Adding UVA

Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
Grow Lights Australia said:
Would you use any other light with it? Research has shown there is a trade-off between quality and yield on either side of the UVA and Red/Far Red spectrum. The UV/violet/blue ends of the spectrum increase secondary metabolites such as terpenes and cannabinoids while the green/red/far red ends of the spectrum increases primary metabolites that drive growth and yield. Photosynthetic energy is diverted between these metabolites so more of one means less of another in general terms. This is a phenomenon indoor growers in past observed when they grew with Metal Halide and HPS lamps. MH has UV, violet and blue and produced less yield with better quality while HPS is mainly green, yellow and red with far red that produced more yield with less quality. Some growers mixed the two. This was before more modern CMH and dual-end HPS lamps, but the same has been observed in LED grows. Too much UV can stunt growth and will overly stress the plant by causing DNA damage.
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Yep, I know better than to just grow with nothing but a filtered blacklight, if that is what you mean. That question has been asked 3 trillion times since the internet... Especially a t12 UV BL bulb. I tried that over 20 years ago when I was still growing in a phototron, cardboard boxes with tin foil and streetlamps, and had black light posters on my walls, lol. Now that we have more efficient UVA LED that can put out the same wavelengths with more focus, but without all the heat, I am willing to try it again. Basically just swap a single bulb out of one of my screw in LED bulb fixtures, and maybe lower it so it is directed ever one square of the scrog net.. I'm sure you mean test along with the higher up UVAs, and yes that is what I propose.



I think the best test that I anyone could offer to do would be to veg a decent sized plant, all under the same standard non UV LED lighting, and mainline it vertically up against a wall, as flat as possible. Section each branch off into partitions, to test all of the UV lights available, without them overlapping.

I have reptile UV A/B, both t-5 and t-8 tube style. Also have the compact fluorescent UVB spiral bulbs, which would probably be better suited for the test. I have newer LED blacklight that put out like 390nm?, but its like 30 watts and would be too much, so I'll use a smaller screw in variety of each kind. The bulb I linked with 365 (the only true 365nm screw in bulb they sell), and the other screw in variety should work great, and I can calculate the amount of UVA each is receiving much easier than using big bar style ones.

It would all be on the same plant, so there would be no variables other than one cola might be bigger than the other.

Starting from the left test site, using the cheapest UVA screw in bulbs & diodes, then using the 365, then moving into the UVB spectrum towards the right, transitioning over to a few more CFL bulbs, that increase in UVB percentages as they go, and start running them on cycles so they don't cook the buds.

One 6 ft wide mainlined plant, with 7-8 different kinds of compact UV bulbs.
 
P

pahpah-cee

Well-Known Member
Drop That Sound said:
Yep, I know better than to just grow with nothing but a filtered blacklight, if that is what you mean. That question has been asked 3 trillion times since the internet... Especially a t12 UV BL bulb. I tried that over 20 years ago when I was still growing in a phototron, cardboard boxes with tin foil and streetlamps, and had black light posters on my walls, lol. Now that we have more efficient UVA LED that can put out the same wavelengths with more focus, but without all the heat, I am willing to try it again. Basically just swap a single bulb out of one of my screw in LED bulb fixtures, and maybe lower it so it is directed ever one square of the scrog net.. I'm sure you mean test along with the higher up UVAs, and yes that is what I propose.



I think the best test that I anyone could offer to do would be to veg a decent sized plant, all under the same standard non UV LED lighting, and mainline it vertically up against a wall, as flat as possible. Section each branch off into partitions, to test all of the UV lights available, without them overlapping.

I have reptile UV A/B, both t-5 and t-8 tube style. Also have the compact fluorescent UVB spiral bulbs, which would probably be better suited for the test. I have newer LED blacklight that put out like 390nm?, but its like 30 watts and would be too much, so I'll use a smaller screw in variety of each kind. The bulb I linked with 365 (the only true 365nm screw in bulb they sell), and the other screw in variety should work great, and I can calculate the amount of UVA each is receiving much easier than using big bar style ones.

It would all be on the same plant, so there would be no variables other than one cola might be bigger than the other.

Starting from the left test site, using the cheapest UVA screw in bulbs & diodes, then using the 365, then moving into the UVB spectrum towards the right, transitioning over to a few more CFL bulbs, that increase in UVB percentages as they go, and start running them on cycles so they don't cook the buds.

One 6 ft wide mainlined plant, with 7-8 different kinds of compact UV bulbs.
Click to expand...
as much as I want to see you attempt this… wouldn’t just cloning be way easier and not require months of training.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
Yep. For me though, I'd rather stay under my legal limit, and have one large plant. I don't really take small cuttings anymore either, unless I'm sexing a plant early. It usually gets tossed before it even has roots. I'll even keep scraping the roots off while it sits in a glass of water, just so its not considered an extra plant. I cover all my bases these days, after some close calls, and civil matters, yada yadda..

Not only that, but there are just as many pros as cons to having one plant for the test.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
Not sure, but I'm probably going to get it just as a powerful black light. The one I got puts out a lot of visible light...

It probably has uv bandpass filter in the glass, that could be removed to be better suited for growing with.
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
Drop That Sound said:
Not sure, but I'm probably going to get it just as a powerful black light. The one I got puts out a lot of visible light...

It probably has uv bandpass filter in the glass, that could be removed to be better suited for growing with.
Click to expand...
i just have 2 black light bulbs incandescent style but LED and it looks like your teeth are glowing under them. in 12 sq ft.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
I had to diagnose a coolant leak on one of my trucks with the UV dye, and also wanted to have some family UV art time.. So I got one of the cheaper higher wattage ones, which seem to be safer for eyes and skin..

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Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
Now thanks to you guys, I feel like I need to play with UVA LED. The thing is, I already have decently powerful UVB lights, and could cook my plants if I wanted. Even the worn out t5s tubes still put out UVA for a long time i'm sure..

I have not tried the 75/25% agromax pure UV lights either..
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
Drop That Sound said:
Now thanks to you guys, I feel like I need to play with UVA LED. The thing is, I already have decently powerful UVB lights, and could cook my plants if I wanted. Even the worn out t5s tubes still put out UVA for a long time i'm sure..

I have not tried the 75/25% agromax pure UV lights either..
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i went from the htg supply leaf melter pure UV t5s to these uv-a's. i run them 12 on during flower unlike the t5 at like 15 minutes on a few times.

i might try running them both next run and see waht happens
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
Could you smell ozone running the pure t5s? I would worry about cooking everything in the room, like all my gardening supplies that sit outside or in the greenhouse in the sun. Buckets and certain plastics start crumbling after a season, and brand new hydro systems look like shit with faded colors, and I barely get sun here.

Even 15 minutes a few times a day adds up with high output UV lights i'm sure... A timer malfunction when your gone for 2 days.. lol

I don't want to replace the reflective liners on the walls, or my vinyl flooring.. Thats why i just stick to under 20% uvb and run it most the day if I do.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
The worst... black soot rubbing off from your rubber grommets breaking down. I can't stand that. Have to cover everything up good.
 
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