Confused

This is my first time using Hydro, and man thats alot of work.
But I have (3)Three plants, (1)One is alot older and Taller, about 2-1/2Ft. tall so I have her Tied down and the other (2)Two are just about 22 In. tall. Any who,
I have switched the lights to 12 and 12 for (30)Thirty days and just switched them to 11.5 on, 5.5 off, 1 on and lastly 5.5 off for (4)Four days.
The thing is there are no buds, just more branches. What the heck am I or did I do wrong?
Like I said this is the first time using HYDRO, so I am on un-charted teritory here guys.
HELP!!!!

for flower you dont want to interrupt the dark cycle. if you are doing to 12/1 for veg and sticking to that system. you want to be doing 13/11 for flower, and taking 30 mins off the on time every week.

so 12.5/11.5 week 2, 12/12 week 3, 11.5/12.5 week 4 etc..

doing what you are doing now is actually putting them back into veg.

Do you have Light leaks? did you switch nutes to the right PPM?
How many days total have they been under 12/12?

you dont wanna mess with the dark time. thats what tells the plant is budding time

You want 12/12 for flower. If you fuck with the lighting like that -on - off- on - off and then on again type a stuff - you're asking for trouble.

Ok, I think I got it. I read a thread on here that said the weird light schedule. i've had them on 19/5 for about 9 weeks, then went to the 12/12 schedule, and have had them on this one for 2 weeks. and was trying that 11.5/5.5/1.0/5.5 for only like 4 days, I have since changed it back to the 19/5 schedule. Luckily it showed me that one turned male on me though. so that was nice. hahahaha
On another note, I have this male that I either need to move or pull, and being in the hydro setgup, the only way to get him out is to cut alot of the roots off. So my question is? What can be done with it besides tea and butter.
If I save for butter or tea I will just let it dry out.