Hydroponics

ilovekasey17

ilovekasey17

Well-Known Member
I'm completely new to the whole hydro deal. I've been doing some reading, so let me explain what I THINK I'm supposed to do and you guys let me know whether or not I'm right.


First, I cut 4 holes in the lid of my tub just big enough for the net pots. I get a dual air pump and two 12" airstones. I run the hoses through the tub and connect to the airstones at the bottom. I fill the tub full of water about 1/2 inch below the net pots.

Then, I fill the net pots with hydroton and place in the small plant in rockwool. I add the nutes, turn on the pump, and empty and repeat the filling step every 7-9 days.

I use 6500KCFLs for vegging and 2700K for flowering. 18/6 for vegging and 12/12 for flowering.
 
daydreamer419

daydreamer419

Active Member
Just putting finishing touches on a waterfarm 8 unit. I got the additional upgrade to make it circulate, but I don't see it doing much. If you are familiar with it, there is a separate air pump to aid in circulating the water to create similar conditions for all plants. Either way, should I get a more powerful air pump, or is there a trick that anyone knows to get it circulating better? 2nd question, do you add the nutes to the main reservoir or to the smaller nute resevoir? The name would make me think the Nute resevoir, but the dam heavy water res sits right on top. Makes it a pain LOL... Well any thoughts or advise is greatly appreciated! Thanks to everyone for a great community!
 
VictorVIcious

VictorVIcious

Well-Known Member
ilovekasey17 said:
I'm completely new to the whole hydro deal. I've been doing some reading, so let me explain what I THINK I'm supposed to do and you guys let me know whether or not I'm right.


First, I cut 4 holes in the lid of my tub just big enough for the net pots. I get a dual air pump and two 12" airstones. I run the hoses through the tub and connect to the airstones at the bottom. I fill the tub full of water about 1/2 inch below the net pots.
Click to expand...
That all sounds about right, did you read this somewhere?

Then, I fill the net pots with hydroton and place in the small plant in rockwool. I add the nutes, turn on the pump, and empty and repeat the filling step every 7-9 days.
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Well, this assumes you have a small plant, clone or seed in a rockwool cube, and yes the procedure you describe is correct. You do want to keep the rockwool block towards the top of the pot. For the first few days you may have to top water until the roots get down into the hydroton. The addition of nutes would depend on the age of the plant, usually about 1/4 strength at two weeks, nothing until then, gradually increasing the nutes until full strength, usually about four weeks.
You would want to top off your res as the plants begin to use the water and check your ph daily.

I use 6500KCFLs for vegging and 2700K for flowering. 18/6 for vegging and 12/12 for flowering.
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Well... yes. Some use 24 hours of light for vegging plants. It does give you faster growth. Welcome to the forum, you have done some research and probably all of this is what you already know. VV
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VictorVIcious

VictorVIcious

Well-Known Member
daydreamer419 said:
Just putting finishing touches on a waterfarm 8 unit. I got the additional upgrade to make it circulate, but I don't see it doing much. If you are familiar with it, there is a separate air pump to aid in circulating the water to create similar conditions for all plants. Either way, should I get a more powerful air pump, or is there a trick that anyone knows to get it circulating better? 2nd question, do you add the nutes to the main reservoir or to the smaller nute resevoir? The name would make me think the Nute resevoir, but the dam heavy water res sits right on top. Makes it a pain LOL... Well any thoughts or advise is greatly appreciated! Thanks to everyone for a great community!
Click to expand...
Well.... it's not a nute reservoir it is a control unit. You add the nutes to the main reservoir because that is the storage unit. The control unit manages the water levels to the individual pots. The air pump that comes with it should be sufficient unless you have some line restrictions that are affecting its operation. A lot more water than you think may be flowing out of the drip ring? VV

s3pug im just starting widow any special tips i should keep a eye out for good or bad???
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Welcome s3, special tip is read the first few pages of this thread. Widow explains all of the hydro systems and which medium you would want to use with each of the different system. VV

knesldr ebb flo
Hi quick question, what is the difference from ebb flo and a regular hydro setup. THanks.
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Uhhh... no, ebb and flow is a regular hydro system. It is just one of them. Some refer to flood and drain as ebb and flow, you also have Deep Water Culture (DWC), Aero, and Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), Fogponics, and the wick system. Which regular hydro did you mean? VV
 
L

lorenzo08

Well-Known Member
knesldr said:
Hi quick question, what is the difference from ebb flo and a regular hydro setup. THanks.
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hydroponics means to grow without soil. you use either inert grow media or just let the roots hang in air or water. there are different technique of doing hydroponics. do some reading, plenty to learn.
 
daydreamer419

daydreamer419

Active Member
VictorVIcious said:
Well.... it's not a nute reservoir it is a control unit. You add the nutes to the main reservoir because that is the storage unit. The control unit manages the water levels to the individual pots. The air pump that comes with it should be sufficient unless you have some line restrictions that are affecting its operation. A lot more water than you think may be flowing out of the drip ring? VV
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Thank you kindly for the info! I will make the appropriate adjustments and that does explain a lot. :bigjoint:
 
daydreamer419

daydreamer419

Active Member
Just transplanted these seedlings to my waterfarm. What type of water cycle do you suggest I set my timer for? Running low nutes and water about 5.5-5.9. I am constantly monitoring it because it changes often. Your thoughts? Currently it is on 1 hr on, 1 hr off. Thanks!
 

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VictorVIcious

VictorVIcious

Well-Known Member
daydreamer419 said:
Just transplanted these seedlings to my waterfarm. What type of water cycle do you suggest I set my timer for? Running low nutes and water about 5.5-5.9. I am constantly monitoring it because it changes often. Your thoughts? Currently it is on 1 hr on, 1 hr off. Thanks!
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Sorry, you have some serious issues, those seedling are stretched. It looks like you have them in Rapid Rooters, I hope you have roots out the bottom. You are going to need to prop them up, skewers work, a straw slit to accommodate the stem may be used also. Whatever light you are using needs to be closer than it is now.
If I remember right I ran 1 hour on 2 off with the aero-cloners, I did not do seeds in them, only clones.
If you have already transferred them into the hydroton in the water farm watch closely for wilt until the roots get down into their new home, you may have to top water the Rapid rooter a time or two depending on the root development you have.
The color indicates a complete lack of light so far and the stretching confirms it. They can be saved, you will have to learn fast, I think you can do it.
The ring shaped drip system is what I have seen recommended for this medium, maximum air to the roots, water will flow down all thru the medium. Recommended timing that I have read for that medium is about 4 times a day for 15 minutes during lights on. Watch your water temps closely, if the thermometer in the picture is you water temp, its fine for right now, don't let it get any higher. If that's the room temp its too cool for your seedlings around 78f is ideal, rh around 45% would be great.
So, lets discuss those lights. Start a journal and send me a link, you have invested some bucks here, and your seeds are above ground, these are all positives. Let's see if we can get your grow 'in balance'. VV;-)
 
daydreamer419

daydreamer419

Active Member
VictorVIcious said:
Sorry, you have some serious issues, those seedling are stretched. It looks like you have them in Rapid Rooters, I hope you have roots out the bottom. You are going to need to prop them up, skewers work, a straw slit to accommodate the stem may be used also. Whatever light you are using needs to be closer than it is now.
If I remember right I ran 1 hour on 2 off with the aero-cloners, I did not do seeds in them, only clones.
If you have already transferred them into the hydroton in the water farm watch closely for wilt until the roots get down into their new home, you may have to top water the Rapid rooter a time or two depending on the root development you have.
The color indicates a complete lack of light so far and the stretching confirms it. They can be saved, you will have to learn fast, I think you can do it.
The ring shaped drip system is what I have seen recommended for this medium, maximum air to the roots, water will flow down all thru the medium. Recommended timing that I have read for that medium is about 4 times a day for 15 minutes during lights on. Watch your water temps closely, if the thermometer in the picture is you water temp, its fine for right now, don't let it get any higher. If that's the room temp its too cool for your seedlings around 78f is ideal, rh around 45% would be great.
So, lets discuss those lights. Start a journal and send me a link, you have invested some bucks here, and your seeds are above ground, these are all positives. Let's see if we can get your grow 'in balance'. VV;-)
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Ok buddy, I am all ears and the journal has been started. Please take a look. Anybody welcome to have a look and throw in their 2 cents.. I hope my signature will link to it. Thank you in advance!! My plants thank you too!!! :leaf:
 
whysohigh

whysohigh

Well-Known Member
GypsyBush said:
just sitting in the res... no flow... no bubbles...just a container with Ph'd and nuted water...

First signs of trouble and I'll give them the air... but they are going strong with very white roots...:o

We'll see how long they go....:-P
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what ever happened to the plants you cut off the air to?
 
daydreamer419

daydreamer419

Active Member
chucktownskunk said:
a water farm is a drip system and the water should be running all the time while the lights on
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With the plants as small as they are, do you think I should underwater them right now to create root growth. If you look at my journal, they are little guys and have suffered some issues from light being too far away from light in their early stages. Have you used a waterfarm before, or a drip system? Is that what you have done before with success? Thanks for the post!
 
chucktownskunk

chucktownskunk

Well-Known Member
yes i have two of them but i use them for mothers and yes you can run it all the time just watch the nutes and get a root stimulator to promote root growth
 
whysohigh

whysohigh

Well-Known Member
widowtwanky said:
does hydroponics give more ounce per plant
than a plant grown in soil
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as far as i understand its just a faster way of growing, the plants yeild is in its genetics. if you have the time and room you can veg them for longer to make them get big before you flower to try to maximize your yeild, but im pretty sure no matter how you grow it, they have their yeild in their genes.
 
Bongmarley

Bongmarley

Active Member
i bot a air pump and stone form walmart for 12 bux, a 15 qrt rubbermaid tub with a lid for 3 bux, and and it fits 9, 3" mesh pots in the top....simple! thiers you hydro kit under 20 bux, excluding lights and nutes
 
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