I to do a defoliation just before switching to flower I don't remove loads just any leaves that are blocking bud sites and it's easy to get carried away once you start cutting leaves off we have all done it 🙄 I give them 18 hours of dark between 18/6 & 12/12 and they definitely have a growth spurt in those 18 hours dark but I know everyone does things differently just take all advice and find what works best for you.
Good luck with the rest of your grow 🙏💚