I need help setting up my first hydro system

Nizza

Nizza

Well-Known Member
http://www.sungro.com/retail-product/bl ... just-coir/
This is the coir I picked up. I couldnt find any info on this.. it was what we had locally. The other choice was coco loco. My plan is to wash and buffer the coco coir and add some perlite 10-20%.

I plan on using the floraflex matrix rings, and "5 gallon" air pots like this. They really hold 3 gallons.
Hoping I can germ straight into the coco , I dont have any starter plugs and they dont sell any
The plan is to put everything up on tables with drain pans and having the feed and drain buckets underneath
The nutrients I am hung up between flora nova and flora coco or the original flora 3 part for nutrients.. i was originally going to go the flora 3 part but wanted to make sure I shouldn't use the other ones


My biggest questions
Nutes?
Timer for auto watering?
Is this coco okay?
 
Airwalker16

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Nizza said:
http://www.sungro.com/retail-product/bl ... just-coir/
This is the coir I picked up. I couldnt find any info on this.. it was what we had locally. The other choice was coco loco. My plan is to wash and buffer the coco coir and add some perlite 10-20%.

I plan on using the floraflex matrix rings, and "5 gallon" air pots like this. They really hold 3 gallons.
Hoping I can germ straight into the coco , I dont have any starter plugs and they dont sell any
The plan is to put everything up on tables with drain pans and having the feed and drain buckets underneath
The nutrients I am hung up between flora nova and flora coco or the original flora 3 part for nutrients.. i was originally going to go the flora 3 part but wanted to make sure I shouldn't use the other ones


My biggest questions
Nutes?
Timer for auto watering?
Is this coco okay?
Click to expand...
Start in small little 16oz beer cups with coco first then once your roots have filled it, transfer to your 5gals
 
Nizza

Nizza

Well-Known Member
How about setting up the drippers? I have the pump but no clue a good pump timer. I have those digital ones with two outlets
www.bulbs.com

UltraGrow 120V Digital Timer, double outlets

UltraGrow 120V Digital Timer, double outlets.
www.bulbs.com www.bulbs.com

but wasn't sure what a better option is. I was looking at cycle timers but idk really where to start here. My current timer only has 1 minute on/off increments.

Heres the other one I was checking out https://www.bn-link.com/products/century-short-period-repeat-cycle-timer-day-night-or-24-hours-operation

I was thinking a smart plug but I don't want it to not water my plants if we lost internet.
 
gr865

gr865

Well-Known Member
My pump and rez setup.
20191201_115501 (2).jpg



And here is the pump and manifold system I had set up on the rez.

20190918_101836 (2).jpg



This is the in tent manifold, up to 8 stations, I am using 5 on this grow. No longer have the cut off valves on each feed line.
20181005_095126 (3).jpg



The emitter I am using now is a Rainbird stream rotor. I have a filter on the rez manifold, a filter in the pressure reducer and each line has a filter on the in tent manifold. I have had no issues with emitter plugging. I can run these emitters because I am using a 12V 3 gallon/min @ 60 psi that give me the pressure I need for the 5 plants.

20181005_095120.jpg
 
kingromano

kingromano

Well-Known Member
Nizza said:
thanks! what are you using for a timer?
Click to expand...
you can use cyclic timers if you are turning your pump on really often

for drain to waste in mapito i like to feed at the exact time i choose so i dont use cyclic timers
the cheap 10 euros electronic timers are perfect for my task
in the one i use in can program 14 program on and 14 program off
1579462373688.png
 
Nizza

Nizza

Well-Known Member
I have no experience in coco but I figured I would have to water 1-3x a day. If a timer that only does 1min increments is good for this, i'll get it.
 
JohnDee

JohnDee

Well-Known Member
Nizza said:
This is the coir I picked up. I couldnt find any info on this.. it was what we had locally.
Click to expand...
Our local Home Depot carries that brand. I have used it. I rinsed and buffered same as I do when using coco bricks. It worked OK for me.
JD
 
Nizza

Nizza

Well-Known Member
any info on your method of prewashing and buffering? I was going to clean it 2-3 times with RO then adjust ppm's and pH with regular ph up or down.

I was thinking megacrop for base nutes for now until my order comes in with epsom for the cal-mag. I think the megacrop I have is the newest one so it has a bit more cal-mag.

Thanks!

on first soak, the ph is 5.8 and ppm 120. Id say this is already washed and buffered?
 
gr865

gr865

Well-Known Member
Nizza said:
I have no experience in coco but I figured I would have to water 1-3x a day. If a timer that only does 1min increments is good for this, i'll get it.
Click to expand...
I would go for the timer with seconds, you will use it believe me.
 
JohnDee

JohnDee

Well-Known Member
Nizza said:
any info on your method of prewashing and buffering? I was going to clean it 2-3 times with RO then adjust ppm's and pH with regular ph up or down.
Click to expand...
With coir that seems real fine (lots of pith) I rinse it good using a collander to get rid of some of the super fine stuff.

If you want to soak to get rid of sodium...use a storage bin and test water after awhile to see if EC rises. Rare to find too much Na in coco these days.

Then I soak in 1.5x normal dose calmag...overnight. These last two steps are done with coco in 3 gal fabric pot...makes it pretty easy.
JD
JD
 
gr865

gr865

Well-Known Member
Nizza said:
any info on your method of prewashing and buffering? I was going to clean it 2-3 times with RO then adjust ppm's and pH with regular ph up or down.

I was thinking megacrop for base nutes for now until my order comes in with epsom for the cal-mag. I think the megacrop I have is the newest one so it has a bit more cal-mag.

Thanks!

on first soak, the ph is 5.8 and ppm 120. Id say this is already washed and buffered?
Click to expand...

I use Canna Coco but I still pretreat and wash.
 
Nizza

Nizza

Well-Known Member
thanks so much. That timer with seconds is exactly what I want!

The slurry ppm test came out to only 150

I used my pulse meter and its reading 1.8 EC, So i will be washing the fuck out of it!! lol

that smart pot idea is genius john dee! I ended up making a bucket in a bucket with a bunch of holes to rinse and soak the coco in. I use air pots but I think I can do something similar when planting to save alot of time
 
gr865

gr865

Well-Known Member
@JohnDee
JD, do you weigh the coco prior to putting it in the pots.
I have started weighing the coco/perlite and trying to pack them evenly in the fabric pots. I have noticed that I get fairly equal saturation when doing this. Prior too, I did not measure and the pots held different levels of moisture, some would begin drain after 30 seconds and others it would take over a minute to drain, so I know the root system were weaker in given pots.
What are you thought on this?
 
JohnDee

JohnDee

Well-Known Member
gr865 said:
@JohnDee
JD, do you weigh the coco prior to putting it in the pots.
I have started weighing the coco/perlite and trying to pack them evenly in the fabric pots. I have noticed that I get fairly equal saturation when doing this. Prior too, I did not measure and the pots held different levels of moisture, some would begin drain after 30 seconds and others it would take over a minute to drain, so I know the root system were weaker in given pots.
What are you thought on this?
Click to expand...
I don't weigh the coco and never really thought about it. Whenever I do a transplant...I water afterwards to settle the coco in. I try to keep coco at about an inch below top of bag...helps with watering. So my goal is that the pots are all filled to same height.

I'm a very casual grower...
JD
 
gr865

gr865

Well-Known Member
JohnDee said:
I don't weigh the coco and never really thought about it. Whenever I do a transplant...I water afterwards to settle the coco in. I try to keep coco at about an inch below top of bag...helps with watering. So my goal is that the pots are all filled to same height.

I'm a very casual grower...
JD
Click to expand...
You may want to consider it, seems to work better for me.
 
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