AUTO Flower dilema!~WHICH LIGHT? HPS OR MH? and FOR HOW LONG??

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Paradoc5

Member
This is my first go with the auto flower type. I have a 2 X 2 ft tent with a 175 watt HPS-only light. IF I plan to grow ONLY one plant. IS THIS ENUF LIGHT?
ALso-Regarding the "Auto" strain..."Do you grow them at an 18 on/6 hour off light schedule the ENTIRE WAY THROUGH? OR DO YOU BEGIN WITH THE MH LIGHT AT18/6 FOR FOUR WEEKS AND THEN SWITCH TO THE HPS LIGHT?...WHAT SCHEDULE DO YOU USE TO GROW IT OUR AFTER IT'S <short> "VEGETATIVE" STAGE?

LAST Q: Can I grow this-the WHOLE WAY THROUGH Using my HPS light?-as its for Flowering?

ANY help shared is MOST appreciated...it's obvious I'm a bit lost...eh?
 
hoss12781

hoss12781

Well-Known Member
Perfect for one plant man. 20-4 light cycle is probably best for HID auto grows. Fine to use HPS the whole way through.
 
Scyntra

Scyntra

Well-Known Member
you may want to grow more then one auto plant. unless you have a big bush pheno you may not come close to filling your tent...when I do autos in my 2x2 tent I do 9 in 2gal pots, that's with a 400hps though... but with a 175hps I would do 4 in 5gal pots and use all of the light...
 
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SCT1984

Member
That doens't necessarily mean he fucked up the math - you could theoretically use any number of combinations. 12/12, 18/6, 20/4, but they simply just break down a normal 24 hour day... why couldn't someone use a 20/6, 18,4, etc light cycle? The discussion is best lighting cycles - not "what is the best way to break down 24 hours" :P

I'm curious to this as well, but everyone seems to have a different opinion as to whether 20/4, or 18/6 is best. I'm currently running 18/6 with a 400w HPS for now - seems to be working ok so far, but this is only my first auto grow, and first attempt at indoors period - so I have no idea lol

attached is my Easy Ryder at 11 days from seed (soaked in water for 24 hours, then planted in soil). Sorry about the hijack ;) I had the light way too high at first in fears of burning them to a crisp, so they are stretchy mother fuckers.
 

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jaibyrd7

jaibyrd7

Well-Known Member
Ive read on riu about people flowering reg strains for 24/12. But im WAY to forgetful for that and my timers are all 24hrs.
 
plainjanename

plainjanename

Well-Known Member
Personally I went with MH for veg and HPS when the ryder flowered in about 2.5 weeks. But I also have seedlings that started under a 1000w hortilux hps that seemed to grow just as well. Turn on that HPS from the begginning and don't worry about another light, and like the above posts said, add a couple more plants if you have the beaaans.
 
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TheChodesman

Active Member
Anything besides a 24 light cycle is confusing and unnatural. Why one would experiment with such nonsense when time tested results have shown a 24 hour light cycle works fine?
 
The Dawg

The Dawg

Well-Known Member
TheChodesman said:
Why one would experiment with such nonsense when time tested results have shown a 24 hour light cycle works fine?
Click to expand...
Why Not????I Would Like To See The First Conversation About Making An Autoflower I Bet It Got the Same Closed Minded Responces.My Answer Would Be Try It Out Brother And Get Back Too Us With Your Results.Now I'm Not Hating On Ya.We Grow Flowers In Our Gardens That In Most States Are Highly Illegal So We Need To Stick Together Experiment With Different Methods Of Growing.
 
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TheChodesman

Active Member
I'm just saying the standard method works fine. Be my guest if you want to experiment, I'm all for acquiring new knowledge. Plants have been growing in a 24 hour cycle environment for eons and I for one will not be putting another variable in between me and a harvest. I'm sure it could be done, but I'd assume your plants would grow balls from light stress.
 
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SCT1984

Member
TheChodesman said:
I'm just saying the standard method works fine. Be my guest if you want to experiment, I'm all for acquiring new knowledge. Plants have been growing in a 24 hour cycle environment for eons and I for one will not be putting another variable in between me and a harvest. I'm sure it could be done, but I'd assume your plants would grow balls from light stress.
Click to expand...
As I said, I am a pure newb, so I am only speculating and raising points for discussion purposes only... Although evolution has proved to be naturally efficient (since we obviously cannot control the Earth's light cycle), that doesn't necessarily mean that what is done indoors is completely "natural"... for example, where on the earth do you know of that has exactly 20/4 or 18/6 light cycles every single day for months on end? The only thing that is natural about it is the 24 hours, nothing else - but it works.

I'm certainly not a believer in "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", because that leaves no room for any improvement... wheels with wooden spokes worked just fine at one point in our history, so why did we bother changing it?

As far as light stress goes, I can't see how it would matter with autos since flowering is based on time, not light exposure...

Again - just offering points for discussion, because I have no clue wtf I'm talking about in real world growing lol
 
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