Which Fluorescent Tubes Do You Use?

We used to use some cheapo disposables but we upgraded to a T-5 fixture for last winter.

 

I use these They are bright same as 500 watt and cheap to buy compared to t-5 fixtures and bulbs they are the correct temp and my light meter is awalys reading 3000 at 3' above plants You can get at home depot on on E-bay at good savings


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FLOOD LIGHT


65 watt Fluorescent Area Light 500W Light Output - 80%* Lower Operating Costs -Bulbs lasts 13 Times Longer

Model: 9266
Options: Also Available White (Model: 9265).

Product Description:

Perfect for lighting outdoors - Lights up a large grilling area or 40'x40' yard. Dusk to dawn operation. Mounts on walls under eaves or as a landscape light. Electronic operation for sub-zero temperatures. 500W light output - 80% Lower operating costs. Bulb lasts 13 times longer than most incandescent bulbs. 65W BULB INCLUDED.

Specifications

Watts Replaces Lumens CRI
Color Render Index Color
Temperture Length Width Height Electrical
Connector
65 500 Watt Mercury Vapor Outdoor Fixture 6,825 NA 6500K 12" 3" 8" 2-Wire

Power
Requirements Coverage Origin UPC Replacement
Bulb Life Options
120V_50-60Hz 40'x40'
Square Feet Assembled in USA 755277-926606 9166B 10,000
Hours Also Available White (Model: 9265).




What is Fluorex?
The Fluorex fluorescent technology provides a brilliant white light that allows you to see colors and objects more clearly at night providing sharper night vision. Outdoor lighting security fixtures that use a high pressure sodium or mercury vapor bulb produce a harsh low quality light making it difficult for the eye to focus at night. Feel safer and see better with the Fluorex bulb! Great for recreational and security lighting.

*Lawrence Berkley laboratories recently conducted a study that concludes: “Blue-rich light sources will improve vision and brightness perception for interior conditions. These same principles will also apply in external lighting conditions.”




Annual Impact (save 793.88 kWh/yr) 500 Watt incandescent 65 Watt fluorescent
Energy Use @ 5 hrs/day 912.5kWh 118.63kWh
Related CO2 emissions 1304.88lbs 92.95lbs
Energy cost @ $ 0.1kWh $ 91.25 $ 11.86

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Tim, for the best bang for your buck, I would agree with bob and buy some CFL lights. They are a lot cheaper to replace than any tubes and you don't need to go crazy to buy fixtures for them since they screw into normal incandescent fixtures. I use 100 watt (23 watt) equivalent lights set up in a straight row over plants on shelves and at 5" I'm getting reading well over 5000 fc's. I can grow and flower plueros and paphs at well over a foot and a half distance from the lights. A lot of people that grow under tubes would be amazed at the quality of light and the inexpensive price for startup and replacements. I alternate between 1 soft white cfl (red) and one full spectrum cfl (blue) made by sylvania...here is a picture of my setup.

 

I know nothing about lights Tim C, but just wanted to say that is one of the greatest avatars I have ever seen

 

I agree. That avatar is great.

 

The lights don't put out very much heat. Where I have my plants, in the bathroom, i don't put any heat on. It gets down to about 58 degrees at night during the winter and the lights bring up the temperature about 10 - 12 degrees during the day. I have leaves that are an inch from the lights and they get yellow or red, depending on the plant, from all the light but don't burn. The leaves need to touch the lights for them to burn. It's happened before, but if you juggle them around you'll be able to keep them just far enough from the lights. And remember, if you're getting that much light you'll want to layer the plants, letting the sun loving catts shade the paphs and pleuros below (as an example)

 

I know this was posted sometime ago, but I am curious if you are still using this and is it located indoors? When you say "3000", I am assuming this means foot candles. Any idea what part of the spectrum is being emitted? How hot does it get?

 

That comparative analysis is invalid.

The 65W cfl in a Fluorex fixture is stated as a "500W Equivalent" to incandescent (but it's really not): Using initial intensity values typical for the types of bulbs, the incandescents would put out 500W @ 20 lm/W = 10,000 lumens output, versus 65W @ 70 lm/W = 4550 lumens output for the CFL.

I will add, however, that plants CAN BE grown under almost any light source - when I first started, I used 50/50 wattage wise, 100W incandescent bulbs and cold-white fluorescent shop lights (the only phosphors available at the time). It's just a matter of how good of an environment you want to provide.