18 or 28 hour day ???

[kingkewl]

what about it folks... any input??... what about growing plants under an 18 or 20 hour day.... instead of 24..

[kingkewl]

thinking about starting a grow on each cycle....

[Punani Jack]

That would be a nice experiment. I would think that 24hr days would be best for growth, but 18 saves you on electricity... If you did that experiment we could see how much more growth you get from an extra 6hrs of light a day...

[LIP]

Nope, 24 is not the best for anything at all.

18 light 6 dark for veg.

With the dark cycle your plants will grow so much faster than if there was no dark cycle. Inside your trying to replicate the outdoors, and they need their dark...

[postmandave]

Lip if the plant grows better with 18 hours light 6 dark .then why do people grow 24 with no dark period. Is this just your own opinion or are you stating this as fact. the postman.

[BlueDragonSmoke]

To each his own.....No one way is the perfect right way....thats whats cool about growing...there are unlimitid ways on doing everything.

[postmandave]

well said bluedrogonsmoke. im just intrested if lip read somewere that this was the case the postman.

[Villui]

i use 18/6

[Swizzy89304]

I remember Del or Zandor saying that 23/1 was the best, because in the dark period plants store up energy to continue growing... and 1 hour is more than enough time.
Something like that anyway.

[BlueDragonSmoke]

Iv heard that also and it wasnt in here...put one on 23/1 and one on 24 and see ..that would sorta make sence..

[rodekyll]

when you say "day" do you mean the light portion of the cycle or the entire light + dark time? In other words, do you intend to retain the circadian (light + dark = 24) "day", or do you intend an ahemeral (light + dark = non-24-hour) "day"?

[rodekyll]

If it's a circadian day, I'd go with lip's 18/6, based on the plant's tendency to both aspire and respire. With sunlight it takes in co2 and expells o2. At night it reverses and takes up o2, expelling co2. I've monitored this behavior with my co2 meter, and backed up my observations with some research (yes, I googled it). During the light cycle co2 levels go down around 300ppm in my grow room. during the dark cycle they rise to as much as 800ppm. The literature confirms it.

[the image reaper]

using 24 hours of light per day will keep the plant alive and growing, usually no obvious problems, .. BUT ... the plant needs the dark hours, thats actually when they do the most growing, and processing of their nutrients ... plants tend to show males more under long light periods ...if you want to use 24, go ahead, theyre your plants, just dont whine when you find your herb doesnt measure up ... the 24 hour plants will not grow measurably better, anyway ... :smokin:

[LIP]

It's been tested more than once, and with the 6 hour dark period it does grow faster. The only time you should have it on 24/7 is the first 1 or 2 weeks.

Then the plant's cells react better to having a dark cycle and it makes more energy and puts it all in to the plant during the light cycle.

It's like charging the plant up ready to make new growth.

[Jerrodg]

I have no scientific backing on this, only observation from my first grow. When starting the seeds, they were on an 18-6. I took a group of clones (only one survived) and put it under 23-1 when I switched the main plants to flower. That bastard is growing twice as fast as the originals, although conditions are slightly different that may contribute to that. So, fwiw 23-1 is working well for me, but could be a variety of different reasons.

[turtle420]

I'd like to get some of those 28 hour days...

"18 or 28 hour day ??? "

[Sinsemilla Jones]

But I think that was on Coast To Coast AM.
:p

[postmandave]

Thanks for that lip. knowledge is everything. Thank you.the postman.

[turtle420]

It's been tested more than once,
Sorry LIP, but I've got to disagree...

I think this has been "opinionated" more than once...

I've yet to see pictures/documents/files/threads/posts actually showing the difference between 24/0 and 18/6.

I've seen various experienced growers, suggesting 24/0.

I've also seen various experienced growers, suggesting 18/6.

In the end, it's just, a decision up to you... this hobby is great!

[kingkewl]

18/6 ... I'm using now.. and 12/12 in flower.. but, I'm talking a "shorter day/night"... I really don't think the plant is useing every minute of light dark it's getting..I have seen alot faster growth on 18/6 then 24/0.....
I want to shorten the 24 hours down to 20 or 18...ie:vegin on a 15/5 and flower under 10/10....get it now?

let's see how fast the little suckers can grow...lol

[postmandave]

Sorry LIP, but I've got to disagree...

I think this has been "opinionated" more than once...

I've yet to see pictures/documents/files/threads/posts actually showing the difference between 24/0 and 18/6.

I've seen various experienced growers, suggesting 24/0.

I've also seen various experienced growers, suggesting 18/6.

In the end, it's just, a decision up to you... this hobby is great!


Ahhhhh . Thank you turtle.The postman.

[rodekyll]

I'd like to get some of those 28 hour days...

"18 or 28 hour day ??? "


I've done some pretty wild experiments with other than 24-hour cycles. Basically I'd hold the light period and increase the dark. So I'd have like -- 18/6 - 18/10 - 18/12, etc. You can fill in your own favorite numbers. What I discovered is that it's hours darkness, not hours light or the ratio to light/dark that matter most in flowering (although finishing became an issue) -- at least for the strains I worked with. I also discovered that you can get a really bizarre combination of veg and bud going at the same time. I'd love it if someone else would try these exeriments to see if they're repeatable.

[Winks]

I am preparing to move my grow from closet to garage. I've been doing alot of experimenting lately in my garden with twisting leaves around stems for light and increased support to a melt in your mouth THC strip. (Inspired but still working on that one)

I was reading this thread and like a bulb flashing over my head it hit me. I really love the show mythbusters and we really need a weed version of the show. I"m willing to get some hydrohuts and do some light/music/medium and other experiments with clones if people are willing to toss ideas. I've been really wondering about the light myself. I think with an electronic controller and huts that are the same then a control. Say the control will be one at 24/0 and then have the huts run 18/6 another at 15/5 and others that may be out there.

I can also at the same time if I get enough clones going, try soil vs. coir vs soiless mix.


I can create a website and keep the data comming in if people are interested.
This is a long term project that will prob start at end of summer when I get the move and equipment going.

I'm willing to play mad professor but, I havn't been growing long enough to know what all the myths are associated with it.

So cheers and Let me know who would be interested in contributing ideas for light experiment and results.

;)

[repherz]

I'm willing to play mad professor but, I havn't been growing long enough to know what all the myths are associated with it.


;)

it would make my bookmarks for sure bro

good luck:stoned: :D

[Winks]

Ok I'm pretty baked right now but that is when I get most of my ideas.

So I was thinking of how many I would need to do.

One control which will be 24/7 9 plants. 3 in coir, 3 soiless mix and 3 in soil.
With having 3 in each medium I would be able to have an average to base line.
I can then tell if there is a difference between the mediums with no light change.

One hut would have 24/7 for two weeks then switch to 18/6 then to 12/12 for flower. Nine plants per hut same medium as above.

Maybe another one to test the 15/5 and 10/10 as well.

Second hut with a light cycle of 24/7 then slowly shortening days by 1 hour increments till it reaches the 12/12 cycle. Same # of plants and same medium as control.

With my state having a "nine plant rule" which isn't on the rule books but is the accepted amount by authorities, I have decided on the number of plants per hut will then be nine. I am going to be attending Hempfest this year and will be looking for local patients that are unable to grow their own medicine and each patient will then have a "hut". I will run the experiment and each patient will reep the harvest of the experiment, I won't be working outside the law, and will be able to upload data to benefit everyone.

I will have alot of supplies to gather before this, but I won't be able to find the patients I really want to grow for untill August. So if anyone can come up with discounts or huts on sale send me a link. I will also be needing to find fans, timers, and such. The kicker is they all have to be as identical as possible.

So I'm pitching my idea.
If anyone has another cycle they want me to test let me know.

Oh and I hope to be able to set up some small infrared cameras if I can find them without too much cost so the plants can be observed in the dark cycle.
Time lapse would kick ass but I'm not that electronic savy.

Let me know what you really want to see tested and I'll see if I can set up an experiment.
Cheers!

;)
;)

[Dimebonic333]

Regarding your mythbusters idea, I read sometime ago in the marijuana growing section of the anarchist cookbook. Cutting the tips of the leaves throughout the entire life cycle like you would do when cloning. is supposed to create a extreme resin production as a natural defense against this "constant predator" that seems like a good myth to try out.

[Winks]

Nice! I like trying things like that. I think the first one will be light cycle and then I can try the leaf cutting on the next crop. I wonder what I can match up to that one for upping the resin development. I'm thinking another good one will be to test CO2 for the casual gardener. I'm hearing alot of mixed results on that one.

Any other method out there that I can test against the above cutting I'd be willing to jot down for the second crop experiments.

Thanks for the info.

Winks

[4x5]

http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=65192
I am doing the trimmed leaves on a hermie right now, the light is gonna stay at 12/12 however.

[MagicGrow]

18-6 comon this is it. No more 24 hrs nonsense!

[Garden Knowm]

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/bot00/bot00333.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/3715/photo3.html

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/apr2001/986441609.Bt.r.html

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Photoperiodism.html?clkd=iwm

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/mar2000/953340748.Bt.q.html

nothing conclusive yet..

[Winks]

I'm really thinking after we get the light cycle data back another good one will be to try and test the different ligths. Like LED vs HPS and a shit load of CFL's.

This is one that will take me a while longer since lights are expensive. I'm going to keep my eye out on craigs list and ebay.

There is alot of misinformation just about lights in general. I"m seeing peeps grow widow that I want to lick the screen with cfl's, but others telling me that harvest is way better with HPS.

So if you know any good sales let me know. This I think is going to be a long term project. But I'm getting excited everytime I think of getting it started.

;)

Any other cracking ideas? I'm starting a book of experiments to list and get ready.

[ToKnoIsToGro]

Well, i think it has something to do with the type of lighting as well. With HID lights, 18/6 is reportedly excellent. With fluorescents and CFL's, higher longer light exposure works well. It would make sense seeing as how there is a great diff. between the lumen outputs of the above mentioned.

[Winks]

I think the best way will be to use the data with the light cycle then use differnt light sources and see if we get any of the same results

;)

I think. I might be confusing myself here.


Stoners make the best scientists I think!!

[Winks]

I realized that this has gotten way off track from the origional thread so I started another one dedicated to using experiments to bust growing myths.


Enjoy!

http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?p=776080#post776080

;)