Hey guys, you've all been very helpful so far on this wonderful forum, and maybe i'm becoming boring already, but i have another question 
I'm looking for a recommendation for an UV light to use in a 2x4x6 tent with Mars Hydro TSL2000. What would you use in my place?
I was looking at those reptile UV lights from petshops, like Arcadia, ReptiSun etc. are they any good for growing?
I also saw those professional UV grow lights like SolaCure, SolarSystem, Agromax, Migro.. But they're quite expensive and seem too powerful for my needs, and they are too big to fit in the tent, so i would like to get something small and effective.
If i would get a reptile light, what wattage should i get? Should i get a fluorescent T5 or something else? What percentage of UVB/UVA? What exact schedule?
Ideally i would like to hang the UV at the same height as the main light, which is around 18 inches from the canopy (recommended by Mars Hydro) But i might put them in the corners if you think that's better.
I was reading a lot about UV in the past few days, these are some of the things i learned about UV usage, please correct me if i'm wrong about any of this:
- I need UVB (280-315 nm) to kill mold/mildew and also increase THC
- UVA alone won't do much except only increasing the flavor and aroma (mold and THC not affected)
- I need both UVB and UVA in conjunction for full effect
- UV has to be turned on in the middle of the main light schedule to replicate peak noon, increasing the schedule each week
- The spectrum will not interfere with flowering/vegetation stages (?)
- It shouldn't burn the tent, fabric pots, trays, fans, cables etc. it would only bleach it (?)
- The aluminum reflector on TSL2000 will reflect UV and won't cause issues (?)
And before you ask why would i even use UV in the first place (i'm a noob, first time grower, complicating things, don't need UV to grow etc.)
I have terrible allergies and health issues from mold. Even inhaling a tiny bit of mold causes inflammation and pain in my lungs for weeks. I want to do everything possible to prevent any mold or mildew. Especially since i live in a humid and moldy region, and i might have trouble with humidity, i want to have a complete arsenal ready to prevent mold. There was lots of mold in my house and there are still places where mold keeps coming, so surely spores will travel into the tent. And also more THC from UV is a big bonus, so i only see it as a win-win situation.
I'm investing a lot of money for my growing project, it's very important for me as a medicine and recreational use. But unfortunately i can't vent the air outside yet, so i'll have to recycle the air while occasionally opening the window. That's a big risk of mold right there, so i don't mind paying a bit more for UV.
Just to show how much i'm into this, i'll have an AC unit to control the temperature and lower some humidity, i'll have a big room dehumidifier to remove the major moisture, and also i'll get an extra small dehumidifier inside the tent just in case for the late flowering stage. I will also have an ozone-free air purifier in the room, and i'll even use a germicidal UVC lamp in the whole room before starting my grow (won't use during the grow, this lamp will create ozone)
I know you're probably laughing your ass off at me lol.. I know i sound like that guy who brings 30 backpacks to a camping trip and 50 pairs of underwear only for the weekend, and maybe i'm wasting money being a noob.. But i plan to grow forever, i've been smoking for more than 10 years and this will be my life-long hobby for sure. None of this equipment will go to waste, i was going to use all this anyway regardless of growing, to make a better environment in the house. But the UV grow light is my last missing piece. And also i'm aware of the safety precautions, i will have UV glasses and protect my hands as well. I will even turn off the UV anytime i need to open the tent.
That's all, thanks for reading and sorry for the long post, just wanted to make things clear and justify my needs. Hopefully someone can help me with picking the right light.
P.S - I did read about UV on this forum, but it's kinda hard to catch up on everything. I still can't figure the type of bulb, wattage, hanging height, schedule etc.
I'm looking for a recommendation for an UV light to use in a 2x4x6 tent with Mars Hydro TSL2000. What would you use in my place?
I was looking at those reptile UV lights from petshops, like Arcadia, ReptiSun etc. are they any good for growing?
I also saw those professional UV grow lights like SolaCure, SolarSystem, Agromax, Migro.. But they're quite expensive and seem too powerful for my needs, and they are too big to fit in the tent, so i would like to get something small and effective.
If i would get a reptile light, what wattage should i get? Should i get a fluorescent T5 or something else? What percentage of UVB/UVA? What exact schedule?
Ideally i would like to hang the UV at the same height as the main light, which is around 18 inches from the canopy (recommended by Mars Hydro) But i might put them in the corners if you think that's better.
I was reading a lot about UV in the past few days, these are some of the things i learned about UV usage, please correct me if i'm wrong about any of this:
- I need UVB (280-315 nm) to kill mold/mildew and also increase THC
- UVA alone won't do much except only increasing the flavor and aroma (mold and THC not affected)
- I need both UVB and UVA in conjunction for full effect
- UV has to be turned on in the middle of the main light schedule to replicate peak noon, increasing the schedule each week
- The spectrum will not interfere with flowering/vegetation stages (?)
- It shouldn't burn the tent, fabric pots, trays, fans, cables etc. it would only bleach it (?)
- The aluminum reflector on TSL2000 will reflect UV and won't cause issues (?)
And before you ask why would i even use UV in the first place (i'm a noob, first time grower, complicating things, don't need UV to grow etc.)
I have terrible allergies and health issues from mold. Even inhaling a tiny bit of mold causes inflammation and pain in my lungs for weeks. I want to do everything possible to prevent any mold or mildew. Especially since i live in a humid and moldy region, and i might have trouble with humidity, i want to have a complete arsenal ready to prevent mold. There was lots of mold in my house and there are still places where mold keeps coming, so surely spores will travel into the tent. And also more THC from UV is a big bonus, so i only see it as a win-win situation.
I'm investing a lot of money for my growing project, it's very important for me as a medicine and recreational use. But unfortunately i can't vent the air outside yet, so i'll have to recycle the air while occasionally opening the window. That's a big risk of mold right there, so i don't mind paying a bit more for UV.
Just to show how much i'm into this, i'll have an AC unit to control the temperature and lower some humidity, i'll have a big room dehumidifier to remove the major moisture, and also i'll get an extra small dehumidifier inside the tent just in case for the late flowering stage. I will also have an ozone-free air purifier in the room, and i'll even use a germicidal UVC lamp in the whole room before starting my grow (won't use during the grow, this lamp will create ozone)
I know you're probably laughing your ass off at me lol.. I know i sound like that guy who brings 30 backpacks to a camping trip and 50 pairs of underwear only for the weekend, and maybe i'm wasting money being a noob.. But i plan to grow forever, i've been smoking for more than 10 years and this will be my life-long hobby for sure. None of this equipment will go to waste, i was going to use all this anyway regardless of growing, to make a better environment in the house. But the UV grow light is my last missing piece. And also i'm aware of the safety precautions, i will have UV glasses and protect my hands as well. I will even turn off the UV anytime i need to open the tent.
That's all, thanks for reading and sorry for the long post, just wanted to make things clear and justify my needs. Hopefully someone can help me with picking the right light.
P.S - I did read about UV on this forum, but it's kinda hard to catch up on everything. I still can't figure the type of bulb, wattage, hanging height, schedule etc.
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