Regardless what people say, i still to this day use flourescent lighting for seedlings. You def do not want to flower with a flourescent. The amount of watts is based on the footprint to be flowered and not by how many plants you got. 35watts is a good number per sq foot of coverage of quality lighting.
Good stuff. Did it that way for years back in the 90s untill i put them outside. Flourescent is great if you know how to use them
Makes me cringe thinking about trimming that much. You got more patience then me!
I’ve scaled down a lot since then. Hahaha.
I use them for my emergency back up lights for when there’s a power failure during the light cycle. They don’t run the batteries down and keep the plants going like it’s day time
It wont happen again from me. Yeah im pretty sure the kids already bought it and its coming. ( Maybe as late as Fathers Day) But yeah bummer on me.
I have seen several plants “successfully” flowered with fluorescent. If you count getting plants to harvest and having SOME weed to smoke as being successful. It just takes a lot to get a little. I don’t know about going to harvest with a 6000k bulb, but I’ve seen cannabis flowered with 6500k led.
On a watt for watt basis the good members here are correct, you’ll be like one legged man in butt kicking contest flowering with a single t5 fixture, especially in an open room. But fluorescent will grow plants, and you can flower them. As pointed out though, your results probably won’t justify all of the time and other expenses that will come with getting your plants to harvest.
Lol that quote should also include “for seedlings” makes it almost seem like im suggesting to flower with it lol
I qouted that way on purpose. Fluorescent light can flower cannabis no problem. Just not as good as anything with a higher ppf per watt. Which is just about everything other than incandescent or halogen lol. A good horticulture tuned t5ho bulb will run about 1-1.2 ppf/watt. Which is as good as most 400 watt hps bulbs, it just takes 8 of them and 3x the space to have same light output as that same 400 watt hps bulb.
That being said, 400’s are the dawgs of hps and will do mediocre job in something like 3x3, and you can’t fit an 8 bulb t5 fixture in just about every tent of similar square footage. Maybe a 2x4, but you’ll probably blow seams out running an exhaust.
What your saying is true no doubt. But flourescent lighting has its place…period. back in the day it did not make sense to use a big ole metal halide for seedlings and no1 i knew ever flowered with a flourescent, unless u were like 15 yrs old (like i was) lol. Believe me i love my hlg’s, but old habits die hard.
Yup, I also use fluorescents at a distance from clones or seedlings to keep them alive without any significant growth to conserve space, and prolong time before potting up, or finding a space for them. They definitely have their place. 
even today in the modern world.
I’ve flowered plants in 12”x12”x24” cabinets with cfls and computer fans sitting in half 2 liters from pop bottles. lol. Was it worth the time? Depends how you look at it, it was fun. Hahaha but it was one giant bud. Refrigerators, washers, dryers, cardboard boxes.hell even attempted a shoe box. Lmfao. There’s a place for everything, whether or not it’s worth the time is dependent on the individual and the goal.
T5’s now I use for overflow when I run out of room, just takes a lot of wattage for what it can handle.
The same advice was given to me less than a year ago. Get good light, get good genetics.
Light and 10 ilgm seeds, coir, jacks nutes, less than 600.oo. first harvest ever paid for all that and then some, 2x3 space,
Over 60, been buying my whole life, illegally, never again thanks to simple advice. Get good light, good genetics.
I say again, thanks for great advice. 
@Inthaholler i live 45 mintues from roanoke heading south there is a grow shop in Rocky Mount,Va called Fosters general store they got everything you ever need and i thank they run classes for teaching new people how to grow cannabis. A T5 light is great for seed starting i use one myself then use a sider farmer se4000.
U can buy flowering bulbs to add to the setup do couple red couple blue couple yeller it won’t be prize winning bud but will give u bud. But going thru all the buying lights and changing ect. I’d almost be best to just get u a nice led fixture to run start to finish and end up with what u r looking for in the first place. Lol.
