
You are finally all set to turn on the lights and start growing, but there are a few words of caution before you begin, though. Typically, more light means faster growth, which results in bigger plants and bigger yields no matter what you are growing. To find the right cycle for your plants, I suggest either researching the needs of the variety of plant you’re growing, or basing your cycle on what the approximate light cycle would be if the plants would be growing outdoors during their season. For example, there are 12/12-hour cycles, 18/6-hour cycles and even 24/0-hour cycles of light/dark periods. Light cycles tend to differ based on what plants are being grown under artificial lighting. Read also: Photoperiod Effects on Hydroponic Crops Outdoor plants get a certain amount of hours of light and dark to grow properly, and you need to simulate these conditions indoors, too. Light cycles are used to simulate night and day. A light cycle refers to how many hours you keep the lights turned on for and for how many hours you leave your plants in the dark. You are almost ready to go-all that’s left is figuring out the right light cycles, and then you can turn on your lights and start growing. StephenVanHove / Shutterstock Light Cycles Some plants need less-intense light, so just monitor your plants and see what works for your indoor garden set-up.ĭifferent durations of light and darkness will affect how plants grow, whether they bloom or not, and other elements. If the T5 fixtures are at this height, the light from the bulbs will be intense enough and bright enough for plants, but the heat won’t be able to damage your plants. if your plants don’t like heat or they are in the seedling growth stage. above the plants, but you should increase that gap to 12 in. The best height for a T5 grow light is about 6-8 in. Although T5 lights are famous for emitting very little heat, this doesn’t mean you can put the bulbs an inch above plant canopies, as this distance will still damage the plants. 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. Now that you have selected the right fixture and bulbs, it is time to set up your grow lights. Read also: The Gas Lantern Routine and Other Alternative Light Cycles This color temperature is warmer (more sunset-like), with a red tint to it, so it will best suit blooming plants. Otherwise, use 3,000 K bulbs when plants start to flower. This is approximately the color temperature of light on a summer day. HO bulbs are the best of both worlds-they are efficient, yet long-lasting, and will provide super-bright light for your plants.Īs 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 Kelvins bulbs when plants are in the vegetative stages of growth. When choosing between normal output (NO), high output (HO) and very high output (VHO) bulbs, I recommend going for the middle ones. Bulbs not only come in different energy varieties, but also in different color temperatures. preedee anantuntikul / Shutterstockīulbs: When it comes to choosing bulbs, there are even more options to choose from.


This larger size will cover a lot of plant mass without using too much electricity. 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. 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 and have 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 or 12 bulbs per fixture. One year warranty on lamps.The most common T5 grow lights are 2- or 4-ft. Features eco-friendly recyclable packaging. Daisy chain feature allows multiple fixtures to be plugged in together.

3000? K (red) lamps can be purchased separately. Comes with Spectralux?« 6500? K (blue) T5 HO Lamps. High output lamps have an extremely high lumen per watt rating at 5,000 lumens per lamp. Eight-lamp model features two on/off switches to run four lamps at a time if desired. 12 ft power cord and on/off switch allows for easy operation. Now features additional hanging holes for V-hangers that are included with every fixture. Wire cable hangers included with every fixture. Sun Blaze?« fixtures feature an advanced reflector design that delivers excellent reflectivity and diffusion. Sun System Sun BlazeInstructions High Output Grow Light for every growers needs
