Greetings GC I've tried to read most of what is known about t5 lights and it seems nobody is really happy with the 2700-3000k tubes. I sure didn't trust the light output from these tubes and added my trusty daylight 5900 k blue max bulbs. So I had 3 red and 3 blue in two fixtures. After 4 and half weeks of flowering things were not heading towards a bonanza harvest in my soil grow.. The plants hadn't really gotten much larger but it was producing bud but reluctantly. damn But being old and set in my ways and not wanting to give up my cool t5 tubes I ordered 6 maxum tubes 5000k from the same supplier blue max . Supposedly they gave off 50 percent more light. I had done this a week earlier so I had the tubes at 4and half weeks. When I got the tubes I got a little lazy and I didn't immediately put them to work. Sometimes we don't like to think about things that aren't going well in our lives. So after having the tubes for a few days I am reading some thread about cfl tubes and somebody points out that even though a light is extremely high in one color it does give out light in other spectrums as well. So I got off my lazy *ss and went and replaced my 5900 k tubes and put in my new 5000k. Well I immediately noticed that it was a whole lot brighter and the tubes have an almost light purple look to them. Anyway what was important was the plants noticed the change. THe buds jumped towards the light. Within two and half weeks the colas all filled out. We aren't talking big here. Most of them are in the one inch range but probaby 35 at one inch and one at 3 inches with some other nice branches, maybe another 5 tops 1-2 inches. I had a mite problem earlier so only one plant hit its potential. anyway I hit 7 weeks today and I can see I will have to tie up nearly all the branches left because of the bud on them. ( no fan) OK its no hps system but if you enjoy these lights more and aren't looking for max output the maxum bulb from fullspectrum solutions improved my grow. I don't have any connection to these people but they should pay me for my endorsement lol. These tubes aren't expensive. I think nine bucks each. I've received nothing but good equipment and bulbs from these people. you may have different results lol I haven't grown indoor before and not for 30 years. I 've had to learn the hard way that the supersoil sold in home depot is not the same supersoil sold in the 1970s . I discovered roots organic soil recently and this stuff rocks. okay I'll go back to my hole just wanted to give hope to those that have the t5 fixtures. take care
"okay I'll go back to my hole just wanted to give hope to those that have the t5 fixtures. take care" hahahhaahaha. made me laugh. but yeah u can get ok results from flouros no problem. just the buds will be a bit more "airy" in appearence. flouros are a modest growers best friend in my opinion. less hassle as well if you ask me.
I'm of the school of thought that multiple light spectrum's are a good thing, for both stages. I'll be running two 2700k 105w cfl's and 1 5000k cfl for flowering. (x2 if I have more plants.) Makes for happy girls. Many people I know do the same thing. People underestimate the 5000k lights. You can grow a quality product using only an HID, or floros in that range.