Lighting What's the best lighting cycle for autos - 24/0, 20/4 or 18/6

[Egzoset]

Salutations everyone,

I have another schedule in mind which i still wonder if that's supposed to work on autofems: the century-old "Gas Lantern Routine" (e.g. 12/5:30/1/5:30). For example:

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Though i figure this particular schedule is for the photosensitive strains.

Any linked hints?

 

[bromhexine]

no dark makes alot of strains sick. how about switching to 12/12 couple weeks before harvest?

 

[totaly devoid]

Exactly where is this location where autos evolved where the sun never sets?

have you not read the literature -any where above the arctic circle enableing people in places where there is no significant dark period Examples are Norway, Lapland,Siberia,Alaska etc the further north the longer the days

 

[totaly devoid]

have you not read the literature -any where above the arctic circle enableing people in places where there is no significant dark period Examples are Norway, Lapland,Siberia,Alaska etc the further north the longer the days

perhaps my terminology was to generalised,try reading the spirit of the post instead of being overly pedantic ( with all due respect my friend)

 

[GoAuto6]

That's odd if you look here it says in December there's only 3 hours of sun light.....

Sunrise and Sunset for U.S.A. – Alaska – Fairbanks – coming days

 

[chrisp]

I have been running 24/0 but voted for 20/4. I need the heat so that's why I run 24/0 . I recently germed 2 candy kush, 2 auto pounders, and a diva under 24/0. I noticed that 4 of the plants got too tall too quickly to support their own weight. I had to stake them. I attribute this to the 24/0 cycle. Of course we want all the stretch we can get , but I am not sure if this early stretch is healthy. Plants are 2 weeks old. I guess time will tell. On my last grow I used a timer for 18/6 and increased amount of light as plants matured. That worked well.

 

[chrisp]

I wouldn't use that lantern chart above

 

[TxOld Dude]

I chose 18/6 mainly because I go to bed at 12 and get up at 6a. The grow is in my bedroom closet with loads of light leakage (until my tent comes in). So mine is a matter of convenience. BUT, then again, transpiration/osmosis occurs during the dark cycle (and other processes as well) so it makes sense to keep them healthy and stress free. Now that's NOT to say 24/0 is a bad thing, just saying that a period of dark IS better for the plant. It might also effect final yield if the plant is stressed going into flowering.
"Plants need light to photosynthesize, but darkness is just as important to give a plant time to convert photosynthesized nutrients into plant growth."

I'm a past photo grower, but I suspect even autos would benefit from at least some dark cycle.
JMHO

Fish

 

[NEimmaculates]

EVER heard of CAT Napping your Veg and Auto Plants?

This may sound Kinda Weird but here is what I learned off an Article in Skunk. and its not called Cat Napping there I just nick named it this:

You can keep a Plant in a veg state a save Energy at the same time by doing light at 18/6 we know. BUT

try this:
Example 1:

about 4 hours in this 6 hour dark Period set timer to Cut the Lights on for 15 Minutes. This kinda wakes the Plants and then you set light to Cut back off for another few hours for a little nap again

Example 2: if you did not get what I wrote above lol:

You can do this also to save energy: by doing 12 hours light and and during a 12 hour dark period, set timer to wake plants in the first 4 hours for 15 minutes then in another 4 hours extend this to turn on for Two Hours and then shut off - Then Last time let it wakes itself into the next strait 12 hour strait phase.

If working with an 8 week strain I would harvest a week out doing this cat nap way.

P.S. I have not seen a stressed auto yet doing this. It also keeps girls in veg when you keep waking then. Autos it will keep them awake more lol

Just wanted to comment on this… I've been a photo grower for years, gonna start my first auto grow here shortly, I hope, anyways we run our photos on what we call the 12+1 light schedule. Basically the lights are on for 12 off for 5 1/2 on for an hour and off for 5 1/2 ( 5 1/2 + 1 + 5 1/2 = 12 + 12 = 24 ) this keeps the plant in veg, due to the break up of the dark period, and saves like 35-40% on the electrical consumption. This works GREAT on photo strains without an impact on yield ( that I've noticed anyways ). So I was wondering if something along these lines would work with autos? Or would it be counter productive? Any thoughts?

 

[GoAuto6]

Just wanted to comment on this… I've been a photo grower for years, gonna start my first auto grow here shortly, I hope, anyways we run our photos on what we call the 12+1 light schedule. Basically the lights are on for 12 off for 5 1/2 on for an hour and off for 5 1/2 ( 5 1/2 + 1 + 5 1/2 = 12 + 12 = 24 ) this keeps the plant in veg, due to the break up of the dark period, and saves like 35-40% on the electrical consumption. This works GREAT on photo strains without an impact on yield ( that I've noticed anyways ). So I was wondering if something along these lines would work with autos? Or would it be counter productive? Any thoughts?

I think you would increase your stress and intern raise your chances of getting hermies. erratic light schedules and autos usually don't mix.