Posted this under the 'Lighting' sub-forum but after 200 views I've got no answers, so I think it might do better in this section... \nFirst autoflower grow. Just testing the waters really. I've got two plants (GHS - Auto Big Bang) growing in a little box under a 150w LED (actual draw - 100w) and hanging vertically between them I have a 125w CFL. The lights are on all the time, they're nearly 5 weeks old and have been showing hairs for about a week and a half (although there are also some strange balls lower down on the plant that looked like male pre-flowers at first... until a few of them grew out into new little leafy growth... I'm still watching them though, cos I've seen similar growth to this before in hermies/bagseeds... these are seedbank fem'd seeds though and I don't think I've stressed them enough to force them to produce balls.. aaanyway) \nI also have a flower tent with 2 standard photoperiod plants (Nirvana - Pure Power Plant) at about 4 weeks of flower under a 600w HPS \n\nMy question is which would be better for the autos? Lights on all the time with the LED and CFL or lights on 12/12 under the 600w HPS? \nIf I did move the autos to the flower tent the PPP are far bigger and sit in the middle of a 2'x5' tent under the HPS so the autos will have to go either side and get less of the HPS light. I would probably add the 100w LED on one side of the HPS and a 90w UFO one on the other side for extra coverage to boost the light on the autos. \nSo yeah... Less light all the time or far more light half the time? \nIs it a stupid question? \n\n\nI'm obviously going to have to watch them for a while to see if these balls to turn out to be male flowers. If they are though, wont any seeds that come from self-pollination be feminised? And what if it pollinated some of my PPP buds in the flower tent? Besides being a fucking disaster, what would the seeds from that be like? Regular PPP x Feminised forced-hermie Auto Big Bang?
Hmmm... but they'd get more light under the HPS? Also: http://www.greenhouseseeds.nl/shop/big-bang-autoflowering-feminised.html On there it says: "Can be flowered at any photoperiod between 12 and 18 hours of light per day." So maybe they need SOME dark... and the box they're in with the LED isn't light proof so can't do dark...
Ive never used an LED, or a high powered HID for that matter, only CFL or natural sun. I have an auto that im doing now, first time for an auto(definetly not first time growing lol), and honestly, i think mine does best in natural sunlight. Incredibly slow growth under the lights, put it in the sun and it took off!!! Since its been throwing pistils for a good 1 1/2-2 weeks now, its back under the lights. Not sure how much that helps, but personnaly, im thinking that the Sun and its natural cycle work the best. For myself though, im still going to try another at some point under an HID when im able.
Its a good question and honestly it's anyone's guess, it could go either way. But in my opinion the flower tent with the LEDs, CFL, and over spill from the 600w HPS on 12/12 would be better than just the LEDs and CFL for 24/0
Can't do this with the PPPs flowering under 12/12 in there - that's the whole debate... Yeah, this is something I eventually plan to do year round with a handful of autos on windowsills... Just a bit of extra smoke for free basically. I'm not going to use the CFLs, just the LEDs to supplement the HPS. The CFLs would be too hot for my little tent on top of the heat the HPS makes... And too much money to spend on electricity... Thanks for your input though. I think it'll be better like this. Going to move them in there pretty soon I think. Someone on another thread suggested moving them to the flower tent whilst the HPS was on and then moving them back to the LED/CFL box when it was time for the lights to go out... So they'd still be on 24 hour light, but they'd be getting more intense light for 12 hours AND I'd be running the LEDs/CFLs for 12 hours less a day. Does anyone know if this daily fluctuation in light intensity/type would cause any issues..? Once they get bigger it wont be an option though cos it'll be too difficult..
The light changes won't effect them but being without the LEDs for 12 hours while in with the HPS is not good. Or do you mean move the LEDs with the plants? If so yeah that sounds good, but that's a lot of work. Moving plants and light twice a day would drive me crazy
When I come across these types of dilemmas that are too close to call, I tell myself that it doesn't matter which I choose. If it mattered then the best choice would be obvious. The fact that it's a hard choice means they are pretty even. I'd probably just go with what's easiest. Do you really have room in the flowering tent? Would moving them effect your already flowering non autos?
Being that it is just two plants, I would put the 600w while the light is on, and move them to the led for a few extra hours once the 600w goes to the dark cycle. As long as you are willing to do the work of moving them, it works well. Im doing the same thing to get my perpetual grow started until I set up a better veg light. The first 6 hours of light is under a 4ft 4 bulb t5ho, then I move them to my tent under 1000w hps until just before the lights go out.
EWhat about moving the 600w lamp from one tent to the other twice a day? Leaving the LEDs where they are to cover their 12hour shift. That way both tents get a full 12 hour go on the 600w HPS. Or is that too much of a pain to move? For me, moving anything twice a day is crazy, but if didn't mind the hassle that should give you the biggest harvest
Moving the HPS would be a huge effort. I wouldn't bother moving the LED either as it's also in a pretty permanent fixture. Moving the plants wouldn't be too much effort... It would be by far the easiest option. Why do you think it would be bad for them to go without the LED under the HPS? They're going to out grow their little veg box soon so I think I'm just going to stick them in the flower tent anyway. There is easily enough room for them to grow in there.
I understand moving things is a pain, I wouldn't do it myself but I was just stating an option. The reason the HPS isn't the obvious choice is that I would assume your current flowering plant has filled the growing area and making use of all the light given off by the 600w HPS. So ramming another plant in there competing for space may not be worth it. And if it's positioned at the back or corner out of the way it will not be getting a descent portion of the light. I can only go off what you said, I didn't know about height or room, you didn't go in to details
Aaaahh I seeee... Well, yes the two plants in the flower tent are about a meter wide together so they are taking up most of the light, however I own two LED lights. One is in the little box with the autos and a CFL hanging between them and the other is still hanging up to one side of the HPS (just not turned on at the moment) from my last grow which was a spur-of-the-moment bagseed germination. So I can use that to fill extra space to one side of the PPPs. Also the HPS is hanging at about 28' above the canopy at the moment. I'm lowering it daily though. I want it at about 22', but it's getting a bit hot for them... Ok, for now I think the problem is solved! At least the lights problem is... I'm still anxious that these autos have force-hermie'd a little... Only time will tell.