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HazeHack by CannaHustle
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Light Cycles

Use light duration as a tool. Pair it with dark integrity and DLI so you can predict outcomes instead of guessing.

Instant answer

  • 12/12 is the baseline. Treat it as your control group.
  • If you change hours, keep everything else stable and track results for one full run.
  • Protect the dark period: no leaks, no timer drift, no surprise light pulses.
  • Think in DLI (hours × PPFD). More hours can raise DLI without changing intensity.
  • When quality drops or flowers stall, check the basics first, then adjust one lever.

Schedule chooser

Pick the lane that matches your goal, then click into the deep page for the exact protocol.

Goal Start with Why it works Best next page
Baseline flowering 12/12 Most cultivars respond reliably, easy to compare runs. 11/13 vs 12/12
Tighter finish, less stretch 11/13 More dark time can push quicker maturation on some genetics. 11/13 protocol notes
Perpetual cadence, energy strategy 14/10 More light hours can raise DLI while keeping the schedule simple. 14/10 explained
Haze and long-flower genetics Plan, then ramp These strains punish sloppy transitions. Use checkpoints and constraints. haze grow protocol
Rule: do not change hours and intensity in the same week. If you do, you will not know what caused the outcome.

DLI in one minute

DLI is the total light your plant receives in a day. It explains why two growers can run different schedules and still get similar results.

  • Formula: DLI (mol·m-2·d-1) = PPFD (μmol·m-2·s-1) × hours × 3600 ÷ 1,000,000
  • Example: 800 PPFD × 12 hours ≈ 34.6 DLI
  • If you raise hours, you raise DLI even if intensity stays the same.

Dark integrity checklist

  1. Timer is correct and does not drift.
  2. No light leaks during lights-off (doors, zippers, LEDs, hallway spill).
  3. No brief “maintenance lights” and no phone flashlight checks during darkness.
  4. Fans and controllers do not flash status LEDs into the canopy.
  5. If you must enter, use a dim green headlamp and keep it brief.

If you suspect a dark leak, treat it like a wiring fault: find it, stop it, and only then adjust your schedule.

When to adjust hours

What you see Check first First move Deep link
Late-flower stall Environment, root zone, and measurement accuracy Fix constraints before touching the light schedule late-flower stall
Slow ripening on some genetics Dark integrity and DLI consistency Test 11/13 only after a clean baseline run 11/13 vs 12/12
Good yield, weak flavor Drying and curing execution Do not blame the light cycle if post-harvest is sloppy Drying hub and Curing hub
Confusing results run to run Too many changes at once Lock a control schedule and log every run strain-aware growing

Related deep pages

11/13 vs 12/12When less light can still win. 14/10 explainedHow to think about longer photoperiods. Strain-aware growingWhy one schedule fails. Haze protocolCheckpoints for long-flowering runs. Troubleshooting hubSymptom-first routing. Cannabis ERFast triage when something looks off.

Myth check

  • Myth: more hours always means more yield. Reality: if heat, CO2, and nutrients cannot keep up, you just add stress.
  • Myth: 12/12 is always optimal. Reality: some cultivars flower well under longer photoperiods.
  • Myth: light fixes bad drying. Reality: post-harvest mistakes can erase great growing.
  • Myth: one schedule fits all. Reality: track your own cultivar response and lock what works.

Safe switch protocol

If you change your schedule mid-run, do it cleanly so you do not create noise in your results.

  1. Pick one lever: hours or intensity.
  2. Change it once, then hold it steady for at least 10 to 14 days.
  3. Log: lights-on time, PPFD at canopy, canopy temp, RH, and daily notes.
  4. If quality drops, revert to baseline and fix constraints before experimenting again.

References

Deep dives and supporting pages

Use these when you want specifics, not general advice.

14/10 Light Cycle Explained (Why It Works for Perpetual Flower)14/10 (14h on, 10h off) can raise Daily Light Integral without breaking flower. Learn when it boosts yield, when it backfires, and how to ramp safely.11/13 vs 12/12 Light Cycle (When Each Wins)11/13 and 12/12 are both flowering schedules. Use 12/12 as the reliable default. Use 11/13 as a late-flower lever for some long-flowering genetics. Learn the DLI tradeoff and how to switch without stalling.Strain-Aware Growing (Why One Schedule Fails)One schedule doesn’t fit every strain. Use the 60‑second baseline picker and the 2‑week micro‑test to adapt light, environment, and feed without chaos.Seed-to-Harvest Haze Protocol (Fast, Repeatable Steps)A practical haze-growing protocol from seed to harvest: lighting ramp, environment priorities, and a clean post-harvest pipeline for consistent results.Plants Stall in Late Flower (It’s Often Not Nutrients)Late-flower stalls are usually light/heat, VPD/dryback, or root stress—not a deficiency. Diagnose fast and fix it without overfeeding or wrecking your finish.Drying CannabisDrying is where most people permanently damage flavor. Use a controlled process, not vibes.Curing CannabisCuring is controlled moisture + time. If your RH swings, your flavor dies.Cannabis ER (Instant Triage)Search a symptom (hay smell, jar RH spikes, harsh smoke, not flowering) and jump to the best match with linked fixes.

FAQ

Is 12/12 still the default?

Yes. 12/12 is the most reliable baseline across genetics. Everything else is a lever you pull for a reason.

What is 14/10 used for?

To raise daily light while staying in flower. It can work in perpetual systems if darkness is truly dark and the environment is stable.

What is 11/13 used for?

Usually as a late-flower lever for some long-flowering genetics or stubborn ripening, after you establish a clean baseline.

What matters most: hours or intensity?

Total daily light plus heat management. Change one variable at a time so you can attribute results.

Next steps

Use Cannabis ERTools that matterBrowse the KB

Cluster map

Deep pages in this cluster. Use these when you want specifics, not vibes.

11/13 vs 12/12 Light Cycle (When Each Wins)11/13 and 12/12 are both flowering schedules. Use 12/12 as the reliable default. Use 11/13 as a late-flower lever for some long-flowering genetics. Learn the DLI tradeoff and how to switch without stalling. 14/10 Light Cycle Explained (Why It Works for Perpetual Flower)14/10 (14h on, 10h off) can raise Daily Light Integral without breaking flower. Learn when it boosts yield, when it backfires, and how to ramp safely.

FAQ

Is 12/12 still the default?

Yes. 12/12 is the most reliable flowering schedule across genetics. Everything else is a lever you pull for a reason.

What is 14/10 used for?

To increase daily light while staying in flower. It can help perpetual flower systems, but only if your darkness is truly dark and your environment stays stable.

What is 11/13 used for?

Usually to push late flower maturity on stubborn cultivars or to manage long-flowering genetics. It can reduce stress for some plants late.

What matters most: hours or intensity?

Total daily light plus heat management. If you raise hours and intensity together, you can cook your plant. Change one variable at a time and track results.