Been vegging for 24 hours for over 40 years. Im sold it grows them faster.
We veg/flower under both 1000w
Hortilux/
Gavita, and from 5-30 gallon containers of
Promix BX. We bend, and train out plants, and want them growing as fast as possible before flip. We do like strains that stretch a lot after flip to take advantage of less veg time. Like an F2 Mr Nice SSH weve had for 6 years will stretch 4-5 times, and produce 18-24oz per plant/20 gallons soil, and 60 days veg. It wont grow as fast under 18 hours of light. 6 hours less per day, for 60 days is 360 hours is 15 days. Half a month.
We just got 18, out of 26 Females of Dominion Skunk. 24 hours/1000w
Hortilux.
The sun is many times more potent than the light, so for me, it is not a waste of energy, if I still cant compete with the sun.
The Sun, is 100w+ sq/ft. Bright day, at the Equator, more like 130w Sq/ft. High altitude??? Equador had the highest UVA/UVB rating ever detected. It was as high as MARS!!!. UV Index was 26. You know the UV Index they put in the paper that goes to 10?? This Registered to 26.
1000w
Hortilux in 4 x 4 is 62.5w Sq/ft
We also run 2 Sola Cure, Flower Power Bulbs per 4 x 4 area, and 1000w HID. In Veg/Flowering, UVA/UVB is used 6-8 hours per day at 18-40 inches. With Gavitas, you have to have them farther away, so you run 4 per 4 x 4 at 40 inches vs 2 in a 4 x 4 at 18-24 inches.
Every 3 days we turn the lights out 1 hour, to let the Ignitor cool off. Been turning the lights out like this for over 40 years.