First DWC Grow- seedlings roots need help!!

twokhps

Member
whats up everyone? i have 5 seedlings in a dwc. they are about a week to ten days old. the roots had just begun to apper from the bottom of one inch rockwool when i transplanted them into hydroton clay pellets in net pots. i kept them in a humidome for about a day, watering around the rockwool in an attempt to keep the clay moist and yet not soak the rockwool. paranoia got the best of me however, when i realized how little moisture the pellets were holding. ( I imagined the poor baby roots that were attempting to clings to the pellets shriveling from lack of mooisture :-( ). I went ahead and placed the net pots in the dwc tote i made. the root zone seems to be pretty humid, there is condensation on the underside of the lid and moist smelling air comes out when you lift it. the generous amount of airstones i have placed in the water is contributing to this as well as warming the area slightly, which is nice. i am just using pure R.O. water so far, filled to right below where the bottom of the rockwool is in the net pots, meaning some clay pellets at the base of the net are submerged. i also did my best to make individual humidomes for each of the net pots using planted skewers and clear plastic wrap, though they dont seem to be working particularly well as there is no condensation on the inside of them. the whole system is under six four-foot fluorescent tube lights (3 fixtures). my question is, under these circumstances, with no rad ring drip system to baby these girls roots until they reach the water, how often should i top water these clay pellets to make sure the roots dont dry out before they reach the reservoir? also, what is the ideal pH for systems like this? and when can i start feeding and at how many ppm to play it safe?

p.s. the strains are: two dinafem blue widow, two reserva privada headband, and one dna genetics lemon skunk, all feminized
 

dmakk777

Member
5.6ph-5.8ph and as long as the air around the pellets is humid, then the roots should live to reach for the water I would imagine.
 

BeaverHuntr

Well-Known Member
PH 5.6-5.8 is right.. and no you dont need a drip system you can top feed them once a day. Put your water level as close to the bottome of the net pot as you can all the bubbles splashing should do the rest. Be patient dude the roots will come in 1-2 weeks.
 

Weedler

Well-Known Member
Your doing good now. Wait until roots are visible then I'd keep it below 200 PPM for the first week, then I'd bump it up to 300-350 the next week. Slowly work your way up each week to avoid any nutrient burn. Try and stay below 600 for veg. I would not go over 950-1000 during Bloom. My girls drink best at 900 PPM I'm well into flower now.
 

twokhps

Member
thanks guys im pretty sure my root zone is staying humid enough. the water is now covering the bottom half inch or so of the net pots. what do you guys think about these little humidomes and what the hell are these brown spots on the leaf surface and the yellowing and slight curling of the tips? any ideas? maybe heat stress? i just turned the fixtures around because the system was under the end with the ballast which was significantly hotter.
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twokhps

Member
oh and another thing. i know the cotyledons can naturally die and fall off when the real leaves can support the plant but ive had a few stay on for a long time. you can see that these are already curling and drying out. does this mean anything? like was it something i did or am doing or does it just vary by the plant, strain, etc.?
 

BeaverHuntr

Well-Known Member
thanks guys im pretty sure my root zone is staying humid enough. the water is now covering the bottom half inch or so of the net pots. what do you guys think about these little humidomes and what the hell are these brown spots on the leaf surface and the yellowing and slight curling of the tips? any ideas? maybe heat stress? i just turned the fixtures around because the system was under the end with the ballast which was significantly hotter.
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I veg in a dome until roots develop in my rapid rooter plug then I transfer to the reservoir try it next time might work better for you .
 

Thor1911

Well-Known Member
oh and another thing. i know the cotyledons can naturally die and fall off when the real leaves can support the plant but ive had a few stay on for a long time. you can see that these are already curling and drying out. does this mean anything? like was it something i did or am doing or does it just vary by the plant, strain, etc.?
You're over watering it.
 

twokhps

Member
BeaverHuntr i did too. taproots had popped out of the bottom of the rockwool so i put them in the net pots still in the dome. then i got paranoid that the clay pellets werent holding enough moisture from my topwatering so i stuck them in the dwc to get that humidity/wick effect you guys were talking about. still wasnt comfortable though so i made those domes. when you transplant to your system do you go domeless?

Thor thats a definite possibility like i said paranoia got the better of me ive never started seedlings like this. i havent top watered since i put them in there a few days ago but the domes are probably contributing to this huh? i just sliced some holes in them to reduce the humidity. do you think i can just take them off completely?
 

Thor1911

Well-Known Member
BeaverHuntr i did too. taproots had popped out of the bottom of the rockwool so i put them in the net pots still in the dome. then i got paranoid that the clay pellets werent holding enough moisture from my topwatering so i stuck them in the dwc to get that humidity/wick effect you guys were talking about. still wasnt comfortable though so i made those domes. when you transplant to your system do you go domeless?

Thor thats a definite possibility like i said paranoia got the better of me ive never started seedlings like this. i havent top watered since i put them in there a few days ago but the domes are probably contributing to this huh? i just sliced some holes in them to reduce the humidity. do you think i can just take them off completely?
I am 100% with out a doubt, you're over watering lol.
Heres my little 7day seedling -> https://www.rollitup.org/dwc-bubbleponics/373724-good-old-fashioned-grow-off-9.html#post4831505
I just use a neoprene collars, no medium for seedlings. Rockwool is the worst medium for hydro grows, they hold water like a mother fucker and makes it extremely easy to overwater. Take the humidity off, as long as one root is touching the water or is getting oxygenated water you're good.
 

BeaverHuntr

Well-Known Member
BeaverHuntr i did too. taproots had popped out of the bottom of the rockwool so i put them in the net pots still in the dome. then i got paranoid that the clay pellets werent holding enough moisture from my topwatering so i stuck them in the dwc to get that humidity/wick effect you guys were talking about. still wasnt comfortable though so i made those domes. when you transplant to your system do you go domeless?

Thor thats a definite possibility like i said paranoia got the better of me ive never started seedlings like this. i havent top watered since i put them in there a few days ago but the domes are probably contributing to this huh? i just sliced some holes in them to reduce the humidity. do you think i can just take them off completely?
Yeah dude you are probably over watering. I dont use a dome when I transfer them to reservoirs I just put about 1.5'' of hydroton on the bottom of the net pot tightyly compacted as I can get it with my hands then I put the plug in and well you know the drill.. I never used rockwool at the hydro store I bought rapid rooter plugs and rockwool then I came on this site and just read everyones bitch about rockwool for bubbleponics so I used a rapid rooter plug and couldnt be happier. And yes take your domes off the roots will get enough humidity from the reservoir if you want more when they get older just spray them down with PH or distilled water..
 

twokhps

Member
yeah i yanked those domes off shortly after i posted that you guys are right. ill use rapid rooters from now on i love them for clones especially. but thor thats sick how do you germinate like that? and what do you think about adding some H2O2 to the reservoir to get some extra oxygen?
 

BeaverHuntr

Well-Known Member
yeah i yanked those domes off shortly after i posted that you guys are right. ill use rapid rooters from now on i love them for clones especially. but thor thats sick how do you germinate like that? and what do you think about adding some H2O2 to the reservoir to get some extra oxygen?
I wouldnt add h2o2 for that just get an extra air line if money is a issue get a cheap ass pump from Petsmart and another air stone .. You can never have too many bubbles.
 
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