Indoor Light intensity vs Time intensity

[BigBuddha]

Greetings folks,


I've looked at the science for a long time but I still cannot really get my head around what it says, and frankly, I tend to take experience over science most of the time. So, I have a question that your opinions on would be much apreciated..

Assuming identical genetics and conditions.. which plant would do better:

One grown under 12/12 + 1kw of light
One grown under 24/7 + 500w of light


Which one do you think will produce more yield? Granted, then one under 12/12 may stretch in the dark, but since it'll be getting twice the amount of light would this compensate for the stretch and give it big enough nugs to balance that out?


Thoughts appreciated.


B

 

[namvet]

I wouldn't use either of those light cycles.Going 18/6 with the strongest light is the norm that most people use.Just like in nature they need a rest period to process the energy they gather during lights on.

 

[BigBuddha]

Actually.. whilst every instinct in my body agrees with you on the need for a dark period, the science disagrees with us as Cannabis is a genome of plant that doesn't actually do anything differently in the dark, other than know when to flower. I've had the debate many a time and you're either in the camp that swears by their experience of a dark period being useful, or those that say it isn't necessary for vegging/autos.

I'm currently trialling a 24/7 regime and so far results seem to be quite good with less stretching, but I don't know.. whilst the science on the light absorption/energy production is sound (ie the dark period doesn't have an effect on those processes).. there's also the argument that they need some time to cool-down and rest from the heat like they would in nature. My gut says it's better than 24/7 for reasons that we may not yet understand. Then there's the additional electricity costs of 24/7 vs 18/6.. but that aside, I've not yet really found the cast-iron answer regarding whether twice as much light for half as much time or half as much light for twice as much time is better..

I'd usually go 18/6, too, but the question relates to my particular 2-tent setup at the moment.. you see, I can put all my autos in the main tent under a kw of light with the regular flowering fems and potentially save the running costs of the other tent, but to do that I'd need to have all the autos on a 12/12 cycle. But, they'd get twice as much light for those 12hrs. See what I mean?

 

[JM]

https://www.autoflower.org/f3/article-photosynthesis-what-do-plants-do-night-948.html

 

[BigBuddha]

Cheers, JM, but the link takes me on a loop to the knowledge base and I cannot see an article on photosynthesis.. but I am extremely baked so forgive me if I'm just being an arse and can't see it..

 

[JM]

Well I'm straight sobe clear headed and I cant get it to take me there either!

I'll check with the other mods....



its a great article if we can find it.

 

[BigBuddha]

Ha ha.. glad it's not just me then.

 

[namvet]

I can't find it either but it sounds like you know what your doing,I think.I'm just going by what was general knowlige on the forum,but whatever way you go i hope it works for you and your grow is a great one.

 

[BigBuddha]

Cheers mate. It's a fucker cos it's one of those issues where you know in your heart that they need some dark, but once someone whips out the science books and shows you that they don't.. you're screwed because you dunno what to do next lol.

Another spanner in the works.. I have a coupla automatics that started out life under 12/12 and they both stretched a lot.. HOWEVER.. because of the stretching when I LST'd them it opened up all the lower bud-sites so they're all turning into really fat little nugs that are coated in white now they're under 24/7. So.. although we're all conditioned to think that stretching is bad.. sometimes I think it helps get better quality nugs.

Fuck it.. the only thing to do now is build one and wait for lights on