Choosing a grow light system is one of the most important decisions that cannabis growers face, and CFL or compact fluorescent is a great choice if you want efficient and inexpensive grow lights.
The most popular type of CFL for cannabis is T5, which has the narrowest diameter, is the most efficient, and is the brightest. In this article, I will review the best T5 lights that are available for cannabis growers today.
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1. Apollo Horticulture T5 4 Feet / 8 Tube Commercial Fixture
Pros:- Professional quality
- Very bright
- Great for vegetative growth
Cons:- Relatively heavy at 28 pounds
- No warranty
- May pose a fire risk in small enclosed spaces
This commercial fixture from Apollo Horticulture is a very large t% fixture while still being efficient, high quality and powerful.
It includes eight four-foot bulbs with a 6400K light temperature for vegetative growth. Each bulb is rated with a lifespan of 20,000 hours. The fixture measures 4′ x 2′ x 2″ and uses a total wattage of 432W. You can mount this light vertical, horizontal, or hanging.
Find more Apollo Horticulture T5 Commercial Fixture information and reviews here.
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2. Hydroplanet T5 4ft 8lamp Fluorescent Ho Bulbs Included
Pros:- Two year warranty
- Trusted brand
- Eight four-foot bulbs
Cons:- Relatively expensive
- Only good for vegetative growth
- Some reviewers received damaged parts
This commercial T5 light from Hydroplanet is perfect for large grow ops or commercial gardens.
This massive light has eight four-foot T5 light bulbs and includes individual reflectors for each bulb inside of the housing. Its plug and play ballast saves you time and hassle and it can even be daisy-chained to other Hydroplanet T5 lights to cover your entire grow area.
This light comes with a two-year warranty, and as it is from a trusted and well-known brand you can count on good customer service.
Find more Hydroplanet T5 4ft 8lamp Fluorescent Ho Bulbs Included information and reviews here.
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3. Hydrofarm Agrobrite FLCDG125D Fluorowing Compact Fluorescent System with CFL Bulb
Pros:- Reflective hood
- One year warranty
- Small and easy to hang
Cons:- Not very powerful
- Relatively expensive
- Only comes with one bulb
Hydrofarm’s Fluorowing CFL system is a nice, small system that is one of the best CFL grow light for small plants or supplemental lighting in your grow room.
This system comes with a 125W CFL bulb, a compact reflector and dew guard. The reflector hood helps to increase the light coverage through your plants’ canopy. This system also comes with a one year warranty.
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4. iPower 54WX2 4 Feet 2-Bulb T5 Fluorescent Grow Light Stand
Pros:- Self-hanging
- Two four-foot bulbs
- Height adjustable
Cons:- Relatively expensive
- Takes up a lot of space
- Not expandable
If you have a temporary grow area or you are renting, this grow light stand from iPower is a good solution for hanging your T5 grow lights.
This is a complete lighting system including two four-foot T5 bulbs with a color temperature of 6400K. The bulbs are housed in an extra wide reflector for maximum coverage. These bulbs are very energy efficient and the super reflective finish on the casing makes them even more effective.
The lights are height adjustable and the frame is easy to assemble without any special tools. This system comes with a one year warranty.
Find more iPower 4 Feet 2-Bulb T5 Fluorescent Grow Light Stand information and reviews here.
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5. DuroLuxT5 Grow Light 2ft 4lamps
Pros:- Inexpensive
- 10,000 lumens
- UL/CUL certified for safety in damp conditions
Cons:- Not as bright as linger bulb fixtures
- No warranty
- Relatively heavy
This light from DuroLux is professional grade and very high quality. This fixture consists of four, two foot long lamps for a total output of 10,000 lumens. The hood is made of 95% German Hammer-tone material reflective material to provide 30% more light than comparable systems.
This light comes with all necessary hanging and power accessories, and it has an outlet on either side so that you can connect up to 12 lights in a daisy chain configuration. This light is also UL/CUL certified for safety. It is designed to operate in damp conditions, like a humid grow room.
Find more DuroLuxT5 Grow Light 2ft 4lamps information and reviews here.
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6. iPower 24W 2 Feet T5 Fluorescent Grow Light Stand
Pros:- Single two foot T5 light
- Self-standing
- Height adjustable
Cons:- Very small
- Relatively expensive for the size of light
- Not expandable
This 24W T5 system from iPower is perfect for extra small gardens or tasks like starting seeds, propagating cuttings, or boosting vegetative growth.
This lighting system includes a lightweight metal frame, lighting fixture with reflector, and a single two-foot T5 light bulb. When assembled it measures 25″ x 18.5″ x 30″. This system comes with a one year warranty.
Find more iPower 24W 2 Feet T5 Fluorescent Grow Light Stand information and reviews here.
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7. Agrobrite FLT24 T5 Fluorescent Grow Light System
Pros:- Six different sizes to choose from
- Very powerful in comparison to smaller CFL lights
- Durable powder coated steel housing
Cons:- No warranty
- Relatively expensive
- You can only daisy chain two lights
This lighting system from Agrobrite comes in six different sizes, making it one of the best CFL grow lights for any size grow op. You can either choose two-foot bulbs (pictured) or four foot, and the fixture can include two tubes, four tubes (pictured) or eight tubes depending on how bright your light needs to be. The bigger setups are some of the best CFL for flowering.
This system includes an 8″ grounded power cord and up to 40,000 lumens per light. The T5 bulbs included with each light are each 6400K and they come in a powder coated, steel housing. You can hang these lights in three different ways depending on the coverage you need – overhead, vertical, or horizontal. You can also daisy chain up to two fixtures together from a single outlet.
Find more Agrobrite FLT24 T5 Fluorescent Grow Light System information and reviews here.
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8. Sunblaster T5 High Output Fluorescent Strip Light, 2-Feet
Pros:- Lightweight
- Small enough to fit almost anywhere
- One year warranty
Cons:- Not very powerful
- Cannot be daisy chained
- No replacement bulbs included
This small strip light from Sun Blaster is the best CFL grow light for supplemental lighting. It is very small and skinny and can fit just about anywhere.
The built-in ballast starts instantly and does not flicker, and it has a durable and lightweight aluminum housing. This bulb has a lifespan of 10,000 hours and a one year warranty included on the whole fixture.
Find more Sunblaster T5 High Output Fluorescent Strip Light, 2-Feet information and reviews here.
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9. 2-Pack T5 HO Grow Light
Pros:- Very flexible
- Set of two individual lights
- Can daisy chain up to 15 lights
Cons:- Not very powerful
- Can get expensive if you need to purchase multiple sets
- May not be as bright as large commercial fixtures
This set of two individual T5 light fixtures is perfect for growers who need flexibility and works very well for supplemental lighting.
This set offers a higher level of customizability with two completely separate fixtures that each have their own ballast, bulb, reflector and power cord.
The fixtures can either be plugged in separately, for instance to light up opposite corners of the grow area and provide supplemental lighting. Or, they can be daisy chained together to make a twice as powerful single light fixture. You can power up to 15 of these single fixtures from one outlet.
Find more 2-Pack T5 HO Grow Light information and reviews here.
The best CFL grow lights offer a lot of advantages over HPS lighting in a grow room.
Traditionally, HPS or HID lighting has been used in professional grow operations. This type of lighting offers a full spectrum and very powerful light, but with the added cost of intense heat and heavy electricity costs. Many growers want a better solution, one that will not risk burning their plants or cost them so much money in electricity, especially for vegetative stages of growth when lights run for over 12 hours per day.
Compact Fluorescent, or CFL, lighting is a viable alternative to these traditional lighting systems. CFL grow lights are the same types of lights that you often see used in offices, businesses, and at home in garages or shops. They are much more efficient in terms of energy usage and heat output than incandescent, High-Pressure Sodium, or Metal Halide lighting.
In cannabis grow rooms, CFL provides an ideal spectrum of light for vegetative growth and with enough lights, you can even use them for flowering. Unlike HPS, CFL light bulbs do not have to be replaced on a yearly (or more) basis, because they do not dim with age. They are long lasting, inexpensive, and run cool so you won't waste even more money on extra fans.
See Also:
- 5 Best T5 Grow Lights for Growing Cannabis
- 5 Best Cheap T5 Grow Lights for Cannabis
- 7 Best T5 Fluorescent Hydroponic Grow Lights: Which Is Right For You?