First Time Grower problems....ebb and flow system

[Ryguy0097]

Most of my plants have started drooping really badly and the leaves are curling inward. I have 15 plants growing in two different ebb and flow hydroponics systems. I am using a 1000-watt HPS light, general Hydroponics nutrients, and rockwool cubes. The temperature stays around 75-80 when the light is on and in the mid 50s when the lights off. The relative humidity is between 30-45%. I am on week 3 of veg cycle and the problems started around a week ago when I changed the water and added more nutrients. I think I might of added too many nutrients, I was following a guide a grower gave and for a 20 gallon reservoirs I added 250 ML grow, 150ML micro, and 50 ml bloom. Since then I have flushed out the system for 2 cycles with pure water and then I added some clearx for the last cycle. That was two days ago and yesterday I added all new water, and nutrients. This time I used the general hydroponics nutrient guide but only used half of what they called for in week three which was 120ml gro, 60ml micro, and 30ml bloom. The plants are still looking really droopy and I don't know what I should do. The PPM for one of the reservoirs is 640 and the other is 700. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP...I'll have pictures up soon.


Sorry for the long post I was just trying to give as much information as possible.

 

[Ryguy0097]

Here are some Pic's I Took today.

 

[Urdedpal]

Nice looking tables. What kind are they?
Now to your problem, how long are you feeding and how often a day? This looks like a water problem. Too much and they droop and flounder, too little and you get the same results.

 

[Stix]

Any idea what your PH is?
Are you putting your Micro/Grow/Bloom into the resevoirs one at a time? Preferrably micro first?
Do you have an air pump pumping Oxygen into your resevoirs 24/7?

 

[Ryguy0097]

They are called turbo-flo....I got them from my local hydro store. As far as the water goes I was watering them 4 times a day for 15 mins at a time. I would water them 3 times when the lights were on and 1 time when it was off. Around 3 days ago I changed the watering cycle to twice during the day and once at night. The problem hasent changed much and the plants are still drooping..

 

[Urdedpal]

I know of 2 problems now.
Problem 1, might be unrelated, you are using a vented light but you have no airflow thru the light. Without air cooling the plants are being heat stressed.
Put your thermometer next too the plant and you will see a big temp difference the more centered you are under the light.
Solution, raise the lamp another foot.
Problem two, most ebb systems do not have covers and water evaporation is excessive. Your ebbsystem has covers giving the roots a more humid habitat.
This is a good thing. What would complement your tables would be a ultrasonic fogger but is not needed. Since you have covers, you do not have to feed as often as other ebb systems. 2 to 3 times a day should be efficient.
You dont need a feeding at night, you difference in temp is too extreme to be feeding at night and the roots will not dry out overnight, just make your last feeding a half hour before the lights go out and the first feeding within the first hour the lights go on.
Correct those two problems and things should clear up within days. Remember, that lamp is heating up the table covers too and roots hate warmer temps.

 

[Ryguy0097]

Thanks for the help guys...I changed the water cycle to 2 a day just during the light.... The ph has been a constant 5.9 for the last two weeks. Although the first week when they were just planted the ph was extremely high in one of the reservoirs. I don’t have an air pump with air stones but I was thinking about buying some....When I put the nutes in I put them all in at once while I fill up the reserviors, so it mixes them up.. do you think that the airstones would help my problem out a lot?? Again thanks for the help

 

[Ryguy0097]

What do you mean don't mix ferts together??? I just put them in the reservoir at the same time...I mean I measure them out separately then put them in...I don't understand how else you would do it? Also I'm going to walmart today to buy some airstones and pumps...how big and how many do you think I need for each 20 gallon reservoir?


Hey I also had another questions.... around a 10 days or so I went and bought four 48" cool white fluorescent lights, I took them down the other day because I thought they may of caused the problem...Do you think I should put them back up during the veg cycle or is that too much light? Thanks for all the help all of you are amazing.

 

[Stix]

Mixing the nutes the way you are is fine. I was making sure you werent putting all the nutes together in a container then putting them into the resevoir. That would cause nute lock out.

As far as the air pumps go. you should be fine with 1 airstone in each resevoir. Not sure how big of a pump you should get. I myself have a large pump that has a 4 way splitter on it. It pumps air into 4 different systems. I'm sure someone else from the grow team can give you a size.

I seriously doubt those flouro's were hurting your plants in anyway. It should be fine to hook them back up.

 

[Ryguy0097]

Damm, I had no idea the nutes would do that..That is probably what caused all my problems because the time before the last one I mixed them all together before I put them in....damm., well at least they aren't dieing or anything. I went to pets smart today and bought 2 12" air stones so hopefully I will see some more improvements in the next few days. I'm going to go ahead and put the fluros back on while I veg them. Thanks again for all the help, I would be lost with out your help or this site.