# Ultraviolet "sugar" lighting



## Ginagin (Jan 4, 2012)

Please forgive If this has already been brought before the community, I did not search the forum prior to posting.

It would seem that there is some sort of coalition between THC production and exposure to UV lighting.  This effect has been sited by several biologists. Ultraviolet light between 315 nm280 nm seem to be the wavelengths that effect this process, light in this range is often refereed to as UVB.  

UVB in excess is harmful to all living orginizemse and is the same part of light that delivers a sunburn.  Research seems to indicate that THC, manifested as capitated stalked glands absorbes harmful UVB.  There appears to be some debate as to weather marijuana plants produce this "sugar" coating as a defense against UVB or if the UVB chemically alters other cannabinoids into THC.  

In practice the question is moot but rises further questions.  Is it possible to further stimulated THC production by supplementing UVB?  And furthermore will UVB trigger the conversion of Phytochrome red into Phytochrome far red?

If, in fact, UVB can be shown not to trigger production of PR into PFR then this proposed supplement could be administered to the plants during the dark cycle.

All food for thought but at this time I would not recommend going out to purchase tanning bed tubes for your grow room


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## Hushpuppy (Jan 4, 2012)

I bet you read the same book that I read on this subject. I raised this point a while back. I am planning to get some actinic flourescent bulbs to try in an experiment with one of my grows. The actinic bulb is actually around 450nm and I hypothesise that they will allow me to run more light energy to the plants during the flowering period. By running them 4 extra hours after the HPS cuts off, they will help prevent 12/12 stretch without interfereing with the flowering schedule.


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## Ginagin (Jan 4, 2012)

There's a book on this subject?!  Please share the title.

I'm not sure if light in the 450nm spectrum is going to accomplish the same thing.  450nm is just at the cusp of viable light spectrum, actinic lighting is for aquariums isn't it? 

Love the ideas, keep it comming


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## Hushpuppy (Jan 5, 2012)

I read a little about it in Ed Rosenthal's MJ Growers' handbook. and I also read some articles online but unfortunately I can't find the info at the moment. You are correct about the spectrum being a bit higher than what you were talking about for increased THC production. 

If I remember correctly from what I read online, the UVB was feared to be more detrimental to the plant than productive for THC enhancement, however, that may have been old data. I know people are experimenting all the time. What I took from the article and the little bit that I read in Ed's book, I understood that the 450nm spectrum isn't harmfull but rather, it is helpfull for giving some leaf and stem growth energy, and at the same time it doesn't interfere with the flowering hormone production. 

So if that is the case then it would be usefull in running the actinic bulbs (which are aquarium bulbs at 450nm spectrum) to help prevent stretch during flowering.


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## Ginagin (Jan 5, 2012)

All so interesting.  I'm sure that too much UVB 'therapy' would not only inhibit the plant but could in fact kill it.  I imagine the next question would be in regard to dosage.  That being said, how in the hell would you measure UVB light intensity?  
I have a PAR meter but I don't think it's designed specifically for light at this wavelength.  I'm currently researching sourcing for UVB LEDS,  Im having a thought here too.  

Anyone know anything about induction.  Would it be possible to induct enough AC current right off an HID fixture to drive a small array of LEDS?  

Probably more dangerous than advantageous,  I have a friend who is working on an essay outlining electromagnetism  and effect of EMP on photosynthesis.  He doesn't want to comment much on it now but I;m sure after he publishes it will be a good read.

But i digress, back to induction.   Energy can be inducted through use of a coil, and in essence transmitted through the air with out wires.  This is essentially how those universal Mobil device chargers work.  Gives neat ideas of possible energy leach/theft.

If only Tesla where still alive... imagine the grow gear he could build!


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## Hushpuppy (Jan 5, 2012)

I don't think you could get much in the way of induction from the HID bulb as the energy there has little magnetic field around it. You could rob energy that way off the main coil in a magnetic ballast but you have to remember the first law of physics, "for every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction". Or in this case it would be reactance. 

If you introduce a coil winding into the field around the magnetic ballast, its inductive value would change the total reactance of the coil and cause it to draw more energy from the main line. So you really wouldn't be robbing energy from the system. 

If you want to rob energy from the losses you could get a few solar collector cells and place them somewhere in the room to pick up enough light to drive the LED pack.


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## Ginagin (Jan 6, 2012)

Excellent point,But to clarify I was simply dreaming up an idea for an LED sugar light that could be affixed to ones existing HID reflector.  And the idea of induction was just an idea to drive the thing without use of additional wires or timers.


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## Hushpuppy (Jan 6, 2012)

That is certainly an interesting idea, and I think they do make UV LEDs. I think using the solar collectors to drive them would work better than anything else even though you would have a bit of wiring to contend with. It wouldn't be too much though as it wouldn't take a lot to drive the LEDs unless you tried to hook up a boat-load of them. If you don't mind my taking yer idea, I might try that myself as an experiment.


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