# 24 hour light. good or bad?



## griz (May 31, 2008)

hey guys I'm new to the whole growin thing. but I germinated 3 seeds indoors. moved 'em outside when they were about 2 inches tall, and a couple weeks later they didnt look too healthy. so I transplanted them to a flowering pot with miracle-gro. (they were just growin in the ground). well the leaves arent too green and they look kinda wilted. I put them in my basement with a 100w light. I was thinkin about leavin em down there with 24 hr light for the next couple days. just to get the clorophyl up and active again. but like I said... I'm new. you think its a good idea? any advice will help alot. thanks


----------



## smokybear (May 31, 2008)

Hi there. Welcome to MP. This is a great place to learn how to grow mj like a pro. It's also filled with members that are more than willing to help you out in any way possible. Make sure to do your research. Read, read, read and it will help to get on the right path.

I would have dug a few holes and filled them with good dirt and planted them in that. How big are the pots you put the plants in?  MG soil isn't the greatest to use. Many people experience problems with it due to it already containing nutes. I recommend mixing the mg soil with the soil in the ground half and half and put them back in the ground.  If they look wilted, they are probably thirsty. How often do you water them? What kind of light is the 100 watt you're going to use? If it's just a regular light bulb, it will not work. Incandescent bulbs don't produce enough of the right spectrum of light for proper growth. Also, it will be more stress on your plants when you move them back outside into the normal light/dark cycle from 24 hours of light. I'm sure they are plenty stressed already. I say put them back outside into good soil and they should pull through. They are tough plants. You definitely need to do some research. There is a ton of information on here that will help you out immensely. The more you learn, the better your yield will be in a few months...remember that. Just my thoughts. I wish you the best of luck. Keep us posted. Take care and be safe.


----------



## Firepower (May 31, 2008)

putting them on 24 hr will help them grow faster, if you growing inside they will be fine, you can always go back to to an 18/6 or 12/12 cycle at anytime..Good luck.. :aok:


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (May 31, 2008)

I'm thinking that they would be better outside.  What kind of light are they under?


----------



## griz (Jun 1, 2008)

well I germinated them and then put em in some regular potting soil (not sure what brand) and they shot up to two or three inches in about a day. they did really well. and I moved em out into the garden and they seemed to grow extremely slow. (the've been in the ground for about two weeks and they're only about 3-4 inches taller then when they were in the potting soil. nutrient content of top soil where I'm located may be deficient in the nutrients the plants require for healthy growth. so I transplanted them again into a plastic flower pot (aprox. 6"x2') w/ a mircle gro soil that was high in nitrogen which I heard was essential for a quick healthy growth. I also have some water soluable plant food that is 24% nitrogen. I havent watered em with that yet but thinkin about doing it soon. the light buld is just a regular 100w indescent bulb. what kind of light should I switch to? and is it available at a walmart? and after I switch should I put them on a 20/4 hour cycle to give them maximum light to recover in 4 hours of darkness? i'm mainly lookin to grow some amount of bud in a short amount of time. IDC much of the quality or the quanity of the result, because I can buy good quality bud and mostly do on a regular basis. I'm mainly lookin forward to smoking something I produced, just for the satisfaction. any tips on a speed grow?

you guys are a lot of help.
and I appreciate any advice.


----------



## moses781 (Jun 1, 2008)

so what if you had them on a 18/6 would it shock the plant or will it be ok becouse i actually wanted to put mine under 24/7 would it be cool???


----------



## griz (Jun 1, 2008)

so I heard a couple tips that make a lil sense. my plants are in a long planting pot but its small enough to put a plastic tote, (aprox. 2 1/2 feet tall so they have plenty of grow room vertically) upside down on top of the plant concealing the pot and all my babies inside. but I heard if I put a cup with some baking powder and vinegar under the tote with the plants that it will feed em carbon dioxide while they're in the darkness for 10 hours (thats what I officially decided from reading everyones advice. 14 hours light to 10 dark.) good or bad idea???
and I was thinkin about the light situation and I also heard that a black light is also really good for them because it gives a different spectrum of light. havent done it yet but just an idea. what'd you guys think?
again...
your all a really big help & thanks for the pointers


----------



## GreenMan74 (Jun 1, 2008)

I think you have too much material to cover and that these plants would best be put outside.  If you must grow them indoors, don't stick a rubbermaid tote over the top of them.  Don't worry about co2.  Don't bother with a black light.  Use florescent and keep the light a few inches from the plant, on 24/0 or 18/6. Get a moisture probe and only water when the soil is dry to the bottom.


----------



## JohninWI (Jun 2, 2008)

not baking POWDER---baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).  The vinegar releases carbon dioxide from the bicarbonate.


----------



## griz (Jun 3, 2008)

good to know. right now ,I'm just workin on waterin em and forgettin about em.


----------



## IllusionalFate (Jun 3, 2008)

Don't use a blacklight, it will not work. Incandescents aren't good for plant growth either. You want to use either fluorescent lighting (CFLs are easily available at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, and tons of other stores and they're cheap as hell) or HID lighting.

Also, you DON'T want to just suddenly change the light cycle as this will confuse the plant and stress it out. Once you have a light cycle for vegetative state, stick with it until flowering.

Water without nutes until 3-4 weeks, the nutrients in the soil will be plenty enough to last until then.


----------



## honeybear (Jun 4, 2008)

like everyone says (and in the FAQ!) dont use blacklights! they are pointless as the spectrum is wrong. 

I was just at home depot the other day and I know for first timers how tough it is (since i am one) what light to choose.

you said ur plants are only about 2 weeks old and still vegging, so get a fluorescent light somewhere in the 20ish watt range with specs like these: 7500K and labeled with a T# like T8, T9, etc; with the appropriate ballast for that light (should match up/labeled appropriately at the store). 

Your plants at about 6 inches right now need to do a little more growing on the 18/6 cycle for I'd say another 3 weeks at the minimum, longer if you want better quality buds.

After you finish the Veg cycle, you can always stick with the same fluorescents all the way through the flowering as well but your buds just won't be on the same par if you dont use a light with a more visible orange tint to them, like a high pressure sodium bulb. For 3 plants, id hazard a number like 250 watts for the bulb, maybe even as low as 150 watts, just make sure to use some sort of reflector around it (not aluminum foil!!!) good luck!


----------



## griz (Jun 5, 2008)

alright thanks guys
lots of things to keep in mind

but I dont think they're in the vegetative state yet.
their about 6 inches tall and only have 6 different leaves on em.
each leaf with three fingers.

anyway to tell males from females this early?


----------



## Growdude (Jun 5, 2008)

griz said:
			
		

> but I dont think they're in the vegetative state yet.
> their about 6 inches tall and only have 6 different leaves on em.
> each leaf with three fingers.
> 
> anyway to tell males from females this early?


 
If your not in 12/12 lighting then your in the vegg stage.

Once there big enough to take a clone you can put the clone directly into 12/12 and it will show the sex of the donner without stressing it.


----------



## honeybear (Jun 5, 2008)

Oh, and if you prefer a more compact, hassle-free light source other than fluorescents, try a compact fluorescent light. They are those spiral-ly light bulbs you find in your store's lighting section that cost like $5 a bulb. These just screw into any lamp that can use an incadescent bulb too. Nab the 26-27 watt ones with the exchange of 100 "actual" watts. Better to get two! Screw and go! I got the one that say "Cool white light" and "Natural light" labeled on em. Kick's ***


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Jun 6, 2008)

griz said:
			
		

> so I heard a couple tips that make a lil sense. my plants are in a long planting pot but its small enough to put a plastic tote, (aprox. 2 1/2 feet tall so they have plenty of grow room vertically) upside down on top of the plant concealing the pot and all my babies inside. but I heard if I put a cup with some baking powder and vinegar under the tote with the plants that it will feed em carbon dioxide while they're in the darkness for 10 hours (thats what I officially decided from reading everyones advice. 14 hours light to 10 dark.) good or bad idea???
> and I was thinkin about the light situation and I also heard that a black light is also really good for them because it gives a different spectrum of light. havent done it yet but just an idea. what'd you guys think?
> again...
> your all a really big help & thanks for the pointers



You keep saying "I heard" or "I read"...however, you are operating under some serious misconceptions (where did you hear or read this stuff?).

Plants only use CO2 during light cycles.
I have never read here or anywhere else of anyone using a 14/10 light cycle.  
Black lights are useless.
Miracle soil is bad to use for seedling.
It is important to have consistant light cycles.
If plants are not in flowering, they are vegging.

I always encourage people to read, but you have really got some misinformation somewhere.


----------



## bluealein56 (Dec 24, 2008)

:yeahthat::yeahthat:........do lots of reading


----------



## JBonez (Dec 31, 2008)

IllusionalFate said:
			
		

> Don't use a blacklight, it will not work. Incandescents aren't good for plant growth either. You want to use either fluorescent lighting (CFLs are easily available at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, and tons of other stores and they're cheap as hell) or HID lighting.
> 
> *Also, you DON'T want to just suddenly change the light cycle as this will confuse the plant and stress it out. Once you have a light cycle for vegetative state, stick with it until flowering.
> *
> Water without nutes until 3-4 weeks, the nutrients in the soil will be plenty enough to last until then.



I partially disagree with this statement, i have bounced back and forth between 24/0 and 18/6 with no effect on the plants in veg whatsoever, if there was stress, it wasnt visible and the plants continued to thrive into what they are now in my sig, g/l.

but generally speaking, you would want to utilize the same photoperiod from start to finish.


----------



## CallMeAFool2 (Jan 1, 2009)

More hours of light in veg, the faster it will grow.  18/6 is good, as I figure nature knows best and other than those limited regions that have light all day and then all night, let them rest a bit. Now that I grow with LEDs half and half, I actually have my all blue 90W UFOs 16/8, experimenting and then only 10 on in flowering. With the more proper spectrum being delivered, same results, if not better with less energy costs. But the ways FOR YOU to do it are as varied as opinions. I am a hydro & Ebb and Grow guy, so I defer to those that are much more soil smart. Have not done that for 35 years when that is all we knew as teens.


----------



## the pale rider (Jan 15, 2009)

So we have our light system on 18/6  and the childeren are about 1-2 feet away from the light and a couple tips of the leaves are starting to get crispy? They are not thirsty soil is moist?  does any 1 know what could cause this??????


----------



## gettinggray1964 (Jan 15, 2009)

nute-burn!!!!!!


----------



## CallMeAFool2 (Jan 15, 2009)

I guess you could post a picture or two, it helps diagnose some things with all these pro growers (I R not one of them). Do you have a digital camera?


----------



## greenthumberish (Jan 18, 2009)

Without pictures it's kinda hard to say, but i've seen them turn up because of a nitrogen abundance. Flush your soil, check your PH, and what type of lights are you using? I just skipped most of the thread....if they're pretty young, be gentle with the nutes..work 'em upto the heavier quantities in yer water. I generally feed maybe every other time.


----------

