Light ???

BobCajun

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
An interesting thing I read is that a certain amount of light, a "daily light integral" as it's called, applied over 24 hours continuously produces more growth than the same DLI applied for a shorter time and followed by a dark period. So for sheer energy to growth optimization continuous light may be the best route. That's actually what I've been using for the last few months. Cuttings root in 5 days. I can grow the rooted cuttings under 5w LED bulbs, the same ones used for rooting, for a few weeks to get them well established. I just remove the layer of plastic between the light and the growth chamber. The chamber is almost 1 sq ft area. Point being that with continuous light you can get healthy growth from surprisingly little wattage.

One thing about continuous light though, you need to start the flowering phase with 24 hours darkness, otherwise flowering may be delayed a couple days.
 
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BobCajun

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
I did use 6/2 before, and 7/1, 5/3 and 9/3, but since I'm using several small closed chambers now, with just air holes for ventilation, I found that the dark time caused too much condensation on the sides. Cuttings do seem to root faster with continuous light too. Since it's just 5w LED bulbs I'm not worried about the extra power.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
BobCajun said:
I did use 6/2 before, and 7/1, 5/3 and 9/3, but since I'm using several small closed chambers now, with just air holes for ventilation, I found that the dark time caused too much condensation on the sides. Cuttings do seem to root faster with continuous light too. Since it's just 5w LED bulbs I'm not worried about the extra power.
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You definitely need some airflow.

Also, 5W doesn't deliver enough intensity to make the dark cycles necessary or worthwhile. That's more for high power veg situations.
 
BobCajun

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
ttystikk said:
You definitely need some airflow.

Also, 5W doesn't deliver enough intensity to make the dark cycles necessary or worthwhile. That's more for high power veg situations.
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I was going for passive air circulation, holes in the bottom of the sides and in the top, heat causing upward air motion. They do okay, just not when there are dark periods.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
BobCajun said:
I was going for passive air circulation, holes in the bottom of the sides and in the top, heat causing upward air motion. They do okay, just not when there are dark periods.
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That spike in humidity that causes condensation overnight creates an ideal environment for powdery mildew. You might want to rethink your approach.
 
BobCajun

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
Mini chambers are very handy. You can move them around easily. I mean like one square foot size. Here's the kind I used, cheap dollar store ones, $2.50 each. It's the large ones in this image, 13"x10" top, 9" high. One upside down on the other, mylar lined, hand holes covered with tape. Clipped together with those green horticultural clips also sold in dollar stores. BTW I also use them for grow containers with medium, 4 plants each. What would I do without dollar store bins?

 
C

churchhaze

Well-Known Member
BobCajun said:
An interesting thing I read is that a certain amount of light, a "daily light integral" as it's called, applied over 24 hours continuously produces more growth than the same DLI applied for a shorter time and followed by a dark period. So for sheer energy to growth optimization continuous light may be the best route. That's actually what I've been using for the last few months. Cuttings root in 5 days. I can grow the rooted cuttings under 5w LED bulbs, the same ones used for rooting, for a few weeks to get them well established. I just remove the layer of plastic between the light and the growth chamber. The chamber is almost 1 sq ft area. Point being that with continuous light you can get healthy growth from surprisingly little wattage.

One thing about continuous light though, you need to start the flowering phase with 24 hours darkness, otherwise flowering may be delayed a couple days.
Click to expand...
I agreed with you until your last sentence. You definitely don't need to start the flowering phase with a 24 hour dark period.
 
TheChemist77

TheChemist77

Well-Known Member
does anybody here use the 12 hours on, 5.5 hours off, 1 hour on, 5.5 hours off light sced?? gass lanturn routine...
ive been growing for many years and usually veg 18/6 but i tried 24/0,22/2, 20.4.. i stick to 18/6 for 2 reasons, 1. to save on electric, and 2 because ive found when growing from seed i get a better female to male ratio...
my cloner is in the room w mothers and clones vegging..my question is will the gass lanturn sced keep my plants in a vegitive state and will my clones root the same?? also if growing from seed, will it effect overall health of mother?? im all for saving money on electric but not if it stresses my plants.... i want my plants and clones healthy,,but im afraid to try this light sced w/out being sure its ok for plants... any info appreciated ..
 
TheChemist77

TheChemist77

Well-Known Member
my veg used to be 24 hours light on,,plants went straight to 12/12, w/ no 24 hour dark period and they finished just fine,,no delay..
my clone mothers grew nice short n stocky and clones rooted a few days faster w/ 24 hours of light.. but now at 18/6 my plants seem just as happy and healthy, that few extra days to root clones is worth the savings on electric imo..
 
RM3

RM3

Well-Known Member
TheChemist77 said:
does anybody here use the 12 hours on, 5.5 hours off, 1 hour on, 5.5 hours off light sced?? gass lanturn routine...
ive been growing for many years and usually veg 18/6 but i tried 24/0,22/2, 20.4.. i stick to 18/6 for 2 reasons, 1. to save on electric, and 2 because ive found when growing from seed i get a better female to male ratio...
my cloner is in the room w mothers and clones vegging..my question is will the gass lanturn sced keep my plants in a vegitive state and will my clones root the same?? also if growing from seed, will it effect overall health of mother?? im all for saving money on electric but not if it stresses my plants.... i want my plants and clones healthy,,but im afraid to try this light sced w/out being sure its ok for plants... any info appreciated ..
Click to expand...
I've used GLR for several years now, but don't use it on clones and I don't keep mom's so not sure how it'll affect em
 
BobCajun

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
TheChemist77 said:
does anybody here use the 12 hours on, 5.5 hours off, 1 hour on, 5.5 hours off light sced?? gass lanturn routine...
ive been growing for many years and usually veg 18/6 but i tried 24/0,22/2, 20.4.. i stick to 18/6 for 2 reasons, 1. to save on electric, and 2 because ive found when growing from seed i get a better female to male ratio...
my cloner is in the room w mothers and clones vegging..my question is will the gass lanturn sced keep my plants in a vegitive state and will my clones root the same?? also if growing from seed, will it effect overall health of mother?? im all for saving money on electric but not if it stresses my plants.... i want my plants and clones healthy,,but im afraid to try this light sced w/out being sure its ok for plants... any info appreciated ..
Click to expand...
Shorter day length during early growth does increase female ratio. Seeds started in greenhouses in short days of fall/winter produced the most females.

The 24 hours of dark at start of flowering speeds flowering in certain other plants so I figure why not? The worst that came from it was growing tips getting lighter green. Surprising it could happen that fast. Not a serious problem though.
 
pineappleman420

pineappleman420

Well-Known Member
TheChemist77 said:
does anybody here use the 12 hours on, 5.5 hours off, 1 hour on, 5.5 hours off light sced?? gass lanturn routine...
ive been growing for many years and usually veg 18/6 but i tried 24/0,22/2, 20.4.. i stick to 18/6 for 2 reasons, 1. to save on electric, and 2 because ive found when growing from seed i get a better female to male ratio...
my cloner is in the room w mothers and clones vegging..my question is will the gass lanturn sced keep my plants in a vegitive state and will my clones root the same?? also if growing from seed, will it effect overall health of mother?? im all for saving money on electric but not if it stresses my plants.... i want my plants and clones healthy,,but im afraid to try this light sced w/out being sure its ok for plants... any info appreciated ..
Click to expand...
My clones do just fine. Have used it for many years with great success
 
pineappleman420

pineappleman420

Well-Known Member
BobCajun said:
Shorter day length during early growth does increase female ratio. Seeds started in greenhouses in short days of fall/winter produced the most females.

The 24 hours of dark at start of flowering speeds flowering in certain other plants so I figure why not? The worst that came from it was growing tips getting lighter green. Surprising it could happen that fast. Not a serious problem though.
Click to expand...
I've read a study on temperature affects on male and female ratios at germination. Have to see if I can find it and post it. In a nut shell a few degrees showed a difference in how the ratio comes out. The warmer environment seemed to have higher male to female ratio. I'll quit trying to remember it and just look for the study...
 
BobCajun

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
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pineappleman420 said:
I've read a study on temperature affects on male and female ratios at germination. Have to see if I can find it and post it. In a nut shell a few degrees showed a difference in how the ratio comes out. The warmer environment seemed to have higher male to female ratio. I'll quit trying to remember it and just look for the study...
Click to expand...
I'll take your word for it. I only grow fems anyway now.
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
pineappleman420 said:
I've read a study on temperature affects on male and female ratios at germination. Have to see if I can find it and post it. In a nut shell a few degrees showed a difference in how the ratio comes out. The warmer environment seemed to have higher male to female ratio. I'll quit trying to remember it and just look for the study...
Click to expand...
pretty sure seeds are genetically imprinted male or female. enviro does nothing to change that.
 
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