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A CD spectrometer
As we can see from thees pictures the MEtal Halide has the most complete spectrum.
Interestingly the suns position in the sky changing the spectrum. So when the sun highers or lowers the spectrum changes and the plants react in a different way. Makes you realise that light movers are also something to be dialled into the next grow room.
My blue-dominant LED spotlights are ever so nice for cloning. 30w is all I'll ever likely need for my clone space. Again the reason for this is the inhibitory roles of other wavelengths of light. Using only peak wavelengths for photosynthesis promotes faster root development, as well as the particular blend - 460 + 660 seems to do the best for a dual-band cloning light.Quote:
Originally Posted by mrnobody
The main purpose for a light mover is to spread the light around - think of chlorophyll as a solar panel+battery all in one. You can only charge the battery so far before it just won't take any more, so you move the energy source elsewhere until it can use that light again.Quote:
Originally Posted by mrnobody
And it's not the spectrum of the sun itself that changes, rather the atmosphere filters out differently due to the angle at which it hits the atmosphere - we know this property as Snell's law.
"Again the reason for this is the inhibitory roles of other wavelengths of light"
but is any light inhibitory? Whilst the root development may be better, are we not lacking something we dont know about? I know this appear all theory but i am trying to hammer out the holes in my head so in five/six weeks when i build my next room it is as good a I can do.
If there was all the light spectrum and extra blue, surely the plant would harness all the blue it needs as well as the other light it needs for cell development, taste development and mapping out the plants life cycle. I think the complete spectrum would add more building blocks to what is a new life?
If plants just lived under blue and red light they would look black to us because obviously they are not reflecting the green light, but that green light although very little is used, is used and that is through evolution. Plants used to be purple/red/orange thousands of years back because they did not use choropyl to photosynthesise. I think it was retinol although I may be mistaken.
What we are growing with LED is an articifial plant, even more artificial than traditional lighting methods and that can only be a bad thing. We are changing the plants genetic makeup and perhaps changing things for the worse. By altering plant cells and changing the way they use light we perhaps embrace new diseases, carceogenic properties and other underlying problems. In my eyes the same can be said for Hydroponics. Its an artifial way of harnessing life and evidence in other fields like mono cultures in crops shows this is a very bad thing.
If you look at Mr Nices grow rooms, a lot of them have open roofs and brick walls.
That spectrometer thing was cool. I am making one tomorrow. I am confused. Do the different wavelengths of light do different things to the plant? A leafy plant grown with lots of blue light is an example. If that is true.
You could build a lot of LED lights a few hundred of them, each a different wavelength. Grow identical plants under all the different individual wavelengths.
I guess my question comes down too...
We know plants use some wavelengths more efficiently than others but do the different wavelength contribute to different growth characteristics?
My experiment would tell you but it is not very practical. I do not know any other way to figure it.
I would say that the different wavelengths have a massive effect on the finished product. you only have to look outdoors for that. Plants use all that they can. If its only blue they will manage but they would be a million times better with continuous spectrum and added blue. Only blue I honestly believe changes the plant somehow, or deprives it so to evolves in some way. This relates to stress and stress creates mutations and cancer.
Ever noticed how some plants just die? Some genetics wont work under your lighting? If you eliminate the air, nutes, medium issues and you know everything is fine why is this?
If sunset is at 760nm somewhere around there then the red on the LED is not strong enough to replicate that. Perhaps a bad thing. Same goes for blue and dawn.
LEd grown cannabis seems to be tighter, with more resin, crystal and importanntly taste and strength. This can only be due to the extra red and blue wavelengths they have been receiving. Adding more continuous spectrum can only be a good thing.
The sun only tells you the what all the wavelengths do together. Not what each wavelength does individually.
Yes but the plants see all of those wavelenths as different unlike us.
Correct, so if they see them different is it possible that they use them different? Or is it just easier for the plant to use certain wavelengths?
This would more or less answer the original question of this thread.
"What we are growing with LED is an articifial plant"
I don't know whether to laugh or facepalm over this statement.
"but is any light inhibitory?"
Yes. You want to inhibit flower growth? Hit cannabis with any amount of lilght that will trigger photosynthesis. You wish to inhibit overall plant growth? Use an excess of green and yellow for terrestrial plants. We've known about this for at LEAST 50 years, the studies are published and out there.
"Yes but the plants see all of those wavelenths as different unlike us. "
Plants don't see, period. They respond by phytochemical processes. Light is light is light is light, period. Photons are photons, there is nothing special as you are attempting to point out, it's just that plain and simple. Get to my level in optical physics and photobiology and I think you'll be racing to edit most of your posts.