Aerogarden v3.0

S

sdgeorgie

Member
Tek and everyone else who has had success with the AG i need your help. So i went big and got the AG 6 Elite plus. Its for tall plants like full size tomatoes and has a higher light arm. This will be my first time and i will be posting a journal with pictures but i have a few questions. First i have read every blog and thread on this matter so i am sorry if i am asking things that are posted i just have OCD and want it to work correctly. The air pump that i get should i just run that to the bottom of the reso. and then put the rocks on top? The water needs to be changed twice a month if im correct or every two weeks? Using distilled water is a must? At week three i should start flowering? Is it best to Bonzai the plant or let it grow for greatest yeild? Indica is the best plant to use due to its small stems and short growth? Im doing this in a small area so i was thinking of using a card board box large enough to fit the AG in then lining it with that shinny stuff you put in your car window making sure it has great reflection and is pitch black during flowering. Keep constant breeze on them too right? Trying to keep the temp down is key. How do i check for pH? Is there a kit i must get? Sorry for all these questions i read everything i just need to understand better i want a great first grow and i understand with time and understanding ill get better. Thank you everyone!!! Happy growing.

oh how many added lights would be good for two to three plants? Two 250 watt cfls?
 
H

HSA

Well-Known Member
Merciless_One said:
I ordered the unit ,it should arrive soon. I ordered it online so I could return it in 30 days if I am dissatisfied, and make the monthly payments instead of paying for it all at once.

I plan on putting it in a small storage cupboard (so my herbivore cat doesnt' decide to munch on my little ones) that sits above our closet in the bedroom.

I'll take some pics of the cabinet where I plan on putting it. I'm pretty much a nooob when it comes to this stuff, as i've only ever grown from seed to smoke once before..and I think I picked most of it before it was ready (hard to resist taking a nugget here and there when you are out of personal smokage).

I have a question tho...I don't reallyl want to use the "tablets" that come with the unit..since I'm not sure at all what is in them, and I noticed on Tek's page that there was some crazy yellow spots and whatnot. Tek, if you read this, can you tell me what you did to get the spots to clear up ?

I'm assuming that the tablets just go directly in the water and get 'time released'. I do not think there is any special chamber or reservior that only the tablets go into.

I know that the plants like different nutrients when they are in different parts of their growth, but i'm not sure exactly what.

So , my question is...aside from Miracle-Gro...what is a good type of nutrient solution to use with this system ? I need something simple like miracle-gro...but something that is less...I dunno..."chemical"...is there such a thing ?
Click to expand...
Cabinets offer poor air circulation and can be a good place for mold to grow.
The grow tabs are fine all the way up to the flowering stage and then you might want to look at something else. The tablets aren't time released, they're just enough to feed your plants until the next feeding period. Don't forget A/G's were not designed to grow M/J but with a little research and planning you can grow good stuff. Be sure to follow directions. Now they advise you to dissolve the grow tabs in a glass of warm water until they're totally dissolved or you'll have a lot of residue clogging your roots. Their new liquid nutes are a big improvement.
 
H

HSA

Well-Known Member
sdgeorgie said:
Tek and everyone else who has had success with the AG i need your help. So i went big and got the AG 6 Elite plus. Its for tall plants like full size tomatoes and has a higher light arm. This will be my first time and i will be posting a journal with pictures but i have a few questions. First i have read every blog and thread on this matter so i am sorry if i am asking things that are posted i just have OCD and want it to work correctly. The air pump that i get should i just run that to the bottom of the reso. and then put the rocks on top? The water needs to be changed twice a month if im correct or every two weeks? Using distilled water is a must? At week three i should start flowering? Is it best to Bonzai the plant or let it grow for greatest yeild? Indica is the best plant to use due to its small stems and short growth? Im doing this in a small area so i was thinking of using a card board box large enough to fit the AG in then lining it with that shinny stuff you put in your car window making sure it has great reflection and is pitch black during flowering. Keep constant breeze on them too right? Trying to keep the temp down is key. How do i check for pH? Is there a kit i must get? Sorry for all these questions i read everything i just need to understand better i want a great first grow and i understand with time and understanding ill get better. Thank you everyone!!! Happy growing.

oh how many added lights would be good for two to three plants? Two 250 watt cfls?
Click to expand...
You won't need more lights for two or three plants if you have the 24 inch arm/light stand and the hood with the three high intensity CFL's.
Tall for an A/G is 24 inches. Don't expect redwoods.
Put the air stone at the bottom of the reservoir. It will add oxygen to your nutrient solution and the pump will circulate it to the plants roots. You shouldn't need rocks to hold it down. You don't have the room. The reservoir holds less than a gallon.
Change the nutrient mix every week and check the pH daily. You have a small reservoir and the pH changes as the nutes are absorbed. Your hydroponics store has the pH correction kit.
Distilled or good bottled water is recommended. Tap is crap where I live.
When you have four to eight stems you can usually start to force flowering but you'll have to change nutes and the lighting to 12 on 12 off.
Boxing it will result in mold, but it does have to be dark dark for flowering.
A small fan with a gentle breeze will strengthen your young plants so that is advisable.
Temperature isn't a major factor unless you live in an area of extremes. M/J and the A/G grow well where you're physically comfortable.
Don't panic. You bought a small, generally self contained system that works great for what we want. Good luck
 
A

aerowidow

Member
sdgeorgie said:
Tek and everyone else who has had success with the AG i need your help. So i went big and got the AG 6 Elite plus. Its for tall plants like full size tomatoes and has a higher light arm. This will be my first time and i will be posting a journal with pictures but i have a few questions. First i have read every blog and thread on this matter so i am sorry if i am asking things that are posted i just have OCD and want it to work correctly. The air pump that i get should i just run that to the bottom of the reso. and then put the rocks on top? The water needs to be changed twice a month if im correct or every two weeks? Using distilled water is a must? At week three i should start flowering? Is it best to Bonzai the plant or let it grow for greatest yeild? Indica is the best plant to use due to its small stems and short growth? Im doing this in a small area so i was thinking of using a card board box large enough to fit the AG in then lining it with that shinny stuff you put in your car window making sure it has great reflection and is pitch black during flowering. Keep constant breeze on them too right? Trying to keep the temp down is key. How do i check for pH? Is there a kit i must get? Sorry for all these questions i read everything i just need to understand better i want a great first grow and i understand with time and understanding ill get better. Thank you everyone!!! Happy growing.

oh how many added lights would be good for two to three plants? Two 250 watt cfls?
Click to expand...
Hey,
I think your confusion about the rocks is the term airstone. This doesn't mean rocks, this just means a site at the end of an air pump with lots of nucleation sites for bubbles. A totally self-contained system can be purchased easily if you search amazon for air stone with pump, or better yet, wort aeration. Tek and HSA, can you confirm that the wort aerater would work well? Its coopted from homebrewing but has the same purpose. I don't know if it will over-aerate (is that a thing?) the reservoir though. Sorry to combine an answer with yet another question :)
 
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