A Question About Flowering

[Lembatoast]

12/12 - 12 hours of continuious darkness. Does any body know what happens when you put them on for 3 hours then off for 3 hours or on and off every 6 hours.?

 

[vannelle]

They shall die.

 

[Electricthom]

Just a guess but STRESS, hermies or a slow painful end

 

[SweetJane]

Why would you want to set your light cycle that way?

 

[Stoned4daze61]

Under the FAQ's

How do I Manipulate the Photoperiod for Larger Yields

I don't know about 3 hrs on/off but this speaks of a light cycle like you mentioned

The only photoperiod manipulation from years of experiments that offered discernible improvements was this adjustment made for 1 or 2 calendar weeks at the point of maximum flowering rate: Daylength of 21 hours, 36 minutes with a dark period of 12 hours. To accomplish this, you need a 7 day, 24 hour digital timer. During a 7 day calendar week on Earth, the "sun" only cycles 5 times. This permits easily switching back to the regular 12/12 at your discretion. You may want to only alter during peak flower production to stimulate the plant's metabolism. Using this photoperiod throughout the flowering cycle will cause this:

A variety that takes 49 days of 12/12 to mature, won't see 49 - 12 hour dark periods under 21:36/12 until almost 10 calendar weeks have passed.

The total increase in light energy is almost 80%, which will produce larger yields, if all of your other enviromental conditions are kept optimal.

The total increase in flowering period is only 40%, half the potential room for improvement. This means you don't have to be perfect to win out.

Selective application of the 21:36/12 photperiod for only 1 or 2 weeks extends the wait only 2 to 4 Earth days, which makes up the missing 2 complete day and night cycles each week on Planet Ito. This permits the additional light energy to be provided without purchasing additional equipment or overloading existing circuits, which maximizes the existing system's capabilities. The main advantage is that matched with co2 and optimal nutrition, the plants metabolism will increase dramatically. I have only successfully tested this photoperiod for two weeks. The potential for a net increase of 40% over the entire cycle (80% increase in light energy vs. 40% longer wait) is worthwhile. Don't be afraid!

Day 1 - Sunday, 6:00am til Monday, 3:36am
Day 2 - Monday, 3:36pm til Tuesday, 1:12pm
Day 3 - Wednesday, 1:12am til Wednesday, 10:48pm
Day 4 - Thursday, 10:48am til Friday 8:24am
Day 5 - Friday, 8:24pm til Saturday 6:00pm

 

[Lembatoast]

Stoned4daze61, Thank you so much for taking the time to post that whole section, I didnt really get it till now. Way cool dude thanks. Lembatoast

 

[exile19]

Just a guess but STRESS, hermies or a slow painful end

Yea he is right the plant will get confused by the bad lighting schedule and go herm, actually it wont even flower unless it has 12-14 hours of darkness to begin the flower stage. So you will just stress them out and herm them.

 

[Stoned4daze61]

Yea he is right the plant will get confused by the bad lighting schedule and go herm, actually it wont even flower unless it has 12-14 hours of darkness to begin the flower stage. So you will just stress them out and herm them.

I highly doubt something Smokey stickied in the FAQ's would contain false information! Cannabis only needs longer periods of dark then light to flower.

It is possible to manipulate light periods. Have you heard of GLR (Gas lantern routine) ?

It consist of running only 13 hours of light for veg to save energy while not sacrificing the growth rate. Works just as well as 18/6 or 24/0 with using only 13 hours of light.

How is that possible? You break up the dark period with an hour of light. This keeps the plant in vegetative state while allowing more flower hormones to build up which causes the plant to flower sooner when you flip the switch.

12 hrs on
5.5 hrs off
1 hr on
5.5 hrs off

It does not cause hermies, and examples can be found in various grow journals on this website

 

[exile19]

no those flower hormones build up and cause it to go male, the light in flowering just helps it produce when its dark more than 12 hours of light, keeps it in veg stage. So not having at least 12 hours of dark you wont even get it to flower unless its outside cause naturally. And hes talking about flowering not vegging man. During flowering when you do that there are high chances it turns herm.

 

[vannelle]

you cant interfere in the dark 12 hours......you will go wrong....when in flower stage.

 

[Stoned4daze61]

Stoned4daze61, Thank you so much for taking the time to post that whole section, I didnt really get it till now. Way cool dude thanks. Lembatoast

No problem man, a member on this forum named Twelve12 documented the use and effects of GLR very well, here is a quote from his journal

Update: Gas Lantern Routine - Week 4 completion

To recap the Gas Lantern Routine; basically it uses 12/12 photoperiod with 1hr on between the dark cycle for vegetative growth.

Goes like this.

12 hrs on
5.5 hrs off
1hr on
5.5 hrs off
repeat


Been running this light cycle for a month and the results are amazing. I would say this light cycle is superior to any other light cycle for vegetative growth.

For veg:

12-1 (Gas Lantern Routine) - Superior
15/9 - High
16/8 - High
18/6 - Middle
24/0 - Low


Here are the results from each week. I've trimmed a few times and the tent bounce back with more growth.

Before the switch



1st Week Results



2nd Week Results - Trimmed after photos taken



3rd Week Results - New Growth - Trimmed (center)



4th Week Results - New Growth - Trimmed (center)









No pistils/balls till this day.

I left the top area of the tent alone (only trimmed once) to see the height differences between the new growth and the old tops. Every two weeks the tent gets really dense so new cuttings are made to keep them in check. I have over 15 strains in here not recommended for small tent even the one I use 4x4 is quite small, it can get crowded if you don't have use for the cuttings. Good thing I got the 2L SOG running for the clones.

To solve the solution is to keep the mother plants small, bonsai small while keeping some at normal height. So every two weeks I trim the plants at normal height while letting the bonsai grow, and 2 weeks later take cuttings from the bonsai (should be at normal height by then) while letting the new bonsai plants grow, and repeat the cycle. I also have my own tissue culture going (more on this later) to preserve the clones when the cloner is running full capacity. This way the tent is kept at growth balance.

Pro:

Saves electricity (11hrs of saving from 24/0, 5hrs of saving from 18/6)
Promote healthy plants. Any deficiency it has the plant will be able to bounce back with new growth after adjustment is made.
Promote plants growth, 2x more than 18/6, and 3-4x more from 24/0
Cuttings will root much faster with thicker roots and more hairs
Clones under bloom (12/12) will induce flowering much sooner
Less on hours = less heat = stealth


Con:

Must have good ventilation if the tent is closed or the tent has to be left open for the 1hr on between the dark cycle.
Must have good odor control. Healthy plants produce more aroma even in veg.
Plants in small container may get root bound due to rapid growth


Some tips using GLR (theory):

Have the light on a timer so the on/off is consistent daily. Manual on/off may induce flowering.
Use mix light or MH. Try not to use just HPS. The spectrum from HPS may induce flowering even with the 1 hour on between the dark cycle.
For the 1 hour on use a cheap light source like Fluorescent light or CFL instead of using HID light. Have it on a separate timer only turn on 1hr between the dark cycle and have the HID light set at 12/12. Normally with any other light cycle the ballast is turned on once in 24hrs, with GLR it turned on twice. This may shorten the lifespan of the ballast and bulb. If you decided to run Fluo/CFL then make sure the tent is well lid any shaded area or area left in the dark may induce flowering. The 1 hour on between dark cycle help destroy floral hormone, lack of light will not be able to destroy the hormone and will send your plants in bloom.


I'm very impressed by the results from GLR. I give this light cycle a passing grade:

A+

You're safe to run this light cycle if you want. I'm using this exclusively for all clones/seedling/and plants in vegetative growth.

 

[exile19]

you cant interfere in the dark 12 hours......you will go wrong....when in flower stage.

Were talking about flowering not veg man, where are we talking about light cycle during veg? were talking light cycle during flower man. I mean that sounds cool but its not on topic.

 

[Stoned4daze61]

Cannabis plants don't have a timer letting them sense if they get exactly 12 hours of light or not. They judge whether they have longer periods of darkness or light. Playing with the hours and cycles does not differ as long as the plant is getting more dark then light.

And I understand were not talking about Veg here, I am simply pointing out the fact that lighting cycles CAN be manipulated.


What makes you think it will hermie? Not getting exactly 12 hrs of darkness? Need I remind you outdoors light cycles get down to 9hrs at times of the year

 

[exile19]

Getting light interrupted during the DARK time the plant needs?? That alone is enough for it to go herm, and pushing the flowering time back cause the plant gets confused cause it needs the darkness to use all the light(photosynthesis) to produce bud or pollen sacks. So it will take longer to flower cause the light interruption(s) during its dark time.

 

[QueenTokelove]

Interesting debate. I would like to try this method in the future.

 

[Icemud]

Stonedfordaze is correct from what I have read as well. I have very detailed info about the dark period manipulation on my current journal, and also am running the Gas Lamp Routine, on week 2 of veg so far, and have explosive growth compared to running 18 hrs of light, I'm running 13 and saving a ton of $$...

There is a precise way to do it, and it involves red light and IR-Light, and depending on how the dark cycle is broken up with these two band's of light, will determine if the plant will flower or if it will remain in veg. If you break up the dark cycle with red light and IR light then the plant will remain in veg because the Photoreceptor's PR and Pfr, either resetting themselves which means stay in veg, or if you have more Pfr, then your plant will flower. If you were to break up the dark cycle with red/IR and then follow it up with only IR light, then your plant would flower because the IR stiulates the production or Pfr which leaves it in abundance over the PR, therefore the plant will flower....

This is actually what forces flower or veg.... it has everything to do with which photoreceptor is in abundance, usually meaning a longer dark period than light period will flower the plant, however, manipulation can be done to great success.

 

[exile19]

Yea dude its the same as 12/12 and a "light leak" happening, you guys grow a diff way to "increase" thc production. During the flowering stage.....12/12 if the is a light leak or the dark gets interrupted your flowering cycle will be longer and/or your flower will revert back to veg. So as cool as the gas lamp routine is, you dont answer the question and someone messes up their grow dude...

 

[Stoned4daze61]

Yea dude its the same as 12/12 and a "light leak" happening, you guys grow a diff way to "increase" thc production. During the flowering stage.....12/12 if the is a light leak or the dark gets interrupted your flowering cycle will be longer and/or your flower will revert back to veg. So as cool as the gas lamp routine is, you dont answer the question and someone messes up their grow dude...

I don't understand what you're getting at? That is different, a light leak during a 12/12 flower cycle would result in something other then 12/12. A light leak is usually on accident on only a part of the plant, and causes hermies. Having your light cycle interrupted would mean you would have more light then darkness. Such as 13/11 if you only have an hour of interruption, then of course it will revert bag to veg because there is a longer light period like we mentioned already. I don't know how much more proof you need to believe that GLR works, maybe you should try it yourself and maybe it will relieve your doubt.

 

[Icemud]

In reference to the original question, will a 3/3 or 6/6 lighting schedule work and all I can say is try it out on a bagseed, post a journal and then we will find out....

I would say probably no on the 3/3 schedule, because it takes around 5-6 hours of dark for the plant to revert its flowering hormones back to full levels after a light interruption from what I read, but then again, it may be possible, and I wouldn't discredit it without proof...

The 6/6 schedule may work, I looked around online and have seen the question asked around, but no solid "proof" either which way.

Overall I would say, if it works or not, that is a lot of wear and tear on your ballasts, bulbs and equipment, but I would indulge in a little research before "blindly" trying something out of element....

Gas Lamp routine is proven through scientific experiments, but there still is a 12 hour+ dark period... Ive read 10/14 is better when using GLR...

 

[exile19]

I dont doubt I meant with you glr its in a way like 12/12 "light leak" cause when you have a light leak during the flowering period, sometimes you get the male hormones which is why plants turn herm. It sounds different in my head I understand maybe on my next grow since I just got a light timer.