Is there anything wrong with a non-24 hour light schedule? like 18-1?

Hi it is my first time growing anything and I have a simple question -

It seems that I only hear about 18-6, 24-0, and 12-12 light schedules and I want to do 24-0 or close to it. However, I don't want to work my LED 100% of the time and let it cooldown. I bought a 1500w (draws 228w) Roleadro (HydroGalaxy) LED light and manufacturer advises to run it at most for 18 hours straight or it will affect the product life.

Can I do 18 hours on, and 1 or 2 hours off?? I'm assuming I never hear about these schedules because it'd be a pain in the ass to calculate feedings and such every day, but I have a Belkin Wemo Insight Smart Plug that I schedule with so it's easy.

Thank you and I'm sorry if this has been asked or if it's a dumb question...

The plants getting a chance to rest is just as important as your light hours. Stick with the standard light schedules for now. Once you have a better understanding of this plant, then you can start paying with the extra credit stuff. If you try to do too much and run into a problem, it makes it very hard to diagnose what's really going on. Less is more, keep it stupid simple (kiss)

I'm confused. On 18 hours, off 1 hour. What do your lights do for the rest of the 24 hours?

You may want to have look around the sub and learn what these schedules do to a plant that's photo sensitive unless you are running autos. Something seems fishy to me if the sellers says 18hrs run time max..They must be some pretty low grade chips..

Just do a 20-4 schedule your lights will probably still burn out since you got low grade leds

This the light you have?

Thanks for all the replies and input.

macsnax said:

The plants getting a chance to rest is just as important as your light hours. Stick with the standard light schedules for now. Once you have a better understanding of this plant, then you can start paying with the extra credit stuff. If you try to do too much and run into a problem, it makes it very hard to diagnose what's really going on. Less is more, keep it stupid simple (kiss)

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Yes I realize I know nothing at this point haha! I have read about importance of rest, especially for the microbes and such... it seems like the two schedule standards are 18-6 and 24-0 though...

I did notice that my plant responds really well to the grow light - more so than natural light. And i've been gradually shifting to 24 hours from 18-6 and it seems to prefer that. But I don't want to run my light infinitely for weeks...

JonathanT said:

I'm confused. On 18 hours, off 1 hour. What do your lights do for the rest of the 24 hours?

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Well that's why I'm saying it wouldn't be a 24 hour schedule. It would be 18 hours on, 1 hour off, 18 hours on, 1 hour off, etc. etc.

I'll probably do (and what I have been doing is 21-3 ish - see screenshot) something like what Way2-High recommended at 20-4.

Way2-High said:

This the light you have?
View attachment 4341131

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YES. I paid $101.79 with a coupon code I found on Google. I wouldn't be butt hurt if you told me it's shit ... I really don't know what I'm doing. LOL.

Item description for USA is slightly different but same exact photo and Seller.

Roleadro Grow Light Red Blue Plant Light for Indoor Full Spectrum Greenhouse Hydroponic Vegetable Succulent Flowering Led Grow Light-1500w

pythagorous2002 said:

Thanks for all the replies and input.



Yes I realize I know nothing at this point haha! I have read about importance of rest, especially for the microbes and such... it seems like the two schedule standards are 18-6 and 24-0 though...

I did notice that my plant responds really well to the grow light - more so than natural light. And i've been gradually shifting to 24 hours from 18-6 and it seems to prefer that. But I don't want to run my light infinitely for weeks...


Well that's why I'm saying it wouldn't be a 24 hour schedule. It would be 18 hours on, 1 hour off, 18 hours on, 1 hour off, etc. etc.

I'll probably do (and what I have been doing is 21-3 ish - see screenshot) something like what Way2-High recommended at 20-4.

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You also want to take into account..... When is it convenient for you to be around to tend your plants, and there's also benefits to running your lights at night during hot/cold times of year. I can see your pretty set on this schedule, but I really don't see the benefits. There's a reason you keep seeing 18/6 everywhere, it works. I've played around with different flower lighting schedules, but that's a whole other topic.

I wasn’t trying to give you shit just giving you, a Heads up is all. Sorry if I offended you. The components in that light are subpar and will likely fail is all I’m sayin.
It can definitely be used for something later on as you upgrade. No disrespect!

Just run 18-6 for veg and 12-12 for flower

Or like me 24-0veg

Way2-High said:

I wasn’t trying to give you shit just giving you, a Heads up is all. Sorry if I offended you. The components in that light are subpar and will likely fail is all I’m sayin.
It can definitely be used for something later on as you upgrade. No disrespect!

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Oh I didn't take it like that no worries. It was relatively cheap so we'll see how long it lasts.

It's still funny to me that it's like a binary thing: 18-6 or 24-0 ; thanks for all the input everyone!

i suppose if you wanted to shorten the day then 18-0 would work but when you get to flower cycle i dont know how that would work. the plant NEEDS 10-12 hours of sleep to flower. all in all your theory would probably work but produce subpar products.

in my world a day consists of 24 hours

i could see a 20-0 and a 10-10 working ok i guess...

getogrow said:

i could see a 20-0 and a 10-10 working ok i guess...

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what the hell is a 20-0 light schedule

I'm definitely making this more complicated than it needs to be or I don't get something, because I'm a little confused. Thanks for all the patience and replies with my first post on these forums...

I think for all intents and purposes I'm doing 22-2 so I can rest my cheap LED light for 1 or 2 hours (mfg suggests max run-time 18 hrs).

I have my smartplug setup 18 hours straight on (light), then next 2 hours off/dark (what I think is considered 18-2?). but most days I'll get 22 hours of light in a 24 hour period as per below (And I'll switch to 12/12 during flower):



Anyway, I'm not saying I have this great theory or I'm trying to change the tried and true up - I kind of just wanted to get close to 24-0 without wearing out my LED light or having it overheat. If you guys think there's a better way I'm all ears! Like how do people do 24-0?? They basically just run their lights for 5 weeks straight (840 hours) before switching to 12/12??

just do 18-6. your plants will thank you. plants grow in the dark too. you can give your veg plant everything it needs in 18 hours.

yes people who do 24/0 run their lights for weeks at a time.

pulpoinspace said:

just do 18-6. your plants will thank you. plants grow in the dark too. you can give your veg plant everything it needs in 18 hours.

yes people who do 24/0 run their lights for weeks at a time.

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haha ok.

edit: and no i didn't take it as dismissive. I trust you guys and a bunch of people said 18-6 haha. thanks all. and the stress factor does play a factor for me because this plant is my baby and I want to care for her. LOL

pythagorous2002 said:

haha ok

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didnt mean to seem dismissive. i started out at 24/0. on my 2nd grow i switched to 20/4. these days i run 18-6. makes no difference that i've noticed and saves on electricity.

it will come down to your plants and your environment tho. try it out. see what works for you! lots of people swear by 24/0. for me it just seemed to stress the plants out.