First time Hydroponics questions

Hi, I am a first time hydroponics grower using a simple drip system. I am using general hydroponics fertilizer in this ratio:

Grow 1 part
Micro 3 parts
Bloom .5 parts

Right now I am sitting at about 270 ppm, PH 5.9. I just transfered the cuttings from the rooting tray last night. I am using a 1000 watt metal halide for vegetative and I have it about 4 feet above the newly rooted cuttings.

This morning one of them was drooping over and limp though the roots looked healthy. I replaced it with a healthy one, not sure what that was about, shock I suspect.

My question:

Is this a good fertilizer ratio & PPM / PH (270 ppm, PH 5.9) for the first few days?

Is the light too close, too far, for this early in their life? Under rooting they had a single grow bulb about 15 inches above them. Dont want to shock them. Im trying to approach from an, 'err on the side of caution' approach. Anybody?

i wouldnt give them any nutrient for the first few days maybe just some micro...ph is fine. lite seems a lil on the high side...every 12in your light looses 1/2 transmission...watch for stretching

This is a common mistake for new growers. There is absolutely no reason to nute your plants until 2 weeks after germing your plant. You wouldn't give a newborn baby solid food, so don't give your babies nutes too early. If you absolutely feel that you have to nute your plants, give them 1/4-1/2 strength in the first two weeks, then week them on to full strength. Nuting too early can stress your babies, give them nute burn, and if not taken care of early enough kill your loved ones.

[This is a common mistake for new growers. There is absolutely no reason to nute your plants until 2 weeks after germing your plant. ]

Sorry if I wasnt clear enough, these are clones, they rooted about a week ago.

Should I change my water and just give them plain water for a couple days? If so, why? I have weakened the solution down to about 225 ppm.

Another question. My tap water comes out at about 28 PPM, do I need to filter it or should I just let it sit to dissipate the chlorine before I use it?

Thanks!

4 ft is cool with the light, but back off with the nutes! what type of system are you using? what type of ppm meter are you using? use mabye 1/8 to 1/4 nutes.

indawindica said:

4 ft is cool with the light, but back off with the nutes! what type of system are you using? what type of ppm meter are you using? use mabye 1/8 to 1/4 nutes.

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I am using a drip emitter system. Very simple setup. 18 gallon res with 2 long airstones and a pump in it. There is a plastic grid cover over the res that the pots sit on, so the nutrient solution drips back through the grid into the res.

They are in 1.5 inch rockwool cubes set in hydroton, 6 inch pots. I am dripping 15 minutes every hour.

I bought the cheapest PPM stick they had at the hydro-store. The owner said it is very accurate, but only the tip is immersable. It is calibrated.

I will back down to about 150 PPM-ish later tonight.

So, I assume that my water needs no extra filtering?

Thanks a lot

GreenThumbSucker said:

I am using a drip emitter system. Very simple setup. 18 gallon res with 2 long airstones and a pump in it. There is a plastic grid cover over the res that the pots sit on, so the nutrient solution drips back through the grid into the res.

They are in 1.5 inch rockwool cubes set in hydroton, 6 inch pots. I am dripping 15 minutes every hour.

I bought the cheapest PPM stick they had at the hydro-store. The owner said it is very accurate, but only the tip is immersable. It is calibrated.

I will back down to about 150 PPM-ish later tonight.

So, I assume that my water needs no extra filtering?

Thanks a lot

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Just a thought. You said tap water. If you have a water softener on your line, you don't want to use soft water. It adds salts you don't want.

GreenThumbSucker said:

[This is a common mistake for new growers. There is absolutely no reason to nute your plants until 2 weeks after germing your plant. ]

Sorry if I wasnt clear enough, these are clones, they rooted about a week ago.

Should I change my water and just give them plain water for a couple days? If so, why? I have weakened the solution down to about 225 ppm.

Another question. My tap water comes out at about 28 PPM, do I need to filter it or should I just let it sit to dissipate the chlorine before I use it?

Thanks!

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with your ppm meter do you have to multiply by 10 to get the correct reading, on my tri meter i do. if you are getting ppm of 28 out of your tap that is good to use, my tap water is 500 ppm hard as hell so i cant use it in my system.

HomeGrownHairy said:

Just a thought. You said tap water. If you have a water softener on your line, you don't want to use soft water. It adds salts you don't want.

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No, I am not using a water softener.

One more question:
I notice that the rockwool is staying sopping wet because it is getting rehydrated every hour. Is this an issue when using small rockwool cubes seated in hydroton? Between the hydroton, the drip and the airstones, I would guess there is plenty of oxygen going to the roots.

???

try to keep the rockwool dry around the stem - it could cause problems later - have your drip set towards the outer edge of the hydroton since your rockwool is getting soaked - i use rockwool as my base for my mother plants and have to keep an eye on making sure the rockwool doesnt get sopping wet - mold and other probs can screw it all up - i water my mothers 1 min on and 5 mins off - all day every day - as long as my drips get moved once a day (to the other side of the plant) durring check ups they are a happy family!

Yeah, I have the emitters pointing away from the rockwool. Might go pick up a gallon of H202 tomorrow just so I dont have to worry about it so much. I think the rockwool is soaking up solution by osmosis through the hydroton.

I have the TDS down to about 158 PPM now. Will drop it a little more tomorrow, to just above 100 and keep it there for a few days until they start showing growth.

LimPShoT said:

with your ppm meter do you have to multiply by 10 to get the correct reading, on my tri meter i do. if you are getting ppm of 28 out of your tap that is good to use, my tap water is 500 ppm hard as hell so i cant use it in my system.

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Well, when I dip it in the calibration solution, it is spot on, so I assume it is accurate. It was off by about 125 PPM when I first calibrated it. Calibration solution is set at something like 1832 ppm. I am assuming that my readings are reasonabally accurate.

Just got a gallon of H2O2. Will it affect PPM and should I care? I know it dissipates fast. My rockwool cubes are a little wet and I want to boost oxygen a bit.

My PPM is now sitting exactly at 149. Is this good for the first few days or should I lower it a bit more?

Why are you adding Hydrogen Peroxide? Be careful you may kill them - be sure to dilute it if you must use it - I try to stay away from it at all times - what are you hoping it will change or fix? Maybe we can find another solution other than h202

galo said:

Why are you adding Hydrogen Peroxide? Be careful you may kill them - be sure to dilute it if you must use it - I try to stay away from it at all times - what are you hoping it will change or fix? Maybe we can find another solution other than h202

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Kill them? I highly doubt that. Ive been using 35% horticultural grade H2O2 in my soil gardening for years. A hydro shop here in town sells it for 20$ a gallon. It is just water with an extra oxygen molecule. I know how to use it, it wont kill them. It kills algae and bacteria, and it oxygenates. Good shit! You cannot overwater when you use it either. When I bought my emitters, the shop I got them at suggested I run it through the system at least once a week.

Hmmmmm, when do they start to grow?

PH is at 5.9
PPM is at 149
water temp is at 69 degrees
air temp is at 73 degrees

Using tap water, comes out at 29 ppm - not softened water.

light is now about 3.5 feet above them

they have been in the system for three days and zero growth.

I do, however, notice that they are spreading roots.

QUESTION:

When do they start growing?

Can someone give me a hint here?

I will run it all down again, maybe someone will try to help me:

System: Drip emitter
table with 8 pots in hydroton

Temperature: 74 degrees
Water temperature: 69 degrees
PH: 5.9
PPM: 149

I am using tap water that comes out at 29 PPM and has sat overnight to dissipate chlorine.

At what point do they actually grow? I pulled one out and observed some very minor new root growth.

I know the PH is fine.
I know they are not too wet

Is my PPM too low? Too high?
Could it be my water?
Should I clean out the system and refill it?
Should I get a reverse osmosis filter?
Should I start using my H2O2?

They dont look sick or anything, they just aren't growing!

HELP SOMEONE PLEASE!

OK, Im frustrated

..........

GreenThumbSucker said:

Kill them? I highly doubt that. Ive been using 35% horticultural grade H2O2 in my soil gardening for years. A hydro shop here in town sells it for 20$ a gallon. It is just water with an extra oxygen molecule. I know how to use it, it wont kill them. It kills algae and bacteria, and it oxygenates. Good shit! You cannot overwater when you use it either. When I bought my emitters, the shop I got them at suggested I run it through the system at least once a week.

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Hey fix all that. Trust me you are going to want to anyway one day if you wanna be the best. Do it now if you can afford it, if you can you lucky bastard. Lol, i love bghydro, if you in the west they mail outa la.

Oh yeah, h202 can kill your plants, either in concentrations to strong or if you water directly. I add what it says on the bottle daily. I have had good luck but i just started using it. Also it just sounds like you need some patience.