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Light leaks: How dark does it have to be during "lights off"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter irishboiii
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Light leaks: How dark does it have to be during "lights off"?

irishboiii 38 Replies 27,350 Views
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irishboiii

irishboiii

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#1
Does it have to be 100% pitch black? Or does it matter if there are a few light leaks making the room a tiny bit brighter as long as no light shines directly on the plants?

I ask because right now my whole setup is crap and Im meant to go away for the night and wont be back for 30 hours or so, and must leave the tent open AND the bedroom door open, and there are light leaks all over the hallway where the door to the grow tent is.
 
#3
Im kinda screwed then. Its either leave the tent and bedroom door open and allow a slight light leak, or close them up and let the temp reach 90°+ along with EXTREME humidity.
 
#4
Ya bro even a led from a power strip is enough to freak your gals out. Just one tiny light and you got problems. No ac man? Turn those fans up high and hope for the best . One night of heat stress is better than a week or two of recovery from a confused lady. But the choice is yours happy farmin;)
 
#5
get some ducting and run it out of your ports as passive intake that way you can still close your tent and get your airflow...just don't forget an s curve or two in your ducting to be sure no light is getting in.
 
#6
I'm in the minority here but I have had completely light sealed rooms and rooms that were riddled with light leaks. Herms have always been a bigger problem in the better sealed rooms. It seems like every little bit of light always upset the plants in rooms that were better sealed. The room I'm in now has uncovered led's and leaks all over the place. I've had one herm in 5 years. More sealed rooms that had a door opened At the wrong time or similar problem would throw hella nuts. But to your case in particular, if they don't have any leaks now hitting them with a weekend of leaks might throw them over the edge. Just my two pennies on light leaks.
 
#7
irishboiii said:
Im kinda screwed then. Its either leave the tent and bedroom door open and allow a slight light leak, or close them up and let the temp reach 90°+ along with EXTREME humidity.
Click to expand...

Efficiency means a lot
Way past growing if you ask me
Looks like you will either have to take a loss or think outside the box and come up with a plan
Make sure you fix your light leak problem before starting the next cycle
Ain't no fun when it comes to this
 
#8
I don't cover a single led. All my extension cord ends are lighted. When I was young and had a tent it was open on one side and was dark enough as light doesn't bend very well. Constant ambient not on the plant has never caused a problem for me. I can see in the dark in my rooms. Light from the ozone shines on the ceiling.
Enough light to cause photosynthesis is what you want to avoid. That requires a few active photons. Take it as you like.
 
#9
Thanks guys, yeah theres no direct light in the growroom its the light in the hallway that concerns me about leaving the door open. Its just light shining through the closed blinds on the hallway door.

The growroom remains dark, but just barely bright enough that you would see your hand if you held it in front of you when the door is open. I really couldnt see it triggering photosynthisis but Il play it safe just in case.
 
#11
irishboiii said:
Thanks guys, yeah theres no direct light in the growroom its the light in the hallway that concerns me about leaving the door open. Its just light shining through the closed blinds on the hallway door.

The growroom remains dark, but just barely bright enough that you would see your hand if you held it in front of you when the door is open. I really couldnt see it triggering photosynthisis but Il play it safe just in case.
Click to expand...

better safe then sorry
 
#12
I came back to close the door before lights out just in case, even though it was a HUGE inconveniance and has ruined my personal life.

I sealed up the blinds as best I could but light is still getting through
 
#13
sorry about the personal life thing brother.

On the bright side each time something like this happens you learn a little more.
 
#14
Thanks man, yeah it sucks, I really pissed people off lol.

Il have to fix this fast because it cant happen again
 
#15
Next time you might just run a cfl bulb during your normal on time.
 
#16
Tomba said:
Next time you might just run a cfl bulb during your normal on time.
Click to expand...

I think you misunderstood, its not light leaking out Im concerned about, its light leaking in during lights off.
 
#17
There is quite a bit of light produced by the moon.

Your best bet for cooling is creating a barrier somehow but yet still allowing air to flow.

You should just take a piece of duct and zip your zipper down to it snug, then maybe take a black piece of plastic and drape it over the joint. The key here is to have the duct long enough with enough bends that the light projection is shortened and there should be little to none through.

Take a booster like this and put it on a 6 inch duct that is about 3 foot long shape it like an S.

On the subject of light leak. Plants take more than 5 minutes to switch cycles. they do not instantaneously go into end all be all mode when they receive out of hour light. It is key to minimize the exposure of light for good growth. Your room should be as dark as a field or forest at night. that being said, if you walk through a forest with a flash light, you don't fool the plants.

I have grown in both situation with complete darkness and some with a bit of leakage. although, by no means should you see a beam of light anywhere near the plants. if there is any sort of beam it should be directed to a wall. Plants are smart. Treat them right and they will do great.

Moreso, If you have some hermies in your room, take a look at what your growing.(genetics) make sure your giving it what it wants and not just feeding the room. Some girls are picky eaters and some are very bad genetics.

Hope this helps guys
 
#19
The moon does NOT put off usable light for plants and does NOT disrupt their dark cycle. I read a few articles about this years ago, and although I don't remember the scientific jargon used to describe why it doesn't, I do remember it being b/c moonlight is a reflected source of light and doesn't effect plants night cycle. MGG
 
#20
Lol it would not make any sense at all for the moon to disrupt a plant's dark cycle.. how could that even evolve??
 
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