From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Australia

Is any bulb or tube alright for seedlings as long as the kelvin is between 5000-6000? Does the watt output or lumens really matter? I have only about 20 seedling.

9/9/2015 9:02:02 PM

Bethlehem CT

I use ordinary household fluorescent tubes. They work fine for me.

9/10/2015 7:10:50 AM

Seattle, WA

T8's will work from Home Depot. T5's are more efficient. Watt output and lumens refer more to light intensity (in a simplistic explanation) and you're probably fine for seedlings as they don't need much light initially. If you plan on having them indoors for much past initial sprouting, or wanted to grow any veggies indoors, I would consider a stronger light.

9/10/2015 2:15:14 PM

Springfield, VT

Lumens matter in that is the amount of light output for the lamp. Efficiency is the lumens per watt of power. A grow type lamp is the best option since the color varies over the whole light spectrum. As for efficiency good quality LEDs are the highest, high performance T8 systems are next, high output t5 are next with between 5 to 10% difference. The low quality sruff is not efficient.

9/10/2015 4:03:04 PM