Here's some figures and a link to the main thread:
250 microwatts/cm2 is and average around the equator.
929.034cm2 in a sqr. Ft. x 250 microwatts/cm2 = 232,257.60 microwatts/cm2
232,257.60 microwatts/cm2 = .23211 watts per Sqr. Ft.
so we need .23211 watts per Sqr. ft. of UVB
ie: Reptisun 10.0 UVB, 20 watts, 10% UVB 33% UVA
10% of 20 watts = 2 watts of UVB
grow area 4x4= 16 sqr. ft.
16 x .23211= 3.7137 watts per Sqr. ft of UVB Light
What he's saying is that a 20w 10.0 UVB bulb will emit about 16x more UVB than the sun. The only difference is, the UVB emitted from the sun is measured at human height (hundreds of millions of miles from the sun) - whereas the UVB emitted from the bulb is measured quite close to it. As you get further away, the intensity drops off quite quickly. You should have about sun intensity on your canopy if you use this kind of bulb on the top of your tent - around your HID, probabaly a bit higher.
So just put in a massive wattage and effiency bulb right? Wrong. UVB is very directional. If the theory holds up, it should be a lot better for your plants if you buy a couple of lower wattage lamps and spread them out. Otherwise, the top buds will absorb loads and anything undereathe will get zero.
I've been wondering about CFL versus strips myselfs and I think strips win, because they spread the light better. CFL's (with reflectors) will tend to produce a cone shaped light pattern, which is only good if you have one over every plant.
It's not only the light power you have to think about - all reptile lights put out a decent amount of UVB, get a reasonably high power one and put two foot over your grow and you have sun+ UVB. Out in the wild, cannabis might grow in individual bushes and it has all the soil it can want at it's roots, so it'll grow taller than us and really bushy - letting the UV hit it all over. Indoor grows, we tend to use smaller pots and keep it short and dense. That prevents the light getting deep inside the foilage, and so the buds won't be getting exposed - you need to move the light or plant around. I seriously doubt the UVB will make it through a single layer of leaves.
I think by far the best idea is to drop some vertical strips through the grow, or cfl's without reflectprs amd sure the plants are turned all the time. That way, each bud will be getting bombed with UVB. You can pull the ballast and bulb connectors out a normal fluoro fitting, then hook the light up minus the metal casing so there's nothing to create a shadow.
Light movers are good, but it'll still be mainly the canopy that's getting the UVB. The UVB won't go through the leaves. Where ever there's a leaf, the UVB will be getting destroyed and it won't go through to lower leaves / buds.
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https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/96571-10-0-uvb-light.html
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