New Grower HELP PLEASE!

[NewGrow2]

I just bought a homemade hydro system from a buddy of mine. It works great I've seen it done but I'm a little confused on how to use it. My plant is only about 4 in. tall and I went to a hydro shop to get some things to make my plant better [Flora Nova] Should I let my system run as long as I could or should I let my plant have a break. Help please these might be dumb questions but I'm just trying to make myself better at this.

[socialistpete]

Did you try asking the buddy you bought it from? If your asking should the nutrients be running all the time depends on a bunch of things. I never ran mine all the time but some people on here do. what type of system do you have? You could try asking the guy at your local hydro shop.

[blondie68]

hello,
need more information,
what type of system?
lights being used?
can you post pics?
Latewood has posted this info on nutrients
http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-growing/93676-proven-nutrients-all-you-need-gh-3-part-calmag.html
good luck
blondie

[NewGrow2]

The type of hydro system I am using is homemade, if I could I would put pictures on here but I do not have a camera with me. The type of light is just a 75watt fluorescent light [only temporary] Basically the system is nothing but a 2 gallon bucket with everything needed in it. Still should I water continuously or no...? Thanks for the help!:jointsmile:

[NewGrow2]

Another thing...my plant is a little over 2 in. big now with the main coating leafs branching out and new ones growing west and east and the more defined leafs (still not very big) going north and south...is it normal for a plan to be 2in. tall and the leafs growing this slowly...sorry about the dumb questions but I want to make sure I get everything right the 1st time :rastasmoke:

[MisterE]

2 gallon bucket with everything needed in it?
Whats in the bucket? :)

[DRSICE]

[quote=socialistpete]Did you try asking the buddy you bought it from? QUOTE]


READ... READ.... READ....

kp's cannabis college... all you need to know http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=94493

When finished read some more

Regards,

DRSICE :vader1:

Check out current grow log


http://boards.cannabis.com/hydroponics/97659-first-grow-5-fem-ice-2-fem-blackjack.html

[NewGrow2]

tube on the outside to tell how much water is in it and your "sprinkler" yeaa...im a newbie in it...of course you have your growing medium, hydrogen balls you know everything in it needed lol

2in. tall at 5-6 days...bad...good? Everything is in order except the last 2 days my PH was way to high but i've changed it and now its around 6.5 - 7.0 [I know still isnt great but I'm going to get PH Down formula as soon as I can]

[MisterE]

Ok, that sounds like maybe a do-it-yourself waterfarm type setup.

Yeah that PH is way way high for hydroponics. You need to be basically at 5.8 or as close as possible for these plants to take up the nutrients they need. If you have some distilled white vinegar in the fridge, then you can use it as PH Down until you buy some proper PH Down.

PH is about the most important factor, so keep it in check, else a slew of problems can develop all stemming from bad PH levels.

So really, there's no giving the plant a break or whatever. Keep the water level where it belongs with PH'd water for now and you should be ok.

I wouldnt worry over growth rate honestly, but focus on healthy water and healthy looking leaves and growth will naturally follow.

[NewGrow2]

So Distilled White Vinegar lowers PH?? Anything else lower PH? [Trying to possibly save a little cash] Thanks for your help!:D

[JackdaWack]

hydrogen balls hahaha. Im assuming this is a dwc bucket, start readin threads on this forum and using the search button.

[NewGrow2]

Forgive me, like the thread says "New Grower" I know I still have a lot to learn but I will get the hang of things eventually. Thanks everyone for your help!

[GodBud]

Sulfuric Acid works great. About 1 ml per gal.

Peace

[JackdaWack]

ok as u guys know hes a new grower, sulfuric acid isnt one of thise things found in your grociery store. he said there is a hydro store by him so get some ph down asap. also i really have no idea what kinda system this is, if its a dwc the air pump has to stay on 24/7 but if its a drip style i would suggest feeding them 4-5 times a day, with drip systems if run 24/7 u might need to ph balance more often, and u dont have to run it all the time but you can.

[GodBud]

No dis meant. I am on my first grow. I went to Nappa Auto and bought sulfuric Acid for 10 bones. I was a little skeptical at first but when I tried it my ph went down very nicely. I just took the advice off another forum thats all. We are all here to support and help one another. Thats all I am trying to do.

Peace :stoned:

[NewGrow2]

How f*ckin' sweet would that be to have a study group with all the smokers of the world to give each other tips and advice in person. You know roll a couple joints roll a couple blunts back a bowl here and there. Sounds like Disney Land to me:rastasmoke:

Keep Smokin'

Thanks Everyone

[Weedhound]

My best advice is one of Zandor's quotes....if you go cheap you grow cheap....dicking around trying to "save money" etc will cost you tons more in the long run both in trying to fix all the problems caused by trying to skate by and in the poor yield you'll have at the end. It costs nothing to read the forums and learn the correct way to grow. A ph of 6.5- 7 won't cut it for you either....close doesn't count in hydro...only horseshoes and atom bombs. Good luck.

[NewGrow2]

Oh I completely Understand there is nothing cheap about what I am buying. Here is a list of everything that I have bought just in the last week:

PH Up
Distilled Vinegar [Eventually I will buy PH Down]
Sugar Daddy [heard it was the sh*t so i had to try some]
Flora Nova Grow [Soon to buy Flora Nova Bloom when time comes]
PH Tester Kit from Sun Leaves

I have a 75 watt light...cheap but i just used it for my seedling and now I have a much stronger light which can hold up to 650 watts. I change the water every week I check the PH atleast every other day if not every day. I am by no means going the easy way through this. If there is anything else recommended I would love to hear it. I'm really interested in trying everything out on the market these days. Also here is a couple pictures of my two plants one isnt doing so good the stem is a brownish color but my hydro plant is looking amazing after just a week of being in the system. I'd really appreciate it if you guys told me if it looks good or not...to me it does but if someone else would tell me it would make me feel even better lol.

Keep Smokin'

Peace:rasta:

[Weedhound]

Good for you to make a commitment to doing it right....you WILL be rewarded at the end with a nice big yield (god willing) but it sounds as though you're trying hard. The little one I see there looks kind of stretched....how far away is your light?

[pm_BigBud]

that pic looks like mines after three days should I put the light closer

[Weedhound]

Yes I would move the light closer but different kinds of lighting need to be at different distances from the plant depending on the heat the light puts out. I use HID so I keep mine light back to about 3 feet from seedlings but you can put other types of lighting closer....but I'm not sure how much closer.