Rockwool Drip System Questions (

PublixStuff

PublixStuff

Active Member
Okay, so I'm on day 8 from seed (1st picture are of my girls today)
and I'm seeing tremendous root growth from my starter plugs and I'm thinking they're ready to move into their rockwool and start their drip system. (are they ready?)

PLEASE, I NEED A LOT OF INPUT ON THESE QUESTIONS!!!


Questions:
After I soak my rockwool in PH balanced water how long should I wait to feed/water them after they are transported into the rockwool?

How much/How often should I feed them? I was thinking 3 times a day at 15min intervals. 7am, 3pm, 11:00pm 15 min each..?

What strength nutrients would you recommend to start off with, 1/4th, 1/8th?
How far should my lights be from my plants? (Link To My Exact Light)(24/0)

If you want to know more, or understand more of what's going on check out:
MY GROW JOURNAL
 

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roka

roka

Well-Known Member
PublixStuff said:
Questions:
After I soak my rockwool in PH balanced water how long should I wait to feed/water them after they are transported into the rockwool?

How much/How often should I feed them? I was thinking 3 times a day at 15min intervals. 7am, 3pm, 11:00pm 15 min each..?
Click to expand...
No. If you feed them that much right now, they will damp off and surely die. What you need to do is this... Hold your rockwool cube while it is dry. Feel how light it is... then after you soak the cubes, feel how heavy it is. OK... so... now you have a reference point.

Now... you want to feed them when the cube feels about 75% lighter than when it was wet and heavy. You should also just keep an eye on the plants. If they are looking droopy AND the cube feels light and dry... then they definitely need watering. How often you will feed will completely depend on their enviroment. IOW, the type of light you are using, the temp of the room, the humidity of the room. For me, my room runs about 74 F and about 65 RH. I use t-5s for lighting at this stage.

What strength nutrients would you recommend to start off with, 1/4th, 1/8th?
How far should my lights be from my plants? (Link To My Exact Light)(24/0)
Click to expand...
The link to your light did not work. I prefer 18/6.

Nute strength will vary depending on the brand and type of nutes you are using. However, I usually start off at about 1/4 untill I see decent amount of roots coming thru the bottom of cubes. Also, keep an eye on foliage. If leaves start to get bright lime green or yellow, then your nutes are too weak. The plants are starving. Once the roots are good, then 1/2 to 3/4 strength for about 1 to 1-1/2 weeks. By then the plants should be at least a foot tall with plenty of leaves. By now you will probably be watering about once a day. Watering them twice a day will occur when plants really start to show off. Again, you will need to learn to get a feel for when they need water. Overwatering is always the first and biggest mistake new growers make. Even to much water when they are established plants will cause them to stop and become stunted.

Hope this helps. Good luck!
 
PublixStuff

PublixStuff

Active Member
roka said:
No. If you feed them that much right now, they will damp off and surely die. What you need to do is this... Hold your rockwool cube while it is dry. Feel how light it is... then after you soak the cubes, feel how heavy it is. OK... so... now you have a reference point.

Now... you want to feed them when the cube feels about 75% lighter than when it was wet and heavy. You should also just keep an eye on the plants. If they are looking droopy AND the cube feels light and dry... then they definitely need watering. How often you will feed will completely depend on their enviroment. IOW, the type of light you are using, the temp of the room, the humidity of the room. For me, my room runs about 74 F and about 65 RH. I use t-5s for lighting at this stage.



The link to your light did not work. I prefer 18/6.

Nute strength will vary depending on the brand and type of nutes you are using. However, I usually start off at about 1/4 untill I see decent amount of roots coming thru the bottom of cubes. Also, keep an eye on foliage. If leaves start to get bright lime green or yellow, then your nutes are too weak. The plants are starving. Once the roots are good, then 1/2 to 3/4 strength for about 1 to 1-1/2 weeks. By then the plants should be at least a foot tall with plenty of leaves. By now you will probably be watering about once a day. Watering them twice a day will occur when plants really start to show off. Again, you will need to learn to get a feel for when they need water. Overwatering is always the first and biggest mistake new growers make. Even to much water when they are established plants will cause them to stop and become stunted.

Hope this helps. Good luck!
Click to expand...

So soak the rockwool in balanced water, and just leave them alone until they become 75% lighter? And when they're about 75% lighter I re-water them again?

Here is the direct link to my lights:
http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=50113

any suggestion on the lighting questions, now? Distance?
THANKS!!!!
 
PublixStuff

PublixStuff

Active Member
And am I adding 1/8th or 1/4 strength nutrients when I water right now?... should I be adding nutrients right now? b/c some are looking a bit light green/yellowish.

Or am I watering them with just water and no nutrients?
 
roka

roka

Well-Known Member
PublixStuff said:
So soak the rockwool in balanced water, and just leave them alone until they become 75% lighter? And when they're about 75% lighter I re-water them again?

Here is the direct link to my lights:
http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=50113

any suggestion on the lighting questions, now? Distance?
THANKS!!!!
Click to expand...
Ok... so, soak the cubes overnight in balanced water. You can put about 1/8 to 1/4 nutes if you want. But no stronger. At this stage you dont want to give them too strong of nutes. They are too delicate. Plant the seedlings and then wait till they are about 75% lighter and feed them again.

The T-5 lights you are using ... I would put them about 12 inches away.

Once the roots show thru the bottom of the cubes, then start using stronger nutes.

Cool?
 
roka

roka

Well-Known Member
PublixStuff said:
I think my lights are safe 1-2 inches... check out my other forum

someone told me 1-2 inches is fine for the lights I have:

https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-plant-problems/313786-yellowish-discolored-leafs-havent-clue.html
Click to expand...
That might be too close. Just keep an eye on them. If they bleach out or get too hot, then move your light to about 12".

My T-5's are 8 bulb 48"ers... so they do run warmer than yours. Also... again, it depends on how warm your grow area is and how hot the plants get under the lights.
 
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