best t5 grow lights
If you are tired of putting your seedlings on a windowsill that doesn’t get much sun, then you should consider t5 grow lights.
T5 grow lights are helpful in the propagation stage of plant development. They are best for their consumption of low power compared to other lighting methods. They emit only a tiny amount of heat. The heat is favorable for vegetative and propagation lighting solutions.
T5 lights are specifically for indoor use. They have features that favor the kind of environment they provide, unlike the t8 and t12 lights. Using these lights enables you to grow your plants on and off season when the sun may be long gone to help with propagation.
What Are T5 Grow Lights?
T5 grow lights are a type of fluorescent lighting for gardening. The T stands for tubular, which is the shape of the lamp. The 5 gives the size of the diameter measured in increments of 1/8 of an inch.
Types Of Fluorescent T5 Grow Light
T5 lights are set side by side in a parallel manner, usually in a reflective way. This arrangement offers the greatest spread of light for your gardening needs.
The t5 lights come in four different sizes
- 2 foot long 2 light panel
- 2 foot long 4 light panel
- 4 foot long 4 light panel
- 4 foot long 8 light panel
The 2 foot long systems come with 24w bulbs while the 4 foot long are supplied with 54w bulbs. The full amount is different for each system. The output is calculated by multiplying the wattage by the total number of lamps.
Recommended Best T5 Grow Lights
There are a lot of t5 manufacturers and resellers in the market today. It is a hard decision to make when choosing one that is of good quality and affordable. Here is an in depth buyer’s guide and our top choices to help you make the right decision.
#1 Durolux t5 Ho Grow Light
Durolux t5 is an excellent budget choice and a best seller among the t5 grow lights.
Its key features include:
- Lightweight weighing 9.75 inches
- Quality light fixture at an affordable price
- 20,000-lumen output
- Comes with hanging hooks, chains, power outlets, and a 14 inch power cord
This light is best suited for growing seedlings but not ideal for fruiting plants. It is advisable to choose the 4 feet long lights for the best results.
Pros
- It is more affordable than most options
- Comes with hanging hooks, chains, outlet, and cord for easy assembling
- It is flexible and easy to move around
- Returnable 30 days after sale guarantee
Cons
- Gets too hot on the metal around it – needs lots of care to handle
#2 Hydrofarm Agrobrite FLT24 t5 Fluorescent
This grow light is a best seller for a reason – it comes in 2 and 4 inches lengths. The 2 inches tube offers 2, 4, or 8 tubes and the 4 inches offers 4, 6, 8, or 12 tubes. The 2 inches bulb is best for indoor gardens. It is perfect for growing in tight spaces either horizontally or vertically.
Key features include:
- Has an expected bulb life of 20,000 hours
- Comes with an off/on switch for each bulb
Hydrofarm is a well-known manufacturer with this light being their most popular product. You can choose from their variety of bulb sizes and numbers from 96w or 40,000 Lumens to 648w, 60,000. Two tubes of 4 inches can give you up to 6 daily light integrals within a 16 hour performance. This is enough light for growing seedlings.
This light is best for lettuce and other green vegetables that require 12 DLI or above to achieve maximum yield. For this, you need a 4 by 4 inches tube fixture or a larger option.
Pros
- Offers a 5-year warranty
- Offers a year of coverage against defects
Cons
- They emit some heat and can be dangerous to closed spaces
- Does not come with hanging chains except its newer option
#3 VIVOSUN 6500K 2FT t5 HO Fluorescent Grow Light
Vivosun has an average lifespan of 20,000 or 2000 lumens with a temperature of 6500k for the vegetative stage and 3000k for the flowering stage. This fluorescent light gives full-spectrum light that includes all colors, UV, and infrared radiations. These are essentials for bacterial protection and plant growth. These tubes also help with growing clones or seedlings.
Pros
- Lightweight compared to other t5 lights
- Less expensive
- Has in built ventilation
Cons
- They are more fragile and prone to getting damaged
- Do not come with a warranty
- No fixtures are not part of the package, you have to buy them separately
#4 Barrina LED t5 Integrated Single Fixture
Barrina 4 foot integrated light bar includes both the bulb and the fixture and is complete. You don’t need anything else, making it easy to use this t5 LED bulb. These bars replace the 6500K fluorescent tube.
They are best for cloning and seedling growth but not for flowering. This light is effective in supplementing red heavy light like an HPS light. The bars are known to be energy efficient as they only use 20w so you don’t have to use too much power. Though they use less power, they give a similar output of 2200 lumen.
You can actually connect up to 8 bars together and plug the fixtures directly to each other while connecting end to end. You can use the included cords to plug them into each other. The fixtures come with snap clips that make hanging easy.
Pros
- They have a 3-year warranty
- Very affordable cost
- You can use them in different spaces either vertically, horizontally, above or below
- Use low power 22w
- Can connect up to 8 together
Cons
- They do not have a reflector so the light spreads around at a 270-degree angle
- Its color spectrum contains far more blue color than red – doesn’t work well for flowering
t5 lights for veg,
-For the vegging stage of growth, you’ll want to use a T5 fluorescent grow light with a 6400k spectrum of light– that’s going to give you a white/blueish spectrum. When it’s time to flower you’re going to go with a 2700k bulb to give you a yellowish/white spectrum of light that stimulates flower growth.
-It is short for vegging, which refers to the vegging stage of plant growth
-It is short for vegging, which refers to the vegging stage of plant growth
-egetables need to veg, just like other plants.
And afterward, vegetables that fruit and/or flower will also need to go through the flowering stage of growth.
-l plants veg, i.e. they go through the vegging (or growth) phase. During this phase, they grow. Ideally, they want more blue light during this stage, which is why vegging bulbs emit a cool white light that contains more light in the blue wavelengths (color temp around 6000K to 6500K).
t5 full spectrum grow lights
-High-Output, Full-Spectrum Replacement T5 Bulbs for SunLite® Gardens. When it’s time to replace the light bulbs in your SunLite Garden, these fluorescent bulbs are the perfect choice. The full-spectrum light mimics natural sunlight, encouraging healthy, vigorous growth of seedlings and houseplants.
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- High-output fluorescent tubes simulate natural sunlight
- Full spectrum light encourages healthy plant growth
- Choice of three sizes
- Sold individually
- Note: These bulbs are only for use in fixtures that are designed for T5 bulbs
FAQs
What’s the problem with them?
The main drawback to growing with T5 lights is that they do not provide the same amount of light as a traditional outdoor garden would. While T5 lights are a great way to grow plants for personal use, they are not an ideal method for commercial purposes.
Growing with T5 lights is much more expensive than a traditional outdoor garden.
Are TS5 grow lights?
T5 lights are often referred to as “grow lights” but that’s not quite accurate. The reason being that T5 lights are used for indoor plant growth, whereas grow lights are used for outdoor plants.
The difference is that grow lights are designed to produce a lot of light, whereas T5 lights are designed to produce a lot of light in a very small space. If you want to know the best way to grow weed with T5 lights, then you’ve come to the right place. So, what exactly are T5 lights? T5 lights are also referred to as fluorescent tubes. They’re commonly used to illuminate office spaces, restaurants, and retail stores. In fact, they’re so common that they’re also used indoors for growing weed. T5 lights have an advantage over HID lights in that they use less electricity, which means that you can grow more plants per watt. The downside to T5 lights is that they’re not really suitable for outdoor growing because they don’t provide enough light.
Are they good for growing lettuce?
Yes, I'd recommend getting some T5HO's and growing from seed. They do fine indoors and if you get a good light schedule (16/8. you can grow an absolute ton of greens indoors. A lot of people are growing lettuce in them right now, and it's absolutely amazing.
T5 Led Grow Lights Conclusion
T5 grow lights are great when it comes to vegetative growth and propagation. If you have not yet tried the fluorescent lighting for the growth stages, we recommend using a t5 grow light. You will be surprised by the good results you get. As well as the easy way to light up your plants when the natural sunlight is not around. A cool way to still enjoy your favorite vegetables and flowers off-season!
Brian is an avid gardener who loves spending time outdoors. He is passionate about using his green thumb to create beautiful, lush gardens for her friends and family. He finds joy in tending to her garden, trimming plants, and cultivating new species. He enjoys to share his knowledge and experience with others with a similar gardening enthusiasm. Brian is a true nature enthusiast and a has true passion for the outdoors.
