ChiefRunningPhist
Well-Known Member
True dat
EDIT:
Tons of different UV bulbs, spectrums, power ratings, ect, but a UVI measurement will tell you how well the UVR8 will be stimulated regardless the bulb or bulbs you choose.
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UV Suppliment Lighting
- Thread starter DrGreenT420
- Start date
EDIT:
Tons of different UV bulbs, spectrums, power ratings, ect, but a UVI measurement will tell you how well the UVR8 will be stimulated regardless the bulb or bulbs you choose.
Thanks, that's helpful. I looked for arcadia lighting sight where I might find all their uv bulbs and associated info and spectrums etc. I couldn't find it (not for their UV). When I check this reptile bulb store online, they don't give UV index. I'm guessing most UV bulbs don't, they probably just tell you the percent of B vs A, right? Eg: https://www.reptilesrus.ca/arcadia-24w-t5-d3-12-uvb-22/ (thanks for the link @daveybc.)
SPLFreak808
Well-Known Member
^ some don't but most should at least tell you microwatts per square centimeter at a listed height and/or footprint, the reptile world measures 300-310nm at a 40:1 ratio, That means 40µW/cm² of just uvb is supposed to have a uv index of 1.
ChiefRunningPhist
Well-Known Member
Reptile bulbs will give a chart sometimes showing ~UVI at certain distances, but if you bought a UVI meter, then you'd not have to worry about all that math ect, you could just look at what the UVI reading was.
Heres an example of a UVI chart for a reptile bulb...
Tidbit on UVI meters:
I can't say which UVI meters are most accurate, the cheap ones ($20) will measure what the weather station says when you bring it outdoors, but the cheap ones seem to contradict what the UV fluoro tube manufacturers print, I'm not sure if it's the cheap meter or the fluoro tubes. I've not used a UVI meter ever, this was all info I read about second hand from a member off of LEDgardner, and I can't remeber his name at the moment, I'll see if I can link it...
EDIT:
It was actually @Or_Gro , (I thought it was one of his buddies), but here's the link...
It's peculiar, after reading some of the posts again, Or_Gro achieved up to a 7.3UVI under a 12% arcadia, but @Randomblame only achieved a 2.4UVI under a 12% arcadia. The heights were never given for Or_Gro, so theres some ambiguity, but Or_Gro took 8 measurements and I'm guessing they were at greater intervals than 1" difference? Random only measured 2.4 under a 12% @ 6in, so Or_Gro's device must have been considerably closer than 6in when reading 7.3, or maybe one of the device's was faulty?
Heres an example of a UVI chart for a reptile bulb...
Tidbit on UVI meters:
I can't say which UVI meters are most accurate, the cheap ones ($20) will measure what the weather station says when you bring it outdoors, but the cheap ones seem to contradict what the UV fluoro tube manufacturers print, I'm not sure if it's the cheap meter or the fluoro tubes. I've not used a UVI meter ever, this was all info I read about second hand from a member off of LEDgardner, and I can't remeber his name at the moment, I'll see if I can link it...
EDIT:
It was actually @Or_Gro , (I thought it was one of his buddies), but here's the link...
It's peculiar, after reading some of the posts again, Or_Gro achieved up to a 7.3UVI under a 12% arcadia, but @Randomblame only achieved a 2.4UVI under a 12% arcadia. The heights were never given for Or_Gro, so theres some ambiguity, but Or_Gro took 8 measurements and I'm guessing they were at greater intervals than 1" difference? Random only measured 2.4 under a 12% @ 6in, so Or_Gro's device must have been considerably closer than 6in when reading 7.3, or maybe one of the device's was faulty?
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ChiefRunningPhist
Well-Known Member
If your "pure UV's" are similar to the Agromax, then that's too much UVB and you'll fry your plants. Idk if they are similar or not but just saw that and figured I'd give a shout. Otherwise it seems like a good spread, 4× 4ft tubes per 4×4 sounds legit. Folks only use 1 Agromax for ~15min, 3× a day if I'm not mistaken, but you'd want to double check that assumption with an Agromax user.
For me in a 5 x 5 2 x Agromax 4', run at 3 minutes intervals every hour during the light ON cycle from the start of week 7 until harvest really does an awesome job pumping up the trichome production. I have compared that schedule with running Arcadia 14% always on during the ON light cycle and I also ran 4 x CLW0053(s) and the results from both the Arcadia setup and the CLW setup, couldn't produce the results that the Agromax kicks-out. I also run 4 X ATI coral+ 4' lamps all through flowering, starting them right at the flip. my main lights are 15 x 288(s), 3 rows of 5 x 288(s), that are arranged like so...
Flowering....
ati coral+ 4'
3k/w reds lm301b | 6500K lm301h | 3k/w reds lm301b | 6500K lm301h | 3k/w reds lm301b, HLG320 driver running @ 250W ATW (at the wall)
agromax 4'
ati coral+ 4'
3k/w reds lm301b | 6500K lm301h | 3k/w reds lm301b | 6500K lm301h | 3k/w reds lm301b, HLG320 driver running @ 250W ATW
ati coral+ 4'
agromax 4'
3k/w reds lm301b | 6500K lm301h | 3k/w reds lm301b | 6500K lm301h | 3k/w reds lm301b, HLG320 driver running @ 250W ATW
ati coral+ 4'
twalte
Well-Known Member
Did you mean 30 minute intervals? Or is 3 minutes really enough with those bulbs? My CLW recommends 4 hours during the last 2-3 weeks....so I’m working up to that level with 30 minutes per day.
ChiefRunningPhist
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a nice set-up for sure! 3min/hr seems about what I'd expect, the equivalent of 3×15min per day would mean a little over 4min/hr (if running for 12hrs), but that's definitely one way to run the Agromaxes that I don't give enough credit to. It requires a bit of a specialized timer but if you have the capability to do it then I think it'd be a fine solution and good to know you've had success!
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
I thought the flourescents degraded faster with loads of on and off switching? This why i would rec leds.... Especially since prawns results with uva which are generally easier to do.
ChiefRunningPhist
Well-Known Member
I prefer LED and think it has the edge for the reasons you state, but also the ease of integration, size, and operating efficiency (UVA). A fluoro tube will emit in all directions and require a reflector to keep emissions off of LEDs. They take up more real estate and I just think LEDs are a better way of getting UV to the plants (like you), but if you have fluoros already, or don't have the money to switch your whole grow over to LED, then I think fluoros are still a viable option, just not the most advanced or efficient.
indianajones
Well-Known Member
Has anyone here who uses reptile or agromax lamps ever had any PM whatsoever? I wonder if sufficient UV would also sanitize plant surfaces.
mr. childs
Well-Known Member
no pm, but after a few years the agromax pure uv made the reflective liner fall apart in the tent, bronzed the pins on a heat sink i think, weakened the plastic shrouds on the fans, while making great bud though.
indianajones
Well-Known Member
Makes perfect sense. I lived at 6000+ ft above sea level (~2000m) and the extra UV would destroy (almost) everything you left outside.
SSGrower
Well-Known Member
@welight just picked up one of the cutter uvb/c strips (p/n Cutter-ZGE285-12UVC_B) and getting a little confused on driver selection. It says output is 12.5W but drive voltage of 42V per channel @900ma?? Fired off an email via the web page but figured I'd try here as well incase I catch someone using them. Looking for either 2 seperate drivers, but could do with a multi-channel. I have about 20W of 12V so a buck/boost driver might work as well depending.
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Mr.BigBud777
Member
Im running a 4x4 and am about to switch to flower. I've been using a 6500k 315w CMH for veg and am thinking of using my HLG 550 rspec AND my 6500k for flower. You think that would suffice the uv?
There's no uv in what you're using, you're not getting any uv from either as far as I understand.
Edit: Unless you specifically look for something like this I guess (for example) https://eyehortilux.com/grow-lights/ceramic-metal-halide/
Marketing: "The EYE HORTILUX CMH 315 grow lamp was designed specifically for horticulture. Most ceramic metal halide lamps were designed for use in the retail space, so the UV light was blocked. Hortilux uses a glass that allows the UV light to pass through benefiting plant growth."
indianajones
Well-Known Member
Uh, the 315 lamps even have a UV warning on the box. Please refrain from giving outright false advice, it shows you have zero clue but are willing to give opinions in place of relaying facts. Google takes two seconds to look up a spectrograph.
Mr.BigBud777
Member
Yea I went and looked up the graph after he posted this. He got that quote directly from hortilux's website which obviously seems like a nasty marketing tactic.