Need Thoughts/Opinions/Expert Knowledge on 18/6 vs 20/4 Light Cycle!

With running CFLs! (I dk if that matters vs. HIDs or not)

Everybody always argues about 24/0 vs 18/6, but what about 20/4? Is there any real advantage to that versus just 24/0 or 18/6? I'm running about 250 watts of CFLs during vegging and just turned my lights off, but I was thinking about running 20/4 and splitting the difference to give the plants a break, but still not give them 6 hrs of darkness.

It gets very cold where I am growing, so I feel like 18/6 would be too much darkness and therefore too much time w/o heat. I'm going to give it darkness no matter what, so let me hear your advice!!

Well the two sides of that story that hear are 18/6 will save you electricity but inorder for plants to make chlorophyll they use photosynthesis which requires Lighting. If im not mistaken darkness makes plants store nutrients and help get ready for flowering. I run 24 hour light because i think you might gain a little growth but theres always the arguement that 18/6 gets em ready for flowering better and so they have less shock going into 12/12.

I run 2 4ft shop lights with 2 bulbs each and a blue kessil LED between em. I figure with CFL im not gonna save much on electricity. Maybe if i was running MH i would go 18/6. to save on bulb life, ballast life, and electricty.

Anyway theres all the crap ive heard, best of luck

Marijuana can efficiently process 16 to 18 hours of light per day, after which it reaches a point of diminishing returns, and the electricity is wasted.

Bump....

Any thoughts regarding 20/4 light period opposed to 24 and 18? I think it could be a good compromize between as muc light as possible and some sleep

electric heater....(expert advice)