How Important Is UVB Light?

[Guest]

well i just finished a batch of kali-mist with metal halide..definitely more crystals..will let you know if its better..the yield is crap compared to my hps horticulture bulb thats for sure...half the size buds and i was running a 1000 watt mh and the 600 blew it away in yield thats why i just dropped the metal halide..but its hard for me to imagine it being better than it has already been

 

[Guest]

everthing you could possibly want to know about light and your plants..or maybee im just stonned...well not maybee i am
Growing Marijuana Under Lights

Types of Lights for Cannabis Growing - Different Marijuana Lighting Sources
Light for Plants

Without light, plants cannot grow. In the countries in which marijuana grows best, the sun is the source of light. The amount of light and the length of the growing season in these countries results in huge tree-like plants. In most parts of North America, however, the sun is not generally intense enough for long enough periods of time to produce the same size and quality of plants that grow with ease in Latin America and other tropical countries.

Sunshine is most intense at the equator where it is closest to the earth. Some of the largest, resin-coated buds in the world grow beneath this blazing sun. So what’s this got to do with indoor growing? Plenty. Light is one of the most basic needs of all plants and the most often mismanaged.

Even the most experienced growers forget about the basic needs of a plant, especially light.

The answer to the problem of lack of sun, especially in the winter months, shortness of the growing season, and other problems is to grow indoor under simulated conditions. The rule of thumb seems to be the more light, the better.

The common incandescent light bulb emits some of the frequencies of light the plant can use, but it also emits a high percentage of far red and infra-red light which cause the plant to concentrate its growth on the stem. This results in the plant stretching toward the light bulb until it becomes so tall and spindly that it just weakly topples over.

There are several brands of bulb type. One is the incandescent plant spot light which emits higher amounts of red and blue light than the common light bulb. It is an improvement, but has it drawbacks. it is hot, for example, and cannot be placed close to the plants.

Consequently, the plant has to stretch upwards again and is in danger of becoming elongated and falling over. The red bands of light seem to encourage stem growth which is not desirable in growing marijuana. The idea is to encourage foliage growth for obvious reasons.

Flourescent light tubes range in size from one to eight feet in length so you can set up a growing area almost anywhere. There are two types of flourescent lights; standard and the wide spectrum. They can be used in conjunction with one another, but the wide spectrum lights are not sufficient on their own. The wide spectrum lights were designed as a supplementary light source and are cheaper than the standard lights.

Wide spectrum lights emit the same bands of light as the standard but the standard emit higher concentrations of red and blue bands that the plants need to grow.

The wide spectrum lights also emit infra-red, the effect of which on stem growth we have already discussed. If you are planning to grow on a large scale, you might be interested to know that the regular flourescent lamps and fixtures, the type that are used in commercial lighting, work well when used along with the grow lights.

These commercial lights are called cool whites, and are the cheapest of the flourescent lights we have mentioned. They emit as much blue light as the standard grow lights and the blue light is what the plants use in foliage growth.

Intensity

Now we come to the question of intensity. Both the standard and wide spectrum lamps come in three intensities: regular output, high output, and very high output. You can grow a crop of plants under the regular output lamps. The difference in using the HO or VHO lamps is the time it takes to grow a crop.

Under a VHO lamp, the plants grow at a rate that is about three times the rate at which they grow under the standard lamps. People have been known to get a plant that is four feet tall in two months under one of these lights.

Under the VHO lights, one may have to raise the lights every day which means a growth rate of ate least two inches a day. The only drawback is the expense of the VHO lamps and fixtures. The VHO lamps and fixtures are almost twice the price of the standard.

Now that you have your lights up, you might be curious about the amount of light to give you plants per day. The maturation date of your plants is dependent on how much light they receive per day. The longer the dark period per day, the sooner the plant will bloom. Generally speaking, the less dark per day the better during the first six months of the plant's life.

If your plants receive 12 hours of light per day they will probably mature in 2 to 2.5 months. If they get 16 hours of light per day they will probably be blooming in 3.5 to 4 months. With 18 hours of light per day, they will flower in 4.5 to 5 months. Its a good idea to put your lights on a timer to ensure that the amount of light received each day remains constant.

Energy Emissions In Arbitrary Color Bands
40 Watt Flourescent Lamps
In Watts and Percent of Total Emissions
Daylight Cool White Gro-Lux GroLux WS
Light Type Band Watts % Watts % Watts % Watts %
Ultra-Violet -380 0.186 2.15 0.16 1.68 0.10 1.42 0.27 3.16
Violet 380-430 0.832 9.60 0.72 7.57 0.70 9.67 1.07 12.48
Blue 430-490 2.418 27.91 1.98 20.78 1.96 27.07 1.22 14.29
Green 490-560 2.372 27.38 2.35 24.67 1.02 14.02 1.24 14.49
Yellow 560-590 1.259 14.53 1.74 18.27 0.10 1.42 0.83 9.77
Orange 590-630 1.144 13.21 1.69 17.75 0.44 6.05 1.36 15.93
Red 630-700 0.452 6.22 0.81 8.47 2.86 39.55 1.86 21.78
Far Red 700-780 0.130 1.53 0.07 0.81 0.06 0.80 0.69 8.10
Total 8.890 100.0 9.52 100.0 7.24 100.0 8.54 100.0

Grow Light Guide

Horticultural lighting systems allow you to extend the growing season by providing your plants with an indoor equivalent to sunlight. This is a great advantage for those of you who appreciate having a year-round supply of fresh flowers, veggies and herbs. Artificial lighting is also a great way to jump-start spring by starting your seedlings months ahead of the last frost. There are three main types of horticultural lighting systems.

In summary, marijuana has a lust for light. HP sodium lamps produce 20% more light than super metal halides. Horizontal reflectors yield up to 40% more light than vertical reflectors. Hammer or pebble specular, anodized aluminum or white are the most reflective surfaces for hoods. Mirror finish is the absolute worst reflective surface for a hood. Hang 400 watt lamps at 18-24” above garden, 600 and 1000 watt lamps, 24-30” above garden. Use a light meter. Grow the strongest, healthiest plants that reach their maximum potential for resin production. Bright light brings big buds.

HID (High Intensity Discharge) Lighting

HID lighting is the most efficient way to convert electricity into light that is available to the consumer. There are two types of HID grow lights used for horticultural lighting:

HID Light Efficiency
Metal Halide - MH

Metal halide bulbs produce an abundance of light in the blue spectrum. This color of light promotes plant growth and is excellent for green leafy growth and keeping plants compact. It is the best type of light to be used as a primary light source (if no or little natural sunlight is available). The average lifespan is about 10,000 cumulative hours. The bulb will light up beyond this time but due to the gradual decline of light, it is not worth your while to wait for the bulb to finally burn out. If you compare their lumen (brightness) per unit of energy consumed, metal halides produce up to 125 lumens per watt compared to 39 lumens per watt with fluorescent lights and 18 lumens per watt for standard incandescent bulbs.

High Pressure Sodium - HPS

High pressure sodium bulbs emit an orange-red glow. This band of light triggers hormones in plants to increase flowering/budding in plants. They are the best lights available for secondary or supplemental lighting (used in conjunction with natural sunlight). This is ideal for greenhouse growing applications.

Not only is this a great flowering light, it has two features that make it a more economical choice. Their average lifespan is twice that of metal halides, but after 18,000 hours of use, they will start to draw more electricity than their rated watts while gradually producing less light. HPS bulbs are very efficient. They produce up to 140 lumens per watt. Their disadvantage is they are deficient in the blue spectrum.

If a gardener were to start a young plant under a HPS bulb, she/he would see impressive vertical growth. In fact, probably too impressive. Most plants would grow up thin and lanky and in no time you will have to prune your plant back before it grows into the light fixture. The exception to this is using a HPS light in a greenhouse. Sunlight is high in the blue spectrum which would offset any stretching caused by HPS bulbs.

Common manufacturers of metal halide and high pressure (HP) sodium lights include Philips, General Electric, Iwasaki, Venture, and Osram/Sylvania. Many of the manufacturers buy and use the same components, often manufactured by competitors. Most often the bulbs have the exact same technical statistics.



Lighting Chart - A guide for wattage per square foot.

HID Light Output Primary Growing Area Supplemental Area
100 watts 2' x 2' 3' x 3'
250 watts 3' x 3' 4' x 4'
400 watts 4' x 4' 6' x 6'
600 watts 6' x 6' 8' x 8'
1000 watts 8' x 8' 12' x 12'

HID Lighting Helpful Tips

Hanging height: Due to the heat that is emitted from these types of fixtures, you should hang them according to size. Smaller wattage systems (100 and 250) should be hung about 2 feet from the tops of the plants. Medium wattage systems (400 and 600) should be hung around 3 feet from the top of the plants. High wattage systems (1000 and up) should be placed at least 4 to 5 feet from the plant tops.

How long should lights run?

This depends on the type of plant. Most plants and vegetables need about 10 to 12 hours of light to promote growth. Plants that produce fruits or flowers will show improvement with up to 16 hours a day of supplemental light.

Fluorescent Lighting

This type of light is perfect for starts and seedlings. They are also popular for growing low-light plants like herbs and African violets. Fluorescent lights are low intensity and need to be placed within 8" (up to 15" for shade loving plants) of the plants to be effective. They are a poor light source for flowering and budding primarily because of their low lumen output.

Incandescent Lighting

These lights are also good for starts and seedlings and provide an inexpensive alternative to HID lights, because they do not require a ballast. These lights are only good for individual plants or small groups of plants because of their low lumen output and limited range.

The Cost to Run a Lighting System

To get the operating cost per hour for a light, take the lights combined wattage, and divide it by 1000 to get the kilowatts used. Then multiply that number by the amount your electric company charges per kilowatt hour. HID lights will use the number of watts it emits per hour, ie; 600w system will use 600 watts per hour (regardless of spectrum).

How the Sunlight Effects Plant Growth

200 - 280 nm UVC ultraviolet range which is extremely harmful to plants because it is highly toxic.
280 - 315 nm Includes harmful UVB ultraviolet light which causes plants colors to fade.
315 - 380 nm Range of UVA ultraviolet light which is neither harmful nor beneficial to plant growth.
380 - 400 nm Start of visible light spectrum. Process of chlorophyll absorption begins. UV protected plastics ideally block out any light below this range.
400 - 520 nm This range includes violet, blue, and green bands. Peak absorption by chlorophyll occurs, and a strong influence on photosynthesis. (promotes vegetative growth)
520 - 610 nm This range includes the green, yellow, and orange bands and has less absorption by pigments.
610 - 720 nm This is the red band. Large amount of absorption by chlorophyll occurs, and most significant influence on photosynthesis. (promotes flowering and budding)
720 - 1000 nm There is little absorption by chlorophyll here. Flowering and germination is influenced. At the high end of the band is infrared, which is heat.
1000+ nm

WHAT TYPE OF GROW LIGHT SHOULD I USE?

Full Spectrum Fluorescents are ideal for starting seeds or cuttings or for low light plants. They are the most energy efficient grow lights available.

Although more efficient than incandescent lights, fluorescents are still much less efficient than High Intensity Discharge (HID) light systems. Larger wattage systems will cover larger areas, and since these bulbs produce greater light intensity they are superior for growing taller plants.

Metal Halide (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) are the most common HID grow lights. MH bulbs emit a blue-white spectrum, which is more conductive for vegetative growth or starting seeds and clones. HPS bulbs are red-orange in the spectrum, which is ideal for the fruiting and flowering stage of a plant’s development.

Marijuana Lighting Tips

Although natural sunlight is the best form of light for growing plants, their life cycle can be controlled more effectively with artificial lighting

The life cycle of the Cannabis plant is determined by the daily photoperiod (hours of light per day).

A young marijuana plant tends to grow faster if it is grown under continuous light for the first two months of it's development.

Although the lamps should be kept as close as possible to the growing leaves, they should never be allowed to touch the plants.

The best light for plant growth emits high intensities of the blue and red bands of the light spectrum.

Fluorescent light is one of the most effective source of artificial light readily available to home growers.

Metal Halide lamps are better than most fluorescents, because they radiate more light in the blue and white bands of the light spectrum.

If your lights are too hot to touch with your hand, they are probably also too hot to be close to the growing leaves of plants.

The amount of light you supply your plants depends on the size of the garden, but at least 20 watts per square foot is recommended.

Although Metal Halide lamps are generally considered a better light source for marijuana growth, they use a lot more electricity than fluorescents..

Under artificial light, a marijuana plant can grow from three to six feet tall in three to four months.

Plants entering the vegetative stage enjoy up to twenty two hours of light per day, while twelve hours or less is required for flowering.

The more light you give your plants, the faster they will grow.

Lamps should be fixed to the roof in such a way that they can easily be raised as the plant grows in height.

The use of reflectors ensures that the light is spread more uniformly around the plants.

To increase the humidity of the air in a small, enclosed garden, place a small bowl of water in the grow room.

Use a fan to cool down your plants if the lights in a small grow room raise the temperature too much.

Plants grown in conditions of varying daily light patterns will not settle into a regular life cycle and will grow poorly.

If there is insufficient light in the grow room, the plants will often grow tall and thin, in search of the light.

Do not "wake up" your plants by switching on the lights if they are in the dark period of their daily light cycle.

Plants grown with a long daily photoperiod, will require more frequent watering than those grown with less light.

Although incandescent, or screw-in light-bulbs are usually not suitable for good growth, they can be used in conjunction with fluorescent tubes.

If the edges of the leaves near the lights and growing tips start curling up, it usually means that they are getting too hot.

A Cannabis plant will grow with as little as six hours of light per day, but requires more than twelve hours per day for good strong growth.

A plant grown with insufficient light may sometimes develop disfigured leaves with only one or two blades per leaf.

Paint the walls, floor and roof of your grow room white for better reflection of light onto your growing plants.

If you have a few plants growing unevenly under one light, you could raise the pots of the smallest plants by placing them on a few bricks.

Although easy to control, the daily light photoperiod is the single most important factor influencing the growth of your plants.

Cannabis plants require less than twelve hours of light per day for at least two weeks before you can expect to see the first signs of flowers appearing.

Never increase the daily light photoperiod to more than twelve hours, once your plants have started flowering.

A marijuana plant grown indoors with lots of light will often grow larger and more potent than a similar plant growing outdoors in natural light.

To increase the amount of light available to the lower branches, you could mount extra fluorescent tubes vertically, onto the walls of your grow room.

 

[jojajico]

everthing you could possibly want to know about light and your plants..or maybee im just stonned...well not maybee i am
Growing Marijuana Under Lights

Types of Lights for Cannabis Growing - Different Marijuana Lighting Sources
Light for Plants

Without light, plants cannot grow. In the countries in which marijuana grows best, the sun is the source of light. The amount of light and the length of the growing season in these countries results in huge tree-like plants. In most parts of North America, however, the sun is not generally intense enough for long enough periods of time to produce the same size and quality of plants that grow with ease in Latin America and other tropical countries.

Sunshine is most intense at the equator where it is closest to the earth. Some of the largest, resin-coated buds in the world grow beneath this blazing sun. So what’s this got to do with indoor growing? Plenty. Light is one of the most basic needs of all plants and the most often mismanaged.

Even the most experienced growers forget about the basic needs of a plant, especially light.

The answer to the problem of lack of sun, especially in the winter months, shortness of the growing season, and other problems is to grow indoor under simulated conditions. The rule of thumb seems to be the more light, the better.

The common incandescent light bulb emits some of the frequencies of light the plant can use, but it also emits a high percentage of far red and infra-red light which cause the plant to concentrate its growth on the stem. This results in the plant stretching toward the light bulb until it becomes so tall and spindly that it just weakly topples over.

There are several brands of bulb type. One is the incandescent plant spot light which emits higher amounts of red and blue light than the common light bulb. It is an improvement, but has it drawbacks. it is hot, for example, and cannot be placed close to the plants.

Consequently, the plant has to stretch upwards again and is in danger of becoming elongated and falling over. The red bands of light seem to encourage stem growth which is not desirable in growing marijuana. The idea is to encourage foliage growth for obvious reasons.

Flourescent light tubes range in size from one to eight feet in length so you can set up a growing area almost anywhere. There are two types of flourescent lights; standard and the wide spectrum. They can be used in conjunction with one another, but the wide spectrum lights are not sufficient on their own. The wide spectrum lights were designed as a supplementary light source and are cheaper than the standard lights.

Wide spectrum lights emit the same bands of light as the standard but the standard emit higher concentrations of red and blue bands that the plants need to grow.

The wide spectrum lights also emit infra-red, the effect of which on stem growth we have already discussed. If you are planning to grow on a large scale, you might be interested to know that the regular flourescent lamps and fixtures, the type that are used in commercial lighting, work well when used along with the grow lights.

These commercial lights are called cool whites, and are the cheapest of the flourescent lights we have mentioned. They emit as much blue light as the standard grow lights and the blue light is what the plants use in foliage growth.

Intensity

Now we come to the question of intensity. Both the standard and wide spectrum lamps come in three intensities: regular output, high output, and very high output. You can grow a crop of plants under the regular output lamps. The difference in using the HO or VHO lamps is the time it takes to grow a crop.

Under a VHO lamp, the plants grow at a rate that is about three times the rate at which they grow under the standard lamps. People have been known to get a plant that is four feet tall in two months under one of these lights.

Under the VHO lights, one may have to raise the lights every day which means a growth rate of ate least two inches a day. The only drawback is the expense of the VHO lamps and fixtures. The VHO lamps and fixtures are almost twice the price of the standard.

Now that you have your lights up, you might be curious about the amount of light to give you plants per day. The maturation date of your plants is dependent on how much light they receive per day. The longer the dark period per day, the sooner the plant will bloom. Generally speaking, the less dark per day the better during the first six months of the plant's life.

If your plants receive 12 hours of light per day they will probably mature in 2 to 2.5 months. If they get 16 hours of light per day they will probably be blooming in 3.5 to 4 months. With 18 hours of light per day, they will flower in 4.5 to 5 months. Its a good idea to put your lights on a timer to ensure that the amount of light received each day remains constant.

Energy Emissions In Arbitrary Color Bands
40 Watt Flourescent Lamps
In Watts and Percent of Total Emissions
Daylight Cool White Gro-Lux GroLux WS
Light Type Band Watts % Watts % Watts % Watts %
Ultra-Violet -380 0.186 2.15 0.16 1.68 0.10 1.42 0.27 3.16
Violet 380-430 0.832 9.60 0.72 7.57 0.70 9.67 1.07 12.48
Blue 430-490 2.418 27.91 1.98 20.78 1.96 27.07 1.22 14.29
Green 490-560 2.372 27.38 2.35 24.67 1.02 14.02 1.24 14.49
Yellow 560-590 1.259 14.53 1.74 18.27 0.10 1.42 0.83 9.77
Orange 590-630 1.144 13.21 1.69 17.75 0.44 6.05 1.36 15.93
Red 630-700 0.452 6.22 0.81 8.47 2.86 39.55 1.86 21.78
Far Red 700-780 0.130 1.53 0.07 0.81 0.06 0.80 0.69 8.10
Total 8.890 100.0 9.52 100.0 7.24 100.0 8.54 100.0

Grow Light Guide

Horticultural lighting systems allow you to extend the growing season by providing your plants with an indoor equivalent to sunlight. This is a great advantage for those of you who appreciate having a year-round supply of fresh flowers, veggies and herbs. Artificial lighting is also a great way to jump-start spring by starting your seedlings months ahead of the last frost. There are three main types of horticultural lighting systems.

In summary, marijuana has a lust for light. HP sodium lamps produce 20% more light than super metal halides. Horizontal reflectors yield up to 40% more light than vertical reflectors. Hammer or pebble specular, anodized aluminum or white are the most reflective surfaces for hoods. Mirror finish is the absolute worst reflective surface for a hood. Hang 400 watt lamps at 18-24” above garden, 600 and 1000 watt lamps, 24-30” above garden. Use a light meter. Grow the strongest, healthiest plants that reach their maximum potential for resin production. Bright light brings big buds.

HID (High Intensity Discharge) Lighting

HID lighting is the most efficient way to convert electricity into light that is available to the consumer. There are two types of HID grow lights used for horticultural lighting:

HID Light Efficiency
Metal Halide - MH

Metal halide bulbs produce an abundance of light in the blue spectrum. This color of light promotes plant growth and is excellent for green leafy growth and keeping plants compact. It is the best type of light to be used as a primary light source (if no or little natural sunlight is available). The average lifespan is about 10,000 cumulative hours. The bulb will light up beyond this time but due to the gradual decline of light, it is not worth your while to wait for the bulb to finally burn out. If you compare their lumen (brightness) per unit of energy consumed, metal halides produce up to 125 lumens per watt compared to 39 lumens per watt with fluorescent lights and 18 lumens per watt for standard incandescent bulbs.

High Pressure Sodium - HPS

High pressure sodium bulbs emit an orange-red glow. This band of light triggers hormones in plants to increase flowering/budding in plants. They are the best lights available for secondary or supplemental lighting (used in conjunction with natural sunlight). This is ideal for greenhouse growing applications.

Not only is this a great flowering light, it has two features that make it a more economical choice. Their average lifespan is twice that of metal halides, but after 18,000 hours of use, they will start to draw more electricity than their rated watts while gradually producing less light. HPS bulbs are very efficient. They produce up to 140 lumens per watt. Their disadvantage is they are deficient in the blue spectrum.

If a gardener were to start a young plant under a HPS bulb, she/he would see impressive vertical growth. In fact, probably too impressive. Most plants would grow up thin and lanky and in no time you will have to prune your plant back before it grows into the light fixture. The exception to this is using a HPS light in a greenhouse. Sunlight is high in the blue spectrum which would offset any stretching caused by HPS bulbs.

Common manufacturers of metal halide and high pressure (HP) sodium lights include Philips, General Electric, Iwasaki, Venture, and Osram/Sylvania. Many of the manufacturers buy and use the same components, often manufactured by competitors. Most often the bulbs have the exact same technical statistics.



Lighting Chart - A guide for wattage per square foot.

HID Light Output Primary Growing Area Supplemental Area
100 watts 2' x 2' 3' x 3'
250 watts 3' x 3' 4' x 4'
400 watts 4' x 4' 6' x 6'
600 watts 6' x 6' 8' x 8'
1000 watts 8' x 8' 12' x 12'

HID Lighting Helpful Tips

Hanging height: Due to the heat that is emitted from these types of fixtures, you should hang them according to size. Smaller wattage systems (100 and 250) should be hung about 2 feet from the tops of the plants. Medium wattage systems (400 and 600) should be hung around 3 feet from the top of the plants. High wattage systems (1000 and up) should be placed at least 4 to 5 feet from the plant tops.

How long should lights run?

This depends on the type of plant. Most plants and vegetables need about 10 to 12 hours of light to promote growth. Plants that produce fruits or flowers will show improvement with up to 16 hours a day of supplemental light.

Fluorescent Lighting

This type of light is perfect for starts and seedlings. They are also popular for growing low-light plants like herbs and African violets. Fluorescent lights are low intensity and need to be placed within 8" (up to 15" for shade loving plants) of the plants to be effective. They are a poor light source for flowering and budding primarily because of their low lumen output.

Incandescent Lighting

These lights are also good for starts and seedlings and provide an inexpensive alternative to HID lights, because they do not require a ballast. These lights are only good for individual plants or small groups of plants because of their low lumen output and limited range.

The Cost to Run a Lighting System

To get the operating cost per hour for a light, take the lights combined wattage, and divide it by 1000 to get the kilowatts used. Then multiply that number by the amount your electric company charges per kilowatt hour. HID lights will use the number of watts it emits per hour, ie; 600w system will use 600 watts per hour (regardless of spectrum).

How the Sunlight Effects Plant Growth

200 - 280 nm UVC ultraviolet range which is extremely harmful to plants because it is highly toxic.
280 - 315 nm Includes harmful UVB ultraviolet light which causes plants colors to fade.
315 - 380 nm Range of UVA ultraviolet light which is neither harmful nor beneficial to plant growth.
380 - 400 nm Start of visible light spectrum. Process of chlorophyll absorption begins. UV protected plastics ideally block out any light below this range.
400 - 520 nm This range includes violet, blue, and green bands. Peak absorption by chlorophyll occurs, and a strong influence on photosynthesis. (promotes vegetative growth)
520 - 610 nm This range includes the green, yellow, and orange bands and has less absorption by pigments.
610 - 720 nm This is the red band. Large amount of absorption by chlorophyll occurs, and most significant influence on photosynthesis. (promotes flowering and budding)
720 - 1000 nm There is little absorption by chlorophyll here. Flowering and germination is influenced. At the high end of the band is infrared, which is heat.
1000+ nm

WHAT TYPE OF GROW LIGHT SHOULD I USE?

Full Spectrum Fluorescents are ideal for starting seeds or cuttings or for low light plants. They are the most energy efficient grow lights available.

Although more efficient than incandescent lights, fluorescents are still much less efficient than High Intensity Discharge (HID) light systems. Larger wattage systems will cover larger areas, and since these bulbs produce greater light intensity they are superior for growing taller plants.

Metal Halide (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) are the most common HID grow lights. MH bulbs emit a blue-white spectrum, which is more conductive for vegetative growth or starting seeds and clones. HPS bulbs are red-orange in the spectrum, which is ideal for the fruiting and flowering stage of a plant’s development.

Marijuana Lighting Tips

Although natural sunlight is the best form of light for growing plants, their life cycle can be controlled more effectively with artificial lighting

The life cycle of the Cannabis plant is determined by the daily photoperiod (hours of light per day).

A young marijuana plant tends to grow faster if it is grown under continuous light for the first two months of it's development.

Although the lamps should be kept as close as possible to the growing leaves, they should never be allowed to touch the plants.

The best light for plant growth emits high intensities of the blue and red bands of the light spectrum.

Fluorescent light is one of the most effective source of artificial light readily available to home growers.

Metal Halide lamps are better than most fluorescents, because they radiate more light in the blue and white bands of the light spectrum.

If your lights are too hot to touch with your hand, they are probably also too hot to be close to the growing leaves of plants.

The amount of light you supply your plants depends on the size of the garden, but at least 20 watts per square foot is recommended.

Although Metal Halide lamps are generally considered a better light source for marijuana growth, they use a lot more electricity than fluorescents..

Under artificial light, a marijuana plant can grow from three to six feet tall in three to four months.

Plants entering the vegetative stage enjoy up to twenty two hours of light per day, while twelve hours or less is required for flowering.

The more light you give your plants, the faster they will grow.

Lamps should be fixed to the roof in such a way that they can easily be raised as the plant grows in height.

The use of reflectors ensures that the light is spread more uniformly around the plants.

To increase the humidity of the air in a small, enclosed garden, place a small bowl of water in the grow room.

Use a fan to cool down your plants if the lights in a small grow room raise the temperature too much.

Plants grown in conditions of varying daily light patterns will not settle into a regular life cycle and will grow poorly.

If there is insufficient light in the grow room, the plants will often grow tall and thin, in search of the light.

Do not "wake up" your plants by switching on the lights if they are in the dark period of their daily light cycle.

Plants grown with a long daily photoperiod, will require more frequent watering than those grown with less light.

Although incandescent, or screw-in light-bulbs are usually not suitable for good growth, they can be used in conjunction with fluorescent tubes.

If the edges of the leaves near the lights and growing tips start curling up, it usually means that they are getting too hot.

A Cannabis plant will grow with as little as six hours of light per day, but requires more than twelve hours per day for good strong growth.

A plant grown with insufficient light may sometimes develop disfigured leaves with only one or two blades per leaf.

Paint the walls, floor and roof of your grow room white for better reflection of light onto your growing plants.

If you have a few plants growing unevenly under one light, you could raise the pots of the smallest plants by placing them on a few bricks.

Although easy to control, the daily light photoperiod is the single most important factor influencing the growth of your plants.

Cannabis plants require less than twelve hours of light per day for at least two weeks before you can expect to see the first signs of flowers appearing.

Never increase the daily light photoperiod to more than twelve hours, once your plants have started flowering.

A marijuana plant grown indoors with lots of light will often grow larger and more potent than a similar plant growing outdoors in natural light.

To increase the amount of light available to the lower branches, you could mount extra fluorescent tubes vertically, onto the walls of your grow room.

great post thanks alot.

 

[Verite]

Gawd theres enough dookie floating in this thread to sink a toilet.

-- Dont think MH has decent amounts of UVb? Go buy a new 1000w, take your shirt off and sit under it for about 2-3 hours then come back in 24hrs to let us know how little UVb you think it has.

-- UVb has been available in extreme doses since day one of mankind from the sun and its no more a death sentence to all living life than is jaywalking in your driveway. Humans use sunblock to counter UVb and surprise surprise guess what?? MJ plants use resin and trichomes loaded with THC to protect itself from UVb.

-- So is jesus going to come to dinner to let you know that higher levels of UVb make for more potent pot? Probably not. Should you be able to logically deduce this from a reasonable amount of facts already known? Probably so.

 

[jojajico]

Gawd theres enough dookie floating in this thread to sink a toilet.

-- Dont think MH has decent amounts of UVb? Go buy a new 1000w, take your shirt off and sit under it for about 2-3 hours then come back in 24hrs to let us know how little UVb you think it has.

-- UVb has been available in extreme doses since day one of mankind from the sun and its no more a death sentence to all living life than is jaywalking in your driveway. Humans use sunblock to counter UVb and surprise surprise guess what?? MJ plants use resin and trichomes loaded with THC to protect itself from UVb.

-- So is jesus going to come to dinner to let you know that higher levels of UVb make for more potent pot? Probably not. Should you be able to logically deduce this from a reasonable amount of facts already known? Probably so.

well considering that a lab study was done and showed that simply adding UV light does not increase resin theni geuss isnt that simple.... u can deduce and synthesize but reality does not always support your theroy.

lol did u equate sunblock to trichomes lol. guess cavemen were slathering on sp35 huh? lol

 

[Rosy Cheeks]

I guess it depends on from who and where you get your MH Verite. If it's straight import from China then perhaps it does not live up to security standards in your country. Nobody said MH:s don't produce UV-B, read the fine print.
You said the skin goes red after 2-3 hours of UV exposure, still you don't seem to concider that particularly alarming. I'm not going to hold a sermon for you, here's a teaser on UV and skin cancer, saves me the effort of typing it out:
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/skincancer/facts.htm
But risks are always relative, and statistics are like socks, you can turn them in or out, anyway you like it.
As to the UV-B theory, it sounds plausible, as some other theories, nobody ruled it out. There's just a nuance between knowing and believing. If there was a direct correlation between UV-B and THC production then your non-coated MH bulb should produce more potent pot than with an HPS of the same wattage in the same grow set-up. All you have to do is a well documented side by side grow, then send samples in for a Gas Chromatography to test THC levels (alternatively distribute samples among sceptics), and you've got the answer.

 

[Verite]

Some need absolute proof before they'll do anything and some only need experience. I have grown for 25 years and used both bulbs. In that same time the HPS bulb hasnt changed one bit [minus the agro-sun with its illusion of blue] and MH have gone lots of places. If I was in it for the money I would probably have stayed with hps but Im in it for the stone and genetics and switching over wasnt exactly cheap either.

Side by side grows? Gas Chromo tests? Sending out samples? To do what? Prove to you theres actually an alternate method to grow that does indeed grow a different kind of plant with a different kind of stone thats described by most who try it as stronger? Seems logical deduction has proved a lot of points in this thread.

 

[screwdriver]

Doing searches here and there on this subect I've concluded that there's atleast a difference between the bud.
So, I would like to add an UV light to my little area. I don't know how much to add. If that is even a correct statement. I mean there are different size bulbs. What size would you choose? Anyway, all I got that I would use is a 12" bulb that is a RPR-3000A.
I don't know the "wattage"? I just know it puts out at 300nm. Seems like the right type of bulb.
I also know that I tried to use the with the photochemical finger nail polish (not on my fingers) and it never got real hard. Maybe the polish was bad? Maybe the bulb degrades after use?
For those who use this UV light. What size bulb or more details on output of your UV light and light setup would be helpful.

Another UV light we have is one from a beauty supply for finger nails. Fairly inexpensive. I believe this light is the right part of the spectrum. Are these cheap lights going to enhance my grow? Could it be this simple?

I'm motivated to do it right now.

Oh yeah, How long should they be on for and when to start? I'm in early flower.
Thanks

 

[TacheonBud]

My understanding is that a mercury vapor lamp will emit significant levels of UVB light. The spectrum is not overly beneficial for plant growth otherwise, and these bulbs are not the most energy efficient. I would stick with the reptile CFL's listed above. It wouldn't be a bad idea to turn the uvb light source off before spending any significant time in the garden though.

 

[Rosy Cheeks]

Some need absolute proof before they'll do anything and some only need experience. I have grown for 25 years and used both bulbs. In that same time the HPS bulb hasnt changed one bit [minus the agro-sun with its illusion of blue] and MH have gone lots of places. If I was in it for the money I would probably have stayed with hps but Im in it for the stone and genetics and switching over wasnt exactly cheap either.

Side by side grows? Gas Chromo tests? Sending out samples? To do what? Prove to you theres actually an alternate method to grow that does indeed grow a different kind of plant with a different kind of stone thats described by most who try it as stronger? Seems logical deduction has proved a lot of points in this thread.

That's great Verite, and respect to you for the knowledge you've accumulated during the years. I grew my first C-plant in 89, which gives me a less impressive Curriculum Vitae than yours. To tell you the truth though, I have only played around with HID lighting in the last decade or so, when they became adaptable to small-scale indoor growing. I've more or less grown with all types of light; fluorescents, envirolites, Metal Halides, High Pressure Sodiums, I've even tried to grow with 1500w Xenon bulbs.

I don't think there's any point in hijacking this thread for another HPS vs MH debate, there's got to be at least a dozen of them threads in the IC archives. Let's just say that I'm okay with what you say about MH (more blue light) growing different phenotypes and bud structures than HPS (more red light). I also think you need to add time as a factor with more blue light, because when I've given the same flowering time to strains under MH and HPS light, it resulted in quite different types of high, the MH begging for more time. Would I say stronger, more potent? No, but it's all fairly subjective how you experence a high. Basically, only a Gas Chromatography test can settle it in terms of THC ratios.

Then, even if a Gas Chromatography test would show that your MH grown bud is more potent (of which I've personally seen no proof of yet), you still have to try different levels of UV-B in order to establish that it actually affects potency (of which I've seen no convincing proof either).

Jojajico brought up a valid point when he said that the smaller, denser MH nug could be perceived as more potent simply because it is more concentrated. I hope you agree with me if I say that lesser yielding plants often equals better high. Not necessarily, but often. I readily admit that the increase in flower production from red light does not necessarily mean increase in resin production. In short, HPS light grows bigger flowers than MH light, but not better.

 

[Guest]

Most important is getting that minimum 50 watts sq ft to flower with no matter which HID you choose IMO

 

[Verite]

Your right.. its a matter of taste.. vanilla vs chocolate type thing. My yields could be higher with hps and my fav MH bulbs are $125 a piece for half the lifespan of hps bulbs, so the commitment is costly over time. If I had to do it all over again I still would have tried out hps just to see what else it had to offer. My goal has always been to try and even out the difference between indoor and outdoor potency and Im fairly convinced most of it has to do with the spectrum of light.

Considering the technology is 'getting old' by current standards this is what I thought was going to be the next big wave in grow lights. Who knows it still might if they can work out the kinks and tweek the gas doping in the 'bulb' to specific grow spectrums. How cool would that be? Pull out one glass bulb and put in a 'flower' version into the same ballast.

Intro to the Sulfur Lamp.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur_lamp

btw since a mercury vapor bulb will run just fine on the same wattage MH ballast I have tried that lamp out in a UVb test and it doesnt work too well. The leaves get really dark on the verge of black then they get mottled looking like they have a ph issue. I believe its because the MV spectrum is really narrow kinda like a LPS.

 

[Guest]

Notice the Mercury Vapor lamps are less efficient than the fluorescent (FL), and can not be positioned as close to the plants, so the plants will not be able to use as much of the MV light. The light distribution is not as good either. MV lamps simply are not suitable for indoor gardening. Use flourecent, MH, or HPS lamps only. Halogen arc lamps generate too much heat and not very much light for the wattage they use, and are also not recommened, even though the light spectrum is suitable for decent growth.

 

[Guest]

There has been quite a bit of publicity lately about a new technology
in lighting - the sulfur lamp. While lighting is not normally thought
of as high tech, you may change your mind after reading these articles.

This document contains a collection of articles and discussions on various
aspects of sulfur lamp technology.

Microwave energy similar in power and wavelength to what your microwave oven
uses (microwave oven parts may actually be used in some implementations)
excite sulfur in an argon filled bulb (other gasses may also be used and
affect the spectral distribution). The small bulb must spin as well as being
forced air cooled to prevent an instant melt-down. The spectra is not quite
like daylight but is broad-spectrum - more polychromatic than most other
non-incandescent technologies. In the current implementation, the bulbs are
very small (golf ball size or less) but are used to illuminate the inside of a
long light pipe which is actually used to distribute and diffuse the light.

The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum apparently has installed 3 of these
to replace over 100 high pressure discharge lamps with a resulting brighter
more natural illumination and reduced energy. They kind of look like overgrown
fluorescent bulbs - a substantial fraction of the length of the exhibit hall.
The sulfur lamps and microwave exciters are at each end.

Unfortunately, it is not clear how well this technology will scale down
to residential use. The excitation requires a microwave generator - magnetron
like in your microwave oven. At the present time, the bulbs need to be
rotated continuously to distribute the sulfur/Ar mixture so there is also
a motor involved. Hopefully, these problems can be overcome economically.

An interesting technology. Stay tuned.


**************** ROB'S DETAILED NOTES ON THE SULFUR LAMP ****************

(From: [email protected] (Rob Penney))

Introduction:
------------

These notes are somewhat out of date at this time (1996), but cover the
fundamentals and include contacts for updated information. I hope this
helps. Anyone west of the Mississippi would like us to research this
further (the latest articles, papers, proceedings, info from manufacturer
and researchers), contact me at the address below and I can do this as part
of a contract with BPA and WAPA to support energy conservation for utilities
and their customers.

Nutshell:
--------

Exciting sulfur and quartz with microwaves creates great amounts of light
with similar properties to sunlight but without the ultraviolet component.

The light is distributed though light pipe for hundreds of feet, replacing
hundreds of conventional fixtures. A smaller version may be installed in a
torch-type indirect lighting system. The lamp itself may last indefinitely,
and the microwave generator may need occasional replacement parts. Lumen
depreciation is negligible, and CRI will remain fairly constant.

Construction:
------------

Sulfur lamps consist of a golf-ball-sized sphere filled with sulfur, quartz,
and argon. It is energized by a 5900-watt magnetron similar to that on a
kitchen microwave oven. The spherical lamp is constantly rotated at about
600 rpm on a glass spindle surrounded by a jet of compressed air. If the
lamp were ever to stop rotating, it would melt within two seconds. The
technology is quite similar to a UV light source that Fusion Systems has
been selling to chip manufacturers and printers for 15 years. Fusion is
planning to release more efficient, smaller models by early 1996, roughly
1000 watts and 140,000 lumens. Lawrence Berkeley Labs is working on a
75-watt version of this for interior lighting. They are also working on
making the magnetron smaller by using more solid state electronics. The
smaller models will not use cooling air and would spin about 1000 rpm. The
technology has the environmental advantage of using no mercury.

The light emitted is reflected by a parabolic reflector into a 10" light
pipe made of acrylic, prismatic film. This pipe is almost opaque on top.

The bottom is made of many parallel, curved, reflective grates which catch
some of the light and reflect in down and out to the sides. The ration of
how much light goes down and how much out to the sides can be varied to meet
design needs. How much light goes out altogether varies along the length,
with more allowed to pass through farther from the light source and less
near the light source, to create more uniform luminance along the length.

The light pipe would therefore need to be purchased in sections, each with
specific characteristics. A mirror at the far end of the pipe reflects back
any light traveling that far. Smaller models may not use light pipe, either
using a more standard fixture or possibly fiber optics. One such
application being considered is to install the light on a 7' tall pedestal
in an office cubicle area creating a powerful indirect lighting system.

Light output:
------------

It emits 450,000 lumens, 310,000 of which are reflected into the light pipe.

The spectrum is closer to visible light than most conventional lighting
sources. The chemistry of the lamp can be varied somewhat to adjust the
exact light spectrum. Light output of lower wattage versions would be less.

Health effects:
--------------

There is a greatly reduced component of damaging ultraviolet light.

Efficacy:
--------

The efficacy of the lamp itself is 450,000/5900 = 76 l/w. If you consider
the lamp reflector as part of the lamp, the efficacy drops to 310,000/ 5900
watts, so 53 lumens per watt. The light pipe is roughly 60 percent
efficient, so the efficacy of the whole fixture is 31 lumens per watt. That
would be reduced further if the system gets dirty or is not properly
maintained. This does not compare well with other light sources which have
efficacies up to 180 lumens per watt, although the CRI of the sulfur lamp is
greatly superior to such other lamps. Looking at fixture efficiency, this
would be 0.7 (reflector) times 0.6 (light pipe), producing a fixture
efficiency of 0.42. This matches very closely that measured by LBL.

Fusion hopes in increase lamp efficiency considerably.

Life expectancy:
---------------

The sulfur lighting system is currently rated to last 10-20,000 hours, but
this is a rough estimate. Because the components in the lamp do not
chemically react and it has no electrodes, the life of the lamp itself
should be quite long. What would probably fail is an electrical component
of the magnetron.

Electrical/mechanical maintenance:
---------------------------------

Because one sulfur lighting system can replace several hundred conventional
light fixtures, maintenance can be greatly reduced. In an area with an
inaccessibly ceiling, this can be an attractive feature. The light pipe
itself needs to be cleaned periodically, probably with something on the end
of a long stick. The electronic components in the magnetron will eventually
need replacing, but that can all be located in a easily accessible spot.

Lumen maintenance:
-----------------

Again, because the components in the lamp do not chemically react, light
output and quality should remain unchanged. However, if the light pipe is
not kept clean, the effective light output will suffer.

Other performance issues:
------------------------

Many of those who witnessed the first installation of a light pipe system
were distracted and surprised by the noise of it. This was primarily due to
the cooling system, probably an air compressor which are notoriously noisy.
Using a single source, a large area could lose lighting if the light source
failed. Systems should therefore be designed with redundant light sources
with automatic backup.

Availability:
------------

Products were expected to be available at the end of 1995. Cost estimates
are unknown, but the system installed at DOE headquarters was reported to
cost one-third that of the mercury vapor system it replaced.

Expert resources:
----------------

The folks most on top of this new technology are with the manufacturer (Kirk
Winkler at Fusion Lighting 301/251-0300) and with Lawrence Berkeley Labs
(start with Francis Rubinstein 510/486-4096, [email protected]). LBL is
doing a lot of research for DOE on applications for this new technology.

Manufacturers:
-------------

Fusion Lighting, Inc., of Rockville, MD, a privately-help spin-off of
Fusion Systems Corp., makes the fusion lamp. 301/251-0300. Kirk Winkler,
x5553. A.L. Whitehead of Vancouver, BC, makes the light pipe.


**************** ITEMS OF INTEREST ****************

This is the only slightly edited transcript of an email discussion between
Sam (>) and Don. (From: Don Klipstein ([email protected])).

> When will we see household sulfur lamps?:

My answer is, not any time soon. Consider the electricity cost of
operating compact fluorescent lamps a few hours a day, and maybe the cost
of the bulbs. How much would you invest up front to cut the electricity
costs by 50 to 60 percent? The return should exceed that of competing
investment opportunities.

There are quite a few minor technical hurdles. The sulfur lamps in use
now are 5.6 KW (or is that 5.9 KW?) units of golf ball size. The Fusion
Lighting Co. (unsure of exact name) is working on 1 KW units. I am guessing
that using a xenon-sulfur mix instead of an argon-sulfur mix might reduce
heat conduction enough to reduce the bulb's diameter by (optimistically) a
half to two-thirds. This would would reduce the power to around 100-200
watts. If you blow a jet of air at the bulb to cool it further, they might
be scalable down to the point that power input is only a few times the heat
conduction loss. I am guessing 30 to 50 watts, as a number out of a hat.

Sulfur bulbs also have a quirk having to do with convection. The 5.6
KW bulbs must be kept rotating. Otherwise, a major hot spot will develop
at the top of the bulb, destroying it in something like 1 or 2 seconds.
Use of xenon instead of argon does not help this much. On a smaller
scale, convection MIGHT not be as bad, but I suspect the lamp will still
need a motor.

Another hurdle is getting 50 watts of microwaves into a target the size
of a pea. I doubt this can easily be done at the 2.4 GHz or so frequency
of microwave ovens. One would need a much higher frequency probably well
over 10 GHz. And the microwave source must still be economical,
efficient, and reliable. And all of this must be done in a manner
satisfactory to the FCC. I don't know if there are any bands in the
10-30 GHz range where such microwave use is permitted. Of course, the
regulations can be changed if the need is great enough.

Since xenon does not ionize as easily as argon, an auxiliary means of
"igniting" the bulb might be necessary. This might be some sort of Tesla
coil, flyback transformer, or trigger coil type of device. Not too
expensive once someone gets in the swing of making the cheapest thing
that works, but it is a minor extra expense and possible aggravation.

Meanwhile, what would be "ignited"? The gas in the bulb, or the air
outside it? Might be a problem if the gas in the bulb has to be at a
really high pressure, and I have little idea what that might be.

Another consideration is the color of sulfur light. Generally, the
color temperature is high. I saw a wide range of 4000-10,000 Kelvin
somewhere (see below for where), but they said it works best with color
temperatures in the middle and upper portion of this range. A color
temp. of 5500 K is an icy pure to slightly bluish white. 6500 K is
definitely a bit bluish; this is the color of "Daylight" fluorescent
lamps. Maybe good for outdoor use away from astronomers, but not a
popular color for illuminating a living room. Furthermore, sulfur lamps
are a bit greenish compared to a blackbody source.

As for filtering this light, maybe things aren't too bad: The #85
Wratten filter is about two-thirds transparent to 6500 Kelvin light, and
converts it to around 3750 Kelvin. A filter gel to convert 5500 to 3750
would be even better, if a mini sulfur bulb can efficiently produce 5500 K
light. If fluorescent materials could be employed to convert some of the
shorter wavelength stuff to red light, things get even better.

If something can be made for under 100-200 dollars and be satisfactory,
we might have something. Otherwise a mini sulfur lamp would be just a
curiosity, conversation piece, or suitable for a few special purposes.

For some bits of info about sulfur lamps, check:

http://www.webcom.com/~lightsrc,
and find the part with the "archive" of older articles. The one about
sulfur lamps is available for a month every several months. The "archive"
rotates in and out some of the more popular articles every month.

Again, I don't expect to find any sulfur lamps in the nearest home
building supply store any time soon.

Discussion on the feasibility of a homemade sulfur lamp:
-------------------------------------------------------

>So when can we build one?

I thought a bit more on sulfur lamps this morning. Don't see problems
at frequencies higher than already used, in terms of microwave
penetration (should be fairly constant as freq. increases past what works
well) or reflection by the plasma (should be even less as freq. increases).
Possible problem with small bulbs is getting microwaves absorbed fairly
completely by a tiny plasma, but adjusting the fill gas pressure will
probably fix this.

As for convection, it not only heats the top of the bulb but also
transports heat from the plasma to the bulb. This may be a significant
energy loss at lower power levels. Efficiency of smaller bulbs may be
significantly improved by rotating them to prevent convection currents.

How to build one? Hardly looks like a DIY to me. Takes quite a bit of
doing to blow a good strong bubble out of quartz. Its trickier than
glass, and also needs higher temperatures. I will check into this in the
library when summer approaches, if there is demand for info on how to do
this in your basement.

MY ADVICE: Don't try this at home. Required materials and equipment
will probably cost thousands of dollars. You need lots of patience and
AT BEST some tricky glassblowing. Prepare for bulbs to explode if flawed.
Stick to Tesla coils, they're easier.

> Would a low power sulfur lamp need to be smaller or could the same
> 1 inch or so bulbs be used?

Underpowering a 1 inch bulb would cause 2 problems:

1. The thermal conduction loss from a plasma at a normal operating
temperature is roughly proportional to the diameter of the plasma. I
believe this would be a surprisingly constant fraction of the bulb's size.

2. Underpower the bulb enough, and the plasma temperature drops, probably
shifting the spectrum to less visible wavelengths and possibly also
causing an undesirable color shift (maybe from greenish blue-white to
whitish green-yellow). Then again, the color might be like that of a gas
mantle, which isn't too bad.

However, I suspect that efficiency and color may be only mildly
impaired by operating a xenon-filled (instead of argon) 1-inch bulb
(1-KW size??) at something like 100-200 watts. Nice idea.

> So, maybe they buy the premade bulbs. Just add a microwave oven
> and stir! Sounds like a recipe.

Sounds nice. May only be able to be sold as part of a kit with strong
warning statements. Consider the similarities to HTI, HMI, and
short-arc/compact source mercury and mercury-xenon bulbs. Of course, the
pressure may not be very high and possibly not much UV gets through
sulfur vapor, and maybe lack of electrical connections makes the
construction a bit simpler and sturdier, and there is nothing toxic or
corrosive (at room temperature) inside. This makes them a bit safer, but
the Consumer Product Safety Commission might not let anyone sell them where
Joe Sixpack would buy them.

However, I like the idea of somebody selling them in kits or through
mail-order. I would probably buy one. I would probably put it in my
microwave oven and see what happens (Goggles on face, fire extinguisher
in hand?). If nothing breaks, I might trash-pick a microwave oven or buy
the cheapest junky one, take it apart, and build a working sulfur lamp.

Yes, I like your idea.

Probably has to wait until sulfur bulbs are produced in great enough
quantities that some could be diverted to hobbyists, or spare bulbs
become available from whoever sells replacement bulbs (I doubt they last
absolutely forever).

> So, take the envelope from a burned out HMI bulb (hey, talk about warnings!),
> back fill with sulfur/argon or whatever. I have a couple of vacuum pumps
> that would probably be good enough. The tough part would be the fire
> extinguisher.

Can't do this with anything that has or had electrodes. Hot sulfur and
sulfur vapor are corrosive to most metals.

Got me thinking however...

If you take a quartz tube and heat one end, you should be able to
squeeze it shut. This will need oxy-something. No torch using any
combination of air and propane or MAPP gas seems to be hot enough.
Quartz takes at least 1600 Celsius or more to be worked. I tried this
with some tubing from a toaster oven. After closing one end, go over
the end with the flame and melt it somewhat to be sure it is closed.
After that, do the same with the other end.

If the proper fill gas pressure (or one that we can make work) is
atmospheric pressure (as measured when the quartz is being worked), then
WE ARE IN LUCK. Just blow gas through the tube before closing it off.
Get a bit of sulfur in there first. Try to work the quartz such that its
overall temperature distribution makes the gas pressure the same as when
you anneal the darn thing afterwards. Annealing requires baking the bulb
for something like a day at 1140 Celsius or a bit more, with the gas
inside at atmospheric pressure. (Or match bulb and oven pressures.)

Or, push your luck and operate the bulb without annealing. Quartz has
very nearly zero thermal expansion, so an unannealed bulb just might not
explode.

If the fill gas must be at some odd pressure, then one must seal both
ends of the bulb, poke a hole in it, and attach a hollow stem to it. One
of us will have to look up how HMI or similar bulbs are made. Then comes
the time to anneal it, then dump in some sulfur, then vacuum, gas, and
seal and pinch off the stem (easier below atmospheric pressure than above).

Since there is no metal, we don't have to worry about corrosion by
contaminants such as oxygen or water vapor. Traces of either of these
would be a big problem in bulbs with metal parts inside. However, these
DO impair starting, and should be minimized.

> Maybe someday.

*********** LINKS TO OTHER SITES ***********

Another sulfur lamp FAQ at http://www.sulfurlamp.com/index.htm

 

[Guest]

CBS Newsletter
Spring 1995
pg. 5
Sulfur Lamps--The Next Generation of Efficient Light?


The system installed at the National Air and Space Museum and the DOE headquarters in Washington, D.C., Light from the sulfur lamp is focused by a parabolic reflector so that it enters the light pipe within a small angular cone. Light travels down the pipe, reflecting off the prismatic film (A) that lines the outer acrylic tube. The prismatic film reflects the light through total internal reflection (C), an intrinsically efficient process. Some of the light striking the film (at A) is not reflected and "leaks out" of the pipe walls (B), giving the pipe a glowing appearance. A light ray that travels all the way down the pipe will strike the mirror at the end (D) and return back up the pipe. A special light-extracting surface (another type of reflecting film) is used to draw the light out of the pipe in a controlled manner to where it is most needed (E).
In 1994, DOE announced that a new, highly efficient lighting system was illuminating the exterior of the Forrestal Building in Washington, D.C., and the Space Hall of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. The new system is a technological breakthrough that couples high-power sulfur lamps to a light pipe system that distributes the light. The lighting of the two buildings is the first working U.S. example of the high-power version of the sulfur lamp. In these installations, a hollow pipe distributes focused light from the sulfur lamp evenly over large areas.

The sulfur lamp bulb consists of a spherical quartz envelope filled with a few milligrams of sulfur and an inert noble gas, such as argon, which is weakly ionized using microwaves. The argon heats the sulfur into a gaseous state, forming diatomic sulfur molecules, or dimers. The dimers emit a broad continuum of energy as they drop back to lower energy states--a process called molecular emission. Molecular sulfur emits almost entirely over the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, producing a uniform visible spectrum similar to sunlight but with very little undesirable infrared or ultraviolet radiation. Conventional mercury lamps and most other high-intensity discharge (HID) sources are built around atomic emission and produce an artificial-looking light with many missing colors.

Unlike conventional sources whose outputs typically diminish 75% over time, sulfur lamps will maintain their efficiency and light output over their entire lifetimes. By eliminating the need to compensate for lamp lumen depreciation, fewer sulfur lamps can provide a required light level, possibly for long lives of up to 50,000 hours. In addition, sulfur lamps contain no mercury, an environmentally toxic substance used in all other conventional efficient sources.

The sulfur lamp was developed originally by scientists (now at Fusion Lighting in Rockville, Maryland) who discovered that sulfur excited by microwave energy could be used in place of mercury in ultraviolet industrial lamps to produce a high-quality white light. These lamps operated at power and light output levels (3.5 KW input and 450,000 lumens) too high for most commercial applications. The high wattage required air-cooling and spinning the lamps to operate them. Applying their expertise in electrodeless discharge lamps, LBL researchers developed lower-power lamps using radio frequencies instead of microwaves. In 1993, they demonstrated an RF-driven sulfur lamp that produced up to 15,000 lumens with an RF input of only 100 watts--a luminous efficacy of approximately 150 lumens per RF watt. While the lamps still needed to be rotated, lower-power operation allowed the air cooling to be eliminated.

Although they are prototypes, the first-generation lamps at the Forrestal Building and the National Air and Space Museum are nonetheless energy- efficient. The Forrestal Building's 280-foot light pipe and two sulfur lamps replaced about 280 mercury HID fixtures, resulting in a measured energy savings of more than 65% and saving DOE approximately $8000 annually in energy costs. Because the sulfur lamp system replaced an old mercury system at the end of its maintenance cycle, the new light levels were roughly four times those of the old system. Maintenance costs are also lower, saving an additional $1500 per year.

DOE is funding Fusion Lighting through LBL to develop a microwave- operated, high-power sulfur lamp of 1000 watts, producing 125,000 lumens. It is best suited for applications like sports stadiums, convention centers, aircraft hangars, large maintenance facilities, highway and street lighting, and shopping mall and industrial lighting. Another DOE-funded project at Fusion Lighting is aimed at developing a commercial RF-driven sulfur lamp at lower power (50-100 watts)--small enough for use in homes and commercial buildings.

--Francis Rubinstein


Francis Rubinstein
Building Technologies Program
(510) 486-4096; (510) 486-6940 fax




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Guest]

[email protected]

The Beast Lamp

Sulfur Plasma



White Red (S/CaBr2) Plasma Cooling

SP System Specifications


System Frequency: 250 kHz

Lamp Power 1000 Watt

System Power: 1 375 Watts

Cap: Quartz rod 4mm dia.

Bulb Finish: Clear

Bulb Speed to Generate Light 1 x 10 rpm

Bulb Type & Size: quartz sphere 36mm dia. 32mm internal diameter


Overall Length: 150 mm

Atmosphere: Sulfur/ CaBr2 Argon

Luminous Flux: > 140 000 lm @ 100 hours

Luminous Efficacy: > 140 lm/W @ 100 hours > 100 lm/W system efficiency

Color Temperature White 6000K / Red (CaBr2) 3500K

Burning Position: Universal with bulb rotation about axis of quartz rod

Rated Life: 60 000 Hours (lamp), 10 ,000 Hours (magnetron), 20 000 Hours (power supply)


Warm Up Time/ 1 to 2 min. Re-strike Time 7 min.

Lamp Output Depreciation : <1% during 1 x 20 hrs <10% during Rated life



Spectral Power Distribution Chart





White S and Red S/CaBr2 versions now available. Calcium bromide is added to the sulphur filling in a sulphur lamp to increase the emission of red light for enhanced growth of plants. Red light is more efficacious for plant growth than is visible light at shorter wavelengths. The addition of CaBr2 increases the emission at wavelengths in the vicinity of 625 nm, where the quantum efficiency for photosynthesis is close to 1.

Future Lighting that's available Now

Our Sulfur plasma lamps generate less Ultra Violet and Infra Red radiation than any other type of commercial lighting.










Our lamps are designed with tri-metal shielding around the lamp to reduce electromagnetic emissions by 99.9%.







Our lamps start within seconds (divX video), even at low ambient temperatures. The bulb emits no electric or magnetic fields.

this will download a zip file containing the video and the Divx codec to view..



The lamp & magnetron unit weighs 9Kg. The power supply & magnetic ballast unit weighs 20Kg. We recommend less than 5m striking distance between the 2 units.







A sulphur plasma lamp & magnetron unit is an electrodeless lamp that includes an evacuated quartz bulb partly backfilled with argon and with a little sulfur, plus a source of microwave power, a magnetron, for exciting a plasma within the bulb.



Other names include MPS Sulfur Microwave Lamp, Sulfur Plasma and Sulfur Lamp, depending on your filosfy.

Sulphur Plasma Lighting Installations & Applications+




Sulfur lamp at the United States Department of Energy Forrestal Building using 3M light tubes. One lamp per 10" light pipe made of acrylic, prismatic film.




Horticultural - CaBr2 increases quantum efficiency for photosynthesis close to 100%.

 

[Rosy Cheeks]

My goal has always been to try and even out the difference between indoor and outdoor potency and Im fairly convinced most of it has to do with the spectrum of light.

Mm, it could be a factor among other factors. You opened up another subject here in regards to outdoor and indoor potency, of which there's equally many different opinions and not enough research. I admit that the superior light spectrum of the sun grows more impressive plants, as to whether that in itself makes them more potent or not... I once again leave it to the Gas Chromatography test to decide.

Outdoor plants generally have a longer life span than indoor plants, and I concider life span an often overlooked factor in terms of THC production and potency. In general, the older a plant, the greater its capacity to produce THC (R. C. Clarke).

Outdoor plants interact with climatic tear and wear, microbic life and insects that could trigger defense mechanisms and perhaps different ratios of THC. Remember that another highly plausible THC theory is that the resin works as a deterrent for herbivores and parasites. The shere complexity of the THC molecule and the fact that it is psychoactive indicates that. The great majority of psychoactive (toxic) substances in plants serve to deter animals and insects to attack and feed upon the plant. Many growers concider that dry weather in flower increase trichome production. THC could therefore also be a protection against any kind of extreme climate that threatens the flowers.

Research has shown that organically fed plants (generally the case with outdoor plants) have higher levels of secondary metabolites than non-organically fed plants. Secondary metabolites are organic compounds that are not directly involved in the normal growth, development or reproduction of organisms. The function or importance of these compounds to the organism is usually of an ecological nature as they are used as defences against predators, parasites and diseases, for interspecies competition, and to facilitate the reproductive processes (coloring agents, attractive smells, etc). It doesn't mean that secondary metabolites make for higher levels of THC, but if the THC is a defense mechanism in Cannabis (which is the most plausible theory IMO), they could be involved in the production and concentration of THC.

So, IF outdoor plants are more potent than indoor plants, light quality is not necessarily the reason for it.

We talked about altitude and its possible influence on potency earlier in this thread. I think it is worth mentioning that of the three major psychoactive plants cultivated by man - Opium, Coca and Cannabis - all of three seems to become more potent on higher altitudes. High cocaine-bearing species of Coca is generally grown at 1000 - 5000 feet altitude in order to develop the right amount of alkaloids. The quality of Papaver Somniferum in Turkey is concidered best at 2000 feet altitude, and the reason why it is not cultivated on even higher altitudes is probably because of harsh climatic conditions that affects growth. The thing is, the psychoactive components in both Opium and Coca do not have the same properties as THC, and can therefore not be assumed to funtion as a UV-B defense. Mysteries, mysteries...

 

[Verite]

Keep researchin and smokin.. Im sure you'll get there too. I wouldnt hold your breath too long waiting for those gas chromo tests to drop on your doorstep. I would also be really impressed if you found anything that wasnt spectrum related to increasing THC [ besides genetics.]

 

[lord_preston]

Did the guys who says that MHs or mixed Lights increase the quality or the trichome realy make a comparative grow with the same genetik or is this just an impression?

What do you think about changing the bulbs during the flower time, so in the first 3 weeks an MH, than a HPS with increased blue rate and in the last 3 weeks an HPS?

An other evidence for the fact that UV Light has a role to play in the thc production is that in the moutain the weed has generaly a higher thc level and is seems to be because of the thiner atmosphery. I read somewhere that the highest THC level mesured in marihuana was from plants growed in the Mountains of Switzerland (Tessin).

 

[Mister Postman]

Did the guys who says that MHs or mixed Lights increase the quality or the trichome realy make a comparative grow with the same genetik or is this just an impression?

What do you think about changing the bulbs during the flower time, so in the first 3 weeks an MH, than a HPS with increased blue rate and in the last 3 weeks an HPS?

An other evidence for the fact that UV Light has a role to play in the thc production is that in the moutain the weed has generaly a higher thc level and is seems to be because of the thiner atmosphery. I read somewhere that the highest THC level mesured in marihuana was from plants growed in the Mountains of Switzerland (Tessin).

If this question was for me, No I have not done any side by sides yet. When researching indoor lighting I came about the research into the uvb incrreasing potency, and have provided in my grow ever since.

What do you think about changing the bulbs during the flower time, so in the first 3 weeks an MH, than a HPS with increased blue rate and in the last 3 weeks an HPS?

This change is what a lot of indoor growers do to get the most out of the spectrums these bulbs provide at the particular time it's needed. usually using mh for veg and the first week or two of flower stretch, and then switching to hps. This is Not so much for the additional uvb as this would be providing low levels of uvb with mh, and then taking it away during the main flowering period.

I use the advanced spectrum horticulture hps bulbs (more blue) myself throughout the whole grow (for the added flower weights over mh) in conjunction with uvb producing fluorescent reptile bulbs.

Using a Solameter the uv my 250watt mh put out at 12inches was 45 uw/cm2 of uva, and 3.6uw/cm2 of uvb, and with the talk of the research I was fidning being uvb, I felt the addition of the 40 watt reptisun 10.0 which provides 28uw/cm2-uva, and 45-55uw/cm2 of uvb at the same 12 inches would be the better choice for providing the uvb they were speaking of.