Warning!!!!!

[tinytoon]

Hi all and welcome to Tinytoon's info post. I have been running the same setup in 2 cabinets for a year now and never had a problem really until I tried these RW starters that I had bought. Normally I would take my clones and put them in 1" RW cubes and they would be otw to growing the lovely herb that we all enjoy so much. Since I put my 1" cubes into 4" cubes after roots show I started thinking that wouldn't it be nice to have a round clone starter instead of a square one since the hole in 4" cubes is round. Also thought it would be nice if such a starter would be split so clone could be layed into RW instead of pushed ( I normally slice 1" cube so I can acomplish this). Low and behold I found Grodan round starters and thought I was in heaven, NOT!!!!! I did my normal soak in PH adjusted water before putting clones in and didnt change anything from previous grows. About the time I figured I should start seeing roots the 5 clones started to shrivel up and started down the road to hemp heaven. Here I am going WTF? Didnt underwater, overwater, temp fine, hunidity good and plenty of light. So for some starnge reason I checked the PH in the bowl that I had been dunking my clones into and what do I find but PH way high and I mean like around 7+ pushing 8. How the hell did this happen?? So I nurse them to the point of getting them into the tub ( I do E&F), and start checking PH twice daily. Everytime I checked it it was high as hell. Nothing changed in the way I was doing things besides these new round starters I was using so I deceided to try a little test, I put 1 round starter in a bowl of PH adjusted water to soak. 2 hours later I tested PH of water and it was extremely high!! These new starters were the cause of my PH problem!! The remaining clones ( lost 3 out of 5) are still hanging in there but slow growth doesnt even come close to describing what is going on with them. Now after 2 weeks in the E&F setup, flooding 5 times a day and with me constantly adjusting PH back down I think the lil bastard starters have finally flushed to the point of being rid of whatever was causing the rapid rise in PH. Thought I would share this as I wouldnt want anyone else to waste money or bang their head on their desk trying to sort this out. There were 32 starters in the bag. I used 5 for clones and 1 for PH test, the rest went in the trash!!!

[the image reaper]

sorry about your bad results ... rockwool is so 'yesteryear', I won't use the stuff :wtf: ... try RapidRooter plugs next time :thumbsup: ... they're made of compressed bark, neutral pH, and hold/release just the right amount of water ... RapidRooters Rock :thumbsup: ... good luck, my friend :smokin:

[socialistpete]

I got a bag of those some how and didn't much care for them myself. I can't believe you use rockwool in the first place, you really need to try rapid rooters way easier to use!

[socialistpete]

damn reap you beat me too it.;)

[tinytoon]

well my Bucket garden is not running yet so I am using to seperate E&F setups, medium is RW blocks and Hydrotron. I will look into the Rapid rooters as I have seen alot of peeps using those but would I start in a RR in then graduate to the 4" Blocks like I have been or?? I will accept any recomendations that do not require a Gold Card to be able to afford :thumbsup:

[MJACTIVIST]

Dude just change the Rockwool starters to Rapid Rooters and then just do everything the same. Hope it helps
L8
MJ

[tinytoon]

aye that was the plan since I still have a few 4" and also 6" blocks to use up. Been looking at the new SureToGrow blocks but they can only be purchased in case form atm from what I have found and dont really wanna drop $200+ on something I dont even know will work for me lol thnx for the input though and remember it's 420 somewhere!! :jointsmile:

[socialistpete]

Seriously, stay away from RW. just throw your clones in rapid rooters and then into hydroton.

[tinytoon]

well flood tray is only about 4 1/2" deep and was thinking blocks were giving stability. I will be running the same setup that Dive has when I get basement finished and planned on doing your thought Pete with that setup since they will be in 2 gal buckets.

[easymare]

Tiny's other half here i just keep seeing the plants tip over in my mind that with only hydrotron around the rr's they gonna take a header LOL.Have seen some of our's get top heavy enuff to tip the 4"rw nearly over LOL. Course I tend to think beyond xtreme at time too LOL.:rastasmoke: n b happy

[the image reaper]

a bag of 50 RapidRooters costs about $12, cheap enough ... when rooted well, you can then stick the entire plug into either soil, or bury it into the hydroton/higromite, etc., for hydroponic setups ... as the plant grows, the rootball grips the hydroton, etc., very firmly, I've had no 'tipping over' problems, even with 6-footers ... :thumbsup:

[socialistpete]

Reaps right, I actually have problems getting the plant the hydroton separated.

[tinytoon]

Wow thnx for the input and sounds like I need to buy more Hydrotron lol oh btw for us northeasters I found a small Hydro shop that might be worth looking into. neHydro.com, Hydroponics and Gardening Supplies (http://nehydro.com) is the addy got a good deal on a constant PH/Temp/PPM meter from them for 149 and free shipping so I finally have a PH reader besides my fish tank test kit

[LOC NAR on probation]

Good deal on the meter, once you have one you wander why you waited so long and if it brakes how did you ever live without it ?

Cool website at least it's on my coast if my store doen't have what I want.

[crabbyback]

I've used nehydro.com and liked them. My latest favorite is cheaphydroponics.com, recommended by someone here on the board a few months ago. I would give them props if I could remember who it was ...:stoned:

[tinytoon]

ok bag of rapid rooters are otw and this weekend I will be putting in the tri-meter to see how Ph and such doing. also putting in AC this weekend to be prepared for the higher temps that are coming.

[LOC NAR on probation]

ok bag of rapid rooters are otw and this weekend I will be putting in the tri-meter to see how Ph and such doing. also putting in AC this weekend to be prepared for the higher temps that are coming.

Sounds like you got the year round thing about going on. A/C is the best it helps all the way around. You won't regret it.

[tinytoon]

well AC doesnt go into grow room it goes into room right next to it and 2nd unit goes in bedromm which is on same floor. Fortunately I own my house and the few people that do come here I dont really hide anything from so doors stay open and such. Nice not to have to close things up like a bank vault lol

[tinytoon]

ok got tri-meter installed and followed directions for calibration and such but have a question for anyone that uses tri-meters, when res temp goes up or down are you suppose to see a chaneg in both PH and PPM readings? On my meter the lower the temp the PH drops and PPM rises and of course if temp rises it is visa-versa.

[meandmine]

Seriously, stay away from RW. just throw your clones in rapid rooters and then into hydroton.

What makes rapid rooters so much better? I almost choose them when I got everything for my system but I wanted to mimic what most people are using so people would be able to answer my questions more easily, plus the rapid rooters are just a smidge more expensive.