Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi guys,

So I have my system. Have my pearlscale goldies defecating a lot and have my seedlings that are currently growing under some CFL.

So I wna build my own light fixture and I checked the lights available in my local hardware and department stores.

Im thnking of buying those LED Tubes (LED floodlights too expensive for me) but there's so many options Im having a hard time to catch up. Please answer a few of my queries below:

1. T5 vs T8? I know T8 is fatter but I read that T5 is more efficient? Please confirm.

2. The LED T8 I saw is 9 watts I thnk. If I buy let's say 2 of them would that be enough for lettuce, bok choy and kale? or.. how much is the recommended wattage?

3. The orange warm light or the white daylight?

4. These LED T8 and T5 have 700 lumens? Is that good enough?

5. Color temp is 6500k is that also good enough?

My head spins when I read guides about lighting stuff since I have zero knowledge in this field. Pre-made grow lights is just too expensive for me and Im opting for these LED tubes because the guy at the dept store told me theyre more energy efficient and are brighter than non-LEDs.

Help pls. Thanks.

Bump

Thanks for bumping sir. I really need to know the answer before I buy something Id regret.

Bump and a few other single word posts are a way for you to get your posting count up in the forum. That's why some do it.

..

Have you looked at LED shop light fixtures?

I just bought two more of them today; like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/PES-42-Watt-Metallic-Integrated-LED-Shoplight-PES120LED-ST1/300089245

3500 lumens from 40 watts of power, 4200K color temp and PAR reading over 100 at 12" from the light with the diffuser removed. They don't cover a very wide area, but they're cheap to buy and cheap to run so I'm just going to use a few more of them if I decide to use them.

Locally they're "on sale" for $25 right now. These have about twice the PAR output of the one on the right that I tested previously but these don't "daisy-chain" together... you need an outlet for each one.

That's why they are called shop lights, not enough blues or reds to grow Mushrooms. One good give-away when you said that they each had to have their own plug. The starting transformer is probably as big as this is.

6500k should be all right for leafy greens. Not familiar with the led tubes (aside from a couple of aquarium lights) but have used normal t5 s in the past. don't know how big the gb's are so quantity is a ? but you have to keep them as close as possible to the plants.

Great information, have to scroll down under Flood Lights.

https://www.ledlights.ca/specialtyLight ... row_Lights


LED Grow Lights For Growing Plants Indoors- Garden Efficiently

http://www.led-grow-master.com/index.html

I agree with Sleepe on the color temperature 6500K should be fine for greens. I've used Fluorescent T8 lights for greens along with peppers before so I used a mix of warm and cool color temp but not the T8 LEDs.

They call them​ "shop lights" because that's where people who don't know any better, put them.

I've checked all kinds of T8, T5, T5HO and, LED light fixtures with the Apogee PAR meter and these put out a lot for only 40 watts. I don't know why you're going on about "transformers"... the fixtures aren't heavy and don't use much power so who cares what's inside?

My friend grew herbs In his basement this winter with this "shop light"; so I know these will grow "greens" without any other light.

I have seen those shoplights and they are not available in my local hardware stores. Even if they are in there or online, they will be beyond my budget since the pricing for those is different here in the philippines.

Led tube lights look like regular T5 or T8 but they are powered by led lights inside and they dont have to have a ballast I think u just need to plug them in. I could be wrong though, the ones I see in my hardware store already has like a housing and a gravestone so mayeb that's already it. Here they are http://www.pebinternational.com/img/pan ... -light.jpg

Thank you for answering my question about the color temp. I do intend to grow mostly greens.

I have acquired my answers for wiring them in parallel so I just wanted to know if let's say these are my only options. Would the T5 or T8 be better? Also, since they have 700 lumens for 9 watts each, if i buy like 4 of em is that going to be enough?

~They are 3 dollars each and I still have a lot of wires and extra sockets and swtches so I only need to worry about the bulbs.

Yes, it would cost $75usd for me to mail you two lights ($25usd/each) = $125usd total... but you would have 7000 lumens then.

I would guess that you'll need about 8 - 10 of those tubes to grow greens in a 2' x 4' grow bed?



Here is the "transformer" (yellow) next to the cord plug for scale:

Are you sure they are only 700 lumens? that would make them less efficient than t5's in lpw. I suppose longevity cooler running and perhaps directional count in their favour but still.

Yes sir. I took a pic of the product specs at the back of the box. Idk how to attach pics so Ill just type em down.

Product Name: T8/60
Dimension: 29x33x589mm
Power: 9W
Voltage: AC220-240V
Beam Angle: 180 degrees
Color temp: 6500k DL 4000k CW 3000k
Luminous: 700lm
Power Frequency: 50/60Hz

If I buy 4 of them will the lumens multiple and become 2800 or is that not how it works?

It boasts 50,000 hours life span, no mercury, shatterproof, 30% more efficient, no ballast, and other stuff found here http://www.premierltg.com/should-you-re ... d-tubes-2/

The only other light im considering is the 10 watt floodlight but it's expensive and it's only 720 lumens.

It's this...

https://www.earthled.com/collections/ea ... 2542611396