What's the color mix you're using, if you don't mind sharing?
Don't get me started on the power bills. :eek:
In this case, I have 4 veg bulbs in slots 2, 4, 6, and 8. I have 4 bloom bulbs in slots 1, 3, 5, and 7.
Not sure how important it is to use the bloom spectrum, honestly. I have not seen dramatically different results. I just happened to get a great deal on the bloom bulbs because a shop way overstocked.
Is that 54wx8 =432watts of light? With a 400watt HPS I can easily pull 8-12 oz, seems that would be a better use of roughly 400watts, ime
But, t5 are heat proof...
Hey Baba, of course the yield is strain dependent. And I know the wattage is similar, but the t5 adds less money to my power bill. Don't know why. Maybe because the HID ballast pulls more amps on startup than the fluorescent ballast(s). I also should say this is a continuous fresh air vent setup, not an air-conditioned, CO2-enhanced operation. I could draw more power and increase the yield, but the overall efficiency of the grow would suffer.
I also prefer a "ceiling of light" vs 1 bulb; better penetration and less shadow.
The most I ever pulled from a 400 was in a 4x4 soil bed of blueberry; 9 ounces.If I was pulling 3/4 a bow off a 400, that sucker would still be in there chugging away. :-)
Heat was the big issue in this grow, which I why I pulled the 1000w and the 400w and replaced them with a 600w and the T5. I maximized space better and trained my plants differently and saw a slight increase in yield, while my power bill went down about $20/month. In the end, Baba, you're right on a 400 HPS out-performing an 8-bulb t5.
I used to blow out warehouses and recommend as much light as possible. Now I am thinking more about my carbon footprint and angling toward the cheapest method possible to produce top quality bud. If my cost per unit is half of the other guys, I can still afford to give away meds. I know I need to get some land and a greenhouse...