Newbie Hydro Grow.. Working on the Green thumb..Help LOL Blueberry & Kush

Hello and thanks for stopping in. This is my first Hydro grow and I'm not getting started too well. I'm not much of a green thumb, but am determined to change that! So here is the set up:

Waterfarm 8 units, 1 controller, 1 reservoir
8x8 grow tent
2 4 ft T-5 Grow Lights
1 400w HPS/MH Light
Humboldt Natural Nutes; Deuce Deuce, grow, bloom
P.H. Down: My water is 7.5-8.0 here!! Yikes
I do have a carbon filter and 185 inline fan
Intake coming from long pipe: roof to tent
Growing 5 Kush from BC Seed King
Growing 4 Blueberry from Seed Boutique
Used Rapid Rooters and germ station

I think that covers the basics. Any other info needed just ask. I really could use all the help you guys are willing to offer. My intention is to have fun, grow something I will enjoy, and simply increase my education. It has always been a "dream" to do this. That said, let me give you some pics. There are some initial problems, but I hope with all your help, I can make a good grow here. Something worth watching.

did you use any seed starters?

So far, here is what has happen. I germinated the seeds, no prob. Put them in a germination station and let them go to work. They did, but my florescent light was too high. They stretched. I was out of town for a long weekend and all hell broke loose. My starter plant in the Aero garden ran out of water and..... Well let me focus on this grow. So the seedlings stretched and thanks to some help I got that figured. So I set the Rapid Rooters with the seedlings into the hydroton. This was yesterday. So they just now have been in hydroton for 24 hours. I've had them on a 1 hour on, 1 hour off cycle for water as of yesterday. I changed it today to 1 hour on, 3 hours off. This is only during the lighting cycle. I should note that I did add the Circulation upgrade to the waterfarm, so that pump stays on 24/7 and so does the 12 inch air stone in the controller. Lights are on a 18/6 cycle right now. I'll put a pick of the seedlings before transplant below. Also worth noting that because of the stretching stems, I had to improvise and got a big clear plastic tub to set heat mat and tray in, instead of germ station. They were into the dome LOL... Well not really that funny, but I'm learning from my mistakes. I am ready to learn.

Hope there Femz.Make sure you bury, all that root stem when you transplant.

1kooguy said:

Hope there Femz.Make sure you bury, all that root stem when you transplant.

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You and me both buddy! Thanks for stopping by. The 4 Blueberry are feminized seeds. So we'll see. The Kush, however, is not. I just got some other seeds in the mail, I have no idea what they are, I didn't order them. But point being if 1st I don't succeed I'll just keep trying.

So my first question is water cycle. I have read and heard different opinions on this. Some say 1 hour on, 1 off. Some say all the time, some say 4 15 min cycles per light cycle. I'm now doing a 1 hour on and 3 hour off. I also wonder if the young age of the seedlings makes a difference. Any thoughts on this out there??

daydreamer419 said:

So my first question is water cycle. I have read and heard different opinions on this. Some say 1 hour on, 1 off. Some say all the time, some say 4 15 min cycles per light cycle. I'm now doing a 1 hour on and 3 hour off. I also wonder if the young age of the seedlings makes a difference. Any thoughts on this out there??

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Watering cycles are medium dependent. Hydroton requires more watering, than coco-coir or rockwool. Those two work well at just once a day, twice at most. Hydroton is a pourous surface, holds some water, and allows lots of oxygen to get to the roots, if you let them shed the water so they can breath for a minute.
Do not try to correct the stretching by burying the stem farther down. The stretching occured because the humidity dome made you kep the light your using too far away from the plants, prop them up, get the floro's within an inch or two of the top. You may want to try a little SuperThrive, Dark Energy, or Hygrozime type products. You want the Rapid rooter to dry out. In nature when it rains the leaves keep the base of the tree fairly dry, it draws the moisture it needs from the root system, not from the rain. Too much moisture around the trunk will rot the tree.
This is why you need to watch it close these first few days. You want the ends of your roots to get water. The ring should bring water very close, it should not take long for the roots to get anchored in the hydroton, you want them to grow, looking for water.
Introduce 1/4 strength nutes at two weeks, nothing other than one of the 'fixers' before that. By then you should be able to correct some of the stretch. Keep us posted. VV

So today I lowered the lights down to a couple inches above the seedlings. I also adjusted the drip timer to not run for 5 hours. It is my hope that I can dry things out a bit and cause them roots to grow. I think VV's logic is good and it makes sense. I have also been advised that with the drip system I should run it constantly during light cycle. I may try that when they get a bit bigger and monitor results versus timed cycles. Of the different products recommended, is there one that stands out as a proven winner for what I am dealing with? I can order it today, but wanted to hear some advise on the best 1 or 2 things to purchase. This morning I brought the PH down to 5.6. It will slightly rise throughout the day. It always does. I also used a toothpick and bag tie to prop up my Kush number 4 plant. It has not perked up at all, so I am going to help it. Now I wait to see how the lack of water will affect things. I have decided that as soon as I get a new product to use, I will flush system and add immediately. So what would be a good product to use for these little babies? SuperThrive, Dark Energy, or Hygrozime or a combo of all of them? Day 3 and they are still alive so I'm happy about that!

Alright I went ahead and got some Superthrive. Should be here soon. Also decided to add 2 digital 600 watt lights to the garden. So will update as things progress. we'll see how the day goes.

Super Thrive will work well, you only need a very little bit like 1/8 tsp per gallon, so 1 1/2 tsps for you 13 gallon res. I would hold off on the 600 watt lights until you get at least a few leaves developed on those seedlings. If you feel you need more light maybe add a couple of cfls. If you decide to use the 600 watters, start with them about 2' above your plants and move it down a few inches a day. VV

VictorVIcious said:

Super Thrive will work well, you only need a very little bit like 1/8 tsp per gallon, so 1 1/2 tsps for you 13 gallon res. I would hold off on the 600 watt lights until you get at least a few leaves developed on those seedlings. If you feel you need more light maybe add a couple of cfls. If you decide to use the 600 watters, start with them about 2' above your plants and move it down a few inches a day. VV

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I was thinking of the 600's for when things got a little more stable. I then started wondering if I had made a mistake. Should I have gone with 2 core Ballast 1000 Watts, or 2 digital 600w? Now I'm thinking of just adding a 1000 watt to the 2 600's and playing with that. Is the old cliche, MORE LIGHT THE BETTER true IYO?

Gotcha on the Superthrive. So I should add it to 13 gallon res. once that water is into controller and into w/f's, should I add more to the water as I put more in the res following the first 12 gallons? Or just leave it at 12 gallons?

You should only need to add more when you change your reservoir. VV