new to hydro growing/indoors

[drgreentm]

dude coolest post ever man thanks a lot for the help. merry chyristmas!

no prob and merry Christmas to you too. what you mean when you say ph through the roof like a point jump two point jump and what you checking ph with anyway.

 

[j.p.s.w]

I meant higher than 8.5 because the color it was giving off wasnt even on the bottle. Yikes, I know! But with your help and others, Ive been able to quickly regulate the water levels while keeping the ph at 6.5 and the ppm at around 100. Do you have a digital ppm reader?

 

[zem]

I meant higher than 8.5 because the color it was giving off wasnt even on the bottle. Yikes, I know! But with your help and others, Ive been able to quickly regulate the water levels while keeping the ph at 6.5 and the ppm at around 100. Do you have a digital ppm reader?

ph 6.5 too high for hydro, need to keep it around 5.8 what are you using as PH-? and whats with the 100ppm? you using RO water?? 100ppm is too low for plants

 

[j.p.s.w]

ph 6.5 too high for hydro, need to keep it around 5.8 what are you using as PH-? and whats with the 100ppm? you using RO water?? 100ppm is too low for plants

I know this is going to sound like an amateur question but I wanted to make sure that I got the point across that I am an amateur and not a troll trying to pretend like I know my growing: why is 6.5 ph too high for hydro?

Also, I am using Sunlight Solutions Ph Up/Down. I used around a little more than an 1/8 teaspoon of ph down today and it was perfect in bringing my levels down. I was patient this time to let the water mix the ph well before I tested the water again. If what your saying is true than I will definitely be bringing my Ph down. I'm using a test seed right now from years ago. It's most likely an OG Kush strain. I don't want to be popping in Cannabis Cup winning seeds and not know how to run a tight enough ship to give the strain justice in grow, time, and quality of final cure.

I was told that the ppm in the first week your ppm levels can be at any level really, it's not until the second week, once the seed has turned into a one to three inch plant, at which point the ppm levels should be around 200-400.

 

[zem]

ph in hydro should be at 5.8 in soil at 6.5. plants take ph at 5.8 better, in soil your only countering the acidic agents in soil so you feed at 6.5 so that roots uptake it at 5.8 or so.
your water may have strong buffers to raise PH. ppm 100 is fine for first weeks of plants life

 

[j.p.s.w]

I'm just tripping out on the number 5.8. Around 6 quarts of water. So I got to put enough Ph down to get the tested vial water to have a yellowish/greenish tone. Ok typing what I need to do here in case I forget I have a reference. 100$ Pure OG Kush hanging on my lips. Also, does Ph level matter the first week (I know I might get bagged on for this question but it's legit and I gotta ask because I can learn with your help and together we can grow America back to The Land of The Brave and Home of The Free; not really, yet that's how high I'll be when smoking correctly grown weed? I think so! And I can't wait to learn and get it right so I can prepare the Winner of a very prestigious award for her feminized landing)?

What's buffers in reference to water and ppm levels?

 

[TruenoAE86coupe]

Most quality synthetic nutrients will keep your ph in limits themselves, I know advanced nutrients does this, i believe dutch master does also as i never check my ph. As far as your seedling, i do not introduce seedlings into hydro systems until they are rooted, very well rooted in fact. I use a humidity dome and a rapid rooter tray, although a bowl and top of a 2 liter bottle will do the same thing. I mist the humidity dome about 4x a day, and make sure the rooter is in about 1/4 of water. With my current run of seeds, germinated in a paper towel, of 46 i put in the rooters i have 45 showing soild growth after 2 1/2 days. I do not transplant until i have several long hairy "beard" roots sticking out of the rooter, then it goes into hydro. I do not use any nutrients until they get into the hydro system, although i have a buddy who does use nutes, but he also does not mist the lid like i do, close to the results, just a few behind.

 

[j.p.s.w]

Most quality synthetic nutrients will keep your ph in limits themselves, I know advanced nutrients does this, i believe dutch master does also as i never check my ph. As far as your seedling, i do not introduce seedlings into hydro systems until they are rooted, very well rooted in fact. I use a humidity dome and a rapid rooter tray, although a bowl and top of a 2 liter bottle will do the same thing. I mist the humidity dome about 4x a day, and make sure the rooter is in about 1/4 of water. With my current run of seeds, germinated in a paper towel, of 46 i put in the rooters i have 45 showing soild growth after 2 1/2 days. I do not transplant until i have several long hairy "beard" roots sticking out of the rooter, then it goes into hydro. I do not use any nutrients until they get into the hydro system, although i have a buddy who does use nutes, but he also does not mist the lid like i do, close to the results, just a few behind.

I'm still a little lost. Is it possible to give steps of how you germinate your seeds and prepare the seed to be put in the hydro system? I kinda get your routine but it's a little fuzzy just because of the different equipment we are using. If I see your routine broken down in steps I can plug in my equipment to get a better understanding.

 

[zem]

germ seed in rw cube place in netpot filled with grorock then into res with bubblers misting the grorocks

 

[j.p.s.w]

germ seed in rw cube place in netpot filled with grorock then into res with bubblers misting the grorocks

How are you Germing the seed? I just placed the seed in an organic plug with hydroton surrounding it - dipped half way in water - in darkness with a little bit of room natural light. I put a glass circular ashtray over the net pot to create the "humidity" effect Trueno is talking about. I hope it has the same effects as he is talking about.

 

[drgreentm]

How are you Germing the seed? I just placed the seed in an organic plug with hydroton surrounding it - dipped half way in water - in darkness with a little bit of room natural light. I put a glass circular ashtray over the net pot to create the "humidity" effect Trueno is talking about. I hope it has the same effects as he is talking about.

germinating a seed or seeds is easy take two paper towels and a ziplock sandwich(bag size depending on amount of seeds) now wet the paper towels under water then wring out the paper towels so they are damp(not soaked) then place on of the damp towels in the ziplock bag(shaped to the bag laying flat and square not bunched up) now place seeds on the towel spread out so when they are through germinating your not untangling roots. now when they are placed in the bag in a orderly fashion place the other damp towel on top of them in the bag basically sandwiching the seeds in between to damp towels in a sandwich bag. now put them in a dark place like a drawer or something with little light. I check mine in three days then every day after. you will first see the seed crack with a little tail coming out of the crack. its still not ready place back in dark space and check the next day. i like to plant in rockwool when the seed shell has come off the plant so you see the first little green leaves. now there are many ways to do this but this works great for me hope this helps.
and for your question yes i have a digital ppm and ph meter you should grab them you wont regret it.

 

[TruenoAE86coupe]

Here is my method, you may need to go to the hydro shop to see exactly what i am talking about.
1) Germinating seeds, i do the paper towel method as drgreentm, except this is my exact method. I start by putting the seeds into a small box lined in i think its 150 grit sand paper, shake for 30 seconds to a minute. Now i make up a 50/50 to 70/30 mixture of RO water(0ppm) and hydrogen peroxide (just the normal stuff) soak my paper towel in the solution, i squeeze it but still leave a fair amount of moisture in the towel, not dripping, but close. now i fold it up into 1/4s to 1/8ths putting as many as 20-25 seeds in 1/8th of the paper towel, as near the center of the folding as possible. Then i put it in a baggie, add a little bit of water to the bottom, seal the baggie 90% then exhale into the baggie and immediately seal, keeping as much air (co2) as possible in the bag. I have a little box i have that i put it in (to keep it dark), then into the veg room where the temp is warm, this is important, soil temp is what plants use to determine when to germinate. I check for the first time 48 hours after putting in the baggie, usually have removed everything that is going to germinate by the 3rd day.
2) This is where you may need to go to the hydro store. I use exclusively Rapid Rooters by general hydroponics, i buy the tray with 50 plugs, if you dont use them all you can put them in a gallon bag. Now i buy a Mondi brand humidity dome (fits the rooter tray perfectly). This is where the misting 4x daily comes in. Keep 1/4 inch of water in the bottom, keep it warm all should go well. Cheap smaller version can be made with just a small tupperware bowl and a 2 liter bottle with the bottom cut off. 1st i would find a small tupperware that is about the size of the number of rapid rooters you need to use. Now get a 2 liter bottle and cut the bottom off, so it is a dome top that still has a cap. Make it so the tupperware is the base and the 2 liter(s) are the top(s). Keep 1/4 in of water in the bottom, mist the top 4x daily.

I must stress using rapid rooters for this process, i do not like any other product on the market, i have tried most except some of the brand new rooters. I DO NOT use any rockwool, as in my system it can and will drown the plant.

 

[j.p.s.w]

To answer both of you about the zip lock bag here is a photo to study how good my replication was:

The baggy contents:

-Net Pot
-Hydroton
-Sunlight Solutions Organic Seed Starter Plugs
-Seed

*update*
As I was typing this I felt I had to check my baggy and sure enough, I noticed the plug looking dry, so I checked and it was! I quickly got some water and filled up the zippy about half way and zipped it back up with CO2 in the bag. I placed it in my closet and I have a heater facing it to give it warmth ("soil temp is what plants use to determine when to germinate" - Trueno) and have the door closed.

@drg think it will be ok if I have the seed already in my starter plug? And yes I have one. I just want to be sure im suing it correctly. You dip your device half way/quarter submerged in water?

@ Trueno im still kinda confused on what you mean by spray mist 4x daily, do you have a pic or something to illustrate what you mean? Because Im ready to make one. Whats ro water? and what do you mean by 50/50 70/30?

Thanks guys a lot for the help. Its making more confident and preparing me for a huge challenge up ahead: growing the 2010 Cannabis Cup Winner.

 

[zem]

for seeds, you need it moist not wet. wet means seed will drown and die. just mist the medium when its starting to dry, dont drown in water.

 

[TruenoAE86coupe]

Here's a couple of pics of last years run, shows clearly the tray, not so clearly the dome, may help for you to see what i am talking about. Now i take a spray bottle and mist the inside of the top 4 times a day. You could use the baggie still, but i would remove it from the net cup and hydrotron, just leave the rooter in the baggie, let it be your paper towel. A little easier to drown it in the rooter than the paper towel, but besides that should be fine. May i ask what kind of rooter you used? Ps the plants look yellow because of the hydrogen peroxide that i use. The 50/50 and 70/30 is ratio of Reverse Osmosis (absolutely pure water 0 ppm) to hyrdrogen peroxide, most guys don't use the peroxide and would probably talk down my using it but i germinate a very high percentage of my seeds.

 

[j.p.s.w]

@ Zem - Got it. I removed a lot of the water and left just enough for the paper to soak (oh yeah I removed the hydroton too @ Trueno. and the net pot too) I have it in my drawer with my shirt covering it and my heater facing towards the drawer...ghetto...until I get a humid dome. Scratch that... :/ after seeing all the domes they have way too many inserts and are way too big for my growing needs. I need a Humid dome around the dimensions of 4 x 4 and 3'' in height with it's own heating source. Any ideas on whether or not I should spend my time custom finding a dome 4 x 4 or just going with the larger ones and only using 2 seeds for it?

 

[j.p.s.w]

*update

its freaking warming up the wood of the drawer so it stabilized the heat while I turned the heater away so it didn't get too hot! cool! So I found a heat pad method by using my heater. and the zippy idea you guys gave me that replaces the need for a humid dome! But still...a dome looks so much nicer! hmmm how should I heat my dome instead of using my heater?

 

[zem]

just place a box with plastic cover like cling film on top inside the warmth of house. try on top of tv or something, you dont wnt to cook the seeds

 

[j.p.s.w]

I'm going to get nachos bell grande so I can use the case that they give you, I saw some dude on a video do that, check it out it's the second video http://www.hydromediaunlimited.com/blogs/resources

Right now I put three new seeds, I found in a tic tac container, and did what you guys told me; use a paper towel (I specifically used toilet paper), place the seeds in a row creating distance and separation, dampen the paper, and *warning* I decided to rebel and experiment with these seeds by putting one drop of spray n grown and one drop of bushmaster height reducer to 2/3 of the seeds. One seed remains just in water, put the paper in a cylinder shaped Tupperware with the lid loose enough to let air in and have it in my drawer that is:
-open 1/4 of the way
-warming up a t shirt by using a ceramic heater for around 30 mins (I'll play a round of bfbc2:vietnam and check up on the heat levels)
-going to place the t shirt on top of the zip lock that is slightly open(w/ the organic starter plug wrapped in a paper towel) and on top of the tupperware.
-maybe keep rotating the warm t shirts every 30 minutes?

 

[zem]

holy smokes why not start em in rockwool to begin with? sorry im too ripped