Accidentally left lights on for dark period ???

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

Okay, so my lights stayed on for the last 11 hours when they're supposed to be off... I switched the timer off to take some pictures in more natural light... and forgot to set the timer back to auto mode... sooo what should I do.. is this a big deal?? The lights are supposed to come back on in one hour... but they've already been on for 23 straight... how do I correct this ???

az2000 · Sep 2, 2019

I would just go to dark now instead of waiting. But, another hour might not matter after 23.

You might notice them re-veg a little. I don't know if one 23-hour light period would do that, or if it takes more. You might find some seeds in the buds (which, IMO isn't bad. I like to have some extra, cheap seeds.).

I don't think a longer dark time right now will help. The plant develops a hormone or enzyme during darkness. Light burns it off. When the days are longer, the hormone never reaches the level which tells the plant it's time to flower. So, you've burned off that hormone. 12 hours of darkness will bring it back. 12 hours of light (following the darkness) won't be long enough to burn it off).

If you turne off the lights one hour sooner (since that's where it is now), 13 hours dark might be better. But, otherwise, you're just going to have to let the plant sort it out (realize the hormone is back to flowering level.). A little longer darkness might help that. But, I don't think I'd do 24 hours of dark. 12 should be fine. If you add an hour of dark because it's available to you right now, that wouldn't hurt.

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

I'm in panic mode right now man FUCK ! I really really hope they dont hermie or re veg....sorry if my reading comprehension isn't the best this morning.. but are you recommending that I leave the lights off for 12 hours? Then start back on a 12/12? Or should I turn the lights off until 11, which Is when they're supposed to come back on. Then let them resume their normal cycle ?

az2000 · Sep 2, 2019

78OzFinest said:
but are you recommending that I leave the lights off for 12 hours? Then start back on a 12/12? Or should I turn the lights off until 11, which Is when they're supposed to come back on. Then let them resume their normal cycle ?

You said they're going to go off in an hour. If it were me, I would turn them off now (not that it matters much at this point), and let them be off for 13 hours (until the normally-scheduled lights on occurs). I don't think more darkness would help. It will rebuild that hormone. And then, the next 12 hours of light won't be enough to burn it off.

I had what I thought was a auto which never would flower. I kept putting it under 12/12 to start flowering (for 4-5 days), then back to 18/6. It would go back to veg. I did that 3-4 times before I finally realized it wasn't an auto. That one prouduced some really great, strong bud. I always get better buds from a stressed plant. But, I did get a lot of seeds in the bud. (But, that was multiple days, multiple times. Just once may not be a problem.).

I've never had this happen to me. Maybe a longer dark period would help. But, my understanding is, the necessary hormone will replenish during 12 hours of darkness, and then the next 12 hours of light won't be enough to burn it off (to the point the plant things it's not in flower). So, I think longer darkness would be unnecessary, and might confuse the plant. But, if you can start darkness an hour earlier, I would. Let it do 13 dark, and then let the 12-hour light come on when it normally would (if I understood your description in the first post).

Migrower · Sep 2, 2019

I would shut off your lights for 13hrs. Now if they’ve been on 23. Then if you want your lights to come on or off on a schedule,work your way back there an hr a day. Or you can just turn off your lights till they are supposed to come back on. I would think the number of weeks into flower would also play a factor into this. I would only suggest the latter if your two weeks or less into flower.

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

No they're supposed to turn on at 11am. Which is in half hour in my time zone.they have been on for 23 hours.. and are scheduled to be on for another 12 hours at 11am.

az2000 · Sep 2, 2019

I would go dark now, for at least 12 hours. You could then slowly "walk" the timer back to the on/off times of day that you prefer. Or, just go off now and leave it off 24 hours until the lights are scheduled to come on again. The main thing is: off right now.

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

I could care less if they stay on the same schedule. If the most beneficial thing is to leave them off for this on cycle, then resume lights like that, then it is what I must do Haha. This is day 54 of flower or so for reference

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

So essentially I will just be swapping my light and dark cycle to the opposite from here on out ?

Migrower · Sep 2, 2019

I wouldn’t let them stay under the next scheduled light on period in a half hr. Shut them off for at least 13 hrs.(to make sure it hormonally knows it’s flower time,more than half the day) then go back to the 12/12 and work your way back to the time you want your on/off schedule to be. Like AZ said it should be fine,the less weeks into veg you are the better,that would also go if you are 6 or more weeks in I would also think. It’s so far into flower already. Maybe confuse a bit,stress a bit. But nothing detrimental.

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

What a disaster... never touching my timer again lol....

Migrower · Sep 2, 2019

Day 54 of a 10 week strain? I mean if so I would think you’ll be fine. Just flip the schedule if it don’t matter. Turn them off now for 13 hrs

az2000 · Sep 2, 2019

78OzFinest said:
So essentially I will just be swapping my light and dark cycle to the opposite from here on out ?

Yes, that's the simplest thing to do.

If it mattered when they're off/on (heat management; stealth?), then you could leave them off 24 hours in order to be back to your on/off times of day. Or, split the differnce and leave them off 18 hours, on 12, off 18, on 12 (and get back to it in steps. 6 hours steps. Or, 4 hour steps, or 2-hour. Whatever you want to do. But, it sounds like that's not important. So just flipping the time of day that's dark/light will work.).

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

Thank you both so much for the advice and reassurance ..Gonna leave the lights off for 13 hours! Then I guess I'll just run the lights on the opposite cycle until I harvest. Probably only two more weeks anyways.

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

You guys rock, thanks again !!!

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

Just for discussions sake though gentleman.. what potential negative drawbacks could there be to leaving them off for 24 vs 12 hours? If any

Dirtbag · Sep 2, 2019

More confusion in the plant. Just get back to a regular 12/12 asap. They'll probably be fine, it usually takes more than one night of screwups to really affect things. I had so many power outages last year I though for sure my plants would wig out but they were fine.

You're so close to the end, I dont think you need to worry about nanners or seeds or revegging or anything like that.
Just shut lights off for 12-13 hrs then resume a regular 12/12.

Now take a deep breath, everything's gonna be alright. lol. lesson learned.

FWIW I made a similar error with my timer last month and was running 24hrs on for my clone tray rather than 18/6. I taped over the switch so I cant make that mistake again haha.

Beachwalker · Sep 2, 2019

78OzFinest said:
never touching my timer again

^ this ..day 54 of ?? How close to done are they is what I'm asking?

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

Beachwalker said:
^ this ..day 54 of ?? How close to done are they is what I'm asking?

I've been told a good two weeks remaining based on the most recent pictures of plants/trichs

78OzFinest · Sep 2, 2019

60 day strain according to "breeder"

Accidentally left lights on for dark period ???

Accidentally left lights on for dark period ???

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