18/6 or 24 hours?

[Prodaytrader]

It seems that on more then one occasion I have read where someone uses 24 hours of light for vegetative growth. I currently use 18 hours with 6 rest, but why do I do that, if the next guy is growing 24 hours a day? Exactly what is it that occurs during the off cycle in the veg state? Why can one guy do 24 hours and the next guy feel the need to do something shorter? If I can get more growth by leaving the light on 6 more hours each day, then what's stopping me? Anything? I have seen roots, leaves and stem all grow exceptionally well at least once if not several times during daylight.

[Pudish]

some people do t to keep down electric bills. If you a huge grower with 6 1000 watt HSP systems running that 6 hours can save you a few dollars here and there ya know what I mean. Other do it because its just what hey do. If your plants are doing good with 18/6 leave it alone if you want to experiment the 24/0. You can do that as well. Up to you really I know I havn't noticed any real big difference in growth with the 18/6. Which is what I use. experiement maybe 24 hours will work better for ya.

[LOC NAR on probation]

I have run 18/6 for veg but now run 24/7. As far as vegging I see no dif. The reason I run 24/7 is because I work in the veg room at all dif hours of day and night. It seemed that turning the light on and off during the dark period kind of freaked the plants alittle and took longer to start seeing white hairs when put into flower.

I might be in there at any time just watching them grow if I can't sleep. LOL
Only because I can't watch the buds grow for 12 hours a day. Life's a bitch when you can't sit on the porch and watch the grass grow.

[Prodaytrader]

This is exactly why I want to switch to 24 hours too. I have already decided that when I flower it will be 12 hours on at night and 12 hours off in the day. For starters I think it would be better to warm the plants at night with the light and keep them cooler with the light off during the day. On top of everything else, I sleep during the day and like to watch the plants too at night. I check my babies at least 10 times a day and could sit and watch for hours I think.

[martyrprojekt]

24 hour light schedules Vs. 18/6:

This is how it was explained to me by an old hippie grower who always had the best meds. Basically, 24 hour light schedules are a personal preference for some growers. Like using one nutrient company over another one. Just a preference.
-------------------------------------------------------------
What we need to ask ourselves are the following questions to be scientific about the process:

Q: Does a 24/7 light schedule yield better plants and more nodes for buds?

A: NO. There is no proven data that shows that 24/7 light schedules are better for plants (unless your lights do not put out enough lumens and it needs the extra hours of light to grow properly).

In fact, if a plant is under the proper amount of lumens in a optimal growing situation (proper ventilation, no heat issues, etc.) you let your plants grow under an 18/6 schedule...Simply put, the plants need to rest. It is proven that respiration rates for plants are optimal in dark periods. This rest time promotes better growth and more nodes for bud areas.

Think about it, during veg times, have you woken up the next morning after your lights have just turned on and noticed a 1-2 inch difference in your plants? Retroactively, The plants are working hard during daytime hours absorbing light, feeding, and processing it all through photosynthesis. The same is true of nighttime hours.

The point of indoor grow is to control and simulate the lighting and feeding structure a plant would have obtained outdoors (in its natural environment). Why think you know better than nature?

Q: Will I gain anything from going 24/7 lights

A:
Yes. Higher energy bills, lower quality buds, etc. You should be asking yourself am I running enough lumens in veg? Lets be honest, how many people here are running (8 bulb) t5 lamps for veg? Probably, a few...but, those people are not running 24/7...because they know the value of running the correct lumen setup for VEG.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Again, just like with everything with growing. No one person is totally correct. We all live in different climates, we have different grow environments, different variables, etc.

So, a 24/7 schedule might be a necessity since because variables like cold weather demand it. For some of us, it is not necessary to run 24/7! Take all of this into consideration before you decide to go 24/7...I don't need it, but you might. :thumbsup:

[smokeOnE702]

i had my light on 24 at once. n dis sided to change to 18/6 and i knowest it will start to drop 2 hour before the light goes off and when is morning comes the leaf is up and has grown. i think when i wus doing 24 it wus busher and shorter. and 18/6 give it height but less leaf. that what i saw from what i did. just my 2 cent. :rasta:

[JackdaWack]

I was watching a show, and i totally forget what plant was being observed but it was on the science channel. This specific plant needs to have dark periods, or else it pretty much dies. I dont know if that correlates to other plants, but im pretty sure most plants have dark periods built into the biological clock. I know for a fact that root systems grow the most during the dark. Its probably an overall better idea to have a dark period which mimics nature, opposed to giving them light all the time, i mean where on earth does that happen other then above the arctic circle. But in any case throughout the millions of years plants have been around they have created systems that work at night. Different plants to do different things at night, plants that utilize C4 metabolism dont even open there stomata during the day because its so hot where there located, so they open at night and store C02 for the day. These are just examples of plants that utilize the "night" and im sure almost 99% of plants do something during the off ours.

[Prodaytrader]

great info...sounds like 18/6 is really what I need to stick with.

You know, I thought I was crazy but I have seen my leaves droop about 1 to 2 hours prior to lights out. In order for that to be true, the plant would have to have some sort of clock but with no sun movement or light movement, how could the plant possibly know what time it is? Now that somebody else has mentioned this I will fess up to thinking the same thing. Tonight for example my leaves got overly droopy which I think may actually be caused some by over watering, which I am still trying to correct, but I think the plants get so stressed during the day that they pucker out before the lights kick off.

Thanks all

[the image reaper]

18/6 vs 24/0, is an old, old argument that will always be brought up ... me ?, I use 18/6 ... now, regarding lighting hours during flowering, I found this theory by DJ Short very provocative :

Breeding tips | Cannabis Culture Magazine (http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/2600.html)

you may scroll down to the 'inducing sativa' section, but you'll gain a lot, by reading the entire article (it's not heavy reading) ... :smokin:

[Italiano715]

18/6 vs 24/0, is an old, old argument that will always be brought up ... me ?, I use 18/6 ... now, regarding lighting hours during flowering, I found this theory by DJ Short very provocative :

Breeding tips | Cannabis Culture Magazine (http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/2600.html)

you may scroll down to the 'inducing sativa' section, but you'll gain a lot, by reading the entire article (it's not heavy reading) ... :smokin:

Yea I agree ^^^^^ We tend to kick this topic around every few months....If you search it you'll find some more great info from months to years back!

[martyrprojekt]

Great article...Sativa heavy go 11/13 bud cycles...Indica 12/12...Great research and great post!

[LOC NAR on probation]

First 3 pic's are vegging 24/7 under coolwhites. Back in the corner is northern lights. In the other is skunk with a sage in front and the the next is the sage right in front. Pic 4 is papaya and 5 is the group. Papaya, hawiian, redhair skunk. Couple more weeks to go to happy land. Going to be a good Xmas. LOL

I figured I show some since it's been awhile. Doing good under 24/7. Don't get me wrong it's a personal choice. When we use the 400 or 600 MH I think they really need the rest period.

[martyrprojekt]

in your case...you are not running the right veg lights. Hence the need to run 24/7 in your case.

If you went with a T5 (8 bulb or even a 6 bulb) 4 ft. light setup....you would not need to run 24/7.

[tinytoon]

Hey Loc any reason why you are running Coolwhite bulbs instead of the Daylight bulbs??

[LOC NAR on probation]

Hey tiny, yea the coolwhites run a better spectrum than a regular daylight. so I was told. The daylight or warmlights have the orange glow and don't do as well.

Marty, from the pic those wrong lights look like they are doing pretty good for veg. The reason we are running those is time. The plants do well under them and don't get much burn when the plants grow into the lights giving smaller ones the chance to catch up. We have a month to veg before they go into flowering and under a 400 MH I can do that in 2 weeks. When plants have to go into flower once a month it can be very tricky not to over grow them in veg. Too big in a small room is a mess and we don't get hardly any more for it. When we get behind we break it out to catch up but don't have the room or money to run all the time or 18/6.
One more reason for coolwhites is a double 4 foot shoplite and bulbs are under 30 bucks. When I looked into T5's a 4 tube 4 foot fixture was over 300 bucks but I would get to pick what spectrum bulbs I wanted. For the results there was no choice. We also have a 4 tube 2 foot T5 that is good for mothers and keeps them short and stalky but the 160 bucks for it was too much unless money is no object or the wife doesn't smell my money first. LOL.

No arguments, MH is my first choice and 18/6 is also. Sometimes you just have to use what works for you. It is easier to try than prove it can't be done.

[martyrprojekt]

Hey Loc...$300 for a 4 bulb T-5...Thats a rip off...your hydro shop is fucking you over! (Don't they all??...lmao).

I should order from my guy and ship it over to you. I got my 8 bulb t-5 for $175 with bulbs. I had to haggle the shit out of the guy like I was an Arab carpet salesman. But, in the end I knew what the cost is on these...and he still made $50 in profit...and got the thing sold.

I know your grows are epic sir...but, we need o get you some killer lights...I think my next purchase is the $1500 LED lights...I am truly curious to see how much heat they put out! Which can save me $$$$$$!

[Dutch Pimp]

IMO

vegging cycle is about growing a good root system. 5000k-6500k lights; (don't matter what kind) keep the plants focused on growing a strong root system and slow, bushy leaf development. I like 20/4 light cycle....:thumbsup:..anything more than 30 days vegging is a waste of my time.....the plant should be 12-15 inches tall and have a robust root system by then. (my nirvana WW's show their sex after 28 days veg; I like that pheno trait..~eat your heart out~...:D

Once you have a 1 gallon pot full of good roots...you can rock n roll into the flowering cycle 12/12....2100k-4000k lighting....and transplant into 3+ gallon pots....once the females have shown themselves.

EDIT: just noticed this is the hydro forum...:stoned:...please ignore this post

[neph19d]

24 hour light schedules Vs. 18/6:

This is how it was explained to me by an old hippie grower who always had the best meds. Basically, 24 hour light schedules are a personal preference for some growers. Like using one nutrient company over another one. Just a preference.
-------------------------------------------------------------
What we need to ask ourselves are the following questions to be scientific about the process:

Q: Does a 24/7 light schedule yield better plants and more nodes for buds?

A: NO. There is no proven data that shows that 24/7 light schedules are better for plants (unless your lights do not put out enough lumens and it needs the extra hours of light to grow properly).

In fact, if a plant is under the proper amount of lumens in a optimal growing situation (proper ventilation, no heat issues, etc.) you let your plants grow under an 18/6 schedule...Simply put, the plants need to rest. It is proven that respiration rates for plants are optimal in dark periods. This rest time promotes better growth and more nodes for bud areas.

Think about it, during veg times, have you woken up the next morning after your lights have just turned on and noticed a 1-2 inch difference in your plants? Retroactively, The plants are working hard during daytime hours absorbing light, feeding, and processing it all through photosynthesis. The same is true of nighttime hours.

The point of indoor grow is to control and simulate the lighting and feeding structure a plant would have obtained outdoors (in its natural environment). Why think you know better than nature?

Q: Will I gain anything from going 24/7 lights

A:
Yes. Higher energy bills, lower quality buds, etc. You should be asking yourself am I running enough lumens in veg? Lets be honest, how many people here are running (8 bulb) t5 lamps for veg? Probably, a few...but, those people are not running 24/7...because they know the value of running the correct lumen setup for VEG.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Again, just like with everything with growing. No one person is totally correct. We all live in different climates, we have different grow environments, different variables, etc.

So, a 24/7 schedule might be a necessity since because variables like cold weather demand it. For some of us, it is not necessary to run 24/7! Take all of this into consideration before you decide to go 24/7...I don't need it, but you might. :thumbsup:
wow this is the best info i've read yet:pimp:

[handbasket]

24/7 for rooting for a week or two, then down it 18/6. Flower 12/12, a week or two in, 13 on 12 off for a week or two. Tells them to kick it into over drive. Then back down to 12/12. Over watering is bad , bad , bad, just like under watering. A recirculating system should water 3x a day during lights on, for 15 min each. every plant is different, each has its likes and dislikes. This one likes the heat, found out by accident, now do it on purpose. Same with nute's have to be careful, different plants react differently to nutes, lights, heat, cold etc. It is a mastery of seeing what works, and what does not. It is a long lesson to learn when it takes months, but each new run will be better, and better. They produce flowers while at sleep. They drop the sugars made in the day, down into the roots at night. That is why you cut in the dark, just before lights on. Try to read, find a head shop and buy some mag's. There is massive info in them to give you more insight, and help you learn. Now I have to learn how to cook with the trimmings, should be fun!

[stra8outtaWeed]

Hey Loc...$300 for a 4 bulb T-5...Thats a rip off...your hydro shop is fucking you over! (Don't they all??...lmao).

I should order from my guy and ship it over to you. I got my 8 bulb t-5 for $175 with bulbs. I had to haggle the shit out of the guy like I was an Arab carpet salesman. But, in the end I knew what the cost is on these...and he still made $50 in profit...and got the thing sold.

I know your grows are epic sir...but, we need o get you some killer lights...I think my next purchase is the $1500 LED lights...I am truly curious to see how much heat they put out! Which can save me $$$$$$!
hey martyr...give me a holler or look at my LED's...best LED light for the dollar...you can gat 3 of em for $1350...$450 ea:thumbsup: