Need help with a few Questions

[kmac9119]

my room is painted a flat white , should i just keep that or cover it up with Alum. Foil ??

And should i keep my lights on for 24 HRs during Veg (Will this hurt the plants at all??) or should i use the 18/4 Cycle ??

[kmac9119]

18/6 I meant lol .... and if i plan on Vegging my plants to about 18"-24" , and then flowering ... How big of pots should i use ??

[redaaron]

hello fellow texan :D

Two good questions! Hell-to-the-no on aluminum foil. Flat white is the best other than mylar. A lot of people don't do mylar correctly and it really grinds my gears. It has to be FLAT. I think mylar is about 95% reflective where flat white is about 90%. So really no real need to go there. Aluminum foil I think I read was only 30% reflective if that and it traps heat and is usually never flat in application.

A 24 hour light method does not hurt your plants and removes the need for a timer. 18/6 wont hurt it either. It's really your call there. Is the electric saved a factor? Or maybe you're running hot lights it might be a good idea to give everything a cooling period. People do both with not much difference in results.

[kmac9119]

Wow, thanks i didnt know that ... Ill keep my good ole flat white walls lol. If i do keep my lights on for 24 hours , do my plants grow and mature faster than they would with the 18/6 ? If not , then it may be a good idea for me to use the 18/6 , to save money on electricity. Unless the 24 Hrs does improve the growth and maturity of my babys. Im useing CFL's to Veg so heat shouldnt be a problem , but if their is nothing better about having them on 24 hours , than 18 ... would make sense to me to just do the 18 right ???

Thanks for the info too , helps alot !!!

[redaaron]

yeah the 18 should be fine. I don't think you're going to see much if any difference doing a 24 hour lighting. I simply do it to avoid timer failures but thats because I tend to run into cheap timers from time to time.

[WashougalWonder]

Best vegitatative growth is at 18/6. Veg to size you want.

Pot size should grow as the plant grows and you repot with additional potting mix, by the time you are done you should be using #3 or #5 sized pots.

Flat white is awesome, nothing better.

[OldHead09]

I use 24hrs but have read that 18/6 is best after seedling stage..something to do with the dark period allowing for more energy to be expended in root growth and not focused on Photosynthesis as with light on. Although I am always a novice grower looking to better my garden. :thumbsup:

[oldmac]

I use 24hrs but have read that 18/6 is best after seedling stage..something to do with the dark period allowing for more energy to be expended in root growth and not focused on Photosynthesis as with light on. Although I am always a novice grower looking to better my garden. :thumbsup:

Hello OldHead09,

Sorry to tell you this but; Roots grow in the dark but not when it is dark. :(
Roots only grow during the photoperiod, that is the reason most people root cuttings using a 24/0 photoperiod of low level blue dominate light.

BTW, the "root cap" of tap roots do continue to divide cells even during the dark period but this is producing a lubricant for the tap root to use when it does grow.