Problems topping off rez

MiStUrX

Member
Every time i top off the rez when it becomes low the plant bitches. Its leaves will droop for awhile but not all the time. Do I add nutes or just plain water? Im at the stage of growth were the rez is at 600ppm, While the plant sucks up water/nutes the ppm will drop a little. So i add water and nutes till the ppm is back up at 600 and ph 6 and she still freaks out. What am i doing wrong?

Rez temps = 65-67
Ppm= 600-640, no additives only nutes
Room temp with fan= 85-90f
Ph is at a stable 6
8 watt hydroponics air pump with two air stones
300 watt 5 cxb3590 3500k
 

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
it sounds like you are filling the water level up too high

not that this is causing it. but let your pH swing from 5.5-6.1

If you're going to keep it constant 6.0 isnt the pH to keep it at
 

MiStUrX

Member
it sounds like you are filling the water level up too high

not that this is causing it. but let your pH swing from 5.5-6.1

If you're going to keep it constant 6.0 isnt the pH to keep it at
Thats exactly it!!..added a lot more water than usual to compensate for all that water she was drinking not knowing she isnt used to it. Appreciate the advice, cant believe i didnt figure that out.:confused:
 
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JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
dont run enough air or if water temps rise too high(not being able to hold oxygen at high levels) you will need to run lower water levels to let more roots sit in air.

Edit: when you see the drooping roots are suffocating
 

MiStUrX

Member
dont run enough air or if water temps rise too high(not being able to hold oxygen at high levels) you will need to run lower water levels to let more roots sit in air.

Edit: when you see the drooping roots are suffocating
I heard it was 1 watt of air to one gallon, Im running 8 watts in 4 gallons of water. Temps are at a constant 65-67. For a good while I had the water level kinda low till they started sucking up a gallon a day so i started topping it off higher than normal and thats when the droop began. The droop didnt last long, maybe about four or five hours. You might be right as well been from lack of oxygen till it became dissolved. Maybe a combination of both?
 
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JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
I've heard that kicked around a lot. I think maybe that's enough when everything else is perfect. They will thrive with a lot more I promise. And are only going to drink more and more.
 

JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
If you think about it trying to give a rating based on gallons of water is almost silly.....it needs to be more so based on the size of the plant. The more plant and more roots the faster they will use up the oxygen in the water. Ultimately changing how much air needs to be pumped in.
 

JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
That's acting as if a seedling in 4 gallons needs the same Amount as a fully mature plant towards the end of flower is just silly.
 

JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
I heard it was 1 watt of air to one gallon, Im running 8 watts in 4 gallons of water. Temps are at a constant 65-67. For a good while I had the water level kinda low till they started sucking up a gallon a day so i started topped it off higher than normal and thats when the droop began. The droop didnt last long, maybe about four or five hours. You might be right as well been from lack of oxygen till it became dissolved. Maybe a combination of both?
I would say with the amount of air your running filling the bucket with more water and less air makes you run into the issue. Where if you were pumping the right amount of oxygen in (while keeping temps low which you say you are) your fill line wouldn't matter so much. If your setup is proper the water should be no different then soil, and you don't hear people worried about their soil fill line.
 

JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
Here's an example, my setup was fine, I simply added another stone doubling the oxygen input. My pump runs very hot, it ended up warming the tank which resulted it being able to hold less oxygen and even though I had double the air I started having issues with my fill line. Removed the second Stone and I can fill where ever I want to again.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
I keep the water level an inch under the bottom of the net pots and usually top up every 3 days then check ppm and add a bit of nutes to keep it at my target ppm. I used to run 1 - 12" airstone with a little aquarium pump but went to two stones in each tub and a bigger, dual-outlet pump with no noticeable difference.

I also use the little air pump to aerate my RO water for an hour or more before topping up the tub(s) so it's as full of oxygen as it can be before use. I do the same for water to be used in soilless grown plants.

Depending on the size of the plants, RH etc the level would be 3 - 4" below the pots in 3 days before topping up again. With pH Perfect nutes I never bother checking the pH. That's one chore I don't miss. :)
 

JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
I keep the water level an inch under the bottom of the net pots and usually top up every 3 days then check ppm and add a bit of nutes to keep it at my target ppm. I used to run 1 - 12" airstone with a little aquarium pump but went to two stones in each tub and a bigger, dual-outlet pump with no noticeable difference.

I also use the little air pump to aerate my RO water for an hour or more before topping up the tub(s) so it's as full of oxygen as it can be before use. I do the same for water to be used in soilless grown plants.

Depending on the size of the plants, RH etc the level would be 3 - 4" below the pots in 3 days before topping up again. With pH Perfect nutes I never bother checking the pH. That's one chore I don't miss. :)
Yea probably isn't enough of a difference between the two to notice a difference. Jump up to a 40watt industrial air pump and you will for sure!
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
I fill well over the bottom of the pot, probably at least half way to the top.
I've only done about 50 DWC grows in the last 16 years so maybe I should try that. Would hate to think that almost every other DWC grow journal I've read in the last 9 years since I started hanging out in forums is wrong and I'm doing it the wrong way too. ;)
 

JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
I've only done about 50 DWC grows in the last 16 years so maybe I should try that. Would hate to think that almost every other DWC grow journal I've read in the last 9 years since I started hanging out in forums is wrong and I'm doing it the wrong way too. ;)
Lol sorry I don't mean to step on toes I'll admit I'm a noob on my first grow. I'll take a pic but I fill half way up the net. Maybe I'm just lucky?
 

JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
Stop by my journal I've had bumps along the way but am getting close to success in what may be some imperfect methods.
 

JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
I promise this is only coming from yearning for a better understanding and not trying to prove my point. But if we have swapped water for soil and we are doing it right, why would there be any incorrect "fill" line.
 

JohnDoeTho

Well-Known Member
It seems like adding a condition of a "fill" line is trying to make up for some other deficiency. Idk just trying to understand.
 
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