Hydroponics Question and Answer NewGrowth Style

suspendedinair

Active Member
bud2.jpgbud1.jpgbud3.jpg
Please help!!! These are about a month old. They started sagging 2 days ago they will perk up alittle during the day but for the most part this is what they look like. I am using Botanicare PureBlend ProGrow half strength. Had a problem with mg deficiency used one tsp per gallon. I'm using 3 gallons of water with a ph of 5.5, 2 airstones on a 600 dual pump and a 150w hps. temps usually stay around 80. Any help would be great. Thanks
 
I need some food!! I read most of your posts in this thread and learned a lot. I think I recall you saying don't use organic food in hydroponics?

When I bought my system, they through in a bag of 'powder' food in a ziplock bag, but no instructions....so I am not sure what I have, my plants are about 2" now, nice leaves. Since this is my first grow, i was thinking of maybe something to help me in the "Bloom" phase as well.

I don't really have a Hydro store near me, is there something from Home Depot? or what is the cheapest place online (in the USA) to buy supplies? I also order a lot off of Amazon they have a big selection. What do you think of BC Boost? http://www.amazon.com/Technaflora-BC-Boost-1L/dp/B0002JU8OC/ref=pd_sim_k_2
 

NewGrowth

Well-Known Member
View attachment 1470362View attachment 1470361View attachment 1470360
Please help!!! These are about a month old. They started sagging 2 days ago they will perk up alittle during the day but for the most part this is what they look like. I am using Botanicare PureBlend ProGrow half strength. Had a problem with mg deficiency used one tsp per gallon. I'm using 3 gallons of water with a ph of 5.5, 2 airstones on a 600 dual pump and a 150w hps. temps usually stay around 80. Any help would be great. Thanks
Try dropping your nutrient strength a little more Ca/Mg deficientcy can usually be solved by using tap water and allow the Ph to drift between 5.5-6.5. Roots look healthy though.
 

NewGrowth

Well-Known Member
I need some food!! I read most of your posts in this thread and learned a lot. I think I recall you saying don't use organic food in hydroponics?

When I bought my system, they through in a bag of 'powder' food in a ziplock bag, but no instructions....so I am not sure what I have, my plants are about 2" now, nice leaves. Since this is my first grow, i was thinking of maybe something to help me in the "Bloom" phase as well.

I don't really have a Hydro store near me, is there something from Home Depot? or what is the cheapest place online (in the USA) to buy supplies? I also order a lot off of Amazon they have a big selection. What do you think of BC Boost? http://www.amazon.com/Technaflora-BC-Boost-1L/dp/B0002JU8OC/ref=pd_sim_k_2
There have certainly been advancements in 'organic hydroponics' in the end the plants are still recieving the same basic minerals they get from a refined mineral nutrient. The whole point of water culture is to maximize uptake of nutrients, water, and oxygen to the root zone. With organics you have to depend on microorganisms to break down complex organic compounds into refined minerals the plants can use. I've also seen plenty of funky smells, clogged drip rings, slime, ect. If you are heart set on using Organics with water culture go for it. I prefer easilly dissolvable mineral nutrients that are clean and easy to flush from the medium/system. My goal when growing cannabis is to maximize potency and flavor. I prefer pot that tastes like pot so I don't use any sweeteners or flavor additives, just give it a nice flush and let it ripen nicely. This results in a very pure product, it does not taste like soil or additives, it does not crackle a pop just burns slow and even. The taste and smell tends to be specific to the strain (IE Skunk smells and tastes like skunk). Some people like the 'complex' taste of organic bud I prefer a cleaner taste and that is the main reason I grow hydroponically.
The powder you have sounds like a
mineral nutrient, BC Boost is part of their three part system and works great.
Ok rant over ;)
 

T.riddle

Member
Hey im starting a DWC for my first hydro grow, I have most of what i need to do down but im a bit fuzzy in some aspects, Ive read that you need lower ppm and slowly increase the ppm from seedling up to week 5 of veg, can anyone give me a rough estimate of what ppm to start out at and how much/when to increase it as well as how to measure it? I alsowanted to know if there were any nutes that are mostly agreed upon to show the best results i was thinking of going with fox farm and following its feeding schedule
 

NewGrowth

Well-Known Member
You need a ppm pen they cost about $35. PPM is just a general measurement guideline. Nutrient strength is more dependent on Conditions (ie light, co2, plant size,ect). I would not recommend foxfarm nutrients for DWC. Try a simple mineral nutrient its much easier to manage.
 

suspendedinair

Active Member
bud3-2.jpgbud3-2-11.jpg

Great Advice!! About 24 hours after the other pics. When would you suggest is a good time to flower? I'm kind of impatient but want a decent yield. Correct me if i'm wrong but i believe this is a Indica strong strain...Again thanks for the help.
 

suspendedinair

Active Member
Ok i know i'm asking alot of questions but you seem to be the only one on here that's not arrogant and you know what you are talking about. Should i flush during veg cycle? If so how often, and what is the proper technique to flush? Also with the help you've given me they have grown an inch in about 36 hours. Thanks again.
 

mikeq

Member
Hello and thanks for helping everyone one on this thread.
Does using H202 counteract the use of Voodoo Juice?
I am using advanced nutes + voodoo,bid bud and overdrive.
I dont think i have root rot (in week 5 of flowering now) but want to use a preventative.
I used it a little bit this round and am just thinking about what i want to do next round.
I change res (12gal) about once a week. Its a aero/DWC hybrid system.
thanks.
 

NewGrowth

Well-Known Member
View attachment 1471946View attachment 1471945

Great Advice!! About 24 hours after the other pics. When would you suggest is a good time to flower? I'm kind of impatient but want a decent yield. Correct me if i'm wrong but i believe this is a Indica strong strain...Again thanks for the help.
Looks great! Glad to see they are recovering well. You should not need to flush during veg with DWC just change out your nutrient solution every 2 weeks and top it off with fresh water in between change outs.
I'm not sure what your strain is they are really young to tell still. Cannabis is best flowered when the plant reaches maturity which is indicated by alternating nodes. From your pics the plants look like they still have symmetrical nodes.
 

NewGrowth

Well-Known Member
Hello and thanks for helping everyone one on this thread.
Does using H202 counteract the use of Voodoo Juice?
I am using advanced nutes + voodoo,bid bud and overdrive.
I dont think i have root rot (in week 5 of flowering now) but want to use a preventative.
I used it a little bit this round and am just thinking about what i want to do next round.
I change res (12gal) about once a week. Its a aero/DWC hybrid system.
thanks.
I would not use Voodoo juice and H2O2 together. Hydrogen peroxide does not kill selectively so it will kill all the beneficials you are adding. Changing your Rez out often is also a great preventative, which you are already doing :peace:
 
is a PPM pen the same as a TDS meter?

I received a TDS Meter in one of those ZeroWater filtration systems.......How can I use this to benefit me in my grow?
 

NewGrowth

Well-Known Member
Yep, same thing. PPM is just a general measurement guideline to help you better adjust nutrient strength to the plant's needs.
 

NewGrowth

Well-Known Member
Purple Hash Plant
6weeks 5days in Sunshine #4, Gen Hydro Lucas Formula. Harvested yesterday can't wait for the final weight on this plant it was a big plant.:weed:
We're going to do a photo shoot with some naked hotties and this bud:-P
View attachment 1482838
 
I have a PH of about 6.0. I bought a "starter grow kit" becausse it was cheaper then buying separately, it has the BC Boost, BC Grow, BC Flower, Awesome Blossoms, Thrive Alive, MagiCal and Sugar Daddy, with instructions of how much to add to each gallon of water.

Will this change my PH level? If it does should I readjust it to 6.0, or just make sure the water is 6.0 before I start adding these things?
 
In the future for basic nutrients and additives, instead of expensive things like BC Bloom, can I just go to Home Depot, and where the main ingredients of BC Bloom are 1-4-7, just look for another gardening blooming product with those #'s and get appx the same result at a fraction of a cost?
 

NewGrowth

Well-Known Member
You can but but hydroponic nutrients are specially formulated for water culture, theY include chelated elements that would not normally be water soluble or would precipitate out of the solution over time.
 

Encomium

Active Member
First of all I'd like to say thank you for all the help you've been giving! I'm currently reading this thread in hopes of finding relevant tips/tricks to my first grow. I have a few questions that may have been answered so I apologize if they have been already...

My set up is ebb and flow w/ 250 W HPS/MH in a 3x3 grow area in 5x5 inch pots using trimmed 6" rockwool slabs (so the total height of the medium is 6'). I purchased 1 microgarden ebb and flow system that came with a bundle of nutrients (Flora grow/ Liquid karma / flora bloom) and then made 2 more ebb and flow systems myself. I'm using distilled water for the time being until I install a RO filter.

Here are my questions:

1. I've heard a lot of ppl referring to "Ph'd" water. I assume this means water where the exact Ph is known (like distilled water @ 7)? Is there a way I can use tapwater and Ph balance it instead so I don't have to use 3-4 gallons of distilled water when flushing or pre-treating rockwool/hydroton?

2. In an earlier post you said that 4" pots would be sufficient for a plant from veg to harvest as the root would grow past into the flood tray. I'm using 5" pots with rockwool slabs with a total height of 6" (I had to trim a 6" slab of rockwool to fit into the 5" pots). My problem is that my flood tray doesn't drain 100% and small amounts of water pool in the ridges/valleys of the flood tray. Should I be thinking of transplanting into larger pots? (My estimate is that by harvest my plants will be roughly 2 ft tall).

3. You've repeatedly stated that ionic nutrients are better suited to hydroponics and from your reasoning I'd tend to agree: How should I go about switching over from organic nutes to ionic? Just basically flushing my medium with ph'd water and washing out my reservoir/flood table?

4. Lastly, my home made ebb and flow system is using some Home Depot storage bins: Should I be worried about what kind of plastic it is?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

PS - I do *not* have a TDS meter at the moment.
 
Top