hps i got. Crank some buds out.
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the 315 are great but they really only cover a small area. I only ran 1000w hps before but these lights are much cooler compared to the 1000w hps. they are expensive though but I like them. Haven't fired the 1000w's up since.
 
since1991

since1991

Well-Known Member
I initially thought the Grow Beast fixture from Sunlight Supply was pretty cool. Especially hooked to a light rail. But the more i thought about the design..the more i saw its flaws. 2 315 cmh bulbs on the outside and a super bright hot double ended hps in the middle. You can certainly grow a crop with it but its WAY tok close together. Those lamps need thier own hoods to cover way more square footage if seperate. Plus...the sweet spot for 315's is about 20 8inches from canopy. Try that with a blinding double ended hps (which you have to) and you got a fried canopy. Put the Grow Beast where it needs to be for the middle double ended hps (at least 30 or 40 inches) and the outside cmh bulbs arent doing jack.
 
SoOLED

SoOLED

Well-Known Member
I would say no, you veg within a reasonable time with just about anything.

T-5's are very good a vegging, the big 8 tube panels do use about the same watts though 387+/-

that would veg 16+ pots.

if you're doing 2-8 you can use a smaller one.

if anything the hps might cause more stretch, then the softer defused light of T5's

either way, its gonna work.
 
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