Hello tommy5060, Plants need a rest cycle without light, I leave my lights on 14 hrs a day. Your plants are growing slowly because they are to far away from the light, I would raise the plants to about two inches from the light. It sounds like you have T12 fluorecents, these are the fattest bulbs. Lastly, I would change the bulbs for grow bulbs(6500k)you dont know how old these bulbs are. If you dont at the very least get these plants close to the light source they will progressivly become weaker and weaker and die. I hope this helps, Bob

Hi I have read that some people have used the 24-0 light cycle before with good results. They say it just makes the plant grow faster. I'm wondering if anyone here has actually tried that and what your results were? I don't have a way of putting a timer on the light because it's hardwired to the electrical grid.

Hello tommy5060 I have also heard of peaple leave lights on 24/7, although I never tried it. One thing to understand is how plants use light cycles. Plants absorb light from the sun and absorb water and nutrients from the soil, combine the two thus creating energy, which this is stored. Then during dark periods the plant uses this stored energy for repair and reguvination. So dark periods are just as important as light periods. Just imagine yourself not getting any sleep for a long period, you would crash and burn pretty fast.
If you are serious about growing plants under lights I would buy a light fixture with 6500k tubes and a timer. I bet you wouldnt spend 50 dollars. Bob