- Thread starter
- #101
Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls
@ mr mudpie, as for the lights schedules, the only info ive found out truthfull is root growth, this result showed that the roots grow more at 18-6, grow less at 24-0. now i dont think this is a problem, when the lights are off any sugars the plants has made go back down to the roots and this makes them grow more, but with the lights on 24 the plant continues to grow and dont send it back to the roots as the lights are never off, my last grow was 18-6 and i got great results with a plant that was really abused, now alot of people on this site use all the methods to grow and all get good results, i think if any one method was causing slow growth or bad yields then growers would be talking about it, i was tempted to go 24-0 till i went to flower but this raises cost of electric as the lights are constantly on, how ever the lights been constantly on might mean less days in veg as you are giving the plant the extra hours, now studys have been done and it is known that plants dont need to have the lights off during veg and they will grow very well under 24-0, but i personally think the plants benefit from the lights been off for a short time so i opted for inbetween at 20-4, this saves on electric and also rests the plant, i would suggest to you one way or the other as their has been very little testing done, some say you get bigger plants and yields using 24-0 and others say you get bigger plants and yields using 18-6, i think its just what you prefer to do yourself,
what im going to do when i take cuttings from these plants is set up 2 or 3 seperate grows and grow all the plants identical by measuring water and distance from lights and temps etc etc, but im going to try 3 different lighting schedules, 18-6 20-4 and 24-0. this is the only way im going to find out for myself whats best.
so i couldnt really guide you on that, you could keep it at 24-0 and compare it to mine at 20-4 and see how things go, but growing at 24-0 wont cause any problems with your grow and certainly wont damage the plant, i need to test to see if the plants do actually grow more under 24-0 because even when the lights are off the plants are still growing and most growers will say that when the lights come back on they can notice how much its grown during the dark period, so ive got to test it because i may find out that the plants grow the same amount using any schedule and of this is the case then the only benefit would be electric costs, when i put mine in soil i chose 20-4 to try and get the most grow but also give them some dark time as well, but 24-0 is also a good light schedule their will always be the argument which is best but until some side by side testing is done its just to hard to say either way.
the only routine ive heard of and read about that does promote a lot more growth and yield is the gas lantern routine, now you can only do this with timers and it wouldnt be something a novice grower would try, but basically the glr works like this, you have 12 hours with the lights on, then 5.5 hours off, then 1 hour on then 5.5 off then your 12 hours of light, now this method stops the plant from going into flower but promotes more growth, its something to consider in the future but im not at that stage yet.
go with what ever you thinks best, google cannabis lighting schedules and have a read, but as far as i can tell the only difference or big difference is the electric, you may grow it quicker using 24-0 but could cost more in electric, its just to hard to say whats best without any tests been done. stick with what you thinks best and if you have gone with 24-0 then go with that as you will still get good results, ive not seen any method produce bad results just because the lighting schedule is different.
@ mr mudpie, as for the lights schedules, the only info ive found out truthfull is root growth, this result showed that the roots grow more at 18-6, grow less at 24-0. now i dont think this is a problem, when the lights are off any sugars the plants has made go back down to the roots and this makes them grow more, but with the lights on 24 the plant continues to grow and dont send it back to the roots as the lights are never off, my last grow was 18-6 and i got great results with a plant that was really abused, now alot of people on this site use all the methods to grow and all get good results, i think if any one method was causing slow growth or bad yields then growers would be talking about it, i was tempted to go 24-0 till i went to flower but this raises cost of electric as the lights are constantly on, how ever the lights been constantly on might mean less days in veg as you are giving the plant the extra hours, now studys have been done and it is known that plants dont need to have the lights off during veg and they will grow very well under 24-0, but i personally think the plants benefit from the lights been off for a short time so i opted for inbetween at 20-4, this saves on electric and also rests the plant, i would suggest to you one way or the other as their has been very little testing done, some say you get bigger plants and yields using 24-0 and others say you get bigger plants and yields using 18-6, i think its just what you prefer to do yourself,
what im going to do when i take cuttings from these plants is set up 2 or 3 seperate grows and grow all the plants identical by measuring water and distance from lights and temps etc etc, but im going to try 3 different lighting schedules, 18-6 20-4 and 24-0. this is the only way im going to find out for myself whats best.
so i couldnt really guide you on that, you could keep it at 24-0 and compare it to mine at 20-4 and see how things go, but growing at 24-0 wont cause any problems with your grow and certainly wont damage the plant, i need to test to see if the plants do actually grow more under 24-0 because even when the lights are off the plants are still growing and most growers will say that when the lights come back on they can notice how much its grown during the dark period, so ive got to test it because i may find out that the plants grow the same amount using any schedule and of this is the case then the only benefit would be electric costs, when i put mine in soil i chose 20-4 to try and get the most grow but also give them some dark time as well, but 24-0 is also a good light schedule their will always be the argument which is best but until some side by side testing is done its just to hard to say either way.
the only routine ive heard of and read about that does promote a lot more growth and yield is the gas lantern routine, now you can only do this with timers and it wouldnt be something a novice grower would try, but basically the glr works like this, you have 12 hours with the lights on, then 5.5 hours off, then 1 hour on then 5.5 off then your 12 hours of light, now this method stops the plant from going into flower but promotes more growth, its something to consider in the future but im not at that stage yet.
go with what ever you thinks best, google cannabis lighting schedules and have a read, but as far as i can tell the only difference or big difference is the electric, you may grow it quicker using 24-0 but could cost more in electric, its just to hard to say whats best without any tests been done. stick with what you thinks best and if you have gone with 24-0 then go with that as you will still get good results, ive not seen any method produce bad results just because the lighting schedule is different.
