HELP! First grow round two...In Waterfarm

[CowboyDank]

So after doing it all wrong my first time I decided to germanated two more seeds. My first time of germanation I went with some auto fem. girl scout cookies. Seeds germanated in paper towel and once I had tap root of 1/4 to 1/2 inch long I transplanted into my Hydrofarm. It was pointed out to me that this was a bad way to plant germ seed and expect any kind of good results. Sprout lasted about two weeks before drying up. ROUND#2: I germanated two Gorilla glue fem.autoflowers. I put them in paper towel and tap root popped in 24hrs. Waited another day and transferred to rapid Rooters. Sprout popped overnight on Jan 8th and I took picture. Jan. 9th first set of true leaves came in. On Sun. Jan 12th there 2nd set of true leaves came in and I moved seedling and rapid Rooters to water farm. Since then everything seems to have stopped growing. I am thinking that I may be over watering. I am giving a couple squirts twice a dayjust around the outside of cube on hydro and a squirt or two on sides of cube trying not to spray on plant. I am trying to keep Rooters moist but not wet. I work so I am only home to be able to check in mornings and afternoon when I get home. This has been a very hard process for a first time grower to KNOW and not guess if I am watering too much. I feel that plant and root is too young for drip system to be doing any good. Water is not dripping anywhere close to plant so I continue to use spray bottle to moisten. Did I place plant too soon into water farm again? PH 5.9 - 6.0 . My 4X4 growTent temp is 74-80 and RH is 48-58% Please help this stupid old pothead.

 

[Just Be]

I can't speak from experience with using a waterfarm (yet) but I think that as long as the rapid rooter had roots coming out of it that it should have been okay to run the drip ring on the waterfarm.

Edit: You might want to change the word hydrofarm to waterfarm in your post's title so that it'll catch the attention of waterfarm enthusiasts.

 

[xtsho]

If you've never grown maybe you should do a couple grows in soil first before tackling hydro. You want roots to be growing out of the rapid rooters before moving to the hydrofarm.

 

[CowboyDank]

Edit: You might want to change the word hydrofarm to waterfarm in your post's title so that it'll catch the attention of waterfarm enthusiasts.
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Thanks for the advice. I did make the change in my title.

 

[Just Be]

Also, the thing about having the drip system going is that the water moving through your hydroton is supplying oxygen to the roots so I don't think that you over watered I think you probably smothered it. Third time's a charm, right?

 

[sandman83]

when i used waterfarms, I modified them for faster drainage and ran the top drip ring until the roots hit the water reservoir. 15 minutes on every hour or so since I had a cheap timer, the way the waterfarm pushes the water up its always oxygenated and with 100% hydroton it is hard to overwater them. Add an airstone or 2 with a strong pump to the reservoir.

I let the rapid rooters dry out a bit more than others I think, they are too moist IMHO. With the water constantly dripping and splashing on the hydroton the roots should seek out the water, I have had them get stunted inside the rooter and not reach out though, I just tossed those.

 

[CowboyDank]

when i used waterfarms, I modified them for faster drainage and ran the top drip ring until the roots hit the water reservoir. 15 minutes on every hour or so since I had a cheap timer, the way the waterfarm pushes the water up its always oxygenated and with 100% hydroton it is hard to overwater them. Add an airstone or 2 with a strong pump to the reservoir.

I let the rapid rooters dry out a bit more than others I think, they are too moist IMHO. With the water constantly dripping and splashing on the hydroton the roots should seek out the water, I have had them get stunted inside the rooter and not reach out though, I just tossed those.

Thanks guys for the thoughts and suggestions. I get the principal of how the water farm works. I just couldn’t see how the roots could possibly get any water from just the drip rings at this point... thus I would keep watering from my bottle. I am also using a second air line to each water farm bucket that runs straight into the Inside bottom of the bucket with an air stone connected. Here is a picture of each plant from this past Wed. which was one week from the day that sprout first popped up.
They don't look too bad; however things went really fast from first sign of seed popping through top of rapid rooters to my first and second set of leaves. Now they look about the same for the past 3 days.

 

[sandman83]

oh mine were leggier than that, I bury the rapid rooter deep in the hydroton and make sure its covered. As long as it stays slightly moist you should be fine, I like to encourage the roots to spread out rather than watering at the stem. Try moving the ring around so its dripping ~1-2" away from the rapid rooter on one side. i never planted mine directly in the middle either, always towards one side so I could lean it over for easy training.


it is probably just growing roots at the moment, mine always seemed slow until the roots hit the reservoir then it was off to the races. With only 2 gallons of reservoir when you hit bloom it will be a challenge to keep the reservoir ph balanced and ppm within reason. Just something to keep in mind, might be dumping and changing the fluids more than you might have thought.

 

[CowboyDank]

I guess the worst thing to do at this point is start changing a lot of things. With that being said would you suggest to gently excavate rapid rooter to maker sure roots are still growing and to plant (gently) back into waterfarm a littler deeper. I was thinking about raising light some in order to get the girls to streach. Is any of this worth doing or should I chunk it all and go for round 3 of germanation with another set of seeds.

 

[Just Be]

Pulling them would be changing a lot of things. If they currently look they way that they do in the pics that you posted above, I'd keep them in. Turn on the drip ring and if they get splashed by the rings you can always lay a sheet of tin foil (with a hole in the middle for the seedlings) over the drip ring. You can also add a very light mix of nutrients. I'd start with 1/4 strength and work your way up. Whatever nutes your using, look at the manufacturer's website for some kind of feeding schedule. Raising the light might also help.

 

[sandman83]

I guess the worst thing to do at this point is start changing a lot of things. With that being said would you suggest to gently excavate rapid rooter to maker sure roots are still growing and to plant (gently) back into waterfarm a littler deeper. I was thinking about raising light some in order to get the girls to streach. Is any of this worth doing or should I chunk it all and go for round 3 of germanation with another set of seeds.

I would not pull them out, you will damage the roots if they are growing. I'd give em a week before you chuck em, you can always start more seeds if you want but you might not need them.

 

[rkymtnman]

With that being said would you suggest to gently excavate rapid rooter to maker sure roots are still growing and to plant (gently) back into waterfarm a littler deeper.

patience grasshopper.

you do that and you'll end up severely damaging the roots.

 

[rkymtnman]

i'd also think about running your light 24/0 for veg. cannabis doesn't need a dark time.

 

[rkymtnman]

Turn on the drip ring and if they get splashed by the rings you can always lay a sheet of tin foil (with a hole in the middle for the seedlings) over the drip ring

yes. do this.

until your seedlings grow taller than the drip ring, your leaves will be splashed constantly. not good.

i use a piece of panda film to do what @Just Be is saying. and it will also help keep algae from growing on your hydroton.

 

[CowboyDank]

i'd also think about running your light 24/0 for veg. cannabis doesn't need a dark time.
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I have been running lights 24/7 from the time my seedlings were placed in the waterfarm.

 

[Midnight Warrior]

Sounds like you are overcomplicating this. IMO get rid of that thing, put a dome over them, and just leave them alone. IME seedlings like ph'ed tap water. If you want to get fancy you can put a heat mat under them.