Bud Builders - Making Friends, Growing Cannabis

Register a free account today to become a Bud Builders member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on our site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox.

Join the fun and make some friends!

Bud Building with UVB. 20% increase in THC? (I never knew)

IamN2pot

Dank Daredevil
Joined
Apr 1, 2023
Messages
254
Reaction score
1,034
Funny how researching seed led to UVB lights, so here goes.

I am very interested in some genetics @CannaGranny mentioned in one of her post from a guy she calls El. Now CG has tested his claim of 37%+ THCa in one of his varieties and her results confirmed, 37+%. That gets most home growers attention, it did mine! The seed company is Anesia Seeds, here. https://anesiaseeds.com/
I ordered some 4 varieties through Cannapot.com, yesterday. When/if they arrive, I'll post it and I'll be doing a grow journal. But we'll wait and see if they arrive.

Anesia recomends adding UVB light to boost THC and terpine levels during late flower. WHAT???? Well, if he has 37% genetics, UVB needs to be looked into, right? So a googling I go and next thing I know I'm on Shane's Migro site looking at his latest UVB lamp. Now it REALLY has my attention. Watch his video, here. https://migrolight.com/collections/all/products/migro-uvb-310-fixture-and-fluorescent-tube

It looks like claims of 20-30% higher amounts of THC and terpines are test verified possabilities. Where have I been???? That's my idea of building buds!!!
N2
 
There are a few of us here that have worked with UVA and UVB. @Bandit420 is one that runs it all the time I think.

I can tell you it is not as easy as put a bulb in your grow and profit. I got very mixed results with my testing.

There was a study done a while ago that referenced 4% increase in THC using UVB. I tried many times and was never able to see that mythical spike. It did give me more purples, and actually smaller buds.

I kinda gave up on UVB, but there may be some secret sauce that makes it work that I have not found yet.

I do not believe a 20% increase in anything based on UVB. Willing to be proven wrong.
 
Funny how researching seed led to UVB lights, so here goes.

I am very interested in some genetics @CannaGranny mentioned in one of her post from a guy she calls El. Now CG has tested his claim of 37%+ THCa in one of his varieties and her results confirmed, 37+%. That gets most home growers attention, it did mine! The seed company is Anesia Seeds, here. https://anesiaseeds.com/
I ordered some 4 varieties through Cannapot.com, yesterday. When/if they arrive, I'll post it and I'll be doing a grow journal. But we'll wait and see if they arrive.

Anesia recomends adding UVB light to boost THC and terpine levels during late flower. WHAT???? Well, if he has 37% genetics, UVB needs to be looked into, right? So a googling I go and next thing I know I'm on Shane's Migro site looking at his latest UVB lamp. Now it REALLY has my attention. Watch his video, here. https://migrolight.com/collections/all/products/migro-uvb-310-fixture-and-fluorescent-tube

It looks like claims of 20-30% higher amounts of THC and terpines are test verified possabilities. Where have I been???? That's my idea of building buds!!!
N2
The main reason I had it tested? It worked for my Daughters seizures. I wanted to know the primary terps in it. Sure enough it is high in linalool, known to help with seizure activity.
Now, the second reason. Everyone loves this stuff, except me. Just goes to show it’s a combo of things and not just THC content.
Third reason? Disclaimers on most. Words like an experienced grower MAY reach the full potential of 37%. This is kind of a wide open door. That means and rightfully so, the growers ability does come in to play.
So, I took it to a Missouri State certified lab. She actually went a bit above the 37, she came back 37.020. They said it was the highest percentage that their lab has tested so far. They also asked me if I was looking for customers! Lol. I told them no, but left the entire sample bag 🙂
Another he offered awhile back was a strain called Little Devil, touting a 60% THC content. I believe it was from Israel. I don’t know if he still has access or not, but you could ask him. @B2ACG
Tight buds, weighted like rocks and it exudes a brown sticky oil that is sticky like pancake syrup!
 
Last edited:
The main reason I had it tested? It worked for my Daughters seizures. I wanted to know the primary terps in it. Sure enough it is high in linalool, known to help with seizure activity.
Now, the second reason. Everyone loves this stuff, except me. Just goes to show it’s a combo of things and not just THC content.
Third reason? Disclaimers on most. Words like an experienced grower MAY reach the full potential of 37%. This is kind of a wide open door. That means and rightfully so, the growers ability does come in to play.
So, I took it to a Missouri State certified lab. She actually went a bit above the 37, she came back 37.020. They said it was the highest percentage that their lab has tested so far. They also asked me if I was looking for customers! Lol. I told them no, but left the entire sample bag 🙂
Another he offered awhile back was a strain called Little Devil, touting a 60% THC content. I believe it was from Israel. I don’t know if he still has access or not, but you could ask him.
Tight buds, weighted like rocks and it exudes a brown sticky oil that is sticky like pancake syrup!
My brother got some weed off his boss in LA and his boss said it was from Israel and my bro said it was mind blowing stuff...I wonder if he had some of this you are talking about
 
My brother got some weed off his boss in LA and his boss said it was from Israel and my bro said it was mind blowing stuff...I wonder if he had some of this you are talking about
I’m not sure, I was just mind blown with the sixty percent! But, I was mind blown with the 37% too.
 
Funny how researching seed led to UVB lights, so here goes.

I am very interested in some genetics @CannaGranny mentioned in one of her post from a guy she calls El. Now CG has tested his claim of 37%+ THCa in one of his varieties and her results confirmed, 37+%. That gets most home growers attention, it did mine! The seed company is Anesia Seeds, here. https://anesiaseeds.com/
I ordered some 4 varieties through Cannapot.com, yesterday. When/if they arrive, I'll post it and I'll be doing a grow journal. But we'll wait and see if they arrive.

Anesia recomends adding UVB light to boost THC and terpine levels during late flower. WHAT???? Well, if he has 37% genetics, UVB needs to be looked into, right? So a googling I go and next thing I know I'm on Shane's Migro site looking at his latest UVB lamp. Now it REALLY has my attention. Watch his video, here. https://migrolight.com/collections/all/products/migro-uvb-310-fixture-and-fluorescent-tube

It looks like claims of 20-30% higher amounts of THC and terpines are test verified possabilities. Where have I been???? That's my idea of building buds!!!
N2
El has joined us! He is posting under the name @B2ACG. Feel free to hit him up!
 
I’m not sure, I was just mind blown with the sixty percent! But, I was mind blown with the 37% too.
Right that's insanely high. Like such a huge leap over most high thc strains almost seems unreal. Google must not know of the strain they got the usual suspects listed as high thc strains, mimosa, godfather og, Bruce banner etc
 
I've posted in several other threads about UV and how I use it...Still inconclusive about increasing trichs but there is something to it in regards to oil excretion, increasing terps, and bugs hating the thing.
The biggest issue is delivery. The technology is a mismatch for gardening.
The lamps most common for delivery are floro T5HO tubes. These lamps have a penetration depth of less than 12" which is why when used on reptiles, they're damn near on top of the lizard.
In a garden, say you run LED that need to be a minimum of 24" above canopy. So if the UV has to be at 12" then it needs to ride lower than the main light which can be a logistical pain in the ass and the UV fixture could also be in the way, blocking photons from the main light to the canopy.
Run it side by side, you get minimal benefits if any. And if you get it too close then you can damage your plants beyond repair. The margin for benefits and error are kinda tight using the UV lamps.
Also, they need to be on their own timer since they don't stay on the whole 12 hour cycle. Common run times are 4 hours or less beginning week 5 of flower and thru the ripening stage turning on at around the 8 hour mark of lights on so the UV is on during the final hours of the lights on period each day
 
I've been seeing bar style lights that add in a bar of UV but then you got the UV at the same height as the regular lights and not closer like bandit was saying is needed. Are those lights just the next boof set up to waste extra on or are they decent?
 
Here’s some info that pops up..
 
I’m also of the opinion the thc content doesn’t make it great , the more thc the better pain relieve for me but I personally enjoy some lower thc strains , marketing tool ?
I can tell you, you are right on! Hard to make people believe that, but from my experience you are one hundred percent correct!
My first experience with a high content was Gorilla Pie. 34%. Not my fav!
 
I've been seeing bar style lights that add in a bar of UV but then you got the UV at the same height as the regular lights and not closer like bandit was saying is needed. Are those lights just the next boof set up to waste extra on or are they decent?
Bar lights / leds are going to be UVA, not UVB. Different animal.

UVA does not activate the UVR-8 receptor in the plant. This is what is supposed to make more THC.

To my knowledge, there are still no production UVB LEDs that are anything but hype.
 
We all know I'm an on the edge old fart 👨‍🌾, so between Shane's video and El's (@B2ACG) suggestion for UVB, I ordered one from Migro. We'll see. I grow for oil anyway, so this may be just what the Dr. ordered.... (y)
FTR, I ordered Captian Future, High Mars, Sleepy Joe and Strawberry Tree. The Strawberry Tree has Wedding Cake as on of the parrents and I absolutly love my Wedding Cake oil. It's my go to!
 
Welcome to Bud Builders. As you know, @CannaGranny has already given you a stellar reputation here.
He earned that. Four years of constant variety, good information,no probs germinating, super fast shipping. As a seed buyer those are the things I concern myself with when buying seeds. Never a prob with El.
 
He earned that. Four years of constant variety, good information,no probs germinating, super fast shipping. As a seed buyer those are the things I concern myself with when buying seeds. Never a prob with El.
Im gonna have to get a list from him, i need new strains. Still gotta grab from dfg too.
Im down to like 6 strains it sucks lol.
 
I just never have enough lol.
I have all 7 strains i have growing right now lol.
How do you find the time to grow out all of the new/ old strains on the market now? To get a good taste of each strain I need more than 1 plant, so I take cuts and grow out more and to be sure the cuts take I take 2 most grow....then the next plant + 2 so after 7 - 8 plants we have 16 cuts or more scrap 8 once rooted still leaves 8 strains I want to keep + there's more stains to grow and sample.....

I'd need to grow out what I've got growing now and start new to be able to sample just a small part of strains I'd like to grow out... Too much weed not enough time....lol
 
UV-A or B does not increase thc...........the only people claiming it does are light manufacturers who have a financial interest. They all quote a study back in the 1990’s, which no one has been able to duplicate since. In my current thread I posted a couple of videos on it, as I thought it increased it too. Bruce Bigbee has done massive work on the subject, as has Migro, and both claim all it does it hardens the plants up and increase terpenes. If anything, UV will damage plants, and decrease yield in the long run.......
 
UV-A or B does not increase thc...........the only people claiming it does are light manufacturers who have a financial interest. They all quote a study back in the 1990’s, which no one has been able to duplicate since. In my current thread I posted a couple of videos on it, as I thought it increased it too. Bruce Bigbee has done massive work on the subject, as has Migro, and both claim all it does it hardens the plants up and increase terpenes. If anything, UV will damage plants, and decrease yield in the long run.......
This is my experience as well.

I have t5 UVB lamps in the giveaway section if that tells you anything.
 
UV-A or B does not increase thc...........the only people claiming it does are light manufacturers who have a financial interest. They all quote a study back in the 1990’s, which no one has been able to duplicate since. In my current thread I posted a couple of videos on it, as I thought it increased it too. Bruce Bigbee has done massive work on the subject, as has Migro, and both claim all it does it hardens the plants up and increase terpenes. If anything, UV will damage plants, and decrease yield in the long run.......
Thanks for sharing! I now have a definitive answer when I'm looking to either upgrade my lights or are trying to figure out spectrum.
 
Bar lights / leds are going to be UVA, not UVB. Different animal.

UVA does not activate the UVR-8 receptor in the plant. This is what is supposed to make more THC.

To my knowledge, there are still no production UVB LEDs that are anything but hype.
This is true ... UVB at about 310nm what you're looking for. Where can you find it? Grower's choice has their UV/IR bars that offer the 310nm wave length in the blue. However, they only work with the Grower's Choice E720 fixture to my knowledge.

I have a couple of UVB florescent tube lights from California Lightworks. They are flimsy and I was disappointed with them. Only one is currently working right now. If you're looking for UVB in a florescent, check with Migro or look into reptile lights with UVB wavelength.

UVB leds in a stand alone fixture are out there but they are hard to find. I've only seen them on Alibaba.

Back to the UVB in the grower's choice addon. It can be run UVB only, UVB/IR, or IR only depending on the toggle switch positions. I have the Grower's Choice Master lighting controller so I am able to run them on channel B on their own timers. It works but my feelings are the UVB leds used in these fixtures don't provide a lot of UVB light. My ROI-E720s with the addon bars grows great weed but I'm not 100% sure how much more I'm getting with the UVB. My nanolux 630w in my 5 x 5 grows great weed too without the UVB wavelengths.

Anesia Seeds have some pretty impressive offerings!
 
But this is not to say that UV doesn't offer some benefits...........first off, as stated, it hardens up plants and makes them tougher, with thicker leaves and the ability to withstand tougher elements. It also can help in controlling insects and some diseases. Add in its ability to increase terpenes, it maybe worth adding to the grow the last couple of weeks.

On the down side, it can damage plants and thus reduce overall yield if over used.

I bought my UV's thinking it would increase THC, as i heard/read that THC builds as a defense mechanism to defend against the UV on bud surfaces, acting as a diffuser when the light hits it. Science has proved otherwise.
 
But this is not to say that UV doesn't offer some benefits...........first off, as stated, it hardens up plants and makes them tougher, with thicker leaves and the ability to withstand tougher elements. It also can help in controlling insects and some diseases. Add in its ability to increase terpenes, it maybe worth adding to the grow the last couple of weeks.

On the down side, it can damage plants and thus reduce overall yield if over used.

I bought my UV's thinking it would increase THC, as i heard/read that THC builds as a defense mechanism to defend against the UV on bud surfaces, acting as a diffuser when the light hits it. Science has proved otherwise.
@SSHZ
I find it interesting that you said that because it kind of falls in line with my "real world" observations using the very weak UVB light that the Grower's Choice UVR addon bars produce. I have 2 ROI - E720's with the addon bars in one tent. I also have a 630w nanolux in my smaller 5 x 5. Both setups produce great buds. However using same strain clones under both setups, I don't notice any difference once everything has been dried and cured. My theory has been that the grower's choice addon bars don't provide enough UVB to make much of a difference.

Are there newer studies that say differently about UVB and resin production? It was 50 or more yrs ago that it was mentioned in the "Grower's Bible." A lot has changed in the science world since then.
 
Just for reference incase it hasn’t been said a 20% increase to say 20% thc is a whopping 4% and that as @Moe.Red said is not easy to replicate and leaves me wondering what other variables may have been left out
 
UVA also works with the blue spectrum to increase photosynthesis and is the majority of UV we get outdoors. Much like the emerson effect but on the other side of the spectrum. UV is not UV and there is a lot more than meets the eye here.

I dont have the answers but i have went down this rabbit hole more than a few times
 
I use the Calif. Lightworks Solarcare UV's...........they are specifically built for a 4 X 4 area, which fits my setup perfectly. You don't need a lot of UV to impact the plants, and less on time with the UVB while more on time with the UVA.

Off the California Lightworks website- "Maryland University researchers found that plants exposed to UVB radiation produced almost 28% more THC than plants grown without intentional UVB exposure." This is the same study everyone quotes and what the light manufacturers rely on when mentioning increases in THC. Unfortunately, the results have never been duplicated, per numerous experts in the field.

Grandpa........I don't think total UV power is the issue here. For the record, my fixtures use 24 watt bulbs. Point is, UV either increases resin production or not- that's what is being debated. I don't get my final product tested these days, so it's impossible for me to judge one way or the other. Lastly, its my opinion that if you grow a healthy product, have good genetics and let them finish well- a small increase in THC probably won't be noticeable.
 
Grandpa........I don't think total UV power is the issue here. For the record, my fixtures use 24 watt bulbs. Point is, UV either increases resin production or not- that's what is being debated. I don't get my final product tested these days, so it's impossible for me to judge one way or the other. Lastly, its my opinion that if you grow a healthy product, have good genetics and let them finish well- a small increase in THC probably won't be noticeable.
That's pretty much what I found out when sampling with UVB and without UVB. I don't have my weed tested at a lab or anything so I don't know if there was any difference between them in THC % etc. If there was, it was not noticeable by smoking it.

Does anybody know if Dr Bugbee has done any studies on this? I'd be interested in what he has to say.
 
That's pretty much what I found out when sampling with UVB and without UVB. I don't have my weed tested at a lab or anything so I don't know if there was any difference between them in THC % etc. If there was, it was not noticeable by smoking it.

Does anybody know if Dr Bugbee has done any studies on this? I'd be interested in what he has to say.
Yes him and migro cover it pretty well
 
I have to wonder about that Lydon article. In order to work with weed at that time, it had to be seeds from that farm in Mississippi, which had notoriously bogus weed.
 
Back
Top Bottom