LED lighting ??

[anewbie]

Here are a couple of charts, first showing what plants need, second is the Life-Glo 6500K T8 tube which is about the best single tube (in T8 fluorescent, there are good and probably better LED lights available).

One reason I avoid tubes is their life span; at least with led you get pretty much constant output for a long period of time. Not sure about the specific tube you mentioned but what I typically hear is they should be replaced every 6 months.

 

[Byron]

One reason I avoid tubes is their life span; at least with led you get pretty much constant output for a long period of time. Not sure about the specific tube you mentioned but what I typically hear is they should be replaced every 6 months.

Twelve months for these good (well manufactured) tubes. The intensity does depreciate, no question. I've been using T8 for 20+ years simply because it was the best when I started and I know it well enough not to have fish/plant troubles. It is getting harder to find them, obviously, and I have been looking at LED for the day when one of them gives out again.

 

[anewbie]

Twelve months for these good (well manufactured) tubes. The intensity does depreciate, no question. I've been using T8 for 20+ years simply because it was the best when I started and I know it well enough not to have fish/plant troubles. It is getting harder to find them, obviously, and I have been looking at LED for the day when one of them gives out again.

Well it depends how much you want to spend but it seems like ghl, kessel, twinstar are the best options at the high end (wrgb2/vivid2 are nice but unreliable).