Light Fixtures for T8 Bulbs

[Maxy24]

I have been growing veggies from seed for several years and have been using two 4' shop light fixtures with T12 bulbs that we have lying around the house. When we moved this fall the fixtures were left behind so I have to buy new ones this year.

I was thinking of going with T8 bulbs instead since they're supposed to be better. Anyway, I'm curious as to what fixture I should be getting.

Some of them seem to have the bulbs bare rather than up in a hood which I feel isn't ideal. Some of the fixtures have really large reflectors that come down the sides but I'm not sure if that's necessary. Many have covers over the bulbs, can these be removed?

I assume I need a four bulb wide fixture in T8 to cover the width of a seed tray (two was sufficient for the T12s, but they're larger bulbs). These are looking to be quite expensive though, is $80-95 typical for a fixture like this?

The two light fixtures are more common and cheaper but the fixture wouldn't be as wide as the seed tray I don't think. What do you all use?

[pepperhead212]

I use two parallel shop lights, like you describe, which have small reflectors, to which I glued heavy duty Al foil, to help with reflection. I usually place two trays, end to end, but when I need to squeeze a few more seedlings under them I can put 4 trays side by side, with 2/3 the rows of pots in them, and they will get enough light.

I also set up one shelf so that only one of the pairs of lights could be set on, in case I am only starting a few seeds, versus trays and trays of them.

[Taiji]

I wasn't even sure if I had T 8 or T 12 bulbs til your post. I went and looked and I use T 12. They have worked well for me and are so economical to buy I'm just gonna stick with them. The 2 bulb fixtures I got were from Home Depot and only cost I think 11 or 12 dollars. The reflectors were painted white, but like Pepperhead, I wrapped them with aluminum foil shiny side out. You need reflectors or half the light is lost. The fixtures that were already shiny metal cost about twice as much, if I remember.

Bulbs are 40 watt, 6500 Kelvin I think. That's what I use.

I don't know anything about T8s, but maybe 2 - 2 bulb reflector/fixtures would cost less than the 80-95 dollars you mentioned for one 4 bulber?

[applestar]

I have four-bulb 4-ft T8 shoplight fixture that cost $49 two years ago I think and was stocked at both the orange and blue giant hardware stores. It has a wide grey reflector and I double-side taped on a mylar emergency blanket cut to size. It has a protective wire grid but doesn't really interfere with the light and I use it to hang things and tie up droopy plants.

I like that it has a 3-plong outlet on the opposite end that you can plug something else into (or chain them together by plugging the next one into the first I guess).

I liked it enough to buy a 2nd one. Only fault I found with them is that the hanging chain it came with was a bit on the cheap side.

[ButterflyLady29]

I got some 6 tube fixtures someone was throwing out. Hubby changed the ballasts and end caps from T 12 to T 8.

The price sounds about right for 4 tube fixtures. Whatever you decide to get use the daylight bulbs. Those have a wider spectrum than regular tubes.