UVB in an indoor grow.

snyder007

snyder007

Well-Known Member
I have read that introducing UVB in and indoor grow produces higher levels of potency in your buds. My question is, when is the best time to introduce UVB and what products would you recommend? I have 4, 2 foot, 17 watt flouro strips and 8 CFL sockets to potentially work with. I am leaning towards picking up 2 of the highest wattage UVB CFL's possible from any one of the local pet stores. Anyone have any other ideas? Any comments are welcome here!
 
Young Macdonald

Young Macdonald

Well-Known Member
I use 2 foot long reptile uvb during the last half of flowering. No point using it the first half imo since the trichomes and potency happens mostly in the later stages of flowering.
 
re3f@mac.com

[email protected]

Well-Known Member
i was planning on picking one of these up an setting it on a 6 hour during flowering, or possibly the whole time. it wouldnt hurt to give it a try, ill have to see when the time comes just like you.
 
snyder007

snyder007

Well-Known Member
Young Macdonald said:
I use 2 foot long reptile uvb during the last half of flowering. No point using it the first half imo since the trichomes and potency happens mostly in the later stages of flowering.
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How many do you use? Do you have any comparable information? Have you done a grow without UVB grow and one with and seen any appreciable difference? Has anyone done this besides Young?
 
zigzag24

zigzag24

Active Member
I have also heard a great deal of theory about UV light improving thc potency, but yet to hear anyone endorse it through actual experience. I would like to hear someone claim it improved the the potency of their grow first hand!

Will prob try it anyway..lol
 
snyder007

snyder007

Well-Known Member
I am going to be buying 2 of the 26 watt 10.0 UVB lights today. I plan on putting them in at first sign of trichome production. One on the left, the other on the right. If you watch my grow journal in my signature I will be sure to keep everyone updated as things progress.
 
Young Macdonald

Young Macdonald

Well-Known Member
Yes i do believe it makes a difference. If i were to take a wild estimate, i would say it has the ability to add 3-10 grams a plant if used with a hps. The sun puts out a great amount of uva and uvb rays. Ever wondered why outdoor bud is so much bigger and fatter? Now no man made light has the power to mimic the sun but uvb lights do help cover some of it. Just make sure you turn it off when in the grow room or under it..Too much uvb can cause skin cancer. cheers -young
 
snyder007

snyder007

Well-Known Member
UVB isn't supposed to make buds bigger. Its supposed to help enhance the process of converting the chemicals (CBD, CBG, CBN, so on and so forth) inside the trichome to THC. This is a theory as to why bud coming from Mexico and Afghanistan have such high THC content. Those specific area's have very high levels of UV radiation. I do not believe there has been any actual scientific studies done to prove any of this but the idea and concept seems very solid and for 30 dollars its a very small investment if it works.
 
lmn8r

lmn8r

Well-Known Member
I just got one a day ago for my grow which is in the middle of flowering. I'm keeping them on regular 12/12 unless I start to see signs of uv stress.
 
Drr

Drr

Well-Known Member
I think 6-8 hours is optimal I read somewhere..from 9-5 is when the uvb is at its highest, peaking in the middle.. yes it ranges around the world and you can over due it. so easy into it like everything.. Remember it's stressing the plant to do what it's doing..

I can't find the thread.. but I believe it was a younger guy from mexico with a family strain he had for years.. and he said yeah he noticed and it was worth it.. and if you want to find out quicker maybe put it on one side of the grow and observe both sides.. yeah it will be uneven.. but you will know for sure..
 
Drr

Drr

Well-Known Member
another thing here is the fact that you will just hit the plant with strong UVB when it's trying to produce flowers for you. It's never seen anything like that in its life.... the heavy stress might stunt it.. I would put it on just after you get a couple nice flowers.. start 2 hours from a good distance then work it up to 8/10/12 by the last couple weeks.. this way the plant is getting use to it alot more over the time.. I'd say the earlier you put it the more tricomes will be produced in the long run.. the sun doesn't suplement it out when the plant is vegging.. right??? it's just not as powerful in the early months...
 
Young Macdonald

Young Macdonald

Well-Known Member
Drr said:
another thing here is the fact that you will just hit the plant with strong UVB when it's trying to produce flowers for you. It's never seen anything like that in its life.... the heavy stress might stunt it.. I would put it on just after you get a couple nice flowers.. start 2 hours from a good distance then work it up to 8/10/12 by the last couple weeks.. this way the plant is getting use to it alot more over the time.. I'd say the earlier you put it the more tricomes will be produced in the long run.. the sun doesn't suplement it out when the plant is vegging.. right??? it's just not as powerful in the early months...
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exactly what i was trying to say. There is no point introducing it with 12 12 early on since your plant is focusing its energy on flowering and growing and not necessarily trichomb/thc production. introduce the uvb for about 8 hours starting when the top buds are about as big as a dime in width and increase it 2 hours every 3 days or so until your even with the 12/12.
 
tahoe58

tahoe58

Well-Known Member
there has been a good review of the existing science and related discussion - might be worth a look. The effect of ultraviolet radiation on the accumulation of medicinal compounds in plants Fitoterapia, Volume 80, Issue 4, June 2009, Pages 207-218 Wen Jing Zhang, Lars Olof Björn
 
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