DWC or Hydroton, exhaust and lights

I think you have been given good advice.

Hey Earl, I feel like I know you since i watch your show all the time...

I'm glad I found your show.

Hey earl u have a dwc thread i could hit u up on? I see u have one for everything else haha..Man quite insane actually.. But i have a couple questions id like to ask u and dont want to jack roasties thread.

You can go to any of my threads that are linked in my signature and ask your questions there.
I don't have a dwc only thread.

Cool earl thanks.. Like that show too..besides the office its my favorite.

Okay, I switched to just RO water last night. I made the mistake of adding water without balancing the PH, so I had to lower it from 6.8 to 5.8 with the plant in the water. I did PH immediately after filling rez, so the PH was very high for only a few minutes.

It took a lot of PH down to get it to stay at 5.8, and the PPM is at 140. Is that acceptable for flush? I think I will go to the water store today and flush the system more. I want that 150PPM to 0.. I did use about 2 gallons of tap water along with the 8 gallons of RO. My tap water come out at 540PPM.

Is it necessary to lower the ppm?

You do not need to pH adjust RO

Never put your pH probe into RO
RO will shorten the life of your probe.

You should need to use pH up
after you add nutes to RO.

.

You do not need to pH adjust RO

Click to expand...

Does that mean that 5.8 is no longer necessary? you are saying that I should just add RO water and walk away? (until I get the Clearex).

Never put your pH probe into RO
RO will shorten the life of your probe.

Click to expand...

Looks like I've got to do some reading. I never heard this.

You should need to use pH up
after you add nutes to RO.

Click to expand...

I'm not using nutes, I think the 140-150 ppm is from the tap water I added to top off. I am going to the water store and get new water now, then I will drain and refill will all RO water, no tap.

When I return in 45 minutes i will change water. Am I understanding that I do not need to PH my RO water? I only need to pour it in my rez with nothing else.

Anyone use molases? When do you administer?

Thanks for the help, I need it.

i havent checked or done anything to my ppm or ec since i started my plants are looking fine think this is ok roasty ??

Most hydro growers who have tried Molasses
agree that once was enough
and they wont try that again.
It was for me.

If you are doing an RO only flush
you do not need to adjust the pH

I have left a plant in RO only for 6 weeks
without adjusting the pH

We only adjust the pH
so that metals the plant needs are more easily absorbed.

Metals like Magnesium, Boron,
Calcium, Iron,Manganese etc
are not soluble at higher pH
These are called micro nutrients.

Since we are flushing and not feeding
there is no need to try to adjust the pH.

The plant will drink water
over a wide range of pH,
but not nutrients.

So if you do not keep your pH in the proper range
the plant will become deficient in the micros.

If there are no micros in your RO
why try to adjust the pH ?

No reason.


Here is a technical view of a pH probe.



Your silver free reference fluid
will leak ions through the ceramic junction
if the fluid you place the probe into
has low ionic content.

If you remember your probe was packed in a very salty fluid
and that is because salt has a lot of free ions.

If you are going to store your probe
you should mix a solution of table salt and RO
and make a storage fluid
that keeps the probe moist.

Try to never let your probe come into contact with RO,
It will shorten the life of your probe.
.

......wow +rep

Thanks again Earl, I just made some kosher salt and RO water solution. I added about a half teaspoon to 8 oz. of water and stuck probe into it and then put cap with sponge back on tip of probe.

Thanks, I have looked for info on meters and hadn't found much about care. Thanks.

I am hesitant of the molasses and I'm glad you added that bit. My buddy tried it and says his roots got all slimy because of it possibly.

Mo is good to feed bacteria.

If you are growing in soil
it will feed the microbes in your soil.

Mo is not good for hydro.

You da man!

Milwaukee says I can leave the probe in my rez 24/7. Any response or experience???

I got a couple questions for you. How far is it from your screen to your light? Also, how hot is the space between the tops of the plant and the light? I don't mean like 85 degrees, what I mean is could the plants/ screen get any closer to the light without burning, or are they as close to the light as possible as they are?

I'm in the process of getting my scrog set up soon with 6 plants in 3 x 2 feet of space in a DWC with 400 hps. I am very glad you have this thread as it's very close to what I was thinking, and you are doing a really good job. Nice pics too.

I love vasquez rocks as well. I used to visit often with my girlfriend, who is now my wife. I swear every fourth commercial on tv is filmed there too.

About your neighbor, you have more patience than me. I would tell the chick to get the hell out of my presence, and never speak to me or around me again. I know it's her place and all, but I guess that's why I don't have many friends.

I don't know if anyone uses the spell checker on here, but you'd think RIU would add 'hps' to their dictionary. I just noticed right now.

drynroasty said:

Milwaukee says I can leave the probe in my rez 24/7. Any response or experience???

Click to expand...

I leave the probe in the rez
except when I am flushing and only have RO in my rez.

I put the probe in cal fluid 4.01 while I add the nutes
and then I put the probe back in the rez 24/7

The space between my screen and lights is currently 10 inches. The screen and lights are adjustable and can set them at any height. When I first vegged I removed the screen and allowed the plants to grow vertical for 66 days, then I carefully bent stalks and added screen. I think I could stand to lower the light a bit more without heat issues, but I'm a bit worried about hot spots also since I shaped my reflector myself. -But after 2 seconds of thought (just now), I have decided to lower the lights today.
I have been experimenting with height, but I'm being cautious since I am trying to save money by growing my own.

Next grow I will be bending also, but eventually I will begin topping the plants when I get a rotation system going so I can do it before i put them into box.

It sounds like you are setting up a winner! I am so happy with what I did thus far, and cannot wait to turn my bros on to my herbs because they are looking phenomenal.

yeah, i see those rocks on tv all the time. My friend said he saw a naked Indian there too... lol

My neighbors chick is such a fucking "piece of work". I stopped over Saturday as he was in his garage talking to a friend. As soon as Fatty heard my voice, she came out and started her shit. It's so pathetic. She proceeds to tell me that one of our other neighbors (similar type acquaintance, I stop by his garage when pedaling my bike and we have burned a few times) has some issues with me and she says that he doesn't have the balls to tell me that He don't like me (but she does according to her). Funny things is, within 5 seconds of saying that, He (the other neighbor) comes walking into her garage. I say hello and begin our conversation with, "Hey Red (fictitious name), if you got any issues with me, I'm a pretty mellow guy and you can talk to me, I'm right here". He replies, "I got no issues with you, what are you talking about?" As I begin to explain that Vivian (her real name) just finished explaining to me how you don't have balls big enough to..." She interrupted the conversation and started screaming some nigger comment because she looked so stupid and like such a bitch at that moment. It was classic.

I'm not a devious person (I have deviant ideas though), but I think I know how I will teach her a lesson. Karma is a MOTHERFUCKER,and that's my new name... She has called the wrong nigger a nigger... lol. I will feel guilty as hell later in life, but it will be such a fun gratification when I see the results. God I'm good... lol

I have only been to Vasquez a couple times, and the punchbowl once. i will be heading to the punchbowl next August for the Perseides meteor showers.

Since you are local I think we should talk sometime because I have a concept that I want to build as my next box. All the things I could've planned better for this one will be incorprated. My nexy one will be market worthy...

If you have any questions, ask away I like to help.

I feel the pressure now, I hope lowering the light does alright. If the heat isn't too much I bet it will make things better. I like how I have opinions on how things are going to work, when I haven't grown anything yet. But I've read so much stuff in the past month or so. I feel like I know more about growing weed than anything else.

I understand saving money growing it for yourself. My smoking habit is just too expensive. Speaking of saving money, I'm making my own reflector too. What kind of glass did you use? I read somewhere to get triple tempered glass or something, I haven't really looked into it. I'm doing that later.