ECO Farm ECOM 30W UV Supplemental Grow Light Bar VS Atreum Lighting UVA Light Bar, 30W (2-FT)

For some growers, it may seem counterintuitive that harmful radiation, such as UV grow light, can have a positive effect on plants.

But nature works in weird ways.

UV light can actually help you increase the yield and quality of your growth. So, adding a UV lamp to your lighting system can be very useful.

In this article, we’ll show you the best three UV grow lights for indoor plants.

Before we show you our list of the best UV grow lights, there are few things you should know about UV light and plants.

You can skip this section and scroll down to view our best UV grow lights recommendations.

Why Is UV Light Useful for Your Plants?

UV light is highly energetic, so it can cause damage to living tissues.

Around 3% of sunlight is UV light, so most plants are exposed to UV radiation in their natural habitats.

To shield themselves from the harmful effects of UV lights, plants will activate specific processes and produce certain molecules that have protective functions, such as repairing damage or absorbing UV light.

For indoor plant growers, these processes and molecules are useful in improving the quality and yield of plants.

UV light is a range of wavelengths stretching between 100 to 400 nm. This range is divided into smaller wavelength ranges (UVA, UVB, and UVC). In indoor gardening, UVA (315–400 nm) and UVB (280–315 nm) are mainly used.

There’s a lot of debate going on about whether UVA or UVB is better for plants.

UVA or UVB?

With a shorter wavelength, UVB light holds more energy than UVA light and some growers believe it’s more beneficial.

The effect of UVB light on plants has been well demonstrated in studies.

One study done on plants showed that treating the plant with UVB light resulted in around 30% increase in THC content.

Another study revealed that UVB can make plants more resistant to pests and diseases.

Above all, in some species and in small quantities, UVB light can boost photosynthetic activity.

That said, other studies show that UVA light has similar effects on plants.

For example, UVA light can boost the levels of nutrients and volatiles in different plant species.

Same as UVB light, UVA light can also boost photosynthesis and increase yield.

So, since UVA and UVB have similar benefits, why choose one instead of the other?

While UVB light can be slightly more beneficial, it can also have detrimental effects on plants and people.

That’s why today many UV-emitting grow lights put out UVA light instead of UVB light.

Mistakes done while using UVA light can be less dangerous than ones done using UVB. So, UVA light can be handled better by growers, especially starters, than UVB light.

It’s up to you to decide whether you want to use UVA or UVB light for your plants, but in all cases, you should know how to properly use the light.

ECO Farm ECOM 30W UV Supplemental Grow Light Bar

Features:

ECO Farm UV LED grow lights come with easy and quick bolt-on installation. With good heat dissipation and a sturdy body, it is a durable LED grow light designed for a 12-hour plant growth cycle. It covers the UV range between 385nm and 395nm. Ultraviolet rays promote the overall growth of plants, and are especially suitable for plant nursery and sterilization. It also increases the plant’s resistance to insects, bacteria and fungi. In safe doses, UV light helps produce oils that produce the wonderful smell and taste you’re looking for in your crops. This is what plants produce to protect themselves from more UV exposure. This grow light is suitable for hydroponics and indoor plants, mainly for microgreens and small plants.

Atreum Lighting UVA Light Bar, 30W (2-FT)

Features:

The Atreum UVA Light Bar (2ft) provides 30W of 385nm UVA supplementation in a compact and easy-to-use package. UV light is absent in many grow lights, but has been shown to trigger the plant’s defense mechanisms and produce additional desirable compounds. This spectrum is similar to the light used in the bed, which creates defense responses during photosynthesis. 385nm UVA is generally safe for human exposure. We recommend that you wear sunglasses for extended periods of time and never look directly at the diodes.

Ultraviolet Guide

Ultraviolet lights can be very effective when used properly. When used incorrectly they will damage or potentially even kill your plants. Let’s take a quick look at the different types of UV lights and how they should be used to help improve your plant quality.

Different Types of UV lights
It depends on which specific wavelength of UV’s are used and how they are applied to your plants.

There are three different categories to UV lights. UVA, UVB, UVC.

UVC Light is for Sterilization
UVC is 100–280nm. UVC is the shortest wavelength of the UV lights. It is extremely destructive. This is why UVC is used as a germicide to destroy microorganisms.

In nature, most UVC is absorbed by the ozone layer.

UVC can be used in a hydroponic setting by being applied inline to help sanitize the nutrient solution that will be feeding the plant. It can also be shined directly on top of the plants to kill pathogens (it can kill pathogens like powdery mildew).

UVC lights need to be used very careful. It can be destructive. When you are using it in-line, only the water would be exposed to the light so there will be no risk of damage to your plants (or to yourself). When it is used overhead to destroy pathogens, usually it is only on when you are not in the garden itself — this will minimize damage to yourself.

UVC lights can also help prevent or rid your system of algae when set in-line with your hydroponic system. Our recommendation above is for an inline system because of how effective it.

UVB Light is for Inducing Stress and Producing Flavor

UVB is 280–320nm. Most of the UVB is also absorbed by ozone layer.

UVB usually is the UV rays that cause sunburns. When applied to plants, it can cause a stress response in plants. This can result in the increase production of pigment, antioxidants, and resins. These are defensive responses that help to boost flavor. Visually, your plants’ leaves will be shinier and more vibrant.

How to Use UVB Lights
When you turn on your UVB light, it may not look like it is putting out a lot of light, but trust me, it is strong and enough for your plants. Plants are very sensitive to UV lights, so they do not need much.

UVB should be used at the end of a growth, preferably in the last week. UVB can actually slow down growth (because of the stress it puts on the plant). So you want to wait until your plants growth has peaked and use it in that final weak to help ripen the foliage that is already present.

When you are using your UVB light, test it in small doses — hours at a time. This is because different plants are affected by UVB differently. You can get drastic results with small doses.

UVA Lights Bring Out the Darker Pigments

UVA is 320–400nm, the longest wavelengths within the UV spectrum.

UVA causes the inhibition of cell elongation. This will help create shorter plants. It can also be used to further simulate the production of red and purple pigments in your plants’ leaves.

UVA can readily be found in many full spectrum lights including T5 fluorescents, metal halides, ceramic metal halides, and certain full spectrum LED lights. These usually have enough UVA to provide the benefit of shorter growths with more red and purple pigmentation.

Be Careful, Protect Your Eyes!

Please be aware that being around UV lights for too long can be dangerous (particularly UVC and UVB lights). Try to turn off the light before entering the grow room. If you must leave it on, try to stay far away from the lights to minimize the potential damage to your skin and also make sure to wear protective glasses.

Conclusion

So, what’s the verdict on the UV and Plants relation? It depends! For starters, there has yet to be scientific proof that UV-A adds more value than deep blue (400–450nm) light. If you are growing for terpene or hash production in a hydroponic environment, it may very well be worth experimenting with blue (430nm), UV-A or UV-B to see how it might enhance quality. If you are an organic/soil grower, the addition of UV, given the positive and negative trade offs, may not bring enough value to introduce it into your grow. UV-C should be used in air cleaning devices yet left out of most grow environments, as the impacts on plants and humans alike keeps this in a do-not-use category.

At the end of the day there’s no free lunch and no silver bullet. UV-A, B and C have their advantages and value adds, but they all come at a cost. Just like most things in life, the overall cultivation strategy you employ requires a holistic approach with a defined goal in mind to maximize the outcomes. UV won’t magically change anything and may just be the type of disruption you are trying to avoid. Remember, the devil is truly in the details, especially when it comes to the UV and Plants relation.

Also in News