Lighting for indoor care t5 vs led

[bitisfan]

So I've been growing various North American carnivorous plants since 2011, the vast majority have been 100% outdoor. But I sometimes start seedlings and house nepenthes under indoor lights. I have a single 24" inch t5 fixture but I'm looking to bump up seedling production. I am curious if t5s are still the best way to go or if led lights are worth a try?

Looking forward to some thoughts, thanks!

 

[nimbulan]

LEDs are definitely worth a try, they are my main light source currently. There are benefits to both types:

LEDs excel at power efficiency (varies a lot, depends on the particular product) which also results in lower heat output, and have a much longer lifespan with minimal fading and no need for bulb replacements. On the other side, T5s are cheap and easy to shop for (seriously the LED market is a mess.) The market for both types is filled with products with wildly exaggerated claims about their efficacy for plant growth, but that stuff is easier to filter out with T5s.

I went the DIY route with LEDs myself which took a fair amount of time, but some newer products require very little technical knowledge or skill to set up so just about anyone could do it with some assistance picking out parts and basic instructions. There's some good information in this thread with the most relevant information towards the end.