My 1st Hydro Box Grow- Pics and Questions!

First time hydro grower here... Got a closet box grow goin using 4 CFL's, reservoir, fish tank pump, and 2 plants. About 2 weeks in now and the roots are just going crazy in the water. Getting longer and spreading. My question is this, the reservoir seems to be developing a green algae growth along the sides and it seems to be attaching to the roots as well. All I've done so far is add a few cups of water to keep the tank full as it evaporates. Is this green growth harmful or beneficial to the plants. When should I completely change the water out and should I drain the whole thing or just a little? Thanks, hope you like the pics.

Anyone? Any input is appreciated!

Blackout your rez top and sides, starting to get algae.

dimesak said:

Blackout your rez top and sides, starting to get algae.

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I was just going to say that.

But you could also get a bigger air pump.
That will always help.

You should change your rez once a week or every other at the most. Looks like you have light entering your tub. This will promote alge and bacteria growth, this will lead to root rot. I'd change out the nute water light block the tub , clean it and refill.
I am not a pro at this but am sure this isn't good.
Good luck man and happy growing.

(you folks beet me to it.)

thanks for info do i need to change the water

That green growth is algae and is not a good thing, as it could quickly cause root rot, or even clog your pump and misters. Your rez should be completely light proof to prevent algae growth; spray paint it black a couple of times, cover it with mylar/reflective insulation. To answer your question about changing the rez, it should be every week. Another thing you are going to have to watch is the temp of your water. You need to keep it low (68-75), if you can. When you get ready to change your rez, you are going to realize a simple design flaw in your system (I know I made plenty before I made one that I liked, so dont feel bad buddy). By having your rez and plants in the same container you are going to have a mess when you change your rez.
1. How are you going to drain?
2. What are you going to do with your plants while you are working in the rez?
This is why most people maintain a rez that is separate from there growing containers. Anyway buddy, its not the end of the world, your just gonna have to work a little bit more when you change it out. Make sure while you are doing this grow that you keep a notebook and write down all of the problems that you run into and keep track of when you planted so you can work out timelines and maturation dates. This way when you go to do your second grow, you will have a wealth of information at your disposal. Anyway, fire away with any questions you have.

just put a pond pump inside the res i dont use air because it messes with the nutrients but it looks good

Ok, I'll change out the water tonight and scrub out the algae. I'll see if I got somethin to block out the light from the rez.

good advice peace farmer ill use it myself

Thanks for all the info and replies. I'm really excited so far with the progress of the plants. As I said before, it seems like the roots are doubling in length and quantity every day! Looks like a pot of spaghetti in there. I'm going to use some tin foil to block out the light. Do you think the plants are too young(2 weeks old) to add a small amount of nutes tonight when I change out the rez water? I have a family member helping me with the grow, when I change out the rez, one of us is just going to hold the top up with the plants while the other changes out the water and replaces the tank/lid.

espydon84 said:

Thanks for all the info and replies. I'm really excited so far with the progress of the plants. As I said before, it seems like the roots are doubling in length and quantity every day! Looks like a pot of spaghetti in there. I'm going to use some tin foil to block out the light. Do you think the plants are too young(2 weeks old) to add a small amount of nutes tonight when I change out the rez water? .

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Ok, here is the thing. Tin foil is not going to work on your rez. It is notorious for making hot spots that can reflect back (kind of like a magnifying glass) and burn parts of the plants. What you can do is go to wal mart, go to the camping section, and look for emergency blankets. They are 100% Mylar and only about $2 for a huge piece. Get you a couple of those, maybe some spray tack from the paint section, and you are good to go. Trust me, avoid tin foil at all costs. Also, remember that the color white reflects a lot of light as well (almost as much as mylar).
To answer your question about nutes: at 14 days old your nutes can be between 1120-1260ppm. But since you havent started feeding them yet, you should start lower (around 500-800ppm) and work your way up making sure to watch for nute burn/deficiency.
About Algae: A lot of people add h202 to there rez to fight algae. Others just lightproof and use big ass air stones. Remember, algae loves light and a stagnant area, so keep things moving.

mike tafoya said:

good advice peace farmer ill use it myself

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Your welcome, let me know if you have any questions buddy...and dont forget to rep of someone helps you out...

pond pump?? and how does air mess with the nutes?

Mr. Goodbuds said:

pond pump?? and how does air mess with the nutes?

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I think he meant using a sump (pond) pump to drain the water out of your Rez? I would probably just buy a wet/dry shop vac and use that to quickly drain the rez) I'm not entirely sure, but you can get a good h2o pump for your Rez for about $50 on amazon. I myself have never heard of air mixing with nutes. You must have DO in your h2o for healthy plants and clean water. You can either do this with an air pump (air bubbles), or using a waterfall effect if you have a separate Rez (still air bubbles. One way or the other, you need air to help control one of the worst problems you can run into; a problem you have already experienced.

Hell yea bro u get that Rez light proof and ull be golden. I'm ready to switch to dwc. Anyways yall check out my grow and tell me what yall think if u have time. Links in the sig any comments of suggestions welcome , ill be watching ur grow bro, u gon keep it updated or just wanted opinions on ur setup?

What kind of medium is in your neti pots? Looks like soil almost.

Wow.

Just Wowzers.

I am wowzed now and need to get stone smashed fricking high.

That some new kind of way to grow? D&DWC?

Dirt & deep water culture?

I'm not gonna pick on you.

And am incapable of any comments.

bb57

Is that soil???

Well I wouldn't call it dirt, it's one of those seed starter cores. Looks like a little tea lamp candle when it's dry, you add water to it and it expands upward into a cylinder like shape. What should I be using? Again, never done hydro so I had to improvise a little.... I'm going to try and keep this thread updated with pics the best I can and I really appreciate all of you for all of the info you've given. I flushed the rez lastnight, scrubbed out all of the algae, and blocked out the light the best I could using duct tape. It worked but it looks kinda ghetto lol. I also added a small amount of nutes just to see how they do with it. I took these 2 pics today. The smaller plant on the left has developed tiny little brown spots on the lowest pair of leaves, yet the new leaves coming out of the top are healthy green. Any ideas on what this could be?