1st Grow...Hydro in a Super Closet Week 3

[Dunwoody12]

• I'm a first time grower with the same set-up from SC. I started with 3 WW and they are a few weeks in. I think I'm overwatering from the leaf droop and discoloration. Any thoughts? I'm concerned about root rot, will Hydrogen Peroxide help while I dial back on the water?
  
  Attached is a photo of my 3 ww plants....any feedback is appreciated.
  
  I bought one of these because I need simplicity and didn't want to take the time to build a stealth box. Expensive maybe but hell so is an ounce of hydro, all I want is personal smoke from mine, high quality personal smoke. Props to the people who use grow tents and rooms but that ain't me.​
  
  
  
  

 

[Dunwoody12]

I'll post updates and photos as I go along. I'm going to empty my reservoir and clean it out tomorrow.

 

[lordjin]

Best shot at a correct diagnosis requires every little detail of what you've done.

 

[Dunwoody12]

Okay, I will make sure I'm more specific. I have stones at the bottom of the res to mist them, on always, I also have been keeping the res from 2-4 inches under the bottom of the net cups. I'm only checking ph once or twice per week and there is always an adjustment. My room temp is a pretty constant 72-76 with RH outside the box around 50 and inside the box around 55. I light at night b/c it is hot and humid during the day where I am. I've using per the nutrient guide I was given, a little Sugar Daddy, a little Root 66 and a once a week B12 foliar spray. I was watering (through the water line and spray nozzles directed at the bottom of the net cups) 6 times per day for 15 minutes before a week ago changing it to the recommended 3, no clue why I put it on 6, mistake. Also, I have the standard 150W HPS that came with the box and I figured 3 plants for the first time. Light is about 6-7 inches from the top of the plants. Good circulation with the exhaust fan, small cheap internal fan and a larger fan pushing air through a passive vent.

I'm going to completely empty and clean my res on my next water change and I'll post some more photos. I start more nutrients added to the drink this week per the nutrient guide.

 

[lordjin]

Well your photo isn't very clear, but they don't look happy. Now there can be a sickly looking period as they struggle to root themselves through the net pot. But it's hard to tell if it's simply the rooting effort or if something else might be happening. I think your mention of checking PH once a week might serve as a clue for me. PH should be checked daily to ensure that the solution never falls outside the safe-zone for cannabis (5.5-6.5).

I'll take a stab in the dark and say your clones are unable to absorb nutrient because of PH issues. And you're probably overnuting if you're following the nute bottle label.

What's your PPM? What's your water temperature?

 

[Dunwoody12]

I will take more photos today. They seem to be rooting okay, the roots are thick and coming out of the bottom of the net cups. I will try and manage the ph better!

My ppm has been low when I mix new water for the res it's been around 200. I don't have a res temp but I have a hygrometer right next to the res and it stays around 75 degrees.

I'll have more info later today. I appreciate the help. A first time grow is pretty daunting and from what I understand DWC/hydro is not the easiest grow but I'm committed to figuring it all out.

 

[Dunwoody12]

And my res has a bunch of organic material floating around the bottom. I'm assuming those are dead roots that have fallen off....

 

[Dunwoody12]

I'm using only ph balanced water, root 66 and sugar daddy, techna flora products that came with the system. It recommends to start BC boost and BC grow along with B1 Red but I think I should probably see if they recover one more week?

 

[Dunwoody12]

It may have been algae too, it wasn't shaped like broken or floating roots...

 

[KeepitTrilla]

dont know whats wrong with them but there looking ok.. your roots are fucking long tho bro i got plants double that size and my roots are no where near that long, check out my first ever grow tho and im using hydro https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/530518-400w-tent-setup-1st-ever-7.html

 

[lordjin]

Okay, first off rockwool dry to the touch is not what you want. The rockwool cube centered in the hydroton should be moist to the touch but not soaking. What's your fluid delivery method to the net pot bottoms? If you're using sprayers, you gotta wet it every 15minutes or so.

Also, the water tempeature cannot be gauged by the air thermometer next to the tub! If it's 75f in the air around your tub, I would bet that your water is warmer. How? How? How can the water be warmer than the air? So many can't believe that. But it is. Get you water cool. All your problems will fall in line. Keeping the water cool is priority number one. If your water isn't cool, the most expensive lights and nutes won't help you at all.

 

[superstoner1]

$10 for an aquarium thermometer at your local pet supply store.

 

[Dunwoody12]

I am using t sprayers, that are set to come on three times per day for 15 minutes, along with the bubble stones that mist the roots 24/7. I had them every 3 hours for 15 minutes before that. I'm unclear from the "directions". So I need to water every other 15 minutes over a 24 hour period? The water level is about 2 inches below the bottom of the net cups also fyi.

Get my water cool, how can you do that consistently while keeping it 70-75 for the plants?

I got a digital ph meter today and calibrated and tested it so I can be more consistent. The ph kit that came with it is manual with the droplets plus I'm a little color challenged=pain in the ass and inaccurate.

I'll get a temperature gauge next...hope my plants recover from my abuse!

Okay, first off rockwool dry to the touch is not what you want. The rockwool cube centered in the hydroton should be moist to the touch but not soaking. What's your fluid delivery method to the net pot bottoms? If you're using sprayers, you gotta wet it every 15minutes or so.

Also, the water tempeature cannot be gauged by the air thermometer next to the tub! If it's 75f in the air around your tub, I would bet that your water is warmer. How? How? How can the water be warmer than the air? So many can't believe that. But it is. Get you water cool. All your problems will fall in line. Keeping the water cool is priority number one. If your water isn't cool, the most expensive lights and nutes won't help you at all.

 

[Dunwoody12]

I'm going to try a frozen bottle of water a day and see what happens, any other methods?

 

[lordjin]

I'm going to try a frozen bottle of water a day and see what happens, any other methods?

Is the rockwool cube nicely buried in the hytroton? If the roots are already touching water, it should be okay not to spray that frequently... and a completely buriend cube will keep it from drying out completely.

Keeping a tub of water cold under a hot light is one the biggest challenges to indoor hydro growing... And it's absolutely essential. Lots of noobs muddle through hot water temps and think they're doing okay. No. All the other factors in a hydro system depend on the water being cool.

There's no magic trick. Your options are: babysit it every day with constant frozen water bottle applications or spend three hundred dollars on a 1/13 horsepower chiller.

You mean that grow system you bought makes no mention of res fluid temperature in the instructions?

 

[Dunwoody12]

The rockwool isn't buried at the bottom but I'd say even spaced, with about a single layer of hydroton on the bottom and top of it.

I ended up changing my watering cycle to every 4 hours for 15 minutes. The roots are all touching the water below the net cups.

There were no discussions of water temp's that I can remember in the very basic grow guide they included. I did put about 8 ounces of H202 in my 5 gallon res on the last water change and clean out yesterday.

I'll be back with an update after I give them a couple of days to recover. Do you think it was smart to not head to more nutes as suggested this week by my nute guide. My thought is that they are stressed and nutes may (aside from the 1-1-1 and magnesium supplement suggested now, called Root 66 and Sugar Daddy). I was due to add a few more ingredients but held off.