Is there anything wrong with a non-24 hour light schedule? like 18-1?

Cali.Grown>408

Well-Known Member
Root development is key and they grow the most during Lights Out
Hi it is my first time growing anything and I have a simple question -

It seems that I only hear about 18-6, 24-0, and 12-12 light schedules and I want to do 24-0 or close to it. However, I don't want to work my LED 100% of the time and let it cooldown. I bought a 1500w (draws 228w) Roleadro (HydroGalaxy) LED light and manufacturer advises to run it at most for 18 hours straight or it will affect the product life.

Can I do 18 hours on, and 1 or 2 hours off?? I'm assuming I never hear about these schedules because it'd be a pain in the ass to calculate feedings and such every day, but I have a Belkin Wemo Insight Smart Plug that I schedule with so it's easy.

Thank you and I'm sorry if this has been asked or if it's a dumb question...
 

IIReignManII

Well-Known Member
Plants undergo cell respiration at night where they consume and dont release any oxygen and other cellular processes...living creatures need a dark period. I heard something called CAM photosynthesis, or Crassulacean-Acid metabolism in which the stomata in the leaves of certain plants close during the day and open at night to minimize water loss. CO2 is acquired at this time, and stored in vacuoles as malate.
 

Home Grow Hype-Girl

Well-Known Member
I've always done 24/7 and 12/12 and have been growing about 4 years. I've been meaning to switch to 18/6 or 20/4 for about 1.5 years but never can because doing so may triggering flowering. Ugh! The woes eh? I will eventually that's for sure.

In researching articles for Boveda, I learned that during lights on the plant makes and stores energy. Then during lights out it uses that energy to repair and grow. It worries me that my 24/7 lights don't give the plants time to actually grow as much as they could.

I now also grow some autoflowers and some people even grow them on a 18/6 or 20/4 cycle. I've read that as long as you have more than 13 hours light on, you'll be over. However, any reduction in light will trigger flowering. Gotta start out that way I think. Unless anyone else can correct me there?

Problem here is I grow in my 2nd bedroom in my 8th floor apartment so I keep the doors open when lights are on to mitigate heat. I'll have to keep certain schedules for everything! :) Once again, the woes eh? I'm blessed to be legal to grow.
 

pulpoinspace

Well-Known Member
I've always done 24/7 and 12/12 and have been growing about 4 years. I've been meaning to switch to 18/6 or 20/4 for about 1.5 years but never can because doing so may triggering flowering. Ugh! The woes eh? I will eventually that's for sure.

In researching articles for Boveda, I learned that during lights on the plant makes and stores energy. Then during lights out it uses that energy to repair and grow. It worries me that my 24/7 lights don't give the plants time to actually grow as much as they could.

I now also grow some autoflowers and some people even grow them on a 18/6 or 20/4 cycle. I've read that as long as you have more than 13 hours light on, you'll be over. However, any reduction in light will trigger flowering. Gotta start out that way I think. Unless anyone else can correct me there?

Problem here is I grow in my 2nd bedroom in my 8th floor apartment so I keep the doors open when lights are on to mitigate heat. I'll have to keep certain schedules for everything! :) Once again, the woes eh? I'm blessed to be legal to grow.
You shouldn’t have to worry about triggering flowering unless you give plants 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness.

Switching from 24/0 to 18/6 should be no problem! Unless there is something about your setup I’m missing.

Autoflowers will flower under any light schedule after 3-5 weeks.
 

grilledcheese101

Well-Known Member
I'm definitely making this more complicated than it needs to be or I don't get something, because I'm a little confused. Thanks for all the patience and replies with my first post on these forums...

I think for all intents and purposes I'm doing 22-2 so I can rest my cheap LED light for 1 or 2 hours (mfg suggests max run-time 18 hrs).

I have my smartplug setup 18 hours straight on (light), then next 2 hours off/dark (what I think is considered 18-2?). but most days I'll get 22 hours of light in a 24 hour period as per below (And I'll switch to 12/12 during flower):

View attachment 4341408

Anyway, I'm not saying I have this great theory or I'm trying to change the tried and true up - I kind of just wanted to get close to 24-0 without wearing out my LED light or having it overheat. If you guys think there's a better way I'm all ears! Like how do people do 24-0?? They basically just run their lights for 5 weeks straight (840 hours) before switching to 12/12??

Absolutely more complicated than it needs to be...

The lights will come on at a different time every day. Lmao
 

Hydro4life

Well-Known Member
Nothing wrong with 24-0. Ive grown with an 18-6 light schedule and i get more veg growth with 24-0. Plant health seemed the same with both lighting schedules.
But i did find the amount of extra power you use to extra growth ratio isnt the best, but on a healthy plant using 24-0 light schedule i get more veg growth.
Is the extra power consumption worth it on these valuable plants? Imo YES!!
And best of all, no timers to worry about.

Have you considered using HID mh for veg?
Ive used the same ballasts and lights running 24-0 for over 2 years! Only turning them off to change out the bulbs roughly once every 6 months!!
 

Hydro4life

Well-Known Member
Plants undergo cell respiration at night where they consume and dont release any oxygen and other cellular processes...living creatures need a dark period. I heard something called CAM photosynthesis, or Crassulacean-Acid metabolism in which the stomata in the leaves of certain plants close during the day and open at night to minimize water loss. CO2 is acquired at this time, and stored in vacuoles as malate.
The stomatas will only close if the plant is loosing too much moisture through its leaves. The plant absorbs co2 through the stomatas! I dose co2 and This is where temp and humidity is very important! Keeping a close eye on how the plant drinks is vital to co2 absorption. If your environment is too dry or temps are too high, or both, the stomatas will close as the plant will go into survival mode and you will just waste any added co2.
 

getogrow

Well-Known Member
i never heard of a light that you cant run all day everyday? that just means its a cheapy....put a fan right on the hot part of the light, that should prolong it some. I see exactly where your coming from but i think the manafactuer lied about that one ? anyone here use leds that say only 18 hrs a day ?

24 vs 18/6 ....scientifically , 18/6 is better but many growers use 24 and see lil to no difference. so dont worry so much about getting that 24 hrs of light and make SURE she gets a solid 18 till flower time.
 

Hydro4life

Well-Known Member
You could do any light schedule you want as you have a long enough length of constant light hours to keep them in veg. Most peoples safe minimum is 18 hours of constant light. You dont have to total your dark hours to make a 24 hour cycle but is easier to set your timer up doing it this way and youll know exactly what time lights are on or off each day. You could go 19 hours of light, 2 hours of darkness. It would just mean your 2 hour dark period would offset by 3 hours everyday.
Some people just think it has to add up to 24 hours :wall:
 
Top