Think different

[bluedevil69]

Hi guys

I'm a complete noob to the world of growing and need all the help I can get.
I was to have a friend take me through my first grow but have been let down badly.
I've been ill for a while now hence the length of time between me registering and getting round to posting.
I've got a hydroponic set-up in my cupboard and 12 Think Different seeds in a propagator and 10 of them have popped giving nice green shoots 1"-1 1/2" high 7 days old.
I very little idea of how to proceed from here.
Would anyone be up for walking me through this please?

Thanks in advance.

[emilya]

Hi guys

I'm a complete noob to the world of growing and need all the help I can get.
I was to have a friend take me through my first grow but have been let down badly.
I've been ill for a while now hence the length of time between me registering and getting round to posting.
I've got a hydroponic set-up in my cupboard and 12 Think Different seeds in a propagator and 10 of them have popped giving nice green shoots 1"-1 1/2" high 7 days old.
I very little idea of how to proceed from here.
Would anyone be up for walking me through this please?

Thanks in advance.

I will help as much as I am able to. You might get a lot out of reading my first grow log here on c.com... the link is in my signature. I learned a lot as a newbie and really discussed the things that I was learning as I went... I think you will get a lot out of it. :)

Talk to you soon when you have some questions. :)

[LOC NAR on probation]

Jump on in, the water is fine.

Remember once you go hydro you never go back. lol

Welcome

[smokeeatsmoke]

Hello is hydro getting to a point where any " basic" ANY compounds/components / ingredients lower? ( speaking of a beneficial viewpoint of coarse ones man junk...) I know ALOT of emphasis on flower look smell taste strength but in these gains is their any basic loss? Curious as when I find changed I wonder if adding subtracting effects a loss of one. Im not a grower like this, i do seek understanding strains and effects of each is various, used to be " green bud" simple good old bud, now it's called names that jump at me with heart pounding anticipation just at thinking about it.

[bluedevil69]

Jump on in, the water is fine.

Remember once you go hydro you never go back. lol

Welcome

Trying hard to learn to swim bud.
Had a look through some grow logs but it really is all greek to me.
I have got as far as having 10 shoots in root riot cubes in a propagator.
I have a hydro-deck and grow room fitted out, 4" cubes, Dutch Pro Take Root, Dutch Pro A&B Grow, PH pens, a 400w & 600w Lights, etc, but no knowledge of what to do next.

[emilya]

take pictures and fill out a troubleshooting form. We can go from there. Oh thats right, you cant post pictures until you get some posts under your belt here at c.com... grrrr.

Someone familiar with hydro is going to have to help you get them out of the propagator and into the next step, whatever that is. Then you are going to have to figure out your mix of nutrients and get it measured correctly. I am assuming you have the lights installed, and probably want to just be using one of them at this point. I am also assuming that you have some sort of air management set up, with an air scrubber of some kind as well as a fan or two in the grow area.

Most will agree that your lights should be on a 24/0 or 18/6 schedule right now, and you will remain in a vegetative state for the next 3-4 weeks. What types of lights are these? I am guessing that maybe you have one that is set up as optimum in the early stages and the other for flowering, but giving us the specs on these lights will help us to guide you.

Does your hydro system have pumps and timers with it? What brand are you using? It sucks that someone who knew all this stuff has just left you on your own with this mess, but if we get the right people in here helping you, you can no doubt learn enough real quick to keep this grow alive, and learn from your mistakes this time. If you were in soil it would be so much easier, but sadly he has left you with a rocket ship instead of a buggy to learn how to drive, and you have quite a learning curve to climb very quickly if this crop is going to survive.

[bluedevil69]

take pictures and fill out a troubleshooting form. We can go from there. Oh thats right, you cant post pictures until you get some posts under your belt here at c.com... grrrr.


Someone familiar with hydro is going to have to help you get them out of the propagator and into the next step, whatever that is. Then you are going to have to figure out your mix of nutrients and get it measured correctly. I am assuming you have the lights installed, and probably want to just be using one of them at this point. I am also assuming that you have some sort of air management set up, with an air scrubber of some kind as well as a fan or two in the grow area.

I have Lights installed with a dim-able ballast and a carbon filter air extractor system and 2 desk fans in there.


Most will agree that your lights should be on a 24/0 or 18/6 schedule right now, and you will remain in a vegetative state for the next 3-4 weeks. What types of lights are these? I am guessing that maybe you have one that is set up as optimum in the early stages and the other for flowering, but giving us the specs on these lights will help us to guide you.

I actually used a standard 40w light to open the seeds and at this point to avoid burning the little beggars.
I don't have both lights installed and was waiting on advice on lighting before proceeding they are both HPS.


Does your hydro system have pumps and timers with it? What brand are you using? It sucks that someone who knew all this stuff has just left you on your own with this mess, but if we get the right people in here helping you, you can no doubt learn enough real quick to keep this grow alive, and learn from your mistakes this time. If you were in soil it would be so much easier, but sadly he has left you with a rocket ship instead of a buggy to learn how to drive, and you have quite a learning curve to climb very quickly if this crop is going to survive.

This Grow Tank Kits : GT 424 Complete kit (http://www.onestopforgrowing.co.uk/shop/hydro-kits/nft-hydro-systems/grow-tank-kits/gt-424-complete-kit-detail) is the NFT tray I'm using.
It comes with pump timer etc.
I know I'm in for a hell of a lesson to keep this crop but my quality of health/life depends on it unfortunately and I'm as keen a student as any teacher could want.
If someone has the time to help me I would appreciate it greatly.
Thank you also to emilya for getting me this far.

[emilya]

ok... well install the smaller of the two lights for now... and in about a month we will get you to turn the other one on too. You need some strong light in there now though or your new seedlings are going to get very leggy looking for the light. Get the lights up about 18" or so above the plants and put your hand in there at plant level. If it feels too hot to you, it will also feel too hot to the plants... and then back your light off a bit.

I am about to move to hydro myself, so no time like the present for me to learn too. I will look into your setup and see what advice I can give, but keep in mind that I am just as new as you when it comes to running the hydro. Maybe we can get an expert in here to comment.

Normally I don't involve myself in newbie grows around here... I am much to busy on the other forum that I run. I hear your words clearly however and understand your need and situation. I will help as much as I can. Hopefully others hear your call also... this is a good community, it is just that many of the best have lost hope in c.com after its reincarnation about a year ago. Hang in there... I am searching for someone to help and have the perfect person in mind.

[emilya]

287913

start out by google'ing NFT hydroponics. I got a series of pictures that really helped describe and explain the system that you are using. I bet you get some great clues from this.

[emilya]

check out the meters you have there too... you mentioned a ph meter. Learn how it works. Is one of them a PPM or ECM meter? If so, learn how to use it... it is going to be important very soon.

[painretreat]

:thumbsup:Hey Bluedevil69,

Sounds like you have just started one of the best hydro threads around. I have no doubt, Emmie can walk you through an entire grow, having never done it! However, we do have some expert growers here, in hydro. PolishPolack, SilentLeprechaun, FarmerRich and of course the infamous; Weezard! Looks like Loc nar on prob, already looked in.

Some of these growers are only here on the week-end. Sorry, it is Tuesday. They generally will comment and help. Happy Pharming!:jointsmile: pr

[bedrik]

Good to see the update here.

[Weezard]

I appreciate the vote of confidence, PR, But I know very little about NFT.
I do DWC because it's simple and forgiving.
And bad advice is much worse than no advice, so I'll jus' hang around and wait for some good advice to happen. :)

Aloha, y'all
Weezard

[Esteban1]

Same here, I'm soil in the raw. Appears all of your ducks are in a row. It's gonna be a learning experience that I can assure thee. Read a bunch on the WWW 'bout hydro cuz it's out there plain to see, floating like a bumble bee stinging like a bee!

Sic Semper Tyrannus

:s4:

[emilya]

It seems to me that the theory is the same... NFT just uses a film and a bit of an angle to get the nutes to drip around the trunks to the roots. BD69's problems are even more basic... how does he find out how to get a correct nute mix with the stuff he has on hand?

Sometime soon BD69, you are going to need to move your plants out of the propagator and into the cubes on the table. I have never even used those cubes, so I know I am not much help. Someone should walk you through these next couple of steps. You need to figure out where the cubes go, how the film goes over them to distribute the solution and of course how to mix the solution correctly for the stage of growth you are in.

Do your lights have reflector hoods? Post a bunch of details in several notes BD, we need to get you over the threshold here so you can post pictures.

[bluedevil69]

I've decided to go soil on this grow till I find my feet.
Thanks for the input guys.

[emilya]

oooooh... now I can help you. :) If you have access to a hydro/soil/equipment store, I highly recommend Fox Farms Happy Frog for this early stage... it promotes good root development. If not, get some Miracle Grow 6 Month and flush it a couple of times really good before you put the young plants in it in order to rinse that initial nitrogen load they put in there away, it is usually too "hot" for seedlings. For this first stage, put them in beer cup sized pots, and water them really good. Then, leave them alone until they dry out. You are growing weeds, and they need to have a clear wet/dry cycle in order to thrive. Get used to the weight of the beer cup when it is dry, and use the lift method to tell when it is time to water again.

Don't make the mistake of putting the seedlings into too big of a container. It might seem like a good idea, but it is not. Right now, it is all about root development, and a large container is going to do things to those roots that are not very beneficial. Water slowly at first, even using a spray bottle if necessary. The roots are not very well developed yet and the plant will tend to move around in that first container if you are not careful. Water to the point of runoff... by that I mean slowly and until it starts coming out at the bottom. If you carefully measure how much water it takes to get to that point, you will be able to see your root growth... as the roots get more developed, you will be able to add more water each time than you could at first.