Lighting New winter lighting schedule: 6.5/1.5

[happily]

I've been having problems with my space getting too cold during the dark period. I've run the temps into the 80's to try and hold heat during the dark cycle as it drops to around 65 but still end up leaving a few flourescents running combat the cold. Many say the rest during the dark cycle is important and they haven't been given a real dark cycle. ANY THOUGHTS ON RUNNING 6.5 HOURS ON AND 1.5 HOURS O? Thats what I'm trying right now and It keeps the temps from going extreme in the winter months

 

[happily]

or a 10/2, 10/2

 

[The Squid]

Hey dude. :smokebuds: Is 65 the lowest it gets? And for how long, 4 hours?

 

[happily]

65 was the lowest it got about 3 hours.....I mostly kept a couple cfls running 24/0 to keep it from dropping.

 

[happily]

I used to run 24/0 but I'm trying to give them some beauty sleep

 

[The Squid]

That temp is just fine for your dark period man. If you still wanted them a little higher you could get a small heater on a timer that kicks on when the lights go out. Something like that could work with some trial and error to get your temps dialed in.

But like I said..65F is fine. Not optimum, but not detrimental IMO. :smokebuds:

 

[happily]

Thanks appreciate the input......I guess my real question was if anyone has any thoughts on a 6.5 hour light 1.5 hour dark schedule(mostly picking the brains of you experts). This way I can keep the temp more 78 in the lights and 73 for a low in the dark

 

[The Squid]

Not sure about that one, dude. I would say it's too many changes and would stress/stunt the plant and could cause hermie issues.

 

[Clyde Puffer]

Happily - I did something like this, but for the opposite reason - to keep peak temps down a bit. I can't remember the exact periods, but it worked out at 18/6 over 24 hours. I think it might have been 4.5 on 1.5 off, or something like that.

I can't say for sure how it affected growth as I had no control to compare with. Growth was vigorous and I got a great harvest, but of 10 plants, I had 2 hermies. Whether that was because of the light cycle or the high temps I was fighting (or even genetic factors as they were both of one particular strain of which I had 4 plants) I don't know.

 

[happily]

Thats the kind of info I'm looking for clyde. Curious if any others have tried something similar