rkymtnman wrote:why the change from 24/0 to 20/4?

Just a guesstimate. 24/0 is certainly the extreme. Of all variables light is only one. While amongst the most important I have a gut feeling a little rest every day may be a good thing.

Says wikianswers:
What happens in plants at night they respire or they transpire?
In: Environmental Issues [Edit categories]
Answer:
Plants do respire at night. It does not require light to take place. This is a process of releasing energy, kind of the opposite to photosynthesising. Photosynthesis is the preparation of the dinner, respiration is the dining process and the belching and flatulence that follows. When a plant respires, it releases carbon dioxide ( at a lower rate than it takes in ), oxygen, heat, water. It occurs on a cellular level with all living things.
Transpiration, on the other hand is the process by which plants release water through their leaves, stems, flowers and roots. It occurs during the process of photosynthesis and gets a break at nightime as plants need light to photosynthesize.

And no lesser authority than the Joint Dr himself while talking about Lowryders in particular said:
Indoors, Lowryder performs very well in soil mix (pots or beds) or in soil-less systems, where it can be cultivated from seed to bud in two months – 18 hours of light per day is recommended all the way through. Switching light cycles down to 12 hours may diminish yields and shorten the already-short life cycle slightly.

I went to 19/5 today by the way......

nineandfive wrote:should of stayed at 24/0 till the last week in veg then switched it to 20/4 then flip to 12/12 at flower

not going to 12/12. These are autos don't forget. Dwarfs!

Here's today's pix:

oh shit my apologies ! i meant to put 18/6 not 12/12. Sorry about that !

now i'm really confused. sorry for the ignorance on autos. don't have any experience with them.

so if you follow the joint dr. advice, once they germinate you should put them in 18/6 until they are done? or should you germinate, go 24/0 and then switch to 18/6? or does it not really matter as long as they eventually get to 18/6?

i have no experience at all either. After talking with a couple guys over on another forum and doing some reading all i know is that 20/4 and 18/6 and 12/12 are the consent on what everyone else has been doing. Strain depending. what it all concludes to tho it seems that 24/0 isn't the best . My autos i have on 18/6 and unfortunately i have to put them on a 12/12 come flower. Some strains say that 12/12 actually works better where other strains people found lots of success with other light scheduled. I guess its what ever you prefer!

rkymtnman wrote:now i'm really confused. sorry for the ignorance on autos. don't have any experience with them.

so if you follow the joint dr. advice, once they germinate you should put them in 18/6 until they are done? or should you germinate, go 24/0 and then switch to 18/6? or does it not really matter as long as they eventually get to 18/6?

There's much less history with autoflowers so no one knows what's best. People are trying everything including 24/0 all the way through, reasoning being they have such a short time to live you best cram all the light on them you can. Photos will veg as long as you keep them under 18/6 theoretically forever. Next time I'm going 20/4 or 18/6 all the way. Light 24/7 seems like torture. As for Lowryders, those are Joint Dr's creation. He knows them well. If I grew them I'd abide his advice.

I'm ignorant, too. As stated it's a first grow. I hope to reach the finish line victorious. They look healthy, but in terms of vertical growth Buddha says they get to 2 to 2 1/2 ft in 60 days. 32 days in my bigger plant is 18 1/2 inches, the smaller 13 (see pix above). Under what conditions do they get over 2 ft? More nutes? HID?

nineandfive wrote:i have no experience at all either. After talking with a couple guys over on another forum and doing some reading all i know is that 20/4 and 18/6 and 12/12 are the consent on what everyone else has been doing. Strain depending. what it all concludes to tho it seems that 24/0 isn't the best . My autos i have on 18/6 and unfortunately i have to put them on a 12/12 come flower. Some strains say that 12/12 actually works better where other strains people found lots of success with other light scheduled. I guess its what ever you prefer!

You have to put them on 12/12?

Yea I do. The little 110w is a veg only unit. And my other tent has my other 2 plants in it flowering. So if it comes time for the autos to flower they will have to be moved in to the tent with the other 2 plants. Which sucks but it is what it is. I have 3 more strains of autos to choose from next tho that I will try a full 18/6 cycle on when my 2 SS come avalibe.

Side note: I actually won a contest from a very reputable seeds bank last Tuesday. My prize was 10 Fastberries Fem Autos. Not bad $150 in free seeds!

Xylem wrote:

rkymtnman wrote:why the change from 24/0 to 20/4?

Just a guesstimate. 24/0 is certainly the extreme. Of all variables light is only one. While amongst the most important I have a gut feeling a little rest every day may be a good thing.

There's much less history with autoflowers so no one knows what's best.

Plants, in veg, do not need to "rest" and not all plants even need a 12/12 light cycle to flower/fruit. Plants that are dependant on light cycles (sativas and indicas for example) will veg better/faster/bigger and stay in veg longer than in nature.

The cannabis ruderalis genetics evolved in low light and short season areas (Alaska, russia, etc) and flowering is triggered by age not photoperiod, although hybrids can have mixed traits. They are not new, just newly popular again. Ruderalis genetics typically have lower THC so they have been shunned in the past.

Its just kinda weird not to rest. Almost not natural. You figure that everything in this world at one point or another needs to rest.