Best Fluorescent Light Fixtures 2021 you can Buy Online
Fluorescent light has been one of the growing lights for people who have indoor gardens in their homes. They come in a cheap or affordable rate, low heat output occupies smaller spaces compared to HID lamps. These are the reasons lots of people are going for it.
Over the past years, there have been lots of tremendous changes that have gone down due to the fluorescent light as a vital requirement for indoor plants.
The light has given buyers lots of benefits compared to the HPS/MH lamps. This is the reason they have been used in growing marijuana plants at home. The type of fluorescent light use in homes can add great effects to the plants in order to enhance their rapid growth. The kind of light use for indoor plants is different from the normal standard indoor light in the sense it enables photosynthesis.
About Fluorescent Light and Indoor Plant
Most indoor planters or gardeners have placed their focus on using LED light as their main source of light, but a few people still make use of fluorescent light in their apartment. The fluorescent light is a perfect source of light for plants in their seedling stage cycle. The only difference is the light can’t be compared to the normal LED grow light in the area of longevity. On the other hand, fluorescent light is easy to install by both beginners and experts.
Before light came into existence, fluorescent light was the major source of light for indoor plants, but they were being replaced by the LED light due to short life span, bulkiness, and low lumen intensity. Therefore, it should be noted the fluorescent light is not suitable for flowers and fruiting plants. The modern fluorescent light bulb comes with a high lumen output compared to its predecessors, and this has made the light last longer.
For instance, the T5 fluorescent lighting system offers less heat than the older fluorescent bulbs, and can be kept closer to indoor plants without being disturbed about heating the foliage of the plant. In addition to this, they are more energy-efficient to produce light with a spectrum for plants to use.
Back then, there were no many options for users of fluorescent light fixtures for indoor gardens, but the normal 2 bulbs and 4 foot long fluorescent light was based on people’s choice nothing more. As a result of the cheaper rate users can buy the fluorescent light fixtures, and the improved features, the light is still an ideal choice for people to use in their indoor farms. The light has been known for its propagation abilities for cloning, seedlings, and growth of young plants due to its low heat output.
The fluorescent tube comes in small sizes and this makes them save money on electricity bills. The light has the ability to emit a full light spectrum for indoor plants. If you are thinking of the ideal or right light to use for your indoor farms, the fluorescent light can be part of the list.
Pros of Using Fluorescent Light for Indoor Plants
Most commercial companies that are involved with indoor planting for large scale production make use of LED light due to their longevity and also emit more light spectrum. The fluorescent light fixtures are fragile and this can make farmers have emergency expenses in order to maintain them.
For farmers who are into subsistence agriculture or small scale farming can make use of the fluorescent light fixtures as their economic choice for their indoor farms. Before making the fluorescent light the right choice, you must consider price, maintenance, and other miscellaneous expenses before buying it. The following are the benefits of using the fluorescent light bulb, and here they are:
- It is highly affordable
- Provides low to medium heat and energy output
- Ideal for seedlings
- Fit smaller spaces
Top Quality Fluorescent Light Fixtures
The following are the top quality fluorescent light fixtures you will buy in the market, and here they are:
1. Hydrofoam Agrobrite FLT24 T5:
The fluorescent light fixture has a high output lighting system emerging from a hydro farm and it happens to be one of the best sellers. It is the right fluorescent light for rapid growth for seedling plants. The light offers a balanced power output to suit new cuttings and young plants.
Furthermore, the slender design of the light gives double efficiency and double the light output of normal fluorescent bulbs. The light posses a cool running open roof design, low-profile with low temperature of the T5 bulb. This feature allows it to be used as a light for indoor plants.
The light can be operated by making use of hangers to suspend it vertically, and this is going to make it versatile without any need to assemble it. The T5 fluorescent light system has been powder-coated in order to make it resist harsh weather conditions.
Pros
- Super bright fluorescent tubes offering 18,800 lumens
- Present in seven different bulb configurations ranging from 2 to 12 tubes
- Open-roof design of fluorescent light fixtures
- Versatile hanging positions such as overhead, horizontal, and vertical
Con
- Falling of ballasts through using the fluorescent light
- Malfunction of one of the fluorescent tubes
2. Hydroplanet T5 Fluorescent Light Fixtures:
If you have been in search of fluorescent light to grow your indoor plants, the light can suit your hydroponic garden, and this will make you stick to the hydroplanet T5 fluorescent light. The powder-coated system comes with a low profile structure for different mounting positions such as overhead, vertically, and horizontally.
The four lights have a strong coverage area that can be compared to mere models. The presence of the 95% reflective aluminum reflectors has made sure the light place much focus on the indoor plants. There are two switches for both on & off mode, and they have their various functions. The system can operate on 110/120V and a cord of 15 feet can be altered at any point in time. The light spectrum delivered by the hydroplanet T5 fluorescent light fixtures is good for the vegetative growth phase.
Pros
- Balanced light spectrum for indoor vegetative plants
- Highly reflective aluminum reflectors to focus on plants
- Powder-coated and low profile is durable
- Two years warranty
Cons
- Not compatible with GFCI outlets
- Failure of two middle fixtures
3. Jump Start T5 Fluorescent Light Fixtures:
This is one of the good fluorescent light fixtures use for indoor farms. The light germinates seeds, cuttings, house plants, and flowers by offering 20% more lumens compared to ordinary grow lights. It has been well powder-coated with a metal frame to make it easy for assembly. The sturdy frame comes with a reinforced top bar made up of a toggle clap pulley device for easy height adjustment of the reflector.
The reflector has a lightweight with a fine internal finish to give a T5 high output using an inbuilt six-foot power cord. After assembly the fluorescent light fixture, the user can still find a way to lower or raise the reflector making use of the toggle clamp pulley system. Besides the two-foot size, this light fixture is available in another four-foot size, and they have been designed for any germination station.
Pros
- It is easy to assembly
- Compatible with fluorescent tubes
- Provides 20% lumens compared to other conventional tubes
- Light spectrum suitable for flowers, cuttings, house plants, and seedlings
Cons
- Not daisy-chainable
- Falling of blast after a year
4. iPower T5 Fluorescent Light Fixtures:
If you want a heavy-duty T5 light for hydroponic plants such as vegetables, herbs, seedlings, and many others, this can serve the purpose for you. This fluorescent light offers a balanced daylight spectrum between 15 to 20% more strength than normal grow lights. The lighting system comes with a big frame that is simple to assemble.
The light can be assembled on its own without using tools based on the pieces sliding together. The height of the fluorescent light is easy to adjust, and it is done by pulling the cord either upwards or downwards and then put the locks together to adjust it. It has a simple toggle clamp in order to make it easy to adjust the height of the lamp. This assist in bringing the light intensity closer to the hydroponic plants
Pros
- Powder-coated frame for easy mounting
- Strong daylight spectrum to offer strong lumens
- Easy adjustment of fluorescent light fixtures
- Reliable coverage for 1-tube configuration
Cons
- Not daisy-chainable
- Malfunction of ballast after one year
5. Vivosun T5 Fluorescent Light Fixtures:
The light has the capability of bringing the greenish colour for your indoor farms. This is an ideal choice for any hydroponic system. The light offers vegetative plants enough ballast in order to make them strong, and also blooming of plants during their flowering stage. It is one of the simplest systems installed, and it can be mounted overhead, vertically, and horizontally. This has made the light to fit grow tents, stand racks and other grow houses.
Furthermore, the ultra reflective surfaces offer sufficient light system for less energy, while the reflective surfaces can maintain extreme light reflections. The dual switch design makes the fluorescent light easy to use. In addition to this, it is the sturdy packaging of the Vivosun T5. The light fixtures and tubes are well packed together in different boxes.
Pros
- High output of the fluorescent tubes
- Offers constant brightness that will fade easily
- The light fixtures can be installed vertically, horizontally, horizontally, or overhead.
Cons
- Defective T5 tubes and fixtures
- Failure of some fluorescent light tubes
Conclusion:
These fluorescent light fixtures are highly recommended for plants in their seedling phase. The T5 grow light system is suitable for plants in this phase (seedling) because they are sensitive to burn seedlings or cuttings.
Apart from this, the less light spectrum makes it suit different kinds of vegetables and herbs. It might not be reliable to use like LED lights, in commercial plant production, but can contribute to the growth of hydroponic plants.
