Lights, camera, growth! If you’re diving into the world of growing cannabis, T5 grow lights might just be your new best buds, pun intended. As the community continues to expand, many growers are exploring the benefits of T5 grow lights.
In short, T5 grow lights are excellent and they’ve gained a lot of popularity due to their affordability, reliability, and efficiency, making them an excellent choice for hobby growers who are just starting.
In this article, we’ll take you through the world of T5 grow lights and their application in cannabis gardens. You’ll learn what they are and the benefits they offer. Plus, we’ll provide some practical tips on how you can maximize the effectiveness of T5 grow lights in your growing setup.
With these lights, you can grow healthy, robust cannabis plants. Whether you’re aiming to optimize growth during the seedling and vegetative stages or considering a more complex lighting strategy for the flowering stage, T5 Grow Lights has got you covered. So, let’s dive in.
A decade ago, cannabis growers preferred HIDs or HPS grow lights, but as fluorescent tube lighting technology has improved, they've started using T5 grow lights too. Contrary to opinion, T5 grow lights are not reserved for clones or seedings; you can use them to grow a cannabis plant in each growth stage.
With modern high-output T5 grow lights, you can support the healthy growth of vegetative cannabis plants. Depending on your plant, you can even support it during the flowering stage with T5 lights. But there’s a catch; we’ll get to that later.
But what are T5 grow lights? T5s are essentially fluorescent light bulbs. Here, the T stands for the shape — tube — and the number stands for its diameter, which is five-eighths of an inch of the tube.
And how do they work? They are just like any other fluorescent grow light that you’ll find installed in your office or local hardware store. This tech is powered by low-pressure mercury vapor gas discharge encased in a glass bulb. Once electricity is introduced in the bulb, the mercury vapor gets excited and produces light. The bulbs also have a coated surface that diffuses the light to create a softer throw.
When the industry is packed with fancy LED lights and tried-and-tested HID/HPS lights, why would you pick T5 to grow lights? There are a few reasons for this, such as the following.
Gone are the days when T5 lights were only used for seedlings. As mentioned earlier, modern T5 lights are pretty strong enough to support short cannabis plants. So, if your cannabis plant is under 2 feet in height, T5s are enough for them. You do have to control their growth, though.
T5 fixtures also often include built-in reflectors that boost efficiency by directing light towards the plants. This maximizes the utilization of light. In turn, this enhances the overall growth performance. Reflectors ensure illumination by focusing light where it is most needed.
T5 lights are a great choice for nurturing the growth of younger cannabis, particularly when it comes to seedlings and clones. The gentle light spectrum and moderate intensity create a setting for plants to establish sturdy roots and vibrant foliage without overwhelming them.
This supportive atmosphere plays a role in ensuring that plants kick off their growth journey on a good note, which is essential for their overall well-being and productivity down the line.
T5 grow lights come in a variety of spectrum choices, including cool (blue) and warm (yellow) spectrums. The cool spectrum (6500K) works wonders for promoting vegetative growth, resulting in green leaves while the warm spectrum (2700K) is perfect for stimulating flower development during the blooming stage (We will discuss how you can use them according to the stage of growth in detail later in this article).
Many growers opt to blend both spectra to maximize plant growth across phases of its life cycle. This adaptability allows for customized lighting setups tailored to meet the requirements of plants at each growth stage.
T5 lights emit less heat than other grow options, minimizing the chances of heat stress on plants. This feature allows the lights to be positioned closer to the plant canopy without causing damage to the foliage.
It also lessens the necessity for cooling systems saving money on equipment and energy usage—particularly advantageous for growers dealing with limited space and heat control challenges.
Additionally, T5 lights emit milder light compared to HID lights, reducing the risk of light burns that could harm cannabis plants. This gentler illumination is particularly beneficial for beginners who are still mastering intensity control and plant distance management.
Light burn can negatively impact plant health and yield, so the softer light from T5 fixtures helps create a safer growing environment for novice cultivators.
Another problem with HIDs and HPS lights is that they consume a lot of energy. On the contrary, T5 grow lights are recognized for their energy efficiency consumption power compared to high-pressure sodium (HPS) or metal halide (MH) lights.
This significantly cuts down on operating expenses. It also contributes to a greener footprint making them a more eco-friendly choice than MH or HPS lights.
T5 grow lights are also generally more cost-effective compared to other types of grow lights, making them an attractive option for new growers on a budget. You can buy them for mere pennies at general stores.
And since they have a relatively long lifespan and are energy efficient, they become all the more cheaper in the long run. They also don’t require a lot of maintenance down the line. They are mostly plug-and-play lights.
Speaking of plug-and-play, T5 grow lights are also very easy to install and operate. They typically come in plug-and-play setups, making them suitable for absolute newbies.
Plus, replacing these bulbs is very easy and does not require any tools in particular. This is what makes T5 grow lights so much easier to operate compared to other grow lights. They are simply convenient.
The slim build of T5 fixtures allows for placement in spaces like small grow tents or closets. They can be mounted either horizontally or vertically offering versatility in setup options.
This space-saving feature is especially beneficial for gardeners or those with smaller growing areas, enabling them to optimize their cultivation potential without compromising on light quality.
If you’ve grown cannabis plants for a bit of time, you’ll know how good UV light is for cannabis plants. UV-B rays encourage them to grow more trichomes on the buds, making them taste and smell better.
Fortunately, T5 grow lights also produce UV lights. At the same time, they come with a coating that buffers UV light, so you don’t have to worry about giving excess UV light to your cannabis plants. In most cases, T5 bulbs will only let off a bit of UV light.
The balanced light spectrum and UV light of T5 lights can enhance terpene production in cannabis plants, contributing to improved potency, flavor, and aroma. Adjusting the exposure of T5 lights helps, too, in producing more potent buds ultimately improving the quality of the harvest.
Although T5 grow lights have many benefits, there are also drawbacks that you need to take into account. Here are some potential downsides of using T5 grow lights for growing cannabis.
T5 grow lights typically offer limited lighting than High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lights or Light Emitting Diode (LED) grow lights. This reduced intensity may limit their effectiveness during the flowering stage when cannabis plants need light for top-notch buds. Consequently, growers aiming to maximize yield and potency might find T5 lights less optimal.
Compared to other types of grow lights, T5 fixtures do not penetrate the canopy deeply. As a result, the lower sections of plants may not receive enough light, resulting in weaker buds in those regions.
To address this issue growers may need to utilize methods like plant training or additional side lighting, which further increases the complexity and cost of the growing setup.
For larger growing spaces, multiple T5 fixtures may be necessary to ensure enough light coverage. This could require more space compared to a single HID or LED fixture. Thus, it may pose a challenge for farmers with limited space or those looking to keep their grow room setup compact.
While T5 lights are relatively budget-friendly for small-scale setups, outfitting a large growing area with T5 fixtures can get pricey. The necessity of fixtures to cover an entire canopy can drive up the initial investment significantly, making it less economically viable compared to using fewer but more potent HID or LED lights.
Despite emitting less heat than HID lights, T5 lights still produce some warmth, especially when multiple fixtures are utilized in a single space. Growers must ensure enough ventilation and cooling to prevent heat accumulation. This can even contribute to the overall operational complexity and expenses.
T5 fluorescent bulbs typically have a shorter lifespan than LED bulbs, requiring more frequent replacements and leading to increased maintenance costs over time. Additionally, as T5 bulbs age, their light output declines, which can negatively impact plant growth if they are not promptly replaced.
T5 lights work well for seedlings, clones, and vegetative growth, providing the right light intensity and spectrum for these stages. However, they may not be optimal during the flowering stage due to their lower light intensity and spectrum limitations. Growers looking to maximize bud development and resin production might need to use other types of grow lights in conjunction with T5 lights during this stage, which can complicate the growing process.
T5 bulbs contain mercury, which poses a hazard to the environment and necessitates proper disposal. If you don’t dispose of them properly, they can result in pollution. So, you need to adhere to recycling guidelines properly when disposing of them.
Despite being more energy-efficient than HID lights, T5 lights still lag behind LED grow lights in terms of overall efficiency. LEDs are renowned for their superior ability to convert electricity into light, leading to significant cost savings and lower operational expenses in the long run.
As you can surmise, although T5 grow lights offer various advantages, you must also account for their limitations. These may include lower light intensity, limited penetration, and increased maintenance costs due to more frequent bulb replacements.
To optimize results, you should consider combining T5 lights with other lighting technologies and maintaining a well-managed growing environment.
T5s come in several options, although they all look similar — long tubes! You’ll also find T8 and T12 lights, but avoid them. T5s are perfect for cannabis plants because they give off the most amount of light for the size. They are also specifically crafted to support short to medium size plants.
Next, you need to focus on the wavelength or the light color. It dictates how well your plant grows through each of its growth stages. So, you need to pick cool white T5 grow lights (6500K) for vegetative plants and soft white/warm white (2500K - 3000K) for flowering cannabis plants.
If you want to go a step further, you can also use daylight (5000K) T5 lights. And if you can get your hands on high output (HO) bulbs, you should get those. They produce the most lumens of any other T5 lights.
Speaking of light output, how bright should your T5s be? This is measured in PAR, photosynthetic active radiation, for plants, which is the light your plant absorbs. The problem with T5s is that they don’t come with PAR ratings.
Protip: ideally, most cannabis plants require 10,000 lumens of light.
Don’t worry, the solution isn’t that difficult. You can instead use the lumen ratings on the packaging and convert them to PAR ratings using online calculators. It’s that simple.
1. Spectrum
In the growing or vegetative phase of cannabis, the aim is to promote more foliage and sturdy stem growth to support future flowering. Fortunately, T5 lights can offer the correct light spectrum and brightness needed for growth.
The color temperature, measured in Kelvin (K) indicates how warm or cool a light appears. T5 bulbs with a 6500K color temperature emit a light that appears bluish-white. These wavelengths are crucial for stimulating plant growth during the vegetative stage.
Blue light wavelengths help with leaf production and photosynthesis. During this phase, marijuana plants need plenty of chlorophyll to capture sunlight and transform it into energy for their growth. The blue light from T5 bulbs with a 6500K color temperature helps in producing chlorophyll so the leaves can absorb light effectively.
Apart from supporting leaf growth, the blue light from T5 bulbs stimulates the production of auxins (plant hormones) that regulate cell growth. By providing light of the right spectrum, you can help the plant maintain a compact and bushy structure with short spaces between nodes. This sturdy structure is important for holding up flower clusters and ensuring light distribution across the plant canopy.
Blue light wavelengths also aid in driving photosynthesis processes like carbon fixation and carbohydrate production. By giving your plants the correct light spectrum during their growinf stage, you're essentially guaranteeing proper photosynthesis leading to strong plant development and vitality that ultimately results in increased plant biomass and prepares them well for transitioning into the flowering phase.
Opt for T5 bulbs with a color temperature of 6500K also known as white or daylight bulbs during this phase. These bulbs emit a spectrum that encourages leaf growth and a dense bushy plant structure during the growing phase.
2. Light Duration
Photoperiodism refers to how plants react to changes in the lengths of daylight and darkness around them. Like flowering plants, cannabis plants go through different growth stages based on these light variations. They thrive with longer hours of light during the growing phase but switch to flowering mode when exposed to shorter daylight periods.
Cannabis plants in the growing stage need 18-24 hours of light each day. It's important to maintain a consistent lighting schedule to ensure they receive photosynthetic energy for strong development.
3. Light Intensity
Place T5 lights 4-6 inches above your seedlings or cuttings. Adjust the lights gradually as plants grow, ensuring adequate light penetration without causing heat stress or light damage.
4. Light Coverage
Set up T5 fixtures in a way that provides coverage throughout the growing area. Consider using fixtures or adjustable reflectors to guarantee all plants receive exposure to light.
5. Training Methods
T5 lights aren't as powerful as HID or LEDs. Still, you can make the best of them and get good yields if you train the plants well.
Use T5 lighting in conjunction with training methods like topping, pruning, or low-stress training (LST) to optimize proper light distribution and encourage growth. Ensure a uniform canopy by bending and securing branches as necessary.
Transitioning from the growth phase to the blooming phase signifies the start of bud formation in cannabis plants. Adjust T5 lights to deliver the proper spectrum and intensity of light for flower development and resin creation.
1. Spectrum
Shift T5 bulbs to a 3000K color temperature during the blooming stage. For this, you can go with warm white bulbs that emit orange wavelengths to boost flower growth and resin production.
2. Light duration
In nature, cannabis plants naturally transition into flowering as daylight hours decrease gradually from summer to autumn. To recreate the lighting conditions indoors, growers modify the light schedule to a 12/12 cycle with 12 hours of light followed by 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. This simulated lighting pattern signals to the cannabis plants that the growing season is coming to an end, prompting them to focus their energy on producing flowers.
Adjust the lighting schedule to a 12-hour light and 12-hour dark cycle mirroring the day-night rhythm that signals cannabis plants to start flowering. Tweaking the balance between light and darkness at this stage can impact when and how vigorously buds develop.
However, it is crucial that you consistently maintain the 12/12 light cycle to initiate and sustain the flowering phase. Any disruption in this period like light leaks during the night cycle can disturb the plant's hormonal balance and postpone flowering. Therefore, make sure that your growing area is completely light-sealed during this period to avoid interruptions.
3. Light Intensity
Although the 1/12 cycle should be constant, you can adjust the intensity of light during flowering to enhance bud growth. Some growers choose to maintain similar levels of lighting the plant receives during the vegetative phase while others may supplement with additional sources like high-pressure sodium (HPS) or LED grow lights for better flower yield and density.
During the flowering phase, you should closely observe your plants to make any changes to the lighting schedule or brightness based on what each plant needs. Different factors like genetics, environment, and nutrients can affect how plants respond to light, so adjustments are sometimes necessary.
Coming to the distance, maintain the same distance you used during the vegetative stage unless the plants show signs otherwise. This ensures that the plants get light without getting too hot. If you notice any signs of stress, like leaf discoloration or curling you may need to adjust the distance of the lights.
4. Nutrients
As plants grow and change during flowering, it's important to adjust their nutrient intake. Increasing potassium levels while decreasing nitrogen can help promote flower development. You don't have to make the changes yourself. Instead, use nutrients meant for flowering as they usually contain more potassium and phosphorus compared to nutrients used for the growing phase.
When setting up a T5 lighting system for growing cannabis, there are a few steps to follow to ensure that your plants thrive. Choosing the fixtures and configuring them properly is crucial for best performance and plant health. Here is a detailed guide to help you with the setup:
Select T5 fixtures that match the size of your growing area and the number of plants you plan to grow. Consider aspects like fixture length, the number of bulbs per fixture, and additional features such as reflectors and adjustable hanging options. Opt for top-quality fixtures from trusted brands for lasting durability.
Map out how you'll position your T5 lighting system to ensure optimal coverage and ideal light distribution over your plant canopy. Hang the fixtures at a suitable distance above your plants to avoid issues like light burn or inadequate light levels. Adjust the height of the fixtures based on the growth stage of your cannabis plants.
The manufacturer will usually describe the distance you need to maintain but you can adjust it depending on how your plants react. If the seedlings start growing lanky, for instance, you need to reduce the distance, and if they show signs of light burn — which is very rare with T5 lights — then you need to increase the distance.
Hang T5 fixtures using hooks or adjustable hangers on the ceiling or a frame in a grow tent. Make sure to install the fixtures and space them evenly to maintain balance and stability. Check the hanging mechanism’s strength to prevent accidents or any harm to the fixtures and plants. You don't want the fixtures to fall on the plants one day, do you?
Refer to the manufacturer's guidelines when connecting T5 fixtures to a power source safely. Use wiring and connectors that can handle the load of the fixtures. If you have many fixtures, consider using a power strip or surge protector for power management and to avoid overloading circuits.
Gently place T5 bulbs into the fixture sockets being careful not to damage their glass tubes. Ensure that the bulbs are firmly positioned and correctly aligned for light emission and efficiency. Inspect the bulbs for any signs of damage or flaws before installing them.
After installing the T5 lighting system, perform a test to confirm that all fixtures are operating correctly providing the desired intensity and emitting the preferred spectrum efficiently.
Make sure to adjust the height spacing and angle of the lights to ensure proper coverage and reduce shadows or areas with too much brightness.
Establish a lighting schedule that suits the needs of your cannabis plants considering their growth stage and preferred light exposure duration. Use timers or programmable controllers to automate the lighting cycle and maintain proper light/dark cycle throughout the day.
Regularly clean both the T5 fixtures and bulbs to eliminate any dust, debris or other particles that could impact quality or efficiency. Keep an eye on the performance of your lighting system and make any necessary tweaks or replacements to maintain reliable operation and effectiveness.
Understand one thing with T5 grow lights — they are only suitable for smaller spaces and stout cannabis plants. This is because fluorescent light does not go through the canopy well enough. So, your entire setup should be short and cute.
Next, you need to place these lights mere inches from your plant. Yes, this goes against our instinct as growers — who wants to risk light burn on cannabis? But T5s are not so strong in the first place. Placing them inches from the canopy ensures your plant gets the optimal amount of light.
If you’re already growing cannabis plants with other lighting methods, T5s can still come in handy by working as excellent supplemental lighting. They are cheap, reliable, and easy to use!
T5 grow lights can put light on shadowed parts of your cannabis plant, increasing the light penetrating the canopy significantly. Plus, they can add more blue wavelength light to the plant, which is ideal for the growth stage.
T5 grow lights have one major disadvantage — their light is only good for about a foot. Beyond that, their light becomes weak. This is why we’ve recommended that you place your grow light inches from your cannabis plant, especially in the flowering stage.
So, if you are growing a cannabis plant that is anything taller than 24 inches, you should consider upgrading the grow lights to HIDs or LEDs. High-intensity discharge or HID lights, including MH and HPS lamps, provide a broader spectrum and stronger light, making them suitable for taller plants. Similarly, LED lights offer energy efficiency, longevity, and customizable spectrums that can cater to different growth stages effectively.
If that’s not an option, use the recommended training methods to manage their height in the growth stage. Techniques such as low-stress training (LST), topping, and super cropping can help control plant height and ensure that more of the plant receives adequate light. Remember, don’t let the flowering stretch sneak up on you.
In severe cases where it’s too late for training and upgrading isn’t an option, you can still save the situation. Here, you can try adding CFL bulbs as supplemental or side lights to the setup to give your plant more light than it needs. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are inexpensive and can be easily positioned to illuminate lower parts of the plant, offsetting the lack of light from T5 bulbs.
This strategy can help ensure that your cannabis plants receive sufficient light throughout their life cycle, promoting healthier growth and better yields. By addressing the limitations of T5 grow lights and incorporating additional lighting or training techniques, you can create an optimal environment for your cannabis plants, ensuring they thrive and produce high-quality buds.
Finally, let’s answer an important question — how long do they last? Usually, standard T5 grow lights are rated for 20,000 hours, that’s over 2 years! Again, there’s a catch.
This honestly depends on the specific light model you use and the ballast. Some high-quality T5s last over a year whereas cheaper ones may fail within a few months. You get what you pay for.
Additionally, consider the energy consistency in your grow room. If your light tends to surge or cut off, it can affect the light of your T5 grow lights a bit. Plus, you should always keep a few extra bulbs handy, just in case.
So, there you have it. With T5 grow lights in your indoor cannabis grow room, you can nurture your first cannabis plant with ease, through each of its growth stages! Just remember to keep your friends close and T5 lights closer to your plant. These lights provide a user-friendly and effective way to ensure your cannabis plants receive the right amount and quality of light they need to thrive.
Of course, you shouldn’t forget the other points. You must pick the right spectrum as per your plant’s growth stage as it's crucial for your plants to grow well and produce healthy buds. Your lights should also have enough PAR levels, and you should train your cannabis plant to ensure it doesn’t grow into the grow lights.
Proper spacing and height adjustments will also help you avoid issues such as light burn or insufficient light exposure. Monitoring and adjusting your setup regularly can make a significant difference in the health and yield of your plants.
Isn’t that simple? That’s how easy it is to grow cannabis plants with T5 grow lights. But if you want to know how to use other types of grow lights, we’ve got your back. Stay tuned to our blog to learn how to use the best grow lights for cannabis pants.
