Sun Blaster T5 lights

[kaiha]

I have purchased a couple of Sun Blaster lights and I was wondering if anybody else has tried them? I would like to know if they are better then the regular floresent lights?

Thanks Barb

[Ross]

I use this one .: Sunlight Supply - horticulture and aquarium lighting systems :. Website and yes it puts out much more light than even t8's. I believe the Sun Blaster is one with the ballast built into the base? While they last a long time, they don't last forever and when you replace the compact ones, you are also buying a new ballast. They share the same characteristics as straight tubes other than the built-in ballast.

[Oscarman]

I picked up a few of the Sun Blaster lights and they are bright and full spectrum. The first one I added to a 4 foot 2 tube T12 fixture. Just like us in the first summer sun - be careful when adding the lights, as you could sunburn a few plants if they are not used to the intensity.

Ross has a really good point - they really are disposable units. Once the ballast fails the fixture is kaput. Last week I purchased 2 units and one did not work from the start. Fortunately I bought it from Apache Seeds here in Edmonton and they were able to exchange it for me.

The prices very quite a bit for these units - $35.00 to $50.00!

[Andre]

Love them!!! Be careful not to blast your low light plants....
Andre

[kaiha]

I used the Sun Blasters through the winter and I am pleased with them, I hope to get a couple more. I did manage to scorch a couple of leaves, so you do have to watch.
Barb

[NickEngler]

I started growing under lights using the regular T-12 Grow-Lights with mostly Phals and Paphs, then graduated to two of the T-8 fixtures from Gardener's Supply Co. two years ago, and was amazed -- and very well satisfied -- at the plants that started blooming under them -- several soft-leaved Oncidiums, mini-Catts, Masdevallias and some miscellaneous species as well as the plants that flowered well under the T-12s.

The T-8 fixtures are three 4-foot tubes totalling 96 watts (32 each), are 6500K and have a cri of 85. I haven't figured out the lumens yet, although from a couple of articles I've read lumens are somewhat irrelevant to the plants themselves.

My question is, can anyone growing with T-5s, or a lighting engineer somewhere out there, tell me an approximate equivalent to the T-8 fixtures I have? Do I need to have a four light T-5 fixture? Is a two light T-5fixture more than adequate, and would a single fixture light adequately supply the paphs? Etc.

I can't really justify substituting a light fixture with four 54 watt bulbs for a three light fixture totalling 96 watts or four light T-12 fixture totalling 160 watts, if the objective is trying to save on electricity costs, and if I'm not trying to expand my collection into other genera. (I swear, I have enough of those already.)