24/0 is great but...

serhgroer

Member
Hey fellow growers,

So I have a DWC DIY hydroponic system.

I originally thought the 24 seven lighting would be awesome. And the fact is it is. If you have the proper equipment unlike me.
However, there are some things that I did not consider.

Firstly, the biggest upset of this whole 24 seven thing reservoir temperature. Without any dark. My reservoir temperature rises every day to top out about 78° By day 3. This is highly inconvenient because I would like to only change my stuff every seven days instead of every three. It weighs nudes and always wate this is highly inconvenient because I would like to only change my stuff every seven days instead of every three. It wastes nutes and water. $$$ goes up.

Secondly my humidity sucks. With my HPS lighting at 400 W and the ballast in the same room, (cannot be helped) my temperature is awesome going from 75 to 85. However the humidity is down at by 25%.

Thirdly, it just seems uncomfortable. I would like to say I'm not projecting my human needs onto the plant. I don't think that I would like to live and live comfortably in an area that was always hot and low humidity.

Finally and least importantly to me, is the light bill by cutting from 24 to 20 I am saving a little bit a change.

There are other inconveniences I'm sure it like fungus algae and all that nastiness. But I have not come across any of those problems. I don't know why but I guess I'm just lucky.

Anyone else have anything to add .

And I know there is equipment out there that can fix all this problem with the lighting, but as I stated I almost have everything in the things I need are super expensive chiller humidifier exhaust s and I know there is equipment out there that can fix all this problem with the lighting, but as I stated I almost have everything in the things I need are super expensive chiller humidifier exhaust for stone system. I have a low-tech system you could say . Lol.
 

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
if the lights are off, the plant isn't photosynthesizing aka growing.

also, closer node spacing, shorter veg times, easier to keep constant temps and RH% too with lights always on.

a chiller is almost required for dwc for consistently good results
 

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
The plant has to sleep, it will take a nap even with the lights on. This is something people don't realize.

If you run a plant on 24 hour of light, it will create sugars until it's at capacity, then go into sleep/sugar burn mode. Ever wonder why a plant can surprise you with new growth overnight? It's because it used all the energy it collected during the day to grow at night. If you don't give it a night, it will just burn the sugars when it decides, but during this time photosynthesis slows significantly or stops all together.

If you run 24/0 vs 20/4 vs 18/6 side by side with clones under the same power of lights, the difference between results is very minimal. If I were you I would go 20/4, 18/6, or 6/2. I'm going to experiment with 6/2 in the future, I had not heard of that cycle until just recently. It's getting good reports, but I can't find any side by side comparisons with other light cycles. It has a logical advantage over 18/6 as well, as 18 hours is likely too long to go without sleep/sugar burn, so the plant would waste some lights on time.

In any case, the performance difference is very negligible. To the point that choosing the wrong light cycle in veg may cost you a day per month of veg.
 

shorelineOG

Well-Known Member
if the lights are off, the plant isn't photosynthesizing aka growing.

also, closer node spacing, shorter veg times, easier to keep constant temps and RH% too with lights always on.

a chiller is almost required for dwc for consistently good results
Stop giving bad advice. Give your plants and lights a rest. 18 on 6 off is perfect. When you go from on 24 to on 18 it will trigger flower. Go to 16 on for a few days, then 17 on for a few days. Then you get to 18/6 by gradual increase,replicating spring not fall. Also if you get preflowers in veg, nitrogen without p k will help. I provide clones to people and so most of my clones go from my 18/6 room into someone else's 20/4 room and love it, they think the days are getting longer and hit a growth spurt. They need a dark period the way GOD intended. My plants sleep, and when the lights come on the leaves pray or point toward the light. Dj short has made great observations about environment and light cycle so read what he says. And for dwc and temperature , keeping the water aerated with air stones as much as possible helps.
 

shorelineOG

Well-Known Member
And for tighter internodes try a better spectrum with more uv like power veg t5 bulbs. Internodes spacing has nothing to do with lights on for 24 hours.
 

Resinhound

Well-Known Member
Cannabis is a c3 plant and there is absolutely no scientific evidence that cannabis processes c02 or anything else only in the presense of darkness.24/0 will allow for more training and less stretching during veg.24/0 is a tool you should have in your arsenal if you need it...to heavily train or reduce stertching and make for tighter nodes etc.Ofc its not always needed but your grow room should be able to handle that of you need it to.
 

KryptoBud

Well-Known Member
Stop giving bad advice. Give your plants and lights a rest. 18 on 6 off is perfect. When you go from on 24 to on 18 it will trigger flower. Go to 16 on for a few days, then 17 on for a few days. Then you get to 18/6 by gradual increase,replicating spring not fall. Also if you get preflowers in veg, nitrogen without p k will help. I provide clones to people and so most of my clones go from my 18/6 room into someone else's 20/4 room and love it, they think the days are getting longer and hit a growth spurt. They need a dark period the way GOD intended. My plants sleep, and when the lights come on the leaves pray or point toward the light. Dj short has made great observations about environment and light cycle so read what he says. And for dwc and temperature , keeping the water aerated with air stones as much as possible helps.
If you go from 24hrs to 18hrs your plants will start to flower, but if you go from 24hrs to 16 they won't? Am I understanding you correctly? Does nitrogen hurt or help pre flowers?
 

serhgroer

Member
Wow thanks for input guys. Solid advice.
Today I went 20/4, cleaned everything with water 99.9% and .01%bleach. Tubes, aerators, lid.
Flushed out my net pots with straight running tap water in the tub. Left Res unnuted for two hours. Nuted water to 437 ( week 1 veg). 5.7 p.h.
I will exchange 2 gallons of res water every other day til res change again (7 -10 days)

My "darkness" period is from 2 p.m. To 6 p.m. ( I'm a nighthawk)

I don't have the funds for a chiller so this is what works, not at all convent but I'll still enjoy it.:weed:
 

hellmutt bones

Well-Known Member
So are u growing autos cus this is the only plant that will flower 24hrs, if ur growing any other type of seeds then it needs 12/12. So just flower already!
 

shorelineOG

Well-Known Member
If you go from 24hrs to 18hrs your plants will start to flower, but if you go from 24hrs to 16 they won't? Am I understanding you correctly? Does nitrogen hurt or help pre flowers?
They dont flower they, it triggers flowering so veg growth stops until the plant figures out if it is spring or fall. Plants will start flower after the summer equinox when the days decrease by a few minutes each day. I go to 16 hours for a few days. Then increase until you are at 18 hours on. A 2-0-0 nutrient like botanicare cal mag will promote veg, and reveg.
 

shorelineOG

Well-Known Member
So are u growing autos cus this is the only plant that will flower 24hrs, if ur growing any other type of seeds then it needs 12/12. So just flower already!
Because in nature we have a 12/12 all fall??? Ever seen an outdoor grow? Are you retarded? How much more can I explain this???? Its about INCREMENTAL light changes and hormones in the plant. Read what DJ short says on the subject.
 

shorelineOG

Well-Known Member
So are u growing autos cus this is the only plant that will flower 24hrs, if ur growing any other type of seeds then it needs 12/12. So just flower already!
I would never grow autos or fem garbage. Do you know what pre flowers or hairs are? Lots of veg rooms have plants with "hairs" pre flowers on non auto strains. These plants are experiencing stagnation and are not the healthiest for veg.
 
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