Carbon Arc Hydroponics Cycle

Another cycle has been setup in the hydroponics lab.  Going on the premise 
that we should only be going through the effort is there is something to 
measure or prove, not just to do something that industry tells us can be done, 
etc., this current cycle is to form a control for a carbon arc lighting cycle 
using some sort of home made carbon replacement tips such as charcoal or pencil 
leads or whatever.  Currently the lab has done:

1. WORM WATER as nutrient solution cycle or FISH WATER water as nutrient 
   solution.  This was done last winter for 4 months and demonstrated that 
   worm nutrient solution worked as well on a number of plants as commercial 
   hydroponic nutrient solution.  In fact, the worm water did not need to be 
   replenished over the 4 months as the TDS kept increasing.  In this cycle, 
   we ran a hydroponics unit with worm water while at the same time running a 
   unit with commercial nutrient solution.  We found worm water equal, and 
   fish water far less so, barely getting the seedlings beyond the sprouting 
   stage though water cress did OK floating in the tank. 

2. CARBON ARC vs Halide light or some other bulb source.  Since we don’t yet 
   have a technician offering to put together a carbon arc setup (I asked, and 
   Mike L stated he thought we should buy a commercial lamp, which might be the 
   solution if the tips can be replaced by something home made).  The control 
   portion of the cycle is being run first.  This is being done entirely with 
   worm water, and all plant types were planted will be grown to seed, something 
   not done before in the lab and which will be necessary for repeat cycles in a 
   family or group setting.  I have no biennial plants in the cycle. We should be trying 
   in these cycles to move toward a repeatable setting for families, building on 
   the past cycles, etc. The fish tanks are not being included in this cycle, but 
   we have laying CHICKENS in the lab now and they are light sensitive (laying 
   more with more light, etc.) and can also act as a biological agent (do they 
   suffer in some way under carbon arc).  The plan is to replace the Halide lamp 
   (using the large one only in this cycle) with a carbon arc lamp and running the 
   exact cycle again next year. Strawberries and gypsy onions in containers are 
   included for these cycles, in soil, watered with worm water.  Strawberries are 
   year round and I suspect the gypsy onions are likewise.  

Plants to be included in this cycle are:
BEANS
  Navy beans
  Pinto beans (both bush beans)
  Lima bean (just one climber)
SALAD
  Spinach
  Lettuce
  Rocket (a mustand green)
GRAIN or OIL
  Buckwheat
  Flax
CABBAGE
  Chinese 
PEPPER
  Cayenne
  Bell
TOMATOES
  Cherry
  Italian
SQUASH
  Winter Squash 
OKRA
  Okra 
BERRY
  Strawberry
ONION
  Gypsy onion