UVB to increase terpenes?

[StevOrganic]

Hey guys so just wondering if anyone here has tried using uvb light fixture in the last few weeks of flowering to increase terpenes and essential oils?

 

[Bruce Campbell]

Yes, most recently Cerebral Goo, I believe...and Mañ'O'Green has tried just about everything.

If you have specific questions, you can try @'ing them in this thread.

 

[DCLXVI]

I run a t5 uv light. I could not tell you if it improved things but it definitely did not hurt. My most recent grow turned out very well and the prior one had a pest problem that the UV light seemed to kill them all. Interesting but anecdotal.

I run this fixture with the UV bulb option:

GrowBright 2 Foot T5 Grow Light - Single | HTG Supply

The GrowBright Single-Lamp 2 Foot T5 Fixture is perfect for a wide variety of indoor garden lighting uses. Get it now with fast & discreet shipping guaranteed at HTG Supply!

www.htgsupply.com

This bulb: It's an option on the lamp.

AgroMax Pure UV T5 Bulb - 2 Foot | HTG Supply

AgroMax Pure UV Bulbs are specially designed to produce large amounts of UV light for growing plants indoors. Available at HTGSupply for a great price.

www.htgsupply.com

agromax bulb info

AgroMax Pure UV T5 Bulb – AgroMax

agromax UV article:

New Grow Hack Increases THC Levels By 28% – AgroMax

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Hey guys so just wondering if anyone here has tried using uvb light fixture in the last few weeks of flowering to increase terpenes and essential oils?

Yes I run both UVA and UVB lights. The UVA is run all day the last 3 or 4 weeks of flower and it increases the terpene profile. Then I run for a couple of hours a day the UVB the last two or three weeks to pump up the THC and other cannabinoids. It works a trick!

 

[BigB6]

Uv light definitely 100% makes a difference. In saying that, there is question about wether it has an effect of indica dominant strains as it does with sativa. I'm planning on testing this on the next run. But it definitely took my buds to the next level.

 

[Dreary]

I run a t5 uv light. I could not tell you if it improved things but it definitely did not hurt. My most recent grow turned out very well and the prior one had a pest problem that the UV light seemed to kill them all. Interesting but anecdotal.

I run this fixture with the UV bulb option:

GrowBright 2 Foot T5 Grow Light - Single | HTG Supply

The GrowBright Single-Lamp 2 Foot T5 Fixture is perfect for a wide variety of indoor garden lighting uses. Get it now with fast & discreet shipping guaranteed at HTG Supply!

www.htgsupply.com

This bulb: It's an option on the lamp.

AgroMax Pure UV T5 Bulb - 2 Foot | HTG Supply

AgroMax Pure UV Bulbs are specially designed to produce large amounts of UV light for growing plants indoors. Available at HTGSupply for a great price.

www.htgsupply.com

agromax bulb info

AgroMax Pure UV T5 Bulb – AgroMax

agromax UV article:

New Grow Hack Increases THC Levels By 28% – AgroMax

What schedule do you use with your UV? How many hours etc?

 

[BigB6]

What schedule do you use with your UV? How many hours etc?

You use it for 2-3 hours midday. Like in nature the uv is highest at that point. During the last 3 weeks of flower.

 

[DCLXVI]

What schedule do you use with your UV? How many hours etc?

I run mine in 15 min increments for a total of 2 hours. I run an 18/6 light schedule and I have the UV hit in the middle of the lights on. That way I have a couple hours on either end to tend to my plants. UV lights are strong and dangerous. You do not want to be in the tent when they are on.

Man O Green has a couple different UV lamps so his schedule is a bit different. I only have the Pure UV so I took the suggestions in the agromax article I linked. Seems to have worked well so far. I also have only been growing in a 2x2 with smaller plants so I don't think they need as large a dose.

 

[StevOrganic]

Yes I run both UVA and UVB lights. The UVA is run all day the last 3 or 4 weeks of flower and it increases the terpene profile. Then I run for a couple of hours a day the UVB the last two or three weeks to pump up the THC and other cannabinoids. It works a trick!

Cool man thanks that's my mind made up I'm going to pick one up from Shane in Migro at the weekend. I'm running the aray 4 led bars of his and the plants are loving it. Just watched a very good YouTube video where he talks in depth on led lighting if any of you are interested here's the link

 

[CannabisMingus]

FWIW, I vertically installed (4) 24w T5HO 10.0 herp tubes that run approx. 30% UVA and 10% UVB. I just installed them so "first light" will be the last 4 weeks of flower of my current grow (day 17). Planning on ramping up to 4 hours/day in 30min. increments and watching closely.

The reason I didn't go the Agromax route is that I run a small (2x2.5x7') tent and the bulbs would be inches away from the plant. Too risky IMHO. I have no idea whether these herp tubes will be intense enough to cause an increase in cannabinoids/terpenes but we'll see.

On a side note, ran across some posts on another forum stating that in order for UVB to activate the gene that causes the THC increase, the output needs to extend down to 290 nm which Agromax and other bulbs (allegedly except for one) do not do. This may be inaccurate but I am drilling down on this and will share what I find, if anything. HTH, IMHO, YMMV, etc.