Growing with Black Lights?

[sheist]

Growing with Black Lights? is it possible? effective? could i use it during "night time"?

sheist Reviewed by sheist on 07-21-2005. Growing with Black Lights? Growing with Black Lights? is it possible? effective? could i use it during "night time"? Rating: 5

[sheist]

they ARE fluro lamps.. and they include inert gases and a small trace of mercury, which emits UV light waves.. far as I was to kno, this is what helps plants grow.

[QUOTE="Some article"A tube black light is a basically a fluorescent lamp with a different sort of phosphor coating. This coating absorbs harmful shortwave UV-B and UV-C light and emits UV-A light (in the same basic way the phosphor in a fluorescent lamp absorbs UV light and emits visible light). The "black" glass tube itself blocks most visible light, so in the end only benign long-wave UV-A light and some blue and violet visible light pass through.

An incandescent black light bulb is similar to a normal household light bulb, but it uses light filters to absorb the light from the heated filament. It absorbs everything except the infrared and UV-A light (and a little bit of visible light).[/QUOTE]

whatcha think?

[latewood]

you really need to read some growfaqs or faqs depending on what forum you are at.
I'm not cutting you down, but you obviously have not done your homework...
this is a great site, but I read alot on overgrow and have found alot of their growfaqs helpful...not every growfaq is dead on balls accurate, so once you have read them you can post better questions, that will educate you on growing...IMHO
remember, be patient grasshopper...latewood

[sheist]

its just an idea, something to consider..

UV B and UV C are the worst rays.. A is the least of any life form's troubles..

Essential oils in the plant?

Essential oils are thought to be excretory products formed during the metabolism of substances vital to the life of the plant. They are said to occur when chlorophyll from the plantsâ?? leaves come into contact with photons (UV and IR rays) from the sun.

Their odour properties may have a specific relationship with insects and of animals, but not much to do with the life of the plant itself.

In the flower, essential oils occur in the internal surface of the epidermis of the cells in special secretory glands and are store in the plant in minute sacs.

the black light blocks UV-C and UV-B rays so damage to the plant is virtually impossible according to what i've read. It does allow UV-A and IR rays to pass through, which are mentioned in this article..

[Nochowderforyou]

Sheist, no, you cannot grow with a blacklight. It is not the right light spectrum, go here and read:

http://www.overgrow.com/growfaq/1214

That will tell what you can, and cannot use for growing. I suggest reading the FAQ's here and going to the FAQ's at:

www.overgrow.com

I have learned everything so far from there. Any questions you have, will be answered, Good luck.

[sheist]

firewall wont let me look at the page.. so i'm gonna banter more about it til i get home lol

Phytochemicals are present in plants as they play a role in growth and survival of the plant. For example, beta-carotene is present in chloroplasts in green leaves, protecting the plant from the harmful effects of UV sunlight, and other carotenes are involved in light harvesting for photosynthesis.

the dangers of UV radiation are already voided out with the black light's coating filtering UV-C and UV-B.

We have shown that UV-B and UV-A/blue light stimulate CHS expression in Aradidopsis through separate photoreception systems (Fuglevand et al., Plant Cell 8, 2347-2357, 1996 Abstract). UV-A/blue light is detected principally by the cry1 photoreceptor whereas the UV-B detection system has not been identified.

this shows a correllation between UV-A (the slightest form of UV) and Blue Light.

The black light is already a fluro, and emitting this, as well as releasing blue and violet light of the spectrum, how is it that the black light can't be effective in the plant's growth process?

[jadeius]

well, how about using a blacklight behind your regular lights, or just in a 6 hour night? if it filters out harmful UV rays and allows the beneficial UV rays to pass through, then it should be pretty good as a supplement...but yeah i totally know they need bright white light most of the time; cool white flourescents for vegging and warm or soft flourescents for flowering will simulate the metal halide and hps situation, with less lumens of course

[sheist]

well, how about using a blacklight behind your regular lights, or just in a 6 hour night?

thats exactly wat i'm sayin.. cus it especialyl lets blue light in, which i've ready plenty times on this board is supposed to be good for the plant

and HPS is best for flowering, MH is best for veggie.. the fluro's should be good for both..

[Nochowderforyou]

Thje black light doesn't produce a blue light spectrum, although it may appear to be, it is not the correct light spec for growing. Here, I copied and pasted this:

Contributed by: Smokey D Dope

They can not.
Blacklights do not produce the correct spectrum of light to grow plants.

The only lights that currently produce the required color spectrum of light to grow plants are the following;

Suitable for Growing:

Flourescent (Tube shaped)

Compact Fluorescent
(a flourescent tube with ballast included that screws into regular light fixture)

Metal Halide (MH) Best for Vegetative growth, but it doesn't contain all of the spectrum needed later during flowering for truly outstanding buds. the light shines a blueish/white color

High Pressure Sodium (HPS) Best for Flowering. Ok for Vegetative. shines a yellow/orange color. All can be purchased at your local home/lumber store.

Not suitable for growing:

Blacklight type flourescent lights.

ANY incandescent lamp
(if it screws into a regular lamp, it won't produce worthwhile buds). Exception, compact flouro mentioned above)

Halogen

Mercury Vapor