First time hydro using coco medium - Million questions

I'm running a drain to waste setup with an external res and an electric pump on a timer. it runs itself and all I do is top up the res once in a while. I've grown plants in coco and perlite using this sytem. In the beginning I did have the experience of the res ph rising, but since I put in bubblers it's been steady as a rock.
I'm currently gone for two weeks and trust that it will be fine when I get back. I'm usually only there on weekends anyway- so five days is the normal time alone for those plants and I don't have any issues.
Might be a stretch to rearrange your system -but the current situation with ph fluctuation seems like it's not going to work long term.
 
I have the air stones In there. 2 ten inch ones. I'm glad this is not such an unusual case I have here. Would you have a direction I may be able to go to see how to create this res tank? YouTube, or your own posts regarding set up? I was looking for something that can go for a few days when needed. I have learned to manage this with my potted plants but really like the concept of hydro- for nutritional reasons as well as medicine.
Thanks for all the info- everyone.


Sent from mikeytv
 
I'm a little short on time but this is the best link from my journal I can find at the moment. Small electric pump on a timer- hose-and a splitter (called a manifold) that divides the water flow into several small lines. The Hexapus's Garden

I don't know if they have the links working properly yet on the forum. If you have to scroll down it's post 458.

The key ingredient besides the pump is the manifold.
 
OK that link didn't work I know the forum is having technical difficulties right now. I'll get back to this when I get a little more time here


Edit- ok try this. The Hexapus's Garden

You may still have to scroll down to #458.
It doesn't show you a good picture of the manifold but it's a simple concept. If you don't have access to a gardening store or a hydroponic store you may be able to rig something up it just with regular garden hose two way or three way splitters.

I just mix the res to a lowish/medium strength feed and have the timer turn the pump on for one minute one to three times per day.
 
Final update on the hydro attempt.

So, with all my issues with ph, not having all my nutes or testers at the ready and having to go out of town led me to make this decision. Keeping them as they were would surely led to death- they were getting paler and paler and ph would raise to 7 at least twice daily. No way I can leave and expect them to survive so, crazy but I repotted them in some good rich soil and watered the sh*t out of them. I figure it's my best chance that they will be alive upon my return.
I'm not abandoning hydro and will try again next week. I will be much more prepared and now have all the input and knowledge from you good people! Thank you again.

I will say, for a novice, soil and pots are motivating as they tend to limit error. Hydro, for me anyway, is much more delicate but I'm up to the challenge. By the time I'm fully ready I should be able to veg with my mh as my girls in pots will be all done with the hps.

On a side note, I noticed an obvious variance between wet weight on the ones I chopped that were in soil. ( I wanted to track wet/dry weight to see my expected final yield. I'm using a 20% expectation on final dry/ cure weight. So 100 grams would be 20 dried and cured.

In this case, 570 is my wet weight- works it to expected final dry/ cured weight of 114g. Assuming of an average of 20% final yield I think that's pretty good for second go. Oh, and that's only half the crop(still finishing the other girls before chopping.
420-magazine-mobile1392961936.jpg

Interesting variance to me. All in the same location. Granted some are in 5 gallon air pots others are in 3 and some are in 3 gallon.

Thanks again.



Sent from mikeytv
 
Final final update.

First, regarding my hydro issues and status. I transplanted all my hydro to soil prior to going out of town. On top of that I over watered these already stressed plants because I was worried they would dry out. Well, soil stayed way way hydrated - too much to be honest- but they did survive despite some dead leaves which had more to do with stress and what was happening in hydro. They are currently still surviving but are either stunted or stalled. I could abandon but decided to try to keep them alive to see what they may be. I am holding off in hydro for a while until I become more educated on the subject- I realize in just not there yet.

Regarding my other plants- the ones I cut last week and am now curing- after cutting stems and all that, I ended up about where I expected -- 20% of wet weight. Even if I lose a little more moisture I am still figuring no less than 15% total from orig wet weight. Currently at 120g and am confident I won't go much lower. Total dry yield - 4.28 currently but true final- 3.75-4.25..not bad but a very inefficient grow. I will improve.

Thanks for all your help throughout.


Sent from mikeytv
 
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