changing light cycles and intensity

Discussion in 'First Time Marijuana Growers' started by kaBLAM, Sep 24, 2009.

  1. soooo...

    as my little seedlings were coming up i wanted to keep them on 24/0 because i wasn't sure when they would pop up and didn't want to miss the window to get light on them. i also figured it would help them grow a little more vigoursly in their beginning stage.

    currently...as less than 1 week old seedlings, they are getting 282 watts divided among 19 seedlings.

    since they're all sprouted now, i'd like to turn on my 430 watt hps.

    we figured once we turned on the 430 watt we would cut back from 24/7 to 18/6, to give the room time to cool down.

    however now i'm reading that changing light patterns can cause more males and hermies.

    i'm hoping that because they are still so young it will not mean males and hermies as much as if i had changed their light in say, the 4th week of veg. and that also since we are increasing the intensity of that light in those 18 hours, that it won't stress them that much.

    is that wishful thinking?

    ps--i KNOW that isn't enough light for 19 full growns, but we're planning on weeding out the stragglers and slow growers. ultimately we are to have 10 plants under 727 watts.
     
  2. Switching the light shouldnt stress your plants too much. HPS bulbs for vegging are not recommended, try to get your hands on an MH conversion bulb. Just introduce the more intense light gradually, don't stick it inches from tops off the bat. Position it a couple feet above tops at first, and move it down gradually to an ideal height over a couple days.
     
  3. i've read it multiple spots that hps are the best all rounder...

    plus a friend of ours uses hps for all stages and his bud is GREAT!!

    but thank you for the other advice!!
     
  4. #4 halitzor, Sep 24, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 24, 2009
    All arounder? Doesnt make any senese. Unless you mean using HPS full term is better than using MH full term, which is correct because the majority of your plants life is spent flowering, which HPS is better for.



    If you do 2 identical grows, one with a MH bulb for veg then HPS for flower, vs HPS full term, the first grow will beat the 2nd.


    Thats all he's saying. Its not required, but you'll get better results.
     
  5. yes..by all arounder i mean the light that's best to use full term.

    i understand what he's saying. although it was hardly the issue i was looking for an answer about.

    do YOU have anything constructive to say about my specific problem?

    oh, and your use of the word "rape" to describe one plant doing better than another is disturbing and insensitive.
     
  6. Fixed for you.



    And actually, you don't even list a specific problem.




    Fluctuating your light cycles is a good way to get hermie's. There, your thread is done.
     
  7. wow...thank you for your thoughtful answer. i'd imagine that if anyone else wanted to comment they'd be surpassing your authority since you decided that my thread was done.
     
  8. :rolleyes:


    Buddy.... You don't even have an issue.



    Your problem: you're screwing with your light cycles.



    Your solution: stop.


    If you play with light cycles (especially during late veg) you run the risk of getting hermies.




    You are asking nothing else, you listed no other problems.


    Stop being so abbrasive and smoke a bowl man.
     
  9. DUDE. First off...i felt you were the one being abrasive...was that not obvious?

    second...I haven't done any playing with my light cycles. I'm asking what the chance is of my plants turning hermie IN EARLY VEG if i switch ONCE to 18/6 from 24/0. And if that stress would be exacerbated by adding 430 watts to the setup. Or if it would be alleviated somewhat. I already knew that messing with the light cycles could cause hermies THUS my concern.

    So thank you. After pulling so many teeth I finally got an answer from you.

    Which is basically what the first guy told me. And, I was thankful for his answer. But then you came to his defense, for what, really? I wasn't sure. Because I said I read (on GC) that HPS was okay in the long run? He didn't need someone to come to his aid for that. Although, if HE felt i was being abrasive then HE could have said so.
     
  10. Glad I could help
     
  11. Listen man, yeah you can get through a grow using an HPS the WHOLE time, seed to budding. The point we are trying to make is there are certain color spectrums that work best at different times in a plants life. During early stages, you should be trying to encourage as many new shoots and node regions as you can. A cooler color will produce those results, so when you switch to the warmer color for flowering, all those budsites fill out resulting in much more weight. If it were as easy as one light throughout a plant's life cycle, don't you think more people would cut the hassle of other lights? I could have been more specific with my first answer. The switch from 18/6 24/0 will have no effect on your plants. You do run a bit more of a chance switching the lights, but like I said do it gradually and drop the light to the appropriate height over a bit of time. It'll be fine, let's all go smoke a fatty, ite?!
     
  12. i totally get why hps isn't IDEAL for the entire period.

    but that's what we got.

    to "help" the situation we have daylight cfls (42 watt) x 6 around the entire setup.

    i know it's not ideal. but i'm a beginner. this is my first grow. and i'm just trying to make sure i'm not fucking things up by adding the hps/shortening the day length. that is my primary concern at this juncture.

    sorry if i sounded ungrateful for your HID info...but I've been reading. I knew the deal. MANY many many people have said HPS is fine at this point (even though not ideal), and I've smoked bud grown exclusively under HPS and I'm willing to take the chance.

    thanks though!!
     
  13. No prob man, the way I think about that is, I'd rather start with HID and just run with that, than go all the way through under fluoros. Good luck man, have fun.

    Seacrest Out
     

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