Weedchick goes Hydro 1st attempt

Ok here it is! A cheap set up 3-4 gal res. Airstone on bottom (6) 3.75" net pots. Hydroton and coco husk mix. Using flora series with a cap full of superthrive. ph between 5-7 daily checks. I'm using the same box as my soil grows and I have since purcheased a 250hps that I plan to hang over the box durring flower. I also invested in some seeds I got 10 fems and 30 indoor mixed for 50 bucks so I got a few of each. One of the fems popped up she is indicated by a toothpick in her pot. The only issues so far are I had problems germinating in the set-up. So I bought some soil starter cubes and that fixed that problem only other issue is the ph levels adjustments they are not easy I put a little up in then a little down in and you get the picture. I'm using tap water but I plan on buying (ro) from Wally mart for next res change around x-mas. Haven't been around in a while hope everyones peachy :)

Germinating seeds with rapid rooter until they have 3-5 set of true leaves, then transplant them into your system seem to be a simple start.

3-5 sets of leaves in a rapid rooter? How do you keep the roots from baking under your lights for that long?

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Originally Posted by lemonboy

3-5 sets of leaves in a rapid rooter? How do you keep the roots from baking under your lights for that long?

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Good question :thumbsup: just place rapid rooter in a coffee cup with coco medium.

Well they are now in second week of flowering... One male so far and two ladies other two unknown and 6th died long ago. I haven't set up my 250 hps yet I hope to get around to that this weekend. I give them 1tsp.bloom fert. per gal and a cap of superthrive as well as half a co2 tablet a week. I was changing the res. every two weeks but I think i'll do once a month if possible. These smell a lot more than my soil batch did so i'll be getting some carbon filters to stuff in my fan holes. I use wally spring water and it seems to work much better than my tap water but i was thinking of buying water softner from the pet shop and seeing if I could go back to tap. Oh and I think paper ph strips suck! I need to find something else. Feedback and hydro tips are most welcome:) Until next update :smokin:

They look good. Get your 250 on them, don't wait. have you got vents. I saw those boxes and was thinking the same. Cool little setup. Good luck.

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Originally Posted by Mrs.WeedChick

I use wally spring water and it seems to work much better than my tap water but i was thinking of buying water softner from the pet shop and seeing if I could go back to tap. Oh and I think paper ph strips suck! I need to find something else.

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Yeah, I bought some of those strips and might as well have flushed my money down the toilet. If you can't afford an electronic meter get a drop tester. They work well. As for your water, leave it out for 12 hours with an airstone in it before doing anything to it. This will allow time for a lot of the bad stuff to evaporate.

Don't get a softner, they add salts to the water to make it soft. You want an RO (reverse osmosis) system. You can get a good price on ebay. I use distilled only because I already had it. Sears about 100 bucks has distiller. If you get a PPM meter you can check water from dif places. I know of one that uses a britta on the tap water and PPM's come way below 100ppm's. Wally's water is better for now. And change your res every 10 to 14 days. Some go longer but if you have a meter you can put clean water in like a flush and watch the PPM's go up, the plants give off toxic salts that poisin the water that's why we change so much. You will see your plants slow down the longer they go in the same water.

Well I have 4 girls! wee.... I will change the res. every 14 days and continue on wally water. HPS is up and running, I have just hung it over the box with lid up. I do not have it vented or cooled since it is out in the open and the basement is pretty cold! I just have to remember to close up the box at night to keep the plants warm. I am going to try hanging the lamp from diffrent lengths from the plants. I don't want to burn them or the resin/plastic box but also want sufficiant lighting. What is the norm? I've read as far as ten' and as close as 2'. Thanks everyone this grow is comming along much better than my soil grow did. I haven't had any bug or leaf issues.

Hi, Mrs. WeedChick.
4 that's great. I have a 100 HPS now started with 400. Get the light as close as you can without burning anything. My 1000 is a foot or less from my plants. I also have an AC blowing between light and plant and cooling the small 4' x 6' x 8'. You don't get burned till you touch the bulb. The farther away the bulb is, the more lumens you loose. Just a foot or so past optimum can cost you half your light. Keep the updates coming. Later.

That's close for a 1000w loc even I don't get mine that close. Guess I need a bigger AC.

I guess they don't stretch much hu?
no tip burn at all?

The only burn is when I bump the light with leaves or my hand. Trying to keep the stretch down but some still do alittle. I 'll take a pic. since I got the big light and a big dehumidifier and AC in a 4' x 6' I can keep it cool. It's about like a cool tube you can hold your hand 2 inches away for minutes and not burn. When I had the 400 they would grow right up into the light and burn, Well you saw. They won't do that with a 1000.

Good evening, now for the 5 PM report. First picture is the roots of Big Bertha. I am amazed at how fast these weeds grow. Big bertha and mini got moved into 4 inch pots. The other two in dirt still need a few days before they're moved to 4 inch pots.. The bubble cloner is great. The seedlings have put on their second set of leaves. So far I have 4 plants in dirt and 6 in hydro. So far everyone is healthy and alive. This is so exciting.

That's all folks. Stay tuned, same bat channel, same bat time.

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Originally Posted by Gen

Good evening, now for the 5 PM report. First picture is the roots of Big Bertha. I am amazed at how fast these weeds grow. Big bertha and mini got moved into 4 inch pots. The other two in dirt still need a few days before they're moved to 4 inch pots.. The bubble cloner is great. The seedlings have put on their second set of leaves. So far I have 4 plants in dirt and 6 in hydro. So far everyone is healthy and alive. This is so exciting.

That's all folks. Stay tuned, same bat channel, same bat time.

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Gen, I must tell you: you have a great green thumb... :) I find many thing trully impressive about your grow.

Please do keep it up, it certainly is fun to see.

Best,

-turtle420 :cool:
.
BTW: I'm officially changing your name to BatGirl... or BatWoman...

Thank you turtle. Big kiss.

The ladies are in thier 3rd week of flowering and comming along nicely I think. Temp is stable at 85 on top and 80 on bottom. I have 250hps about a foot over them with (2) 125cfl as side lights. I will post pics tonight. They take 1/2 gallon a day to top of the res. The co2 tablets work great and cost 7 bucks or so for 16pk at pet store. Reading my past posts I neglected to mention that I removed the cocoa husk from the hydroton. And I also got a 12" bubble bar instead of the 4" back when they were seedlings.

loc... have you bumped a bulb with your hand?
did it burn the flesh right off?

I'd love to hear the details... it is a fear` that I have always had being around 1000 HID's....

love

Hey Knowm, If the leaves touch it they burn right up . You can cut that leaf or part of it. I have hit it with my hand and my arm, Almost my head but just hair burn, which doesn't smell good with the plants. It didn't take the skin off but it is painfull and I can compair it to touching a red hot burner on the stove. It don't take me long to find out it's burned. Nasty little burn but with my AC blowing over it you don't know till it's to late. I only did it a couple of times and try not to go check them when I'm smoking. LOL. Hope that helps and everyone stay clear of the lights, they will burn.

These are the latest picures. Buds aren't as big as I would like but they got under the hps two weeks into flowering, so I'm sure they will fattin' up soon! I use bloom food and some superthrive for nuits. but I want to buy some super bloom booster stuff but I don't know which type yeilds the best results. Any suggestions? 5 weeks left. Then chop..chop!

Sorry, Mrs. Weedchick, I posted on your thread.

My last grow did good with bud blood, only used when you change to 12/12 for a week. then switch to big bud for the rest of flower Worked good for me. I'm trying lucus formula now ,no add ons. The buds hardly show at the first month and fatten up the last month. They will fill in, hang in there.

No problem Gen. I noticed that one post and got a little laugh. I have been following your thread as well, you are very dedicated and precise on your plant reports. Good Job! You get an A+ from this teacher. (I mean school teacher not a grow guru) :thumbsup: And thanks for the info Loc I will see if my local hydro store has bud blood or big bud.

Thanks, Mrs. Weedchick. I've been following your grow too. Outstanding! You get the big greenthumb from me!

Well it doesn't look good for sick girl! she has turned yellow and droopy. I went ahead and cut off all the yellow droopy leaves. She is the runt so I think the others are soaking up all the nutrients and light and she gets very little! I went and got some overdrive and added it today maybe she'll come around with a little boost. I also noticed that the top leaves on another plant are coming in yellow almost white what does it mean? it is a bad picture that is the hps making it all yellow what i am talking about is at the very top new growth coming out yellow/white.
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Well, Overdrive didn't work and I think she is dying. All the leaves are droopy and curled inward; they are very soft and yellow. So my question is if she's a gonner do I just hang her and smoke the immature flowers. I am really puzzled as too why she died, all I can think of is that beacuse her roots only hung 2" out of the basket everytime the water level droped she wasn't getting enough food. oh well, I still have three left!

MrsWC...looks like water stress to me...meaning the grow medium is overwatered leading to fungus and algea growing in your medium...what medium are you using...also, what method of growing are you using...from your pics, i think it's dwc? Also, very important is Ph...you want an optimal ph of 5.5 in dwc with it being ok to be between 5.2-5.8....looks mostly like water stress to me tho...2 inches below netpot should be ok....make sure your airstones are functioning correctly...check my thread for help on dwc and recirculating dwc setups...it may help you with some ideas.
http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=50769
-sD