Mind If i Pick Your Brains? (hydroponic basics) :)

Hey everyone,
thanks for having a read and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Well basically i have purchased myself a ring dripping system (no clue of its real name lol) a large reflector and a 600w HPS bulb and ballast. The system includes the pots, reservior, clay balls, chems, pump etc.

Basically i have a few questions if possible as most advice i get is usually half assed and would prefer some advice from the pros

1) How high should the lights be held above the plants (from what i've read about 50cm?)
2) What frequency should i be feeding the plants and for how long (i have been told 3 times daily when lights are on for 15mins each time)
3) How many plants can get sufficient light from a 600w HPS with a large high quality reflector? (many different opinions)
4) How many plants can i grow before scent becomes a factor
5) What amount of water should i have in my reservoir at a time? (obviously the number of plants would alter this number..)
6) Is anyone aware of any seed companies that ship to Australia?

Thank you guys very much in advance, I have read lots of material and multiple videos but im starting to have many, many different conflicting sources of material. Some aren't even MJ specific..

Thanks! :thumbsup:

Hey mate,

I'm also using a 600w hps i have 3 under there at the moment but there getting way to bushy one was FIMmed and the other left to grow. So personally i'd stick with 2 really well fed plants or 4 and go SOG style as i've heard thats reaped very good results. At the moment my plants are super skunky and they have filled the whole gym room (10metres long by 8 metres wide with 16 foot ceilings) with a very strong sweet aroma :thumbsup: this has only come about recently but i think the fact i have my lights so close is keeping them warm and kicking up the smell.

As for the lights there's all sorts of theories around the site one i've heard that worked for me is "put your hand under the light until you can't keep it there for a minute then raise it 2 inches (can't remember who posted that but kudos to them)" i have slowly put them a bit closer as the plants have grown bigger, mine are about midway through flowering and i have the 600w around a foot from the top cola's and have now added another 400w (as of today) to the side just for a boost and that is also roughly a foot and a half from the bottom buds with a bigass satellite style reflector. Everything posted is just info from my personal experience. :weedpoke:

Peace :hippy:Bio

Edit: shit just read your actually asking about hydroponic, mine are just indoor and in soil, anyway might still help :stoned:

few questions back atcha.

1. What strain are you growing? That will greatly impact the amounts of nutes you use. It also really helps to know the brand of nutes since each brand has it's own directions to follow.

2. Got your ph meter right?

3. How far away your light is depends on too many factors to just tell you a number; unless it's like something say......three feet from your plants. New clones and seedlings need to be introduced to a 600w slowly......otherwise it can fry them. Once they are used to the lighting you can begin to lower it.

4 Can't help you at all about seed companies......don't live in Australia.

good luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tristan1986

Hey everyone,
thanks for having a read and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Well basically i have purchased myself a ring dripping system (no clue of its real name lol) a large reflector and a 600w HPS bulb and ballast. The system includes the pots, reservior, clay balls, chems, pump etc.

Basically i have a few questions if possible as most advice i get is usually half assed and would prefer some advice from the pros

1) How high should the lights be held above the plants (from what i've read about 50cm?)
2) What frequency should i be feeding the plants and for how long (i have been told 3 times daily when lights are on for 15mins each time)
3) How many plants can get sufficient light from a 600w HPS with a large high quality reflector? (many different opinions)
4) How many plants can i grow before scent becomes a factor
5) What amount of water should i have in my reservoir at a time? (obviously the number of plants would alter this number..)
6) Is anyone aware of any seed companies that ship to Australia?

Thank you guys very much in advance, I have read lots of material and multiple videos but im starting to have many, many different conflicting sources of material. Some aren't even MJ specific..

Thanks! :thumbsup:

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All righty I guess I will take a whack at this.

1] General rule of thumb regarding light distance around here is as follows: When determining height of your light put your hand where the canopy is and feel the intensity, if it feel like you're going to get sunburned and it's uncomfortable then the light is too low, when you feel comfortable raise it another 5-10cm to account for growth.

2] Assuming you have something similiar to this: http://www.agri-culture.de/catalog/i...arm_detail.jpg, you want to feed the plants every 1-2 weeks depending on what stage of growth you're in. If you meant to ask how long should the pump be running? Your pump should always be running, you don't have to worry about over-watering in hydroponics but you need to make sure you've got an air pump hooked up to an air stone in your reservoir.

3] Anywhere from one plant to 12. This is a complicated subject that needs it's own thread.

5] I like to give each plants at least 2 gallons of personal water, even though in my system all my plants share the same water.

6] Gypsy Nirvana's Seed Boutique is based in Amsterdam and will probably ship to Aus.. they're very discreet and the seeds come packaged like greeting cards.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Weedhound

few questions back atcha.

1. What strain are you growing? That will greatly impact the amounts of nutes you use. It also really helps to know the brand of nutes since each brand has it's own directions to follow.

2. Got your ph meter right?

3. How far away your light is depends on too many factors to just tell you a number; unless it's like something say......three feet from your plants. New clones and seedlings need to be introduced to a 600w slowly......otherwise it can fry them. Once they are used to the lighting you can begin to lower it.

4 Can't help you at all about seed companies......don't live in Australia.

good luck.

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1) Really i am unsure of the actual strain in which i'll be using sadly. I know its a good strain as i have personally viewed the results :) The nutrients i am using is called Optima Flora & Bloom.

2) I have unlimited access to a digital ph tester, although im obviously going to have to get one to make things easier.

3) i guess ill get them used to it and adjust accordingly to how the plants are performing.


EVERYONE
Thanks Heaps for the great advice :hippy:
I can't wait to get everything cracking today!! YEW!!
Legends!

tristan if you search using the search at the top of the page you can find a wealth of answers.