T12 lights only for veg

So here's the deal I managed to come up with four 4 foot T12 fixtures and 1 2 foot T12 fixture for free. I planned on using daylight bulbs for all fixtures durning veg how far do I need to keep the lights away from the plant. I plan on only growing one maybe two plants and use 600 watt HPS for flower.

Inches... close as possible without touching..

Hey McCheeze, your going to want them about as close as you can get them. Seedlings and small clones 12" is ok but you can go as close as 1-2". I've had plants grow right into the lights many times with no problem...slight burning at the most.
Actually I just realized you have T12 and I had T8 so i'm not 100% sure the heat output is the same so be careful. As close as you can, where your hand doesn't feel uncomfortable.

T12 are pretty old and inefficient, i've replaced all my fluorescent lights with 1 600W HPS but it's dimable so I turn it down for the fresh clones and start of veg.

<=== My profile pic is lit by 8 T8 32W bulbs.

Cheers,
Silverserf

I plan on using the fluorescent lights for just these one or two plants until things at work pick back up and I can get a MH

I have used some ( I think that they were) t12 before for veg. Lights of America brand from walmart(was like 20$ for the fixture)Vegged an LA confidential with fantastic results...they were able to be an inch or closer without burning them

the T12 came out in 1933 its got 5 times and more of mercury in each tube than a T5

the lumens that leak out, are way to small in comparison to a modern CFL or even LED bulb

I'd trash this light and make my own CFL array

kelvin selected will encourage small Squat shitty plants

imo: Avoid

its all about lux then the kelvin

to my blog on arrays https://www.rollitup.org/Journal/Entry/a-collection-of-diy-ghetto-blasters.30154/

good luck

I grew with T12s back in the 70s and the results were OK but not great. 12 inches for seedlings and 1-2 inches for vegging wold be OK. you can get a 150 watt HPS pretty cheap to finish your crop until you can afford a good light https://www.amazon.com/High-Yield-Lighting-FloraLux-150-Watt/dp/B015TL6Y9K/ref=sr_1_11?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1483900731&sr=1-11&keywords=150+watt+grow+light