How to Grow Better with the Active Grow Integrated Strip T5 LED Grow Light
How to Grow Better with the Active Grow Integrated Strip T5 LED Grow Light
How to Grow Better with the Active Grow Integrated Strip T5 LED Grow Light
When it comes to optimizing your indoor garden, choosing the right grow light is paramount. The Active Grow Integrated Strip T5 LED Grow Lights stand out as an efficient, versatile solution for a variety of indoor gardening needs. This guide addresses key questions to help you understand why and how to use these lights effectively.
Why Pick the Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Light?
This grow light is a great choice if you’re looking to upgrade your existing fluorescent setup or if you’re starting fresh and growing low to medium light level plants. The Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Light is designed to replace traditional 54W T5 4FT fluorescent single-lamp fixtures. Consuming just 22W, these energy-efficient LED grow lights also boast a long lifetime of 40,000+ hours, far exceeding that of a fluorescent lamp. Switching to LEDs from fluorescents will reduce your energy bill and replacement lamp/ballast costs and provide you with a more efficient lighting solution that excels in growing performance.
The Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Lights are ideal for low to medium light level plants and are perfectly suited for microgreens, vegetable starts, mushrooms and even flowers and fruits that require lower light intensities.
What Spectrum Should I Choose?
The Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Light comes in 4 different spectrums, designed specifically for different plant/mushroom types and stages. You can also mix and match spectrums to meet the specific needs of your plant type and its various growth stages. For a deeper dive into how Active Grow Spectrums affect plant and mushroom growth check out our Active Grow Spectrum Guide.
Sun White Spectrum
Mimics natural sunlight, ideal for general growth and suitable for a wide range of plants like microgreens, herbs and house plants.
Sun White Pro Spectrum
Full spectrum light enhanced with a higher blue light ratio, promoting stronger root growth and tighter internodal spacing.
Blue Sun Spectrum
Full spectrum blue light optimized for growing coral and fungi, including gourmet mushrooms. For more insight into how blue light effects mushroom growth, check out our article Why Blue Light is Best for Growing Mushrooms.
Red Bloom Pro Spectrum
Full spectrum pink light focused on red and far-red wavelengths to encourage flowering, fruiting and creating the Emerson effect in plants.
How Do I Install the Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Light?
The grow lights install easily with different mounting choices and versatile placement options. The built-in hanging hooks allow you to use hydroponic hangers, zip ties or S-hooks for a flexible installation in racks, grow tents and more.
Install the lights overhead on racks, hang them vertically for tower gardens or use them as supplemental lighting to fill in light gaps or boost certain plant reactions.
How High above the Plant Should I Hang the Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Light?
For low light level plants, position 2 Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Lights evenly at 12" above the canopy to cover a 2’x4’ area, ensuring gentle, effective illumination.
For medium light level plants, position 2 Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Lights evenly at 9" above the canopy for a more concentrated 18”x4’ area, providing stronger light for more demanding species.
When positioning the lights, you want to achieve uniform PPFD distribution across the plant canopy to encourage consistent growth. Remember to monitor your plants and adjust light height based on plant feedback. For example, if plants show signs of stretching they might require closer light placement. The Integrated Strip T5 LED grow lights produce little heat, allowing the lights to be closer without the risk of heat stress, ensuring your plants remain healthy.
What Daisy Chain Method Should I Use for the Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Lights?
Connect multiple fixtures on one circuit for an easier and cleaner installation. Use the provided daisy chain cables for applications like racks where lights are placed side by side and space is needed between lights.
To create longer, continuous lines of lights, use the included connector pieces to make a seamless end-to-end connection between lights.
How Long Should I Run the Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Lights for?
Lighting schedules should be created based on your plant's Daily Light Integral (DLI) requirements. For useful information on different plant DLI and scheduling check out our article Top 10 Plants to Start Indoors from Seed.
For manual control, simply use the built-in on/off switch. For automated scheduling, implement a timer at the power source to guarantee consistent light cycles without daily manual intervention.
The Active Grow Integrated Strip T5 4FT LED Grow Lights offer an advanced, energy-efficient solution for indoor gardening, accommodating a range of plant types and growth stages. By selecting the appropriate spectrum, installing the lights correctly and tailoring the light schedule to your plants' needs, you can significantly enhance the growth, health and yield of your indoor garden. Also If you haven’t already, also please check out our Mastering LED Grow Lights Guide for Indoor Gardening Pros.