Autoflower Light Schedule

[Serapium]

Heya all. I searched around in the forum and read everything I could find related to this subject but I never came across any side-by-side comparisons of autos run on different light schedules with everything else remaining constant. It seems most people have settled on a 24/0 schedule for their auto grows. Is that based in any kind of scientific evidence or is that generally accepted practice based on what people have seen other people do with success?

[9fingerleafs]

there are many factors you should take into consideration, ive never grown autos myself, but i understand the more light the better, bigger and faster the plants will grow. but the growth difference between 24/0 and 20/4 may not be proportional to the increase in electricity cost, or heat/AC. overall you have to find what works best for you, maybe you want 18/0 so you can veg in the same area, maybe you dont pay for electricity and you can go crazy with 24/0, its all about your own environment, thats the flexibility of autos, you can even put them outdoors any time of the year.
that being said plants will react differently to different schedules depending on its genetics, some will stretch less with 24 hours and others will produce better with a few hours of sleep, if you can ask the breeders recommendations but again the great advantage about autos is whatever you decide is going to work

[Canuck147]

18/6 here....

[gold01ca]

18/6 here as well

[Serapium]

Canuck147 or gold01ca have either of you also run on a different light schedule and changed to this one due to observed effects? Or is it just what you started with and it worked so you continued to use it?

[Colombo]

18/6 also as I grow mixed plants, fem and auto together and end up 12/12

[gbauto]

I've always run my auto's on a 20/4 cycle. I believe that the plants benefit from 'sleep' time when photosynthesis shuts down.

[Tonykenyon]

I agree with gbauto as well, even our girls need time to rest!!

[Cannabliss]

I believe that the plants benefit from 'sleep' time when photosynthesis shuts down.

Precisely my thoughts.

[Rwise]

I am no expert on autos, what I have read is they take longer to finish with less light hours per day,,, I have not done any studies,,,
Mine are on 24/0 as there will be plants in all stages at all times, a seedling may be setting next to a girl in flower. No timer needed,, ya right, I am putting in UVB lighting and will need a timer for that, but the main lighting is on 24/0/7.

[starramus]

From what I have read 24/0 is recommended. You are compressing the entire growth into a shorter time frame, so it seems logical you would want to pump as many photons as possible into that shorter grow period. This is my first auto grow, and I have had a couple of setbacks. Firstly neither of the Magnesia autos germinated. However both White Widow autos did only to end up eaten by a goddamn cricket. Most of one was eaten, but the second was clipped off at the base of the stem. I took a shot, and re-rooted that seedling with a rapid rooter. Surprisingly it actually worked and I had roots coming out of the side of the rooter. I plopped it back into the dirt yesterday, and it is doing fine. I have it in my sunroom so only need to illuminate it with a single CFL during the night. I am going to continue with 24/0 to make up for the setback.

[starramus]

Going back into the basement after it achieves some bulk, and a good insect spraying. My CMH is ready to stimulate this plant into rapid growth. The little bitch is a survivor, and will likely be a great producer.

[Budler]

hello,
I tried 18/6 and 20/4, I preferred the 20/4. The current one is going on 24/0 all the way. And the new ones they are on 7/1 -7/1 - 7/1. So they get 1 hours sleep every 8 hours. They seems to like it. I'm not sure that these plants needs any "rest" but I'd like to read a scientific article about why they should have the break. That's why im running that weird schedule now, will see if photosynthesis and the lightbreaks has to do something with these autos or not.