Mars Hydro UR45 UVA Reviews? Thoughts on UVA in general?

gubblebum

Well-Known Member
Has anyone used the above light yet? Have any comparisons vs with and without? I see a lot of mixed opinions on UVA in general! The main benefit I wanted to see was increased terps but according to Bruce, that's just fake news. Seems like the best we can hope for is it's a really in-efficient source of blue light?
 

Comparator

Well-Known Member
Has anyone used the above light yet? Have any comparisons vs with and without? I see a lot of mixed opinions on UVA in general! The main benefit I wanted to see was increased terps but according to Bruce, that's just fake news. Seems like the best we can hope for is it's a really in-efficient source of blue light?
Bruce is Fake News. Are you referring to just the 2 supplemental bars? If so here's my thoughts. I am not a fan of the whole afterthought bars/strips because they are to condensed. The supplemental should be evenly spread out. I prefer my light to include everything from the beginning, so it's actually designed to be a horticultural lamp out if the box.
I will say this for them though. At least they allow you to use the UVA (nice broad bandwidth here) and n/ir separately. If they could provide you with proper instructions on how to use then then you'll have success if not you could wind up with losses. Having to do any of that manually defeats the purpose for me but will work for some. You want to control the intensity and length if time to really reap the benefits but if you cannot be there to do it then maybe a very,very low amount (just on using the dimmer) is the way to go for you.
I'd find a way to set the supplemental strips higher up to eliminate hot zones under them if you go that route. I imagine that will be difficult.
What's your main lamp that your looking to supplement? Is there a spectral graph available that includes these two strips. If so, just check it against your existing lamps spectrum to see how different the main spectrum is from yours. Who knows, your lamp may carry a heavy blue or red side. By knowing this it will help you dial on the use of your supplemental.
When seeking instructions, lean to the side of caution using the uva. Very low amounts is all that's needed.
You pretty much always need n/ir except when cloning. How much and when is the key though.
I wish you luck, supplemental is very important to enhancing your spectrum and grow if using a primary white fixture especially.
I'm sorry I cannot share my recipes but the above information should save you from losses and point you in the right direction. You'll see what I mean if you have prior growing experience when you use these or whatever. One way to read the plants is If your leaves are going purple early in flower then your facing losses and Need to slow your Roll.
LOL! Screenshot_20230102_165157.jpg
 
Last edited:

gubblebum

Well-Known Member
Bruce is Fake News. Are you referring to just the 2 supplemental bars? If so here's my thoughts. I am not a fan of the whole afterthought bars/strips because they are to condensed. The supplemental should be evenly spread out. I prefer my light to include everything from the beginning, so it's actually designed to be a horticultural lamp out if the box.
I will say this for them though. At least they allow you to use the UVA (nice broad bandwidth here) and n/ir separately. If they could provide you with proper instructions on how to use then then you'll have success if not you could wind up with losses. Having to do any of that manually defeats the purpose for me but will work for some. You want to control the intensity and length if time to really reap the benefits but if you cannot be there to do it then maybe a very,very low amount (just on using the dimmer) is the way to go for you.
I'd find a way to set the supplemental strips higher up to eliminate hot zones under them if you go that route. I imagine that will be difficult.
What's your main lamp that your looking to supplement? Is there a spectral graph available that includes these two strips. If so, just check it against your existing lamps spectrum to see how different the main spectrum is from yours. Who knows, your lamp may carry a heavy blue or red side. By knowing this it will help you dial on the use of your supplemental.
When seeking instructions, lean to the side of caution using the uva. Very low amounts is all that's needed.
You pretty much always need n/ir except when cloning. How much and when is the key though.
I wish you luck, supplemental is very important to enhancing your spectrum and grow if using a primary white fixture especially.
I'm sorry I cannot share my recipes but the above information should save you from losses and point you in the right direction. You'll see what I mean if you have prior growing experience when you use these or whatever. One way to read the plants is If your leaves are going purple early in flower then your facing losses and Need to slow your Roll.
LOL! View attachment 5244297
Thanks for your great reply!

When you said Bruce is fake news do you mean in your oppinion he's spreading some mis information?

I do find it odd that in one video he talks about the benefits of uva but in another is saying they can't find any evidence of it increasing terps when there is so much anectodal evidence showing otherwise. It seems lighting companies choose to push uva or uvb based on their own lighting designs.

Ps my light is the Fce 6500 also by mars hydro, the ur45 is made for it. They recommend using for 1 to 2 hours mid day. They also recommend using ir for 10 minnat the end but you can't seperate the timer...design flaw
 

Comparator

Well-Known Member
You're very welcome. Misinformation big time. I don't even watch his videos anymore ever since "Far Red The Forgotten Photon" . He did the same crap, with burple, green and white light. It's been One contradiction after another with this guy. Do not bother with UVB. Manufacturers like Mi-Gro on YouTube have such a large influence on growers purchasing decisions yet Shane doesn't grow pott and only goes by what Bruce says who's all over the map, debunking himself to generate another possible sub- division of the Par-Meter for Apogee or whatever his motive is.
I'm sorry I can't divulge the Information everyone is seeking. Scientists get Grants for Millioins to provide false Information, who am I to contest that?
As for the supplemental. They do not provide a spectral graph of the supplemental added to the light you have. So we have no way of knowing what it would look like all on. With that Information you'll have a starting point to base off in order to properly use the dimmer. Even with that, idk how it would even be close to accurate when the spectrometer would change as soon as they move it a little to the left or right.
The uva + ir are on the same channel? Yeah, many make that same mistake.
Honestly, your much better off going in Alibaba & buying x5, 15w strips with uva and far red on separate dimmable channels for cheap.
Hope this helps!
I made it sound worse then it is. A two strip arrangement still helps and makes a big difference though.
 
Last edited:

Comparator

Well-Known Member
I'm sorry everyone. I'll try to keep politics to myself. Upon further review I see these are Long and 22w each dimmable. That's cool actually, x2 sets would cover well, just wish the uva and far red were on separate channels.
 
Last edited:

gubblebum

Well-Known Member
I'm sorry everyone. I'll try to keep politics to myself. Upon further review I see these are Long and 22w each dimmable. That's cool actually, x2 sets would cover well, just wish the uva and far red were on separate channels.
Yeah its actually nuts whoever decided it was good to put them on one channel.. today I had 1 alarm to turn on uv light, 1 alarm to turn it off, another alarm to tell me to turn on my it, another to tell me to turn it off 10 mins later, another to tell me to turn it back on 10 mins later, then another final to tell me to turn it off 10 mins later... its so ridiculous but true! lol
 

ChiefWhiteLegs

New Member
Yeah its actually nuts whoever decided it was good to put them on one channel.. today I had 1 alarm to turn on uv light, 1 alarm to turn it off, another alarm to tell me to turn on my it, another to tell me to turn it off 10 mins later, another to tell me to turn it back on 10 mins later, then another final to tell me to turn it off 10 mins later... its so ridiculous but true! lol
So did you have any luck? I'm just gonna put mine so far away and just spend the time tuning them in. Sounds like a good new year to do a pheno hunt for a bad ass purple punch s1 from green point with. Along with getting these uv ir lights right and bam next Christmas trees on me lol. Sounds good, right?!
 

Lou66

Well-Known Member
Misinformation big time. I don't even watch his videos anymore ever since "Far Red The Forgotten Photon" . He did the same crap, with burple, green and white light. It's been One contradiction after another with this guy. Do not bother with UVB. Manufacturers like Mi-Gro on YouTube have such a large influence on growers purchasing decisions yet Shane doesn't grow pott and only goes by what Bruce says who's all over the map, debunking himself to generate another possible sub- division of the Par-Meter for Apogee or whatever his motive is.
If you think decades of research can be condensed into a 15 minute video I have to inform you that you are mistaken. The research he does is sound. It is just not directly applicable to our hobby. I mean, he grows wheat under different lighting, sometimes bleaches it with herbicides too, and see how bad they react. Some of the photos in his papers are atrocious. And they are meant to be. Without going over the line it is impossible to figure out the limits of a technology.

And what is your problem with him selling measurement tools? They are not really expensive in the world of spectrometers and he gives explanations on how to use them.
The argument he brings forth is that climate models are incorrect because FR is not included in the photosynthetic productivity calculations. To change that it needs more data than three labs. So he gave othe researchers the tool to easily measure FR and check if the argument he puts forth is sound. It just takes a decade till a conclusion is reached.

To be honest I am very happy with the work he is doing. The level of understanding of photobiology and lighting in general is rather high here. Other subgroups of plant growers focus on photoperiod (ignoring intensity) and don't get me started with the reef aquarium folks.
 
Top