The Garden's Cure - Hydroponics

good water source?

username08 — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:31:49 GMT

ok everyone so this is my first time doing bubble buckets. i've got 3 plants growing, each in 2gal buckets. once the plants were ready to be transferred to buckets i used rain water to grow the plants in. i had planned on using rainwater when its time to add water or replace the solution but, it's been dry lately. no rain.

i've been wondering, can i use faucet water if i leave it outside a few days to let chemicals evaporate out? if not, how about gallon water from walmart or the grocery store? could i use water from a creek or river? i was thinking, as long as it's a water source that always moves and doesnt just sit, like pond water, it'd be fine and have less algae or bugs.

if those aren't a good solution to clean water, what is? where do you guys get your water when it's time to change out your water? my plants have really started taking off and i wanna have the next solution ready whenever it's time. trying to learn and get everything down before i start the seeds that i ordered. just using bagseed for the first time around. i know i'll learn alot using these.

anyway, any input is appreciated. thanks everyone.

My new mini bubble bucket!

Envisaged — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:33:27 GMT

Might be the smallest around - probably the highest to maintain as well. Set it up yesterday - finished it today. What do you think?

The plant is a chocolate habanero:

when to buy a new meter?

burndt — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:32:06 GMT

hello all,

this is my meter. almost 5 years old.

i replaced the batteries, probe and calibrated it (several times)

it's still reading a real low PH :shrug:

i'm not sure what else to do. just wondering if anyone's had the same problems before or has another idea.

maybe it's just a pos hanna

if i need a new meter, what kind for <300? i was thinking of buying the same one. it's lasted me almost 5 years = payoff

thanks

roots in hydroton

kingme — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:01:52 GMT

If the roots come out of the hydroton is that bad? (like out the sides or the bottom) Will the light hurt the roots? should the top of flood table be covered >?

titties

Sure to grow

retired? — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 03:55:00 GMT

I purchased a new to me grow medium Sure to Grow. I am familiar with COCO and Rockwool and hydroton pellets. I looked through the Product reviews forum and could not find this grow medium. It has been on the market for about 2 years from what I have read could be wrong.

I was looking for 4" net pots and they had the all-in-one lid/pot for 4$ with the STG in it. So I asked about it.

I talked with the owner for a bit about it and it sounded good for my mother plants, starts and clones. He said it was Ph neutral no adjusting required. Unlike Rock wool and coco fiber that I have to adjust for, I have both.

It looks like the stuff in the pads of my couch. I have cats ;) It is made from recycled plastics. The web site explains all the specifics of that stuff.

I wanted to hear some reviews from people that are using it or know someone that is.

Is it a good choice? I am going to use it in DWC, 5 gal bucket style.

Thanks for the Insight.

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res ppm rise troubl???

bgb_123 — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:00:18 GMT

im not sure what it is but soemthing seems off with my feeding

my plants are ok but i have a feeling im under feeding and not sure why...let me explain:p

i have been growing ak47 and white russian

at first i thought maybe it was my strain was nute sensative but after using the nute calculator showing all the NPK and the macros and the active elements ..............

anyway if i mix the nutes with equal active elements that most others would use given the stage or week of plant life my res ppm will rise as if the nute solution is to strong

another words i have to mix my nutes weeker than everyone else or my res ppm will rise over a couple days...i suspect my plants want more food even though the res ppm may rise...
does this make any sense.. is it possible or common ...or should the res. ppm always fall no matter what for good health

i thought about ignoring the ppm readings and just use the PH as a guide...if the ph rises slowly im in range..if the ph rises fast add stronger solution ..but not sure if thats a goo way to guage

i wondered for a while if it could bewater evaperation but my humidity is between 40 to 60% 24/7 and my res has a light tight cover

DWC pot issues

Prophet — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:46:31 GMT

I don't have net cups, but i have some little pots, I was wondering how many and how big I should drill holes or should I just go but net cups?

help me improve my system

bgb_123 — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:46:51 GMT

ok so im already running my system and want to improve on what im already using.

i have :
4x8 tray
2 - 1000watt hps with 6" cooled hoods
growing medium = hydroton
115 gln res 3ft under tray
550gln pump drip feeding 30 plants
6" sq pots

i veg for a couple weeks using 4" net pots under a 400watt m/h in a 3x3 tray then set the net pots inside 6" sq pots in flower

my thought to improve my system has been swirling around in my head and after reading a journal on a pond water culture deal im thinking harder

my 4x8 tray has a water fall edge- meaning it has 2 steps in it -like a lip if you will around the edge

my thought was to get some of that 1/2" thick plastic sign board
($50 and comes in black or white??)- its corragated and pretty ridged.............cut 30 6" round holes in the top and lay it on top of my tray so it fits inot the previously mentioned water fall lip

then use 6" net pots -- the net pots would be supported at the bottom by the base of the tray and not suspended so there is no weight on the sign board

the goal would be to create a dark area between the sign board cover and the tray and use the net pots to allow the roots to grow outside the pots

here is where i need the advise... what would i do to create an optimal enviroment for roots inside the tray

i thought about getting those spray nozzles they use in an ezcloner and see if i could fit them into tubing like i do with the drip sticks ...
or maybe it would be better to flood and not need the sprayers

honestly the ebb n flow isnt my favorite way to go because it requires the res to be filled to the rimb and if water level in res is a little low water pump gets air locked...this is one rerason why i switched to the drip
another reason is i get more rooting area whe i set the 4" pot on top of the 6" pot it creates a deeper pot ara for roots to grow and i dont need to worry about water reaching the top of the pot like i would if it was flooding

Root Rot????

Solstice420 — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:59:28 GMT

So I'm thinking I may have root rot. Also having a problem with algae as well. Well not so much of a problem, rather than poor preventative maintenance. I've read up on how to control the problem, just wanted some confirmation from those that may have experienced it before. First try at a DWC bubbler. I'm also trying to determine what's up with my leaves. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Pics below. Plants about 2 weeks old. Only additives were BC Grow 1/4 strength and ph down.

Also if anyone would like to take a stab at the problem with the potted plant, please do. It was donated to me after somewhat being abused. Put it back into veg cycle and if i can get it healthy it will be a mother. My guess is it's root bound. Not a lot of soil in the pot. Would repotting be beneficial?

Thanks in advance.

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"Sure to Grow" Media 1/2 off

Gaseous Clay — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:57:10 GMT

Just got an ad in my Facebook for Sure To Grow media.

They offering 2 sizes of their 'new' HAIL product for 1/2 off.
The 1 cubic foot bag for $15.00 and the 2 cubic foot bag for $28.00 (USD).

[mod note: removed ad link]

I ordered mine and I'm having my 2 adult daughters ordering more! LOL!

Drip System Media

Stoichio — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:04:58 GMT

Well I've built a drip system. I've got three 4 gallon emitters (rated at 25psi, they're at 5psi) per 2 gallon bucket. The runoff drains to waste, so I'm trying to avoid an excessive amount of it.

I was thinking of using perlite. Since there's going to be a small puddle about a 1/4" deep in the buckets, i figured it would wick this up and prevent an anaerobic spot. But I'm thinking hydroton might be a better choice if it allows longer between drip cycles, since I'll be running at night and 30 emitters next to my bed is kinda on the loud side.

Right now they both have some strong points and negative ones.

Perlite:

Cons:

Dusty Setup
Possibly have to drip more often
Need to buy new medium next run

Pros:

Light weight
Cheap initial cost
Drier means less chance of rot
Leftovers can be used to mix houseplant soil
It's just one more white/reflective thing in my room
Lowest CEC available

Hydroton:

Cons:

Expensive innitial purchase
Cats think its a toy
Wetter means more chance of rot
Cleaning it sucks

Pros:

Less drip cycles means less waking the GF
Reusable for the most part
Already have an idea of how it acts in terms of drying out
It looks like everybody else is using it for drip.

Coco is not an option because of its high CEC value. I plan on measuring the run off for elemental content. What medium would you choose. And why.

Brainstorming on ebb-flow/hempy combo

Yak — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:52:16 GMT

So recently I have tired of dealing with the mass amount of perlite and dust it creates when we transfer plants. I have been pondering what to do because I love the ease of growing for hempy, but hate the effort to assemble the bucket mixture. I love the ease of mixture and convenience that ebb and flow brings but hate the limiting plant size because of the small pot containers.

My thoughts are:
3x3 flood table
X number of plants (trial and error) but maybe 6-8 plants in 3-4 gal pots

Inside of these pots there is a perlite/vermiculite mixture 2-3 inches in the bucket with a drain hole drilled 3 inches up, exactly like hempy process. On top of the hempy per/verm mixture is hydroton with the plant resting in a net pot with hydroton.

The pots would have a few assorted holes drilled along the sides above the 3 inch mark to allow water to enter the pot from the side when the table floods at a quick rate and saturate all of the root ball. The lowest holes would be 3 inches up to allow the pot to drain out and keep 3 inches of water (the same height as the per/verm mixture) as a mini rez.

In essence it is an automated hempy waterer in a flood table with the water entering through the bottom/side instead of above.

Now, with this, the table would only need to flooded every day around once or maybe less because of the mini rez in the bucket. Also my assumption is I would not need to the PH the water because I dont PH it for my hempy, just add the nutes and go.

With this style, im brainstorming that I can grow larger plants such as with hempy but lose the dust and have the ease of automated watering.

Does this sound crazy? All the tables would be strain specific so they all would need the same nutes and same age.

trimming roots in dwc

sizzer — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 09:55:12 GMT

Ok heres another one that comes with great disagreement, like the using Hps for veg thing.
I did a search for it, before posting this question, but there are arguments in all directions.
In a dwc, can you prune the lower portion of a root systems mass, without harming the plant?

WHICH ONE?

YETI66 — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:51:21 GMT

Hello All, Just getting ready to clone my blackberry's that I started from purchased seeds and will soon be ready to transfer clones into my DR120, mothers are female in veg, I'm hoping the clones when sexing stay that way! (fingers are crossed)

Here's my question, I'm debating on using either 4 hydrogarden waterfarm completes WaterFarm Complete WaterFarm Complete from Growco Indoor Garden Supply

Or 1 turbogarden Turbogarden Ebb and Flow System from Growco Indoor Garden Supply

What will work simpler for the beginner (ME)!! :p

Thanks.

Sure to grow...

jamesgang — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:23:46 GMT

... Anybody using these???

Discount Hydroponics - Sure To Grow Inserts

JG