it's 1984

Interesting stuff, Penguin.

Many things I've learned have been just someone's opinion, and we know what they say about opinions. But, this is cold, hard facts.

I have a GE Lucalox 400w HPS and a Phillips ceramalux son agro 430w HPS. Last grow, I swapped to the 430 after sexing. Please let me know if I'm wrong, but it appears that's not the best thing I could be doing for my plants! Right? Just keep the 400w HPS in (along with the 400w MH, dual spectrum system) all the way through?

penguin

Hi 1984.

The Lucalox and Son Agro spectra are quite similar, except for that little bump in the Son Agro output just below 500nm. Blue:red plays a role in stretch. And the Son Agro has higher total output.

I'd probably stick with the 430w in flowering, particularly during the first couple of weeks.

Well, that's my opinion, anyway.


penguin

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penguin

Spectral distribution curves for GE Fluorescent Lamps:

Cool White


Cool Wh ite Deluxe


Warm White


Warm White Deluxe


Daylight

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penguin

GE Plant and Aquarium

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penguin

Super Actinic R (fluoro)

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sientbob

oh wow that actnic there looks like a helluva bulb. you got a make and model on it?

How was the fishing?

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until things are brighter I'm the man in black-Johnny Cash
money for nothing

Please read our Posting Guidlines, Grow Guide, and Library of useful threads.
Learn about light? Which lamp to buy? Troubleshooting HID and Fluorescent lamps
Atomospheric Control guide. Fun with ventilation. Fan speed control
Latitude model. Outdoor grow started from cuttings. Adventures in growing Outside.

penguin

Super Actinic R is manufactured by Ultraviolet Resources International.

http://www.uvlco.com/aqualamps.htm

The fishing was good, but the water was cold.


penguin

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Beener

Thank you all that have contributed to this thread. Whether it was by post, or by links within the posts.

This thread has turned into quite a scientific information center. It provides a great deal of excellent info in relation to different types of artificial lighting and their affects on certain aspects of plant use.

I'm looking foward to compiling it in a way that I can print it out, so I can read through it without having to navigate so many open windows. That shouldn't be much of a problem if I just number the pages as I print them.

Thanks again.

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Beener

penguin

Glad you find it useful, Beener.

Sylvania Grolux, courtesy of xjo.

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ogoun

Hi,
As a new member here, I am a little confused by what is being claimed here...

My understanding is that the 3 optical systems used by C3 and C4 plants are:

Photosystem 1 (or PS I)
Photosystem 2 (or PS II)
secondary light harvesting system


PS1 and PS2 are the powerhouse for the plant. Most of its useable energy comes from here. It is what drives the plant's Calvin cycle, producing ATP and NADPH (if a plant was a car, this would be the gas).

The plants antenna structure (built out of chlorophyll molecules) for PS1 is optimised to convert energy most efficiently at 700nM, and its efficiency drops off substantially +/- 50nM or so.

The PS2 antenna converts similarly, but at 680nM.

Both PS1 and PS2 must be driven in order for the calvin cycle to work properly.

Regarding the secondary light harvesting system:
(quote)
Carotenoids are always associated with the photosynthetic apparatus. They function as secondary light-harvesting pigments, absorbing light in the blue-green spectral region between 400-550 nm. Carotenoids transfer energy to chlorophyll, at near 100 percent efficiency, from wave lengths of light that are missed by chlorophyll. In addition, carotenoids have an indispensable function to protect the photosynthetic apparatus from photooxidative damage. Carotenoids have long hydrocarbon side chains in a conjugated double bond system. Carotenoids "quench" the powerful oxygen radical, singlet oxygen, which is invariably produced in reactions between chlorophyll and O2 (molecular oxygen).
(end quote)

In addition, the secondary light harvesting system has been shown to moderate plant life cycle changes, and reducing the input to this system (e.g. using an unbalanced light source) can cause the plant to have elongated growth, and other abnormal effects.


Anyway, after all that BS, I am left wondering..

Surely our efforts need to be concentrated on maximising the light energy delivered in the spectra used by our plant? Most of the lamp spectra here do not seem to match these requirements very well..


Comments? Ideas? Is this just a bunch of cr@p?

Piece,

Pete