Hydroponics
- Thread starter potroast
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fromagebleu
Active Member
I am having my first adventures in hydroponics and making plenty of mistakes - I bought Botanica's little micro garden ebb and flow kit thing - unfortunately, it's a bit on the cheesy side. When the tank below is full of water, the sides spread so the top with the plant pots falls in. I used bungie cords across the top and that works, but it also doesn't drain that well - even with shimming, the water isn't flowing out as well as I would like to see. The pots are really flimsy and the grow medium is light and fluffy so they float away and fall over, spilling peat moss etc into the bottom when the water comes in. I think I will use it for my future clones, but at the moment I have several monsters and several little guys and gals that didn't really catch up. So much to learn.
So got a General Hydro bucket (the square one)which has not arrived yet, and hydroton rocks and will try that on my big girl - an Orange Bud doing obvious girl pre-flowering. My one skunk is huge but still not clearly pre-flowering. I think it's a male but not quite far enough for my amateur eyes. And my pH meter is busted. Just got a tester for TDS, etc - it's a two-way with temperature compensation and was not expensive. Not sure it's good - it's a COM100 - WATERPROOF EC / TDS / TEMP COMBO METER. Just got it and have not used it.
I must say that it's just a tad daunting, and not cheap, to get set up - I got a 4" exhaust fan system with intake low and out high put in but can't afford the big charcoal filter - am using layers of cuttable furnace charcoal filter material which considering I don't have a lot of plants and do have a medical card should do okay. I put in white shower stall plastic tile in my 5x5 walk-in closet space along with a 400 watt dual hood which works well, reflects the white tile board nicely. Humidity is about 50%, temp 78-80 when lights are on.
I will put my 250 with veg light in the greenhouse and after my big Orange Bud girl is done blooming, try to save her as a clone mommy. I think the micro garden thing will work nicely for clones, but will put the Orange Bud in the bucket for the size she is wanting to be. I started 7 more seeds (if they sprout) in my aerogarden which seems pretty decent for starting seeds and getting them to 3-4 leaf sets. Will try moving them to greenhouse until they preflower, then into the inside grow room.
I do like how things grow with hydro, though. Even though it's a bit of a bitch, I like it a lot. What mistakes am I making in the above? I already made plenty of mistakes and would like not to make more as I am in danger of running low while I have medical needs that are high. I figure the cloning is the fastest way for me to keep the supply coming while I wait for it to be time to grow outside.
How'm I doing?
So got a General Hydro bucket (the square one)which has not arrived yet, and hydroton rocks and will try that on my big girl - an Orange Bud doing obvious girl pre-flowering. My one skunk is huge but still not clearly pre-flowering. I think it's a male but not quite far enough for my amateur eyes. And my pH meter is busted. Just got a tester for TDS, etc - it's a two-way with temperature compensation and was not expensive. Not sure it's good - it's a COM100 - WATERPROOF EC / TDS / TEMP COMBO METER. Just got it and have not used it.
I must say that it's just a tad daunting, and not cheap, to get set up - I got a 4" exhaust fan system with intake low and out high put in but can't afford the big charcoal filter - am using layers of cuttable furnace charcoal filter material which considering I don't have a lot of plants and do have a medical card should do okay. I put in white shower stall plastic tile in my 5x5 walk-in closet space along with a 400 watt dual hood which works well, reflects the white tile board nicely. Humidity is about 50%, temp 78-80 when lights are on.
I will put my 250 with veg light in the greenhouse and after my big Orange Bud girl is done blooming, try to save her as a clone mommy. I think the micro garden thing will work nicely for clones, but will put the Orange Bud in the bucket for the size she is wanting to be. I started 7 more seeds (if they sprout) in my aerogarden which seems pretty decent for starting seeds and getting them to 3-4 leaf sets. Will try moving them to greenhouse until they preflower, then into the inside grow room.
I do like how things grow with hydro, though. Even though it's a bit of a bitch, I like it a lot. What mistakes am I making in the above? I already made plenty of mistakes and would like not to make more as I am in danger of running low while I have medical needs that are high. I figure the cloning is the fastest way for me to keep the supply coming while I wait for it to be time to grow outside.
How'm I doing?
herbose
Well-Known Member
Hello Blue Cheese, sounds like you're enjoying the adventure. You have a lot of plants, hope you're not putting them all in one waterfarm bucket. I started with a GH waterfarm 8 pack 5 1/2 weeks ago. It's working great but I have had to make some major changes to suit my perfectionist personality. A single bucket is probably a lot simpler.
The hydro takes a lot of attention but it's worth it.
One possible complication is trying to harvest a plant then turn it into a mother. I think it can be done by cloning and then reverting it to veg which takes a lot of time. You're better off taking some cuttings before it flowers and starting that way. Save you probably three weeks.
You sound like a handy guy, you'll figure out how to solve the problems as they appear.
By the way...congratulations on your excellent spelling and grammar, a rare thing on this forum.
I'd send pictures of my setup but lights are out and I don't want to confuse the ladies. Let me know if you're interested, I'll send tomorrow.
The hydro takes a lot of attention but it's worth it.
One possible complication is trying to harvest a plant then turn it into a mother. I think it can be done by cloning and then reverting it to veg which takes a lot of time. You're better off taking some cuttings before it flowers and starting that way. Save you probably three weeks.
You sound like a handy guy, you'll figure out how to solve the problems as they appear.
By the way...congratulations on your excellent spelling and grammar, a rare thing on this forum.
I'd send pictures of my setup but lights are out and I don't want to confuse the ladies. Let me know if you're interested, I'll send tomorrow.
herbose
Well-Known Member
Blue Cheese, you REALLY need a ph tester for hydro. The ph changes in mystical ways and you have to keep a handle on it. Ph strips will do in a pinch. I bought a Control Wizard from New England Hydro (nehydro.com), $43 plus shipping, works great. Don't drop it in the water
Good luck.
Good luck.
potroast
Uses the Rollitup profile
It sounds like you are doing just great! Your room is perfect, and your hydro experiences will work out well. It takes a couple of crops to get things right.
For your mothers, you would ideally like to clone from a plant that has not been induced to flower. A mother can be a clone from a known female, or a seed plant that has been verified female by inducing a cutting.
Welcome to Rollitup!
HTH
southfloridasean
Well-Known Member
try the sun leaves planter of ease or general hydroponics water farm hydroponic systems. The sunleaves system is aeroponic while the general hydroponic is a drip system from the halo which hangs over the plant.
I use a PT garden from Future Harvest Development. Several diffrent sizes, can be drip or aero. Come complete. Been using the PT36 Balcony drip system for about 5-6 years. Works great easy to manage. Just moved it into a hydro hut, its sweet. The PT cam with full instructions for best results, live by them.
Cali girl, very little light on clones, I use 2 t5 6400k full spectrum. also use a product called propogator from future harvest development. I am also a huge believer in Vitam B, helps plant get through stress, just like us. By the way if that pic is u, looks pretty nice.
Mobbstlye, you can go to any hydro store and buy a simple bucket system that will have everything you need. It is a top feed drip system, best for newbees. You can have one bucket to ten and add and take away as you need. Make sure you are using a good clean food line, something that clog your system and something that is easy. I have ben using a three part product called holland secret (bada bing, Bada Bang, Buda bloom). Yeah I know funny name but it is truley the best product i have used. Real clean and easy to use, also ph buffered to make life a little more simple. With the bucket system you use a small rez for your food and larger rez for water feed that is controled by a float valve. From your food rez your pump pushes feed to the top of buckets, then is feed back to your rez to recirculate by grazity. Any hydro store should be able to set you up fairly cheaply.
Good luck
FLBud
Active Member
Hey guys I have a couple of questions. I have been reading around RIU and I see some people prefer a PH of 5.3 to 5.8 and I see some people believe in keeping the PH at 5.8 to 6.3 (which I keeping my ph at 6.3) What happens if you r having trouble keeping you PH consistant I heard someone say something about PH Lockdown? What does this do.My other question is about food Value.. I am in the vegatative stage and Im keeping my TDS at 900 to 980. Is this too high for that stage..
Little info about my system I am using a 10 gallon resivour for 3 plants. I am also using General Hydroponics Nutrients. Does anyone have some good advice for this first time grower.
potroast
Uses the Rollitup profile
The pH of a solution will determine what minerals are available to the plant to use as food. The best pH to use will vary with the medium, and method of growing. So we talk about a range of values as being the best. For hydro the best is 5.5-5.9, but will work just fine from 5.2-6.2. For soil, the best is 6.3-6.5, but will work just fine from 5.8-6.8, but we don't bother talking about soil in here.
If the nutrient solution is out of that range, the minerals may combine into a compound that can't be used, so those nutes are locked out. They are still there, and read on your TDS meter, but can't be used, and the plant will go without.
Your nutrient solution strength depends on the other growing factors like light and fresh air. If your plants need more they will tell you, so continue at that level until flowering. A ppm of 900 is about 5ml/gallon of each part, and that is a good middle ground for those nutes.
HTH
If the nutrient solution is out of that range, the minerals may combine into a compound that can't be used, so those nutes are locked out. They are still there, and read on your TDS meter, but can't be used, and the plant will go without.
Your nutrient solution strength depends on the other growing factors like light and fresh air. If your plants need more they will tell you, so continue at that level until flowering. A ppm of 900 is about 5ml/gallon of each part, and that is a good middle ground for those nutes.
HTH
thunderchunkie
Well-Known Member
Hi Y'all. The pH level in my reservoir is continually at 7.4. Is there any specific product out there that is good for lowering the pH without screwing up the plants? I haven't planted anything yet, so I'm just doing a test run right now, but seeing as this is my first grow with an aeroponic system, I'd like to get everything as bang-on as I can.
potroast
Uses the Rollitup profile
Duh!
( - ficiency )
When nutes are locked out, the plant can't use them, so it shows up as a deficiency. So at the first sign of any problem, you just change the res.
HTH
potroast
Uses the Rollitup profile
Any acid will do it, but some are better than others. It's best to use an acid that will provide something the plant will use. Phosphoric Acid and Nitric Acid will do that, or any hydro pH Down.
And don't bang on your system, that doesn't help.
HTH
fromagebleu
Active Member
I bought a bucket to add to my ebb & flow micro garden and the bucket is easier to deal with for sure. I am hoping the micro will be good for clones, but don't know yet. What I DO know is there is a fair amount to learn about all this. I am really happy with Cervantes big grow bible - its so packed with the information I need. But absorbing all that knowledge in a big gulp isn't entirely possible. Having you folks on-line and reading your posts is a real help, and adds a personal factor that helps make it not quite so isolating when I am new to this via medical needs and don't yet have a local community. It's hard to do all the work with physical debility and when I don't have the help I need on-site. So thanks a lot for being here and I am thrilled at having a couple of big beautiful plants, one preflowered girl for sure and another that I assume will show as soon as I get them into bloom this next weekend. Also 7 seedlings. And I realize that for my tiny grow room, keeping a mother or two outside in veg in the greenhouse and putting in clones is probably going to be my most efficient move. But I learn something every day so may have entirely different views next week. I wanted to do a real grow journal, but what with working full time, health issues, etc., it's hard. Still I will try to photograph what I do have and upload it. I am not sure where the journal threads live - still finding it awkward to get around here - but I will locate it. The plants are just so beautiful.
One thing I note - local grow shops vary. One I tried had a shyster who didn't actually know what he was talking about and tried to sell me stuff I didn't need. I tried another and found a guy with real pride in his own experience and helping others. I am fortunate to have someone like him local.
Again, thanks for being here, folks. I am still a couple months out from my first crop and I know I may run into problems, but I have you to come to if I get in trouble.
One thing I note - local grow shops vary. One I tried had a shyster who didn't actually know what he was talking about and tried to sell me stuff I didn't need. I tried another and found a guy with real pride in his own experience and helping others. I am fortunate to have someone like him local.
Again, thanks for being here, folks. I am still a couple months out from my first crop and I know I may run into problems, but I have you to come to if I get in trouble.
FLBud,
I use a tool called a tri meter, measures ph temp, and tds/ppm
I find this very usefull and was great when I was learning (still am after 6 years)
If you PH is to high or to low it will lock out your food. If you are using a meter you will see this in your ppm, it will not go down as useual because your plant isnt takeing anything up. Also, if your ph is messed you can use ph up or down bought from any hydro store to fox it, but I would want to figure out why my ph is going up or down. Could be your food. I have used some that dropped the ph hugely. Other like what I use know are ph buffered so if your good with just water you are good when you add the food. This I find to be helpfull because when you ph does go up/down your food is one less reason.