Going from 20/4 to 12/12...question on how to change

[Lil Neutrino]

I have seen some say to do 24 hours of darkness and then switch...some say just to change it on the fly.

Right now I'm on a 20/4 cycle...I would like the "on" part of the 12/12 cycle to begin when my lights turn on now. Can I just swap it over to 12/12?

Example:
20/4: On at 7PM, off at 3PM

12/12: On at 7PM off at 7AM

Cycle change: On at 7PM, off at 3PM the next day, on at 7PM again, but this time off at 7AM for 12 hours and then on at 7PM for another 12, repeat 12/12 cycle.

If I should do a 24 hour darkness period can I extend it to 28 hours so that my time on matches what I want to do above? (I.e. lights off at 3PM and then not turn on until 7PM the following day)

 

[Damagoman]

Just switch it.

no need to stagger the time out.

 

[TorturedSoul]

It's not the hours of light but the hours of darkness. Figure out what time you wish your lights to come on and make sure that the preceding 12 hours were completely dark where the plants are.

If you wish to extend that period of darkness, it is up to you. You have to have your oven at 375F to bake a pizza. How long before you throw it in there you preheat the oven really doesn't matter lol.

Well, you know. Set your schedule the way that is convenient to you. Just make sure they get 12 hours darkness on the day that you choose as day one of flowering and if in doing so you end up giving them 12, 14, 18, 20, 24 hours of darkness (don't go nuts)...

It's still going to be day one of flower.

Don't stress. Just make sure that once the lights come on during that day one, that your schedule is set and stable from that point forward.

 

[Lil Neutrino]

Ok, that makes sense...thanks guys! Poor Freja had a traumatic experience last night during my preflower hunt and split her main stem wide open almost all the way through. This occured near the tip but I have been LST'ing so I'm thinking even if I have to amputate (currently splinted with a toothpick and tie wraps) I have the other growth to fall back on. I want to give her 3-4 days to see if she recovers from this, if I have to cut it off I'll wait a week unless anyone thinks it really doesn't matter since there will still be a growth spurt prior to actual flowering.