UV Suppliment Lighting

Ive been interested in adding UV to my grow setup as Im currently running 3000k 90 CRI COBs and am not getting much blue or uv during flowering and would like the benefits of increased potency and terpenes. What would be the best way of adding UV light to a 3x3 tent ? Ive mostly seen mentions of AgroMaxs bulbs or Reptisun reptile bulbs. Ive aso found some 390-400nm UVA LED diodes as well. Would just UVA do me any good ? Ive read that theres no point in using UV unless your hitting 285nm which is UVC. Anyones opinions or suggestions are greatly aprreciated.

DrGreenT420 said:

Ive been interested in adding UV to my grow setup as Im currently running 3000k 90 CRI COBs and am not getting much blue or uv during flowering and would like the benefits of increased potency and terpenes. What would be the best way of adding UV light to a 3x3 tent ? Ive mostly seen mentions of AgroMaxs bulbs or Reptisun reptile bulbs. Ive aso found some 390-400nm UVA LED diodes as well. Would just UVA do me any good ? Ive read that theres no point in using UV unless your hitting 285nm which is UVC. Anyones opinions or suggestions are greatly aprreciated.

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For only a 3X3, it's definitely a reptisun or as @Randomblame had suggested, the AgroMax Pure VEG + UV bulb. Not Pure UV which I originally discovered and brough to light on RIU.

Get the 2' sizes obviously. Run 2 single bulb fixtures up at the top of your tent, right up snug to the corners at a 45* or so, facing down at the canopy, and turn them on for the middle 8 hrs of your lights on cycle.

http://www.growagromax.com/products/t5-grow-lamps/t5-pure-series/

Edit: actually @Randomblame did Ahriman discontinue the fuckin Pure Par + UV bulb? I can only find the 10,000K finisher + UV...

Yeah, the Agromax pureUV bulbs are too strong to use them at the same height as your LED's. They need at least 24" and even then 1h can already be too much for UV sensitive strains. Better 28-30" but then you have your mainlights in the way.

I recommend to either use the Agromax powerveg+ bulbs (for US peeps) or the Arcadia D3dragon with 14% UVB/30% UVA (for EU growers). They both have almost the same spectrum and UV strength and their optimal hanging height is 12-16".

285nm is not UVC, the UVC range starts at 280nm(US) or 275nm(EU) depending who you ask. The problem is a UVB diode with peak wavelength 285nm would have a lower dominant wavelength and some light is probably already UVC. Even the Agromax pureUV bulbs have some light in the UVC range and that's the main reason why they are so damaging.
The UVR8 receptor in MJ responds to wavelength from 280-300nm (which is the lowest wavelength you'll find even in 3000m above 0) and the peak response it at 285nm. Maybe with the right filter coating one could remove the wavelength below 285nm but that's unneccessary.
The Arcadia and powerveg+ spectrum ends already at around 290-295nm. It takes longer to get the same response but you can usually use them all day long as soon as the plants are used to their light. This takes usually only around a week.

I've used a 12% d3desert Arcadia bulb with 12" distance for 12h per day, no issues!
I've used a 2ft bulb in a small 3sft chamber for 8h at 8" distance, also no issues!
In both cases the UVB dose was at least 40 fu.... kJ/m² and the only thing visible was a little heatstress on the upper leaves. Ah,... and of course an impressive thichome layer.

Because I already own 6 of these Agromax pureUV bulbs I will try to use them with a dimmable T5 ballast before I sell the new ones. Maybe I can figure out a way to use them without damaging the plants. Depends on how the bulbs behave when dimmed down but I will only found out it when I try it. The parts are already here I only need to find the time to replace the current ballast. And then it needs at least one or two test runs.

So if you don't want tops looking like these I strongly recommend to stay with 12 or 14% reptile bulbs. These 75/25% UVB/A pure UV bulbs have the plant shocked so hard that the whole run has finished with ~25% less than usual.

Pure veg doesn't have barely any UV.
PureUVs chart is off the wall though, damn.

For whatever reason Im having trouble finding the AgroMax PowerVeg+ bulbs in stock all of a sudden and keep getting directed to Hotilux's similar bulb. Would 2 or those be my best bet or go with the 2ft Reptisun reptile bulb ? Or keep searching for the PowerVeg + ? And then on kind of a side note, Ive been looking into adding some 730nm Far Red diodes as well, Im mostly interested in this to put my plants to sleep faster, (5mins before lights off 5 mins after?) but obviously wouldnt mind achieving Emerson effect. Since Im currently running 9 3000k 90 CRI COBs am I already getting enough Photo Red to just add in the 730nm ? Or would I still need to add in some 660s ?

I'm curious about this too... I'm currently using Bridgelux Strips @ 3500K

Would something like this, help at all?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Zoo-Med-ReptiSun-T5-HO-10-0-UVB-High-Output-Fluorescent-Bulb-for-reptile-lamp/381501139352?epid=691478487

I believe that is one of the more commonly used lights Im being recommended although that is only the 1ft bulb not the 2ft 24w bulb. I was looking at the AgroMax PowerVeg+ bulb but am having trouble finding it now. This bulb looks really similar though. *wont let me post a link yet for some reason*
What are peoples feelings on this bulb opposed to the Reptisun ?

The Hortilux Power Veg T5. Opinions on that light vs the the AgroMax Power Veg T5 or Reptisun 10.0 T5 bulbs ?

UV Spectrum of the Hortilux, UVA: 315nm – 400nm, UVB: 280nm – 315nm. 24w bulb. Height recommended above canopy is 12".

DrGreenT420 said:

The Hortilux Power Veg T5. Opinions on that light vs the the AgroMax Power Veg T5 or Reptisun 10.0 T5 bulbs ?

UV Spectrum of the Hortilux, UVA: 315nm – 400nm, UVB: 280nm – 315nm. 24w bulb. Height recommended above canopy is 12".

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There's a YouTube video of the AgroMax VS hortilux. Hortiluxs just don't have the same punch. But that could be what you want since the pureUVs are apparently way too powerful in a tent situation. I just can't remember if it was just less powerful or was conpletely lacking in UV: A B or C. I'll watch it.

DrGreenT420 said:

The Hortilux Power Veg T5. Opinions on that light vs the the AgroMax Power Veg T5 or Reptisun 10.0 T5 bulbs ?

UV Spectrum of the Hortilux, UVA: 315nm – 400nm, UVB: 280nm – 315nm. 24w bulb. Height recommended above canopy is 12".

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Holy shit this is too funny and coincidental.....

I'm currently using 2x Hortilux FS+UV 24" T5 as supplemental lighting... 48W. My grow lights are 8x Samsung F-Series 3000K and 6x Samsung F-Series at 3500K... 160W Veg, 280W Flower. I also supplement with around 8W of 730nm LED. 4x2 grow area. At first the lights were just a few inches from my seedlings, they grew real nice and short, no burn. Now I have them around 10" above the canopy... I have a few weeks to go before the flip. They are on as long as my grow lights are on and I sure don't notice any ill effects.

It looks like the reptisun and the hortilux yield 3-5X less UVB. Surprisingly, the horti has 33% less even than the reptisun. That's very interesting.... I knew that hortiSUX was weak. Or at least a rip off for what they claim.
But hey maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's the perfect amount. It did seem like when he was outside with the meter, it read far less than any of those bulbs did. But the sun's a hell of a lot farther away.

BTW, that dude has a weird way of speaking in that video...

Airwalker16 said:

It looks like the reptisun and the hortilux yield 3-5X less UVB. Surprisingly, the horrific has 33% less even than the reptisun. That's very interesting.... I knew that hortiSUX was weak. Or at least a rip off for what they claim.
But hey maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's the perfect amount. It did seem like when he was outside with the meter, it read far less than any of those bulbs did. But the sun's a hell of a lot farther away.

BTW, that dude has a weird way of speaking in that video...

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Looks like Im probably going with the Reptisuns then unless someone has a link to the AgroMax PureVeg, all I can seem to find anyone have right now is the Pure UV. Probably 2 of 2ft angled from the sides of the tent at a 45° ? And I should be able to work my plants up to these running the whole light cycle for flower or just the few hours during the middle of lights on ?

I figured there must've been a reason no one was really suggesting the Hortiluxs.

And dood, ya, I was gonna say, what was up with the way he was talking ? Lol. It felt like video from the 80s or 90s youd watch in school to learn about UV. Definately was a useful video though.

Ya I mean just put the fixtures up at the top corners of the tent and angle them accordingly.
Reitisuns are probably good to run most the time lights are onm

DrGreenT420 said:

Looks like Im probably going with the Reptisuns then unless someone has a link to the AgroMax PureVeg, all I can seem to find anyone have right now is the Pure UV. Probably 2 of 2ft angled from the sides of the tent at a 45° ? And I should be able to work my plants up to these running the whole light cycle for flower or just the few hours during the middle of lights on ?

I figured there must've been a reason no one was really suggesting the Hortiluxs.

And dood, ya, I was gonna say, what was up with the way he was talking ? Lol. It felt like video from the 80s or 90s youd watch in school to learn about UV. Definately was a useful video though.

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Here you go homie.

https://www.htgsupply.com/product/agromax-4-foot-t5-pureveg-uv/

@Randomblame check this out!!

https://www.htgsupply.com/product/agromax-4-foot-t5-uv-a-plus-bulb-2/

Man, I really wish there was more I do and real world testing with UV T5's. I want to try them but just never pull the trigger.

Airwalker16 said:

Here you go homie.

https://www.htgsupply.com/product/agromax-4-foot-t5-pureveg-uv/

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Thanks for the link ! Saw that bulb but saw "Pure" and kept thinking it was the PureUV people were saying was too strong. Unfortunately I couldnt use that bulb anyway as they only carry 4 footers. Lookin like I screwed myself by setting up a 3x3 instead of a 4x4. Probably 2 2ft Reptisuns it is then. I just came across the 22" 14% UVB Arcadia Dragon bulb, (Ive seen Randomblame mention using this light with good results I believe or at least the 12%'s) not seeing any comparisons of that reptile bulb to the Reptisun. Would that be slightly more UVB than the Reptisun without being too much ? The Arcadias are also slightly more expensive, wondering if theyd be worth the extra money or nah. Or is there no real way to know without doing a side by side controlled test ? Need to get myself some meters.

DrGreenT420 said:

Thanks for the link ! Saw that bulb but saw "Pure" and kept thinking it was the PureUV people were saying was too strong. Unfortunately I couldnt use that bulb anyway as they only carry 4 footers. Lookin like I screwed myself by setting up a 3x3 instead of a 4x4. Probably 2 2ft Reptisuns it is then. I just came across the 22" 14% UVB Arcadia Dragon bulb, (Ive seen Randomblame mention using this light with good results I believe or at least the 12%'s) not seeing any comparisons of that reptile bulb to the Reptisun. Would that be slightly more UVB than the Reptisun without being too much ? The Arcadias are also slightly more expensive, wondering if theyd be worth the extra money or nah. Or is there no real way to know without doing a side by side controlled test ? Need to get myself some meters.

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Just use the bulb vertically Ya dork.

Airwalker16 said:

Just use the bulb vertically Ya dork.

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Hm, I guess I never thought of that. My tent is only 6ft tall though. Was gonna veg em like 3ish ft before flipping em so even running it vertically itd go a few ft deep into my plants by flowering time.