If you don't have heat problems and don't want to save on electricity, leave it on 24. It's kind of a personal preference.
I would agree that it is a personal choice however, everything that lives grows in their sleep, us, animals, plants, trees eveything that grows when they sleep.
To answer your first question yes, roots like the dark to grow but they should be dark no matter if lights are on or not unless you have a transparent pot or cup???
I do 18/6 no matter hydro or soil for veg and I check them to make sure the leaves are down at night, if they are not there is some type of stress, heat, light leak, bad nute mixture etc. Them sleeping at night is how I determine if the enviorment is correct for them.
Hope this helps.