Critical time, need feedback on yes/no on nutes

[scottcc5s]

OK experts I need some feedback on YES or NO to start giving my 2 week old seedlings some (1/4 strength) nutes. I am a week away from putting them in the ebb/flow buckets system like Tiny has.

I SCREWED up two efforts of cloning so I had to go to seeds and now I am way behind in my time line. I just DO NOT want to screw these up. Right now using rapid rooters with distilled water, again next week going into my ebb/blow buckets.

The nuter I would use are "Cutting Edge Solutions": Micro (6-0-0) and Grow (2-1-6)

Thanks for any expert opinions :)

[tinytoon]

I know you want to get things going but the last thing you want to do is rush things. From what I see you need to put a small fan on them just enough to cause a lil wiggle to strengthen stems and I dont put mine in system till have atleast half dozen or so roots coming out of RR. On the nute side of things I would stick with plain water for few more days anyways.

[scottcc5s]

I know you want to get things going but the last thing you want to do is rush things. From what I see you need to put a small fan on them just enough to cause a lil wiggle to strengthen stems and I dont put mine in system till have atleast half dozen or so roots coming out of RR. On the nute side of things I would stick with plain water for few more days anyways.

Thanks, will hold off on the nutes. I do have a fan on them for 12 hours or so each day. I will move it a bit closer and let it go longer.

One thing I have noticed and I do not know it its a big deal but most of my plants have almost like a tap root (long one, 3 to 6 inch) that just keeps growing down to bottom of tray where some 1/8 inch or so of standing water is. Not sure if I should just keep bottom of tray dry or keep it wet. See pic of what I call long tap root.

[LOC NAR on probation]

That long tap root is what makes the magic happen. It wants water so leave just a little water in there. With those roots you can't fail just don't rush it.

[scottcc5s]

That long tap root is what makes the magic happen. It wants water so leave just a little water in there. With those roots you can't fail just don't rush it.

Thanks for experience/feedback.....I think the only thing I have learned is you guys keep saying "take it slow/dont rush".

Just tough for a rookie to do, guess I expect instant frosty plants. :)

[tinytoon]

Dont know bout everyone else but I was the same way ..... infact sometimes I still am lol :D

[scottcc5s]

Getting things setup for my ebb/flow grow and have room for up to 12 plants. My tent/room is 6x6x7 and I have 600 watt and 400 watt lights along with three 90 watt LED--UFO.

So my question is based on this amount of space and light.....how many buckets/plants would the experts go with?? :)

[LOC NAR on probation]

All of them. You got the space and the light.

[scottcc5s]

All of them. You got the space and the light.

That's what I was hoping to hear...I will go with all 12.

[tinytoon]

I have the same system with 18 buckets running atm and final number will be 21.

[scottcc5s]

I have the same system with 18 buckets running atm and final number will be 21.

You getting up to 21 buckets....VERY nice.

Some of my seedlings are not looking to good last couple of days and I am heading out of town for July 4th weekend. I was thinking about hitting them with 1/4 strength nutes within the next day or so, I am worried they might be dead when I get back if I do not give little nutes. They will be 3 weeks old this Friday.

Based on these pics would you add 1/4 strength nutes or let them go?? I am going to put them in the buckets on Monday (5th).

[tinytoon]

add 1/4 str, they are crying for Nitrogen. To my knowledge 3 main things will cause yellowing, lack of N, PH off, and Heat.

[scottcc5s]

add 1/4 str, they are crying for Nitrogen. To my knowledge 3 main things will cause yellowing, lack of N, PH off, and Heat.

Thanks, will do. FYI I have them on a heat matt (80 degrees), under florescent tubes and up to now using distilled water (5.5 to 5.8 PH).

Lose heat matt??

[martyrprojekt]

Heat mat needs to go.

I would also add something like CAL MAG...just to cover your bases.:thumbsup:

[scottcc5s]

Heat mat needs to go.

I would also add something like CAL MAG...just to cover your bases.:thumbsup:

Thanks for feedback. Heat mat turned off and 1/4 strength Cal Mag added.

Question for Tiny (since he has same ebb/flow setup):

If I am going to run 12 buckets how many gallons of water should I fill up my 50 gallon reservoir with? 30, 40, 50 gallons? Plan to change it every week.

[tinytoon]

with the buckets and controller box drained as far as they go (there will be about 1" of water in buckets and controller when drained), it took min 17 gallons to flood with 10 buckets so seeing that the plants are still young and not going to drink a bunch I would say about 25ish.

[scottcc5s]

with the buckets and controller box drained as far as they go (there will be about 1" of water in buckets and controller when drained), it took min 17 gallons to flood with 10 buckets so seeing that the plants are still young and not going to drink a bunch I would say about 25ish.

Will go with 25 or so. Thanks for the help.

[tinytoon]

If you have time and dont mind few cents for the water bill, setup your system and have everything connected and fill controller box until very top float switch looks level (thats when it would shut off) to include all your buckets. The controller box and all buckets will have the same water level. VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure the controller box and buckets all are at the same height. Meaning if the controller box is on the floor, all the buckets go on the floor also. If you dont have everything at the same height you WILL have a flood. Just depends what is at a higher height to where your flood will be. When you have all the water in controller box and buckets, plug electric in for controller and put it on Drain cycle (it most likely already will be) and drain controller and buckets back into your rez. You now have one of the most important things you need to know, how much is the min water you need to flood :thumbsup:. I took about a 4ft section of spare pvc I had laying around from a plumbing thing I did at the house and put in rez to get water line and mark with a Sharpie. You now have a dipstick so you can tell in a heartbeat if water is high enough to flood and also (if you have gallons marked on stick) keep track how fast the lil ladies are drinking. Oh btw on the side of your rez (55 gal barrel) gallons should be molded right into the side of the barrel. You can mark your stick from that so you know gallons in rez for nute mixture. :jumphappy:

[scottcc5s]

Tiny:

Nice bike/paint.

Thanks for the "detailed" info, I guess good news is all my buckets, etc.. are on level ground (spare bedroom). I am going to hook up everything on Monday so if things flood I will be online looking for help. Based on your details I think I will be OK but you never know.

Thanks again for info :)

[tinytoon]

As long as all same height you be good. If controller to high then buckets flood and if to low then controller floods. You said spare bedroom, is rez and controller in same room as buckets?? I ask because you dont really want to "warm" your rez water and if in same room, unless air conditioned, the rez will heat up and depending how warm it might cause issues.

[scottcc5s]

As long as all same height you be good. If controller to high then buckets flood and if to low then controller floods. You said spare bedroom, is rez and controller in same room as buckets?? I ask because you dont really want to "warm" your rez water and if in same room, unless air conditioned, the rez will heat up and depending how warm it might cause issues.

Yep all the same heights.....I have no other option but to have rez in the same room. I plan to keep rez by the open door in the spare bedroom and have a fan blowing on it with air coming from hallway.

What's the highest water temp I can go in my rez before I start getting into issues?

[tikiroom]

I currently have the same nutes as you. I have not seen in the threads of anyone using them so far. I was wondering why you chose them, and if you have heard of any results with these nutes.

I am on my first grow, and I also killed my first few seeds (not to mention multiple problems since then). But I am coming along one problem and one solution at a time.These threads have really helped me out (I probably read at least three hours a night here).

Good luck, and happy growing to ya! :D

[tinytoon]

80 is max ........

gather up some 2 liter bottles like pepsi or mountain dew comes in and I hope you have a decent sized freezer :jointsmile:
If you run into heat problems at the rez take a 2 liter bottle filled with water and freeze it. Insert bottle into rez ............. remove when not frozen and replace with a new one and put first back in freezer. Depending how warm it gets and how good your freezer is I would say have atleast 4 bottles rotating.

I need to write a book lol :wave1:

[scottcc5s]

80 is max ........

gather up some 2 liter bottles like pepsi or mountain dew comes in and I hope you have a decent sized freezer :jointsmile:
If you run into heat problems at the rez take a 2 liter bottle filled with water and freeze it. Insert bottle into rez ............. remove when not frozen and replace with a new one and put first back in freezer. Depending how warm it gets and how good your freezer is I would say have atleast 4 bottles rotating.

I need to write a book lol :wave1:

Tiny:

Great idea and as always appreciate your info/experience :)

VERY nice green you have going, I hope someday to grow up and be like you. I am back from July 4th weekend and currently soaking my hydroton and going to hook up my new buckets in AM and test everything out before I put the plants in.

FYI the 1/4 strength nutes and cal mag brought them back from the dead so all is good for putting them in the buckets over the next couple of days.

[scottcc5s]

I currently have the same nutes as you. I have not seen in the threads of anyone using them so far. I was wondering why you chose them, and if you have heard of any results with these nutes.

I am on my first grow, and I also killed my first few seeds (not to mention multiple problems since then). But I am coming along one problem and one solution at a time.These threads have really helped me out (I probably read at least three hours a night here).

Good luck, and happy growing to ya! :D

Only reason I bought those nutes is because that's what they (good hydro store) gave me. Going to keep them, figure its more the grower that screws things up that nute company.

Us rookies need to keep reading and learning. I have made a 100 post and now are just starting to understand the "basics". Some pretty smart guys on this forum, we can just keep reading and learning from them. I also think you have to SCREW and kill things to learn, I know I have. :)

[tikiroom]

I completely agree 100%
There is alot of really good knowledge floating around here, and hopefully some of it wears off onto me. :D

I started a grow log, check it out if you want. http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-log/187082-bag-seed-first-time-grow-aero-dwc.html