New Girl on the block

I've been looking at this site off and on since I joined a few months ago. Since having to quit working due to disability pain and needing to create a new income, I've turned to growing at this late stage of life.

Bought a "Super Closet" hyro system and rockwool clones. First harvest was pretty good in spite of clogged drip immitters and constant sediment in reservoir, and algae. Used PH/TDS/moisture testers. Most of the roots were actually in the water, watering went from once a day up to 4-6 x when in flowering stage.

But when growing again, I had gnat problems, plants stunted and died.
Steralized cabinet, reservoir, etc. These little bugs were hard to get rid of even using GoGnats in solution. Began again with new clones. But this time, I'm keeping the clones out of the closet until they look strong.

In transplanting from small rockwool/or peat pots, into soaked rockwool cubes, plants go through shock, but how long should those leaves droop? Some yellowing too.

PH seems to be trickier than what I've read and observed. Seems like I can spend up to an hour adjusting PH. I've read that it takes awhile to adjust, but even then it can continue to change in a short time.

Moisture meter can read dry in one spot and wet in another. I did spot one little clone with a drooping head, and after watering it perked up in an hour.

I transplanted some clones about a week ago, and although they don't look bad, the leaves are looking curled down. I've watched the moisture meter, so I don't think they're underwatered or overwatered,
but I'm wondering about nutes. I used Dutch Master One as recommended by Super Closet mfgrs. But maybe for new clones, their recommended dose is too much? Should younger clones get less?

All the plants are about this size, and are in a grow room with 2 long flourescents, and a fan running off and on when lights are on. (18hrs)
I put small rocks on top to keep algae off top of rockwool.

Getting cabinets ready for plants, so they'll be on a drip system, with a cool overhead light, as used before.

Any comments on why these leaves look droopy? I've looked at many FAQs, and haven't seen mention of anyone growing in these super closet cabinets. Would love to hear from anyone who is using them and how they're doing. I still don't know how we pulled off such a great first harvest with the multiple problems we had. I'm glad we did, otherwise I'd be very discouraged.

Few things and questions. Is this a drip feed system or flood or aero? You should get rid of that stone and get hydroton it holds moisture and is lighter for the roots to move through and grow faster.PHing water should take all of about 2 minutes tops.If its high you sprinkle a little granules of ph down and then stir and check or ph up if it low.Hydro you will wanna have ph around 5.8-6 with nutes in the solution.Always wash your hydroton or stones as they have lots of shipping dust from rubbing on each other and can make a dirt res or clog misters.says 2 florescent tubes I assume that just to get them started vegging then you have a real light for growing?Dont ever use peat pellets either they suck and make a mess.The gnats just hang so sticky fly paper and that will get rid of most. Do you have air stones in the res to keep the water moving so it doesnt grow the algae? Also get some grotek H2O2 and add it as directed on the bottle it will kill fungus, alage and slimmy bacteria. The res water as it looks like a res type setup should be at a temp of around 65-70 max any warmer causes issues.

welcome kerry, hope your grow go's well. looks like you've got it all covered. peace

Thanks for your comments and questions. When we first started we put the clones in the super closet on the drip system provided, but as I mentioned there were lots of problems with clogging immitters, slime, etc. In spite of this, we pulled off a nice crop.
Then, the gnats wiped out several plants.

Now that everything is clean, and GoGnats has worked well, we want to make sure these clones are healthy before putting them in the drip system, but with better immitters, and filter bag over the pump. Right now we're just watering by hand, after testing PH (5.5) and TDS (300-400) Mostly they look good, except for some yellow veining of lower leaves on a few. Re: adjusting the PH, I use the liquid. So I guess it's just figuring out how much to add. It really doesn't change that fast because I'm only adding a little at a time. I've read it takes about 15 minutes to stabilize.
We sterilize the stones, and only started using them after we saw so much algae on the rockwool, and only on top. Do you think the weight of these stones will be hard on the roots? We had used paper cup bottoms before. The florescents are just being used to get them started. The "super closet" has a nice cool dome type light.

We recently bought some clones that were in peat net pots, so we just transplanted the entire thing into a larger rockwool cube, hoping that would catch any of the fall out. I also just read that the bottom should be cut out of peat nets so the roots dont get tangled in them. I hate to go back and disturb them after a recent transplant, but what you do think about that? We've been keeping the plastic on around the rockwool cubes, but I wonder if it's better to remove that?

We put little squares of yellow sticky paper on T pins at the base of each plant to catch gnats. We have an air pump that creates bubbles in the res. Do you think airstones are better? Another question. Can solution be mixed ahead of time, or best to mix just before feeding? We had also tried just mixing in in the res, and testing while the plants are out getting flushed, inspected, or just admired in general.

Keep hearing about H202. We'll get some.

Thanks so much for your help!! Shandi

Hi Kerry! Where did you order your super closet hydro system from?

Thanks for your comments and questions. When we first started we put the clones in the super closet on the drip system provided, but as I mentioned there were lots of problems with clogging immitters, slime, etc.

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I used a drip system for my first grow so I'm gonna put my two cents in here. All of the drip emmitters i tried will clog somewhere between one and two weeks of use, particullarly if you have hard water to start with, ie you have to ph down. SOO..every week I would pull off the emitters, soak them for about 15 minutes in plain white vinegar and reinstall them. SLime is algae and must be dealt with by preventive maintanace. You can solve this problem by having proper water temperature, 65 degrees is ideal, totally covered reservior, and an air pump with an air stone attached to the end of the hose in your reservoir.
I got my 12" long air stone at Meijers in the pet Department for $2.00, the air line 25' $2.49, and air pump for $10.99. This helps by providning oxygen and is essential if you have any organic nutrients in your solution. All of you water lines should be non-transparent, mine were not. To make sure I had control, I still added h2o2 to my reservoirs two times a week. If you can get the 35%, which is available at most grow shops, add 1ml./ liter to your res. If you can't get the 35%, the 3% is available at Meijer by the quart for $1.00. Add 1 tablespoon per gallon, or 1/2 oz/ gallon. I have 35 gallon reservoirs about 3 gallon from the top which makes it easy for me, 16 oz/ res $1.00/ week, solves this problem and will control most other pathogens as well.

In spite of this, we pulled off a nice crop.
Then, the gnats wiped out several plants.

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Gnat investations take a few weeks to develop and four weeks to kill. The best thing you can do is set up preventive maintanance. Every week, Mist your plants with insecticide. For the long haul I recommend making your own. What I did was to purchase a one gallon sprayer, the kind you pump air into and then spray, 8 oz pure neem oil and a bottle of dish soap with no added scent. MIx one gallon of water, one tablespoon of warm neem oil and 1 tablespoon of dish soap. When you spray, get under the leaves and also moisten the growing medium, since that is where the gnats lay their eggs and where the larvae live. One sticky yellow trap for each table is enough to monitor for gnats if you use preventive maintanance and its less expensive. I have less than $20.00 invested, and the neem oil will make 16 gallons of insecticide. Mark that sprayer with a red marker, Insecticide. Its not toxic I just wouldn't want to eat it.

Now that everything is clean, and GoGnats has worked well, we want to make sure these clones are healthy before putting them in the drip system, but with better immitters, and filter bag over the pump. Right now we're just watering by hand, after testing PH (5.5) and TDS (300-400)

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Are you adjusting your tds to compensate for what the tds of your ph'd water is?? My ph'd water was already already 200ppm so I had to adjust up to 500 ppm. You may need to compensate for the ph of your medium as well, I doubt that in this case.

Mostly they look good, except for some yellow veining of lower leaves on a few. Re: adjusting the PH, I use the liquid. So I guess it's just figuring out how much to add. It really doesn't change that fast because I'm only adding a little at a time. I've read it takes about 15 minutes to stabilize.

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I'm 58 with a bad back and I just can't do this ph moving buckets and mixing and waiting for stablizing and cleaning layers of salt built up in the drippers and on the pumps and in the reservoirs, sound familiar. I solved this problem by installing an RO system. It has a hose connection, 1/4" waste on RO lines. Takes four screws maximum to mount the system. Add your nutes and go. Because the RO water line is 1/4" line and not much pressure I was able to purchase, again at Meijer in the pet department, some controls and 1/4" airline. Now all I have to do to fill a reservoir is flip two shutoff valves to on and go have a cup of coffee. Works for me. All together, inclulding the RO system, I think I have $250.00 in to this. If you don't have 5 flood and drain stations you could probaby buy a smaller system. You can't use the ones like the sell at the big box stores. They are not designed to be constant use and you will not be able to afford the filters. Buy a good one if you do this. IMO

We sterilize the stones, and only started using them after we saw so much algae on the rockwool, and only on top. Do you think the weight of these stones will be hard on the roots? We had used paper cup bottoms before. The florescents are just being used to get them started. The "super closet" has a nice cool dome type light.

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No, i don't think the stones will be a weight problem. You could use almost anything that covers the medium. Pre-cut algae covers are like $3.50 for fourty at most hydro shop.

We recently bought some clones that were in peat net pots, so we just transplanted the entire thing into a larger rockwool cube, hoping that would catch any of the fall out. I also just read that the bottom should be cut out of peat nets so the roots dont get tangled in them. I hate to go back and disturb them after a recent transplant, but what you do think about that? We've been keeping the plastic on around the rockwool cubes, but I wonder if it's better to remove that?

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You have to do this, the sooner the better. You also need to remove the plastic from the rockwool cubes before the roots get there and you will need to have them covered so light doesn't hit the roots.

We put little squares of yellow sticky paper on T pins at the base of each plant to catch gnats. We have an air pump that creates bubbles in the res. Do you think airstones are better? Another question. Can solution be mixed ahead of time, or best to mix just before feeding? We had also tried just mixing in in the res, and testing while the plants are out getting flushed, inspected, or just admired in general.

Keep hearing about H202. We'll get some.

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Now you have me totally confused. The purpose of a reservoir is to have a nutrient solution that is feed to you plants on a timed schedule and returned to the reservior. I'll just tell you what I do and hope it answers your question. Every two weeks I change all of my reservoirs. It usually takes me two days to do a complete break down and clean. Because of the RO water I only have to do that Once a month because I don't have the salt build up. I could probably go two months I just think regular maintanance is better. So, I flip my shut off valves and turn the pump on, sit down and talk on rollitup, until the old res water is pumped out. Remove the pump and clean/ inspect it. Dump the rest of the water, the pump can't get it all. Dump a gallon of water and 1/4 cup of bleach in the res and clean all the ... wait a minute there isn't much to remove. Well... any way I clean it and rinse it turn it over and let it air dry, my floor is concrete with a drain, slight advantage. Put it back in place, reinstall the pump, etc., turn on the necessary valves and sit down again til it gets full of RO water. 32 gallons does take some time. Now I add my main nute, I am using the Ionic Line, to the proper ec, tds, ppm etc. for the stage of growth that table is for, add any special treatments, I use Fossil Fuel for all my tanks and different other additives for root, growth and flowering. These are added after making sure of the EC. Then I turn the pump on for a quick second to insure that I have all the valves going the right way. I forgot to do that once. I guess the advantage isn't so slight. Now the next day I take an EC reading for each reservior. Mine are beginning to stay right on target. 1.8 to 2.0 for my medium is where I like to keep it. I find that for at least the first week just topping off my tanks with the RO water brings it right into that range. I wait at least three days before I will add any more nutes too make sure it not just a temporary drift. I have the airstones I mentioned. Watering schedules vary with the medium used. With rock wool and IMO coco-coir once a day is enough with flood and drain so mine is simple for me. Once a day I have to check my ec, turn on some valves, shut them off when the reservoir is full and go sit down again.

Thanks so much for your help!! Shandi[/quote]

Lest you should get the idea that most of my time I just sit and wait, I want you to understand what my actual job entails. Every day I have to come into ths work shop and decide, am I gonna smoke ice today or widow, maybe some crystal or do an unsceintific test to see if a plants read to harvest or check the ones that are curing. I don't just sit here and get stoned I have to plan it. VV