I know this is an elementary question but i cant seem to find a clear answer. Im using GH 3 par Flora series. I understand you place so and so ml per Gallon. What I dont understand is the feeding schedule. I'm usng a bubbleponic system with a dripper with a 10 gallon res and 3 plants. Do i add the nutes once per week or per day, and do i let the dripper run constantly or only for a certain amount of time? Could someone please provide some basic guidelines to feeding? Thanks a lot
How to feed plant with nutes?
- Thread starter asperetty
- Start date
onthedl0008
Well-Known Member
Ill give it a shot but first of all do u have a ppm meter?
Have u started ur grow already and if so do u have pix?
Or are u asking because u are setting up a new res?
Have u started ur grow already and if so do u have pix?
Or are u asking because u are setting up a new res?
well its my first grow and as of now i have 3 seedlings that have just sprouted and those little midget leaves just spread. I dont have a camera so i cant provide any pics. I really just want to know the general practice of feeding such as the amount, duration, and periods that you feed or change the res. I dont have a ppm unfortunately. I know i should get one but my budget doesnt allow for it yet.
asaph
Well-Known Member
make it your first priority then, it's very important
the reason is you need to be able to know how much your plant is eating in relation to water transpiration and evaporation. to know that you have to measure the concentration in the water when you introduce the fertilizers, and in the following days. If you fail to know this, you might be overfeeding your plant, causing nute buildups.
of course, if you are getting by with just giving them a fixed dosage (so and so ml/g) and changing res a little more often (say, once a week), then why not, but if you are getting problems in nutrition, you should aim for that meter.
the rule of thumb in hydro is you want to keep your ppm level pretty much constant and not fluctuating, while topping up your res every once in a while.
thanks for the reply. ill still have to get a proper ph meter as right now im using only the strips. as well as lighting. i need lights. but my question was more as to the actual feeding regiment. to ask it simply, how do you feed your plants if you have a similar system that i described above? i just want to know the general scheduling. the actual amounts i think will be easier to determine once i get the ppm and learn to read the plant.
onthedl0008
Well-Known Member
Alrite well at this stage id reccomend at least a tablespoon or 5ml. Wait a few days and see how they react. It should be very well. Then check back in. Honestly I start all my plants out with a lite shot 5ml. In a few days they should have a nice little set of fans. That's when I give mine an additional 5ml. See how they react. Let's start rite there.
U have to get a PH PEN or kit at least its the most important thing.
U want to keep it locked in at 5.8 once daily.
This is the most critical thing especially not haveing a ppm meter.
A Correct and solid PH will be very forgiveing with incorrect feeding.
But well get u on track.
U have to have a way to check and correct ur ph.
U have to get a PH PEN or kit at least its the most important thing.
U want to keep it locked in at 5.8 once daily.
This is the most critical thing especially not haveing a ppm meter.
A Correct and solid PH will be very forgiveing with incorrect feeding.
But well get u on track.
U have to have a way to check and correct ur ph.
are you sure? they JUST sprouted and kicked off their shell casings. But still my question wasnt really answered...sorry. I mostly want to know if I need to add nutes everyday or once a week, and since im using a water pump to drip feed the plants as well, do I keep that constantly running or only a certain amount for a certain time each day? really thanks though for all the help so far. i dont mean to sound arrogant or anything I just wanna get this right.
thats basically what they all look like right now, but that picture is not by me or of my plants. Thats what they look like though, and from what i could make out, there is only one 2" root to each sprout....still give them the nutes?
Gary Busey
New Member
I use the same nutes. Basically the best advice is to follow the instructions on the bottle or their website:
I use the same nutes. Basically the best advice is to follow the instructions on the bottle or their website:
Ok when exactly do you start this though? And once again, whats the feeding schedule like? Meaning do i add this amount every day or once every week? thanks fo the help.
namtih024
Active Member
high welcome to growing. a seedling should be good for a little bit with 200 ppm or less flowering nutes, i use 2ml per gallon of the flowering cycle nutes for seedlings. once they show good growth i switch to half strenght vegging nutes and slowly increase the dose to just below the recommended strength. in hydro i add nutes once a week, then on a daily schedule i add plain water and check the ph levels. after the week is up i clean my system and resiviour with a light bleach solution ( take the plants out first of course) then rinse and add nutes again. this always works wonders for me, grows huge plants and saves on nutes.
Gary Busey
New Member
You have to keep those numbers consistent at all times. Use a PPM meter to see where your levels are at.
Don't forget to test PH too.
Don't forget to test PH too.
ok I got it now thanks a lot to you both. as for the humdity dome, im not sure how i can accoplish that as of now. the single roots are pretty long now, about 2"-3". If i move the seedliings out of the bubble system now im pretty sure i would crush the root 
...and im kind of afraid to touch it at all since the seed casing fell off and theres just the fresh little green leaves there.
how could i get around that? also, would a plastic bag be functional as a humidity dome?
also, i notice that one all three plants, 1 leaf out of the first mini pair is bending down?? is that normal, or should both be level?
btw I added about 1/4 of the recommended dose just to see what would happen. Ph is around 5.8-6.0 (using a strip)
...and im kind of afraid to touch it at all since the seed casing fell off and theres just the fresh little green leaves there.how could i get around that? also, would a plastic bag be functional as a humidity dome?
also, i notice that one all three plants, 1 leaf out of the first mini pair is bending down?? is that normal, or should both be level?
btw I added about 1/4 of the recommended dose just to see what would happen. Ph is around 5.8-6.0 (using a strip)
namtih024
Active Member
yeah, dont move them around too much that will be bad for them just let them do there thing, just next time be a bit more patient, and being in hydro they dont need the humidity dome, thats just for starting them out pretty much. and plants grow at all sorts of angles, they will sometimes shoot out leave upside down if they're twisting around enough. dont worry they will be fine. good ph levels, keep your nutes low till they really start taking off otherwise it will be over before you begin. good luck again and listen to your plants they will tell you if there happy
onthedl0008
Well-Known Member
Yup I'm pretty sure and no problem I know exactly where ur at. I start all my seedlings with at least a capfull of nutes about 5ml before the roots even hit the water. Click on the roots in my sig and check out my dwc growtorial.are you sure? they JUST sprouted and kicked off their shell casings. But still my question wasnt really answered...sorry. I mostly want to know if I need to add nutes everyday or once a week, and since im using a water pump to drip feed the plants as well, do I keep that constantly running or only a certain amount for a certain time each day? really thanks though for all the help so far. i dont mean to sound arrogant or anything I just wanna get this right.
thats basically what they all look like right now, but that picture is not by me or of my plants. Thats what they look like though, and from what i could make out, there is only one 2" root to each sprout....still give them the nutes?
Ur gonna need a ph meter either way.
I'm also going to reccomend again that u get a ppm meter as well so we can get ur plants going off on the right start if u have any questions pertaining to why I do what I do I'm sure I can break it all down and explain thouroughly why I do it. Kinda speaks for itself. I think I can help u as long as u get a ph meter the rest is simple.
Peace
onthedl0008
Well-Known Member
Asp click on the picture in my sig. Read the thread. Mostly look at the pix and just trust me. Its pretty plain and real simple. A lot of ur own questions will be answered as u go. If u don't understand just trust its gonna work u will understand sooner or later. Hope it helps
yeah im trying to stop being that over protective daddy and just let the plant grow. i just checked on it this morning and surprisingly there was little or possible no growth over the past 12 hours though. i think it has to do with the fact that they only have a single root, but i mean evn those midget leaves didnt really grow out at all.
onthedl0008
Well-Known Member
Lol give um time. Correct ph and a tiney shot of food will rite now will help them off to their best start tho. As well as when u feed ur res it also helps ur system start balanceing its own ph. At least u know ur being to protective. Relax sit back take it easy cause in a couple weeks ur gonna have a monster on your hands. And when u start flowering ur gonna be thinking what the hell did I get myself into haha.
Put a capfull of nutes bro trust me.
Get a ph kit and ph your water.
That the most important thing.
After that they pretty much grow themselves.
Put a capfull of nutes bro trust me.
Get a ph kit and ph your water.
That the most important thing.
After that they pretty much grow themselves.
thanks for the advice i should be getting ppm meter by next week and possible a digital ph meter rather than these strips. i figured out why the growth seemed slower than expected (or at least i think i found out why), i was using 27k cfls nstead of 6500. the first leaves hopefully will start picking up now. i did put about 3ml of nutes but i havent seen any progress. at least there is no regression though heh (trying to think positive here...)
onthedl0008
Well-Known Member
Yea 65k daylite cfls will veg ur plants faster. All I use is 2 26 watt 65ks at the moment.
It takes a few days for plants to get acclimated and a couple more days for the plants to actually use the nutrients its takeing in so give them a week.
Keep your cfls 2-3 inches away u should be good.
Yes the digi pens are easy to use. U can get them cheap from ebay as well as the ppm meter.
ID get the PH pen first tho but at least u got the strips and your ph'ing your water.
Once they get their first true sets of fans id put 15ml of your grow nutes in and watch them explode.
Alrite man take it ez
It takes a few days for plants to get acclimated and a couple more days for the plants to actually use the nutrients its takeing in so give them a week.
Keep your cfls 2-3 inches away u should be good.
Yes the digi pens are easy to use. U can get them cheap from ebay as well as the ppm meter.
ID get the PH pen first tho but at least u got the strips and your ph'ing your water.
Once they get their first true sets of fans id put 15ml of your grow nutes in and watch them explode.
Alrite man take it ez