General Information on plant growth

[TheAcapolcoGold]

I am a new grower and have been kinda baffled by all the different stuff on the internet. I have a hydro set up with a 400 watt HPS bulb and the ballast runs on 120 volts. The plants we started are just about to be 6 inches tall. But we grew them to this height using fluoro bulbs and I am not sure when exactly to turn on the HPS bulb? Should i start running it at 18 on and 6 off? Also, should my submersible pump be on for a minute for every hour the light is on and only turned on a minute during the dark period? I have been reading online and many people recommend your nutrient solution to be half the strength of the label on the bottle, should this be trusted?

Thank you any advice will help!

-Dazed and Confused

 

[euroboy]

Hi, couple of questions:
Do you have a TDS meter (dissolved salts meter)?
You mention the pump being on or off, what system are you using? ebb and flow?
What nutrients are your using?
Your plants are 6" under flo tubes, what strain is it?
in terms of veg growth 24 hr lights on is a good benchmark
it sounds to me like you are ready to put those babies straight under the HPS 12/12 12hrs on 12hrs off, of course that all depends on the strain your growing, the system your using, and if you have the space for bigger plants, but with one HPS you probably want to put them straight into flowering cycle now.