I made the mistake of not giving nutes from the beginning, and it resulted in very slow growth. Rockwool and Hydroton have no nutes at all, so it's suggested to add a low dose of nutes from the very beginning.
My First Time Growing
- Thread starter jlaudiofan
- Start date
StonerGrower
New Member
You ARE supposed to spply your plants with nutes from day 1 when growing hydro. Start out at 1/4 stregnth. PH around 5.6-5.8 is optimal for hydro. You were supposed to treat the rockwool cubes with nutes before you planted seeds.
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- #84
jlaudiofan
New Member
somehow in all my reading i never ran across this info... i'll be sure to remember it for next time, but for now the seedlings appear to be doing just fine, 2 have stood up and started thier new leaves, 3 are about to (probably tomorrow) but the other one i'm not sure about. it's the same one that hadn't germinated when i put them in the rockwool. i'll give it another few days and if nothing happens i might try the extra seed i got.
i will also give them some nutes tomorrow, low dose and see how they react.
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- #85
jlaudiofan
New Member
Howdy! I have an update. I just got home this afternoon, after being gone about 9 days.
The one seed that i didn't think was gonna sprout... did! So I have 6 lil babies now, and they look really happy!
I will post some pictures a little later, got alot to do (came back with a new roommate) so there's lots of stuff to move around...
Pics tonight!
The one seed that i didn't think was gonna sprout... did! So I have 6 lil babies now, and they look really happy!
I will post some pictures a little later, got alot to do (came back with a new roommate) so there's lots of stuff to move around...
Pics tonight!
- Thread starter
- #86
jlaudiofan
New Member
Ok, here's the pics!
Plant #1 - Looks good
Plant #2 - This was a pleasant suprise, it hadn't sprouted when I left, and i didn't think it was going to. But it did!
Plant #3 - This baby was the one with the longest taproot when i transplanted them into the rockwool, so it's no suprise that it's the biggest one so far!
Plant #4 - Looks ok
Plant #5 - Looks good
Plant #6 - Looks good
Ok, since this is my first grow EVER, I have no experience with how the lil ones should look. They look like healthy plants so I figure they're doing fine, anyone have an opinion to the contrary?
I gotta get a bigger fan to put in there to give em some circulation, the one i got isn't enough.
Also... My neighbor used to grow indoors and he's got an HPS light and MH light, and extra bulb for each, along with a really nice blower that he's giving me. I figure I will stick with the lights i got for now, then maybe switch to the ??MH?? when they go to flower. Or, I might start another grow
I'm gonna hook him up with some buds when they're ready to smoke.
So yeah, really excited!!!!!!!!!
also... when should I add more nutes? It's been about 9 days since i first fed them, probably due for more right? I'm also going to start foliar feeding with a kelp / fish emulsion mix, should i start with that right away every couple days?
Plant #1 - Looks good
Plant #2 - This was a pleasant suprise, it hadn't sprouted when I left, and i didn't think it was going to. But it did!
Plant #3 - This baby was the one with the longest taproot when i transplanted them into the rockwool, so it's no suprise that it's the biggest one so far!
Plant #4 - Looks ok
Plant #5 - Looks good
Plant #6 - Looks good
Ok, since this is my first grow EVER, I have no experience with how the lil ones should look. They look like healthy plants so I figure they're doing fine, anyone have an opinion to the contrary?
I gotta get a bigger fan to put in there to give em some circulation, the one i got isn't enough.
Also... My neighbor used to grow indoors and he's got an HPS light and MH light, and extra bulb for each, along with a really nice blower that he's giving me. I figure I will stick with the lights i got for now, then maybe switch to the ??MH?? when they go to flower. Or, I might start another grow
I'm gonna hook him up with some buds when they're ready to smoke.So yeah, really excited!!!!!!!!!
also... when should I add more nutes? It's been about 9 days since i first fed them, probably due for more right? I'm also going to start foliar feeding with a kelp / fish emulsion mix, should i start with that right away every couple days?
notreallyhere
New Member
hey man- score on the equipment! the HPS is great for flowering, the MH is bluer and great for vegging.
but seriously, hydroponics by defenition is growing without using soil, either via aeroponics, or in an inert medium like rockwool / hydroton. You are doing the latter.
What this means is that there are NO NUTES in your medium. your plants are already yellowing, which is a sign of N deficiency. with your choice of medium you need to be feeding them more or less constantly, from my understanding.
all that said, I'm a soil grower. but waiting a week+ between feedings would be cruel in soil- let alone hydro.
FEED YOUR GIRLS
but seriously, hydroponics by defenition is growing without using soil, either via aeroponics, or in an inert medium like rockwool / hydroton. You are doing the latter.
What this means is that there are NO NUTES in your medium. your plants are already yellowing, which is a sign of N deficiency. with your choice of medium you need to be feeding them more or less constantly, from my understanding.
all that said, I'm a soil grower. but waiting a week+ between feedings would be cruel in soil- let alone hydro.
FEED YOUR GIRLS
- Thread starter
- #88
jlaudiofan
New Member
I would like some info about adding nutes to the water...
Am I supposed to maintain a certain amount of nutrients at all times? Add nutrients every day? every other day?
SO far I think that folar feeding as a supplement is good every few days (2-4 days?)
notreallyhere: I hadn't fed them because I was not really here (har). I fed them last night and looked a couple hours later after the pump ran, they looked better. I will really be able to tell tonight when I check on em (it's so tempting to look during the day, but I don't want them to get any light)
Thanks for your advice.
Am I supposed to maintain a certain amount of nutrients at all times? Add nutrients every day? every other day?
SO far I think that folar feeding as a supplement is good every few days (2-4 days?)
notreallyhere: I hadn't fed them because I was not really here (har). I fed them last night and looked a couple hours later after the pump ran, they looked better. I will really be able to tell tonight when I check on em (it's so tempting to look during the day, but I don't want them to get any light)
Thanks for your advice.
notreallyhere
New Member
you're using a basin system right? I'm not a hydro grower, but my understanding is that you keep a certain amount of nutrient in the system at all times.
- Thread starter
- #90
jlaudiofan
New Member
Yep i'm doing ebb and flow
i think what i need to do is get a ppm meter because there's supposed to be a certain amount in there at all times, like you said
Funny how you miss important stuff like that when you're trying something new!
either that or i was really stoned while doing all this reading... always a distinct possibility!
i think what i need to do is get a ppm meter because there's supposed to be a certain amount in there at all times, like you said
Funny how you miss important stuff like that when you're trying something new!
either that or i was really stoned while doing all this reading... always a distinct possibility!
Nice going man.
You're off to a great start with the hydro!!
Harry
You're off to a great start with the hydro!!
Harry
- Thread starter
- #92
jlaudiofan
New Member
Thanks Harry!
I'll take some new pictures tonight (it'll be the one-month anniversary of when I started germination) and the girls are working on their first 5-leaf sets (most of them are... I have one late-bloomer that's still playing catchup)
I'll take some new pictures tonight (it'll be the one-month anniversary of when I started germination) and the girls are working on their first 5-leaf sets (most of them are... I have one late-bloomer that's still playing catchup)
- Thread starter
- #93
jlaudiofan
New Member
Well here's the photos, got a little busy but I did end up taking them right after my last post. I will probably upload some new ones tonight
Plant 1:
Plant 2:
Plant 3:
Plant 4:
Plant 5:
Plant 6:
I think I burnt a couple of them with too many nutes; Also going to clean out the reservoir and add fresh water, I bet it'll make em all look happy! Some of the leaves are curling, my guess would be due to the nutes but I bet someone on here has some advice from experience. Any guesses?
Happy
Plant 1:
Plant 2:
Plant 3:
Plant 4:
Plant 5:
Plant 6:
I think I burnt a couple of them with too many nutes; Also going to clean out the reservoir and add fresh water, I bet it'll make em all look happy! Some of the leaves are curling, my guess would be due to the nutes but I bet someone on here has some advice from experience. Any guesses?
Happy
It could be from nutes. They look pretty good though overall! Good job!
CharlieMopps
New Member
Whats you water temp, you should get a ppm meter too.
- Thread starter
- #96
jlaudiofan
New Member
I think you're right. The water temp should be ok, it is out in the tool shed BUT i have a small space heater w/thermostat that keeps it warm enough. It gets a bit chilly at night here in the desert, but not for too long (and the water pump doesnt run at night)
I will get the ppm meter soon... cash has been pretty freakin tight, but it's getting better.
Ms. Fox, thanks for the comment. I was pretty sure it was the nutes.
I changed the water after draining / cleaning the reservoir and ran the pump for an hour without any nutes, then added nutes. We'll see how the girlies react =)
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- #97
jlaudiofan
New Member
New pics, week #5. After looking at the other pictures, they've grown quite a bit! I guess you don't notice as much when looking at them every night
Plant 1:
Plant 2:
Plant 3:
Plant 4:
Plant 5:
Plant 6:
I should be able to sex them pretty soon? Or do I have to wait a couple more weeks...
Also, since I'll be doing a scrog... Should I be doing any pruning to get the plants to start branching? I'll probably go back and re-read some stuff about the whole scrog setup, but actual experience speaking to me would be great =)
Plant 1:
Plant 2:
Plant 3:
Plant 4:
Plant 5:
Plant 6:
I should be able to sex them pretty soon? Or do I have to wait a couple more weeks...
Also, since I'll be doing a scrog... Should I be doing any pruning to get the plants to start branching? I'll probably go back and re-read some stuff about the whole scrog setup, but actual experience speaking to me would be great =)
- Thread starter
- #99
jlaudiofan
New Member
I'd wait a couple weeks,
top and root the cutting to sex
Just the way I do thangs
right on, thanks for the advice =)
- Thread starter
- #100
jlaudiofan
New Member
Here's the week 6 update:
I've installed the metal halide (? i think that's which it is) light and the girls seem to really like it, they've been under it for 3 days out of the week since the last photos, and they're growing great! They are starting to bend since the light pattern is different, but i will try to train them with paper clips or twist ties.
All the girls (well hopefully girls):
Plant 1:
Plant 2:
Plant 3:
Plant 4:
Plant 5:
Plant 6:
I've installed the metal halide (? i think that's which it is) light and the girls seem to really like it, they've been under it for 3 days out of the week since the last photos, and they're growing great! They are starting to bend since the light pattern is different, but i will try to train them with paper clips or twist ties.
All the girls (well hopefully girls):
Plant 1:
Plant 2:
Plant 3:
Plant 4:
Plant 5:
Plant 6:
