Should i change it...?

[The Alchemist]

I've had my lights on 24/0 for the last month or so.I'm thinking af swithcing them over to 18/6 now to give the roots a better chance at growing and maybe even sexing before i put them into flowering. Is there any risk that they will flower if i do this. i really can't have them flowering at the moment cos of circumstances!Should i slowly ween them on to it? Give them 23/1,then 22/2 and so on. As i said i really cant have them flowering, i need them to get a bit bigger first of all and also i'm gonna be gone home at christmas for a couple of days, up for a day and then back home again so i don't want the to be in flower and risk pollination when i'm gone.

Can hermies appear and pollinate during veg?


Also I know that my temp will drop to about sixteen when the lights go off is this okay or could it cause problems? And finally cos my venting duct is made from white material(dryer hose) and not silver some light might leak through, will this cause herimies?I'm gonna try and cover it but i'm afraid that some light is gonna be inevitable.What bulb could i use in my room for the dark hours. eg red/blue

 

[Guest]

You can switch the lights to 18/6 but theres really not much difference between the two light cycles. I would probably leave the light cycle on the same schedule (24/0) especially if the room isnt light proofed. By stressing the plants with light leaks you could potentially hermie your plants.
Also if your temps are going to drop that much at night then youre not going to speed up the growing process any by switching the cycle. The cold temps will stunt your plants and possibly kill them.

What bulb could i use in my room for the dark hours. eg red/blue

You dont want nor need any light in the room when its dark. This WILL cause your plants to hermie.

 

[The Alchemist]

My grow closet is in my bedroom, which i spend a lot of time in so i was just wondering is there any type of light that has less harmful effects on the plant. I'm gonna light proof it the best i can but i'd still like to have a safety net.

 

[Guest]

What do you mean "less harmful"? Unless youre using candles to light your grow.
You dont want to use incadecent lighting but most lights like CFLs, shoplights or HIDs will work. You can find these at hardware stores for pretty cheap.

With 24/0 you dont really need any light proofing is what I was saying. Since there is no dark period then there is no concern for light leaks. This could ease your mind a little if youre worried about light leaks and hermies.

 

[Core]

you'l be fine if you switch ....

i think green bulbs are used when lights are off ..but these are special nursery bulbs..you can't just paint them green....i think !!!

 

[The Alchemist]

Sorry i didn't explain myself properly i meant what lights can i use in my bedroom once i put them into flowering.I understand i don't have to worry about light leaks yet i'm just trying to get things ready cos i'm thinking i'll either put them into flower next week so ican sex them and dispose of the hermiesif there is one or else wait till after christmas. just wanna have things ready.

Green light, i should have known that.Ill get them from a nursery next week.Just wanna have them in case i need to tend to my plants at night for misting and things.

What about hermies, can they form and pollinate during vegitation or will it have to be flowering? One of my plants is 5wks old from seed and the other 3. Both plants are pretty small for there age but i thnik thats because of there breed cause the five week on is bushy as hell.I'm plannijng to flower them both in Jan but i don't wanna come back after christmas and find they have been pollinated in case there is a hermie.I know there mightbe know hermie but better safe then sorry. So if someone can help me out i'd appreciate it.

 

[Ncogneato]

If you must have light during your dark cycle, use green bulbs. The glass must be green. Painted or powdered bulbs will not work. Good luck.

 

[clowntown]

You dont want nor need any light in the room when its dark. This WILL cause your plants to hermie.

If you must have light during your dark cycle, use green bulbs.

I've read otherwise:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=41954

Thoughts, opinions, comments?

 

[Ncogneato]

I've read otherwise:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=41954

Thoughts, opinions, comments?

Good point. I'm no botonist so I couldn't begin to tell you what the effects of interrupted light cycles during the vegetation stage could be. I personally wouldn't stress about interrupting durning the veg cycle and actually I do it all the time with my vegging beauties (18/6) with no ill effect.
On the other hand. My recommendations for the flowering light cycle would be zero interruptions in the dark cycle. And this is where the green bulb comes into play if you MUST have light.

 

[The Alchemist]

I'm not worried about the veg cos i'm on 24/0 its just i mighthave to start flowering soon cos i'm worried that if one of my plants hermies when i'm away at christmas, which will be 2 weeks( i'll be able to come back after the first week to water) then i'll only end up with seeds.

One of my plants is two weeks behind the other if the older one hermied and released pollen could this affect the other plant even though its not in flowering?

 

[Guest]

I've read otherwise:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=41954

Thoughts, opinions, comments?

Im not so sure that light leaks in veg dont contribute to hermies. I had an Afghani mother for several months. Took clones off of the mother twice, flowered the clones out and had 100% female plants--no seeds, no male flowers. The mother plant was on an 18/6 light cycle and was very healthy. One day I go into the room and some of the panda film had fallen off the window allowing light to come in during the dark period. It apparantly had been like this for at least 2 days before I found it. I throw the mother into flower and 2 weeks later notice male balls.
So its my conclusion that the light leak encouraged the plant to hermie. I understand the arguement of outdoor plants but plants grown indoors are under a much stricter regimine. Outdoors the light cycles are slowly changing throughout the year and the plants adapt. Indoor plants are coddled through life and dont adapt as well to changes as outdoor plants IMO.