Would a CMH or MH help prevent powerdy mildew/mold?

[ddd]

I'm wondering if any growers are noticing that their CMH bulbs help to prevent these fungal issues. I've read that VU-C kills the fungi.
Now I'm wondering if a CMH has enough UV to help prevent these problems.

I'm also wondering if MH growers experience less problems with pathogens too? I think MH bulbs do produce some uv.

Any thoughts/experiences?

 

[3rdEye]

ddd For UV light to have germicidal/bacteriocidal, and possibly sporicidal, effects requires UV-C. Unless you are buying bulbs from some very disreputable people you lights should not be emitting this wavelength as it will burn your retinas and skin with very little exposure.

Mildew is caused by environmental conditions, of which light is one, but i can't say how much of advantage one light might have in this case. Also using UV-C would kill your plants along with the microbes.

There are quite a few very useful and successful recipes that address preventing and combating mildew in the organic soil forum that might help out.

 

[zenoonez]

I would just splurge and get a hepa filter with a uv feature. It will be expensive but well worth the money if you are combating pm.

 

[smokesalot420]

I run dual CMH's that flank a 600w HPS and I don't notice less PM with the bulbs.... I have to use a sulfur burner through the first 4 weeks of flower and use Eagle 20 in veg (I also neem in veg) to keep my plants clean of PM or I would have problems....

 

[Puddin'tane]

ddd For UV light to have germicidal/bacteriocidal, and possibly sporicidal, effects requires UV-C. Unless you are buying bulbs from some very disreputable people you lights should not be emitting this wavelength as it will burn your retinas and skin with very little exposure.

Mildew is caused by environmental conditions, of which light is one, but i can't say how much of advantage one light might have in this case. Also using UV-C would kill your plants along with the microbes.

There are quite a few very useful and successful recipes that address preventing and combating mildew in the organic soil forum that might help out.

look into eagle20 for pm...krunchbubble has a thread here somewhere

 

[ddd]

Smokesalot420-Thanks for the report of your real-world experience with the CMH. EXACTLY what I was looking for. I'd be curious to know if you think that problem is actually worse due to the CMH becaues of the tight structure of the plants.

I'm interested in hearing from others too.
I'll look into eagle20, but for this thread I'm only interested in lighting as the only variable.

 

[messn'n'gommin']

The fedgubment requires manufacturers of MH lamps (CMH is technically a MH) to use glass that will attenuate any overall UV. I could be wrong, but as far as I know CMH and MH lamps will emit some UV-A and a small, if any, amount of UV-B, but no UV-C. Even then, penetration from a 250w or 400w bulb won't go very far past the canopy anyway.

 

[Puddin'tane]

I'm only interested in lighting as the only variable.

There is a UV-C handheld wand that is available, but I don't know much about it. I'll pm a friend of mine to visit this thread and explain more. From what I do know, UV-C is pretty powerful stuff not to be toyed around with.

 

[Pinball Wizard]

There is a UV-C handheld wand that is available

I burned the back of my knuckles; rotating plants around under a 400 watt CMH bulb, using my right hand. I didn't know what was causing this, until I switched to my left hand and red rash burn appeared on my knuckles. I use gloves, now.

This whole process only lasts about 45 seconds/once a day???...go figure.

 

[Puddin'tane]

Like i said, nothing to be played around with, nevermind the damage you can do to your eyes. But yeah, I do know you use it for less than a minute or so which is kind of tough if you have a large plant to treat.

 

[Pinball Wizard]

bottomline: keep humidity below 50%.......no PM ...no mold

 

[zenoonez]

Depends on your growing environment. If you can create a sealed environment you can grow with 90% humidity and not have a problem. If you just threw some stuff up in a basement... yes you need to get the humidity down and maybe rent an ozone generator after this grow.

 

[jump /injack]

Will ozone kill mildew spores?

Will ozone kill mildew spores?

Depends on your growing environment. If you can create a sealed environment you can grow with 90% humidity and not have a problem. If you just threw some stuff up in a basement... yes you need to get the humidity down and maybe rent an ozone generator after this grow.

You mentioned something interesting here, "rent an ozone generator." Seems that I've read that ozone will kill spores, is this your take also?? Anyone heard that?

 

[zenoonez]

Yea ozone in high quantities will kill bacteria, mold spores, you name it. Can't do it with plants in the room though. I would suggest at the end of your grow clean the area with bleach then wipe down with water then another cleaning with alcohol, after you think it is all good then run the ozone in there for a day and call it done. Might want to check Krunchbubble's thread on eagle 20, he says that if you use it in veg it will get rid of PM period. Also adding silica periodically throughout the grow will also help the plant defend itself. Might also want to invest in a hepa filter with a uv light feature that will not only filter the air but it will also kill airborne contaminants like mold spores.

 

[KJL]

Using the right type of light for your plants is important in preventing mold and other issues. Healthy plants have less problems and so it could be reccomended that one use the best appropriate lighting for the strain and photoperiod cycle.

In my experience I have found that most strains of cannabis do best under a two to one ratio of blue to red light sources during the vegetative cycle, and the opposing ratio for flowering.

In my case this is provided by two (ex. 600W) MH lamps and one (600W) HPS lamp in the veg room.
And for flowering two HPS lamps are used with one Metal Halide.

Ive noticed that in the winters if temps dont stay up, pm becomes a problem and to help i have found infrared light helps and can also be used as a strain dependent photoperiodic response test, as some strains switch into flowering sooner and flower stronger upon the addition of infrared light during the dark periods. Particularly thai and afghan crosses in my experience have this response though i sense african strains could also react to the addition of infra.

Mostly healthy plants and resiliant genes will help to protect from pm, as anyone growing more sensitive strains can attest to.

Ill add that the blue red ratios can be used for flouros and CFLs and i believe such ratios are recommended by many other growers.

...and yes ozone generators can kill spores and many other things, including you or your plants. Proper values should be used including proper venting and necessary research should be done.

Wishing everyone healthy green lush growth and bountiful flushed flowers.
K

 

[jump /injack]

Killing Spores.

Killing Spores.

KJL and zenoonez

Lots of good information in your last posts, thanks for taking the time, much appreciated.

 

[zenoonez]

No problem man, good luck and be safe.

 

[accessndx]

Answering the Puddin' Signal!!!

Answering the Puddin' Signal!!!

There is a UV-C handheld wand that is available, but I don't know much about it. I'll pm a friend of mine to visit this thread and explain more. From what I do know, UV-C is pretty powerful stuff not to be toyed around with.

I'm using the Purelight UV-C wand.
http://www.enputechusa.com/purelight.php
It's great for spot treatments, but you're certainly not going to sterilize your entire grow with it. I've used it before drying and curing outdoor nugs, as well as helping to retard the growth of PM.
Additionally I use it to sterilize things like hydroton rocks after washing, and other surfaces that may have unwanted microbial growth. It also significantly impacts the quality of air in the room it's used in.....so you can have it on for 2 hours and it works like an air cleaner.

I'm also using these Germ Guardian GG-1000 UV-C air sanitizers:
http://www.amazon.com/Germ-Guardian-GG-1000-UV-C-Sanitizer/dp/B000G2BESO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1253753423&sr=8-1
I have these gizmos plugged in my flowering and vegative areas now. The air is sanitized that is sucked through these devices. Spores from powdery mildew in the air are pretty much toast with these jimmies. There is a considerable reduction in odors within the rooms now also.

Both of these solutions work in an assistive capacity.....BUT......I found a much better one:

Eagle20W. That's all Krunchbubble's suggestion. I had spent a tremendous amount of money on dunks, lights....all sorts of stuff.
Then I read Krunchy's thread on Killing PM forever.....I was skeptical, but gave it a whirl. Let me tell you that it TOTALLY put the kibosh on the PM. Gave it to another friend that was suffering, and the same dealio.....NO PM WHATSOEVER.

Nobody likes to use harsh chemicals.....in the past I've had to use Avid to eradicate spider mites. Before that I tried alot of crap...the Avid did the trick. What avid is to mites, Eagle is to PM.

I highly suggest you take the initiative to get that stuff, use it 2x maximum and you're done. Usually 1 application does the trick.

THEN as a preventative measure, use the UV-C Germ Guardians in your room (or something like those) as well as keeping adequate air flow and lighting.....and you're golden once more.

Good luck.

 

[KJL]

Good K 2 U Jumpin

Was thinking about this would be foolish of me not to add that a natural environment and mostly lots of ventilation will prevent pm from the start. It alwazs starts in the least ventilated least lit part of the grow.

Peace
K