So i got two seedlings growing and i currently have them under a couple CFL's. they're about 2 inches tall with a good bit of leaves. Now which do you think is a perfered light time for them 18/6 or 24/0? I also have a small 70 watt HPS light. would the HPS light be better to use on the seedlings or should i keep with the CFL's?
Stick with the CFL's for now at 24/0. Seedlings dont need a darkness period. Put the HPS on them in like a week - 2 weeks
with 24/0 and 18/6 your plants absorb about the same amount of light the only question you need to ask yourself is do you want to conserve energy or not =)
How do you figure they absorb the same amount of light? Does photosynthesis cease for 6 six hours when on a 24/0 schedual? Or does the mean rate of photosynthesis decrease overall?? Not saying your right or wrong, just curious because everything published that i've read on the topic insists that a dark period isn't necessary and that plant growth is more vigorous on the 24/0. (my plants are currently on 24/0)
Plants grow better and faster on 18/6. Tested this myself.... Sugar Production happens during the dark hours and this is needed for proper growth.
I'd go with the 18/6. It not only saves power, but it also replicates the sun a little better. I think that the natural emulation like that helps growth, and then the plants won't get freaked out that the sun is up all the time! hehehe
when utilizing 18/6 the plant absorbs a certain amount of light ... when you use 24/0 the plant only absorbs so much more but the fact is that the amount of photosynthesis that goes on in a day is capped and really using 24/0 can be a slight waste of energy technically speaking
like ironlungs stated 2 weeks of 24/0 is a must for young seedlings so that the root system can develop but me I like to place then on 1 more week of 24 after I transplant so the roots can get established in there new home
might sound dumb but i actually use 16/8 instead of 18/6. out of 4 gros i have had 5 females out of 10 seeds. my plants don't stretch i use LST and use a 250 watt hps from start to finish. i get 2 hours of saved energy a day lmao. but it doesn't seem to bother them? check out my gallery and see for yourself
i say anything more than 18 on is a waste of energy. i've tried LOTS of different lighting schedules and have concluded that if the plant has more than 13 hrs on per day it grows nicely in veg....sunlight, flurosent, HPS, MH....and am a firm believer that if you get youre plants "spun" on a 24/7 then they grow like a crackhead ... they live n work but are not at peak potential..