This is my first grow and I'm 22 days into the 12/12 flowering stage. I've read how some people cut off all large fan leaves. Is this something that's good to increase the bud size or does it not make a difference?

No do not cut off the fan leaves. The fan leaves are stored up energy for flowering. They will yellow up and droop and fall. Pick em up then.

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Up Up and away we go

Buds don't need a direct light source to grow, they absorb their nutrients from the leaves. Fan leaves absorb the most amount of light and store the most nutrients for the buds to feed, cutting them will only stunt growth and force the plant to heal wounds instead of produce buds.

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Yet another 12/12 from clone/seed grow!