I have a question concerning lighting. I have some seedlings in an ebb and flo table using fluorescent lighting for the moment. This is all new to me. I've never grown chiles indoors. Should I have the lights on 24/7 for now or do they need a period of darkness. If I change the lighting or move them to sunlight, how would this effect them?
Could a sudden change in lighting promote early flowering?  ???

The lights should be on for 12-16 hours and the distancy from the light to the plant can be as close as a few centimeters. I leave the rest of the questions for a more senior grower.

They don't "need" a dark period like... um.. some other plants but a rest is good for them.
To my experience a little rest between the days is better than giving them light 24/7.

Chiles aren't photoperiod sensitive so you don't have to worry about the sudden changes with day lenght.
Spectrum of the light might and usually will affect the flowering, meaning that when they start getting sun suddenly, they can start flowering soon after that. To prevent that, you should water enough to keep the soil moist all times. And to encourage flowering, let the plant dry a little once.

Hope it helps!

Lainaus käyttäjältä: serene1 - maaliskuu 15, 2009, 05:38:28 ap
I have a question concerning lighting. I have some seedlings in an ebb and flo table using fluorescent lighting for the moment. This is all new to me. I've never grown chiles indoors. Should I have the lights on 24/7 for now or do they need a period of darkness. If I change the lighting or move them to sunlight, how would this effect them?
Could a sudden change in lighting promote early flowering?  ???

 To prevent that, you should water enough to keep the soil moist all times. And to encourage flowering, let the plant dry a little once.

OK, what about no soil? I have a few plants growing in buckets with air stones (DWC). The only lighting I have at the moment are fluorescents and a little sunlight shining through a small window.  I planned on moving these plants outdoors in the spring. Keep in mind there is no soil involved. So, I guess my question is, should I not move them outdoors until they are ready for flowering? And of course there is no soil to let dry a little.

That's one of the main reasons I use EBB & other hydro systems which moisture levels are easy to control.
I can actually provide more dry conditions before flowering. Just be very careful when doing this.

About the air stone, I highly recommend changing it to waater pump, much more efficient later when the roots are getting big.

Here's one system grown few  years ago with small water pump:
(http://fatalii.net/chile/kuvat/DSCN0438.jpg)

LainausAbout the air stone, I highly recommend changing it to waater pump, much more efficient later when the roots are getting big.

Good to know. I thought that the air-pump is better than the water pump.

My first hydro works with air-pump  :-\

Yeah, that's very common misbelief.

Air pump is only small percent of the efficiency compared to water pump for oxygenizing the solution