Help Newtime Hydro (pics)

Grow Info:
Indoor Hydroponic Wardrobe
Plants are all Northern Lights
In Veg 18/6 cycle
Lighting is a 400 Watt Son T Agro HPS
Small Shade
120mm Exhaust Fan
Growing Medium is clay balls
Using Rapid Grow as nutrient
Have water heater and air pump with Airstones

Any other information you need let me Know.

Im a first time grower so taking on the hydro was a bit of a challenge, ive been trying to follow everything to the specifications I found on packets, however im having quite a few troubles.

1. The Ph fluctuates constantly. Adding Ph down everytime it gets up there but only lasts a day until I must add again. Is this normal?
2. Ive just replaced the whole nute solution as it had a lot of green algae. Have read firther found that its light on water so have covered that better, is that the only cause of algae? How often are you ment to replace whole solution?
3. I have no idea what temp the water should be at we have a heater that can set to any temp its at 20 degree at moment.
4. When should exhaust fan be on? I have it set up to same timer as lights, so its on when lights on. Temp stays between 25 -30 degrees celcius.
5. One plant in particular is turning very yellow and not looking so good. All the leaves on all plants even healthy ones are curling downward, is this normal? What can you suggest? (pics Included)
6. Am using a CF meter for the nutrient level and it is always high, I add water however by next morning it is back to the same level, is this normal?

Pics are included, any other information you need let me know!

This is the link to the set up I Have. As itâ??s a secure site I cant just link you to it. Go to www.sog.co.nz then click on store to the left. Once that opens view kitsets, look for K180 Hydro Wardrobe 3 Piece.

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Just quick note, have made several changes in effort to keep these babies after reading alot on here.

Have just finished completely flushing the system, scrubed all the Algae out so none in the system. Have covered all water possible however where hoses are there will still be some light leak, maybe 1cm * 5cm worth, will this still enable algae to grow?

With the nute i went out and brought better quality called growzilla with n-p-k of 28-5-30. Added 1/6th of recomended strength as im sure was burning with the amound of nute we had. Also added Earth Juice Catalyst n=p=k of .03-.01-.10. Added 1/6th of recomnded of this too. And last things added to water (as it was recomended on back of the growzilla) was Herb's Nitrozyme and Superthrive, I used 1/6th of recomended once again.

Is there anything else people can recomend. I replaced the pads at bottems of plants as this was full of Algae, tried to wash all algae from plant, hw can you tell if it has taken hold of the actual plant? Im thinking this is whats happened with the very sick looking one, as even at the base of the plant before it hits the growing medium is green almost algae looking.

If anyone needs pics of anything let me know and il put them up for you to have a good look.

Any help much appreciated!

well if you had a bad alge problem you may have root rot check the roots, is there slimy brown stuff on them if so that is your problem some h202 will help with that next time as a preventative measure use hydroguard its a biological water treatment that stops alge growth but do not use it in conjunction with the h202 as they will conter act each other making them useless. do an application of the h202 then wait 24 hours and add hydroguard.

1. The Ph fluctuates constantly. Adding Ph down everytime it gets up there but only lasts a day until I must add again. Is this normal? LIQUID UP/DOWN LASTS LONGER THAN POWDER MIX. PH FLUCTUATION IS NORMAL BUT BEING IN THE HABIT OF CHECKING DAILY IS GOOD.

2. Ive just replaced the whole nute solution as it had a lot of green algae. Have read firther found that its light on water so have covered that better, is that the only cause of algae? How often are you ment to replace whole solution? THE CAUSES OF ALGAE TO GROW ARE AS FOLLOWS: LIGHT HITTING THE TRAY / NUTE TANK, WATER ABOUT 75 DEGREES FARENHEIT, AND ALSO STAGNANT OR DIRTY WATER. GET IN A HABIT OF FULLY CHANGING AND CLEANING YOUR RESIVOIR EVERY TWO WEEKS

3. I have no idea what temp the water should be at we have a heater that can set to any temp its at 20 degree at moment. SEE ABOVE

4. When should exhaust fan be on? I have it set up to same timer as lights, so its on when lights on. Temp stays between 25 -30 degrees celcius. WHILE SOME STRAINS APPRECIATE HIGHER TEMPERATURES, MOST SHOW OPTIMAL GROWTH SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 70-80 DEGREES FARENHEIT WITH THE LIGHT ON. WHEN THE LIGHT IS OFF IT SHOULD DROP 10-15 DEGREES IDEALLY.

5. One plant in particular is turning very yellow and not looking so good. All the leaves on all plants even healthy ones are curling downward, is this normal? What can you suggest? (pics Included) YOUR CAUSES FOR YELLING COULD BE A FEW THINGS. THE MOST LIKELY WOULD BE A NITROGEN DIFFICIENCY IN THE NUTRIENTS, OR POSSIBLE A PEST SUCH AS SPIDER MITES. LEAVES CAN CURL DOWN WHEN THE HUMIDITY IS TOO HIGH OR WHEN THEY ARE BEING OVERWATERED. SET WATER CYCLE TO "ON" FOR 15 MINS EVERY 4 HOURS AND INCREASE THE FREQUENCY BUT ONLY IF THE PLANTS SHOW NO SIGN OF DROOP.

6. Am using a CF meter for the nutrient level and it is always high, I add water however by next morning it is back to the same level, is this normal? I CANNOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION AS I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER.

Have checked all roots, some are slightly brown some are not. I have taken picture of the worst affected one just incase it is not root rot. H202 is that Hydrogen Peroxide? What form do you buy this in.

Il have a read up on this now, are you able to cut away the effected areas of the roots as not the whole system is brown? Also will one plants root rot spread to the next?

Can i expect to recover, or as im only a week or so into grow would it be worth dumping the lot and fresh restart?

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Thanks deft for the hint on water cycle we have had it on 15 mins every hour as this was recomended to us. Will cut it back to 15 mins every 3 hours while lights on and every 4 when light off, this ok?

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This is the setup now is that water covered enough? Ignore the paper thats temp till cut some plastic.

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This is the one im worried about, see the green at the base? Is that normal, also if its algae would u recoment cutting out something to block light from top around base of plant so the algae gets no light?

they look like the water temp is too high. Can you get the temp cooler? Consider dropping ice bottles in the res, etc. Some H2O2 and cool water tempatures should help get rid of the algae.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Racerx

they look like the water temp is too high. Can you get the temp cooler? Consider dropping ice bottles in the res, etc. Some H2O2 and cool water tempatures should help get rid of the algae.

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my thoughts exactly esp when he said that he had a water heater involved...

dude you want you temps low.....i find 70* is perfect for my tomatoes:thumbsup:

Will get some H202 tomorrow have dropped the temp to 68 F. Any suggestions about the roots though? This is the only problem i can see at the moment, nothing is getting worse, although nothing better only time will tell i will keep you all updated.

Thanks so much for all the help

the plants are probly severly stunted, whats your ph, ec, ppm etc?

search for root rot...you will find the answer

What's your water source?Tab water has to many of the wrong minerals in it.
Chlorine,calcium,haloacetic acids chlormines copper lead and so on. Use distilled water .It has a PH of 5.8 to 6.5 But check it anyway befor and after
you put the nutu in.AND ONE THING TO BE SURE OF IS TO CALIBRATE YOUR
PH PEN IF YOU ARE USEING A PEN.Calibrate all your test pens,EC,PPM, PH.
the right nutrs are a must to get the maxs from your grow.You have the right idea about useing the nutrs,start with less and build up to a stronger solution.
Hope this will help you,that's about allI can think of.Good Luck and keep us posted it

:smokin:1>>>The water you are using is most likely the reason your ph fluctuates so often...If properly set-up, with good photsynthesis, you shouldn't have to adjust your ph everyday...Mine stays consistant throughout the week.
>>>remedy: Buy a $90 reverse-osmosis unit off ebay. I did...Matter of fact. If you search my early threads then you will find a pik or 2 of mine..It is the same quality unit that sells for about $250 on the street.

2>>>every 7-10 days...with top off in between.

3>>>65-72 degrees is a comfort range. Cold water holds more oxygen than warm. Do you have your rez oxygenated?

4>>>you want temps between 70best-80max degrees
humidity btween 40-50%. Exhaust should run whenever your temp/humidity values go beyond the rates above; whether the lights are on or not. And you should have a small circulating fan on at all times. Keep in mind...High humidity can cause problems also, and occurs mostly when the lights are off.

5/6/whatever>>>You have fried these plants. The fact that you have to add water to bring down the EC/ppm's everyday means they cannot wait to drink water...leaving the nutes, and causing the EC to rise. it may have been high rez temps..It may have been the Algae. From your piks, I would almost say trying to finish this grow would be a waste of time. But, If you must try; You should flush the system for 2-3 days with ph'd water only. If you don't have RO, then use distilled water.

(be advised...You can buy a RO unit and make your own water, for the price of 3 weeks of distilled water! Get it?).
Then add a 1/2 strength batch of nutes to reacclimate the plants to nutes for 1 week.

The following week (if they are still alive/You should see nice new growth and new white fuzzy roots, (10days)), Mix nutrients full strength and continue grow.
So flush 3 days, add 1/2 strength nutes for a week, then if you haven't "KILLED" them and they show healthy new growth:thumbsup: ...Add a full strength dose of nutes and move on.

cover your rez completely to "dark" otherwise algae will find a way...

Oh yeah...What do you need a water heater for? Is it freezing outside in your grow room?

Is that an NFT system? I don't see drippers...or is it aero/sprinklers?:confused:

15 minutes in 3 hours is not often enough to water. The roots will dry up before you feed them, If that is NFT...I run mine anywhere from 45-1:45 minutes with a 15 minute off time when lights are on...and 15 on 45-1:15 minutes off when lights are out.

What week are you in? Are you in veg or flower? When did you start feeding them 1/6 nutes? :confused:
Oh, by the way;
when changing nutes you should use the amount recommeended by the manufacturer. After the damage I witnessed in your piks. I believe that your plants will not show any growth being fed 1/6 nutes. But, you still should flush, before moving forward...I reiterate...I think they are toast, but I have been wrong before. it depends on how much time/money you want to spend to try and bring these back to life. They will not yield much after so much early stress., and the algae will bring gnats, and then you will be fighting that.

In closing. You are in over your head. You need to do a lot of reading before you move forward...It is a shame too, as you have purchased a nice system. I have given you a bunch of good info that should provide you with enough insight to find the information on each topic you need to study on. good luck.;) peace lw:smokin:

Thank you both so much.
At the moment im going to try and keep this grow, it is a NFT system. The pump is back to 15mins to every hour, we have special pads at the bottem of each plant to make sure moisture is always present, or would you still recomend 45 - 1.45 on and 15 mins off? Also is the is one block persiod or would it be better to hav 15 mins on 15 off or 30 on 15 off ?

I will be taking care of water today getting distilled water and replacing it. Will have only that for 3 days, then change the mix to 1/2 strength nutes as recommended and we will see from there.

Will keep you all posted.

This post is not of much help but from the pictures I've seen on this forum I think it'd just be better if more people grew in soil lol.

I find it so much more interesting this way and i love to learn. This sure has been a steep learning curve, at least its not too costly to get more clones.

stick with it mate ;)
ull learn alot for ur next grow, dont let this discourage u.


blaze on

Haha no way if anything its made me want to find out more. You learn best from experience so this has been good for me, next time if this happens i know what to do, and i can help out others that fuk up like me lol

I agree...Hang in there. you will learn, just like the rest of us did...You have heart and we are all pullin for you.

Just don't make a buch of crazy adjustments. Take it slow. remember in hydro the nutrients and whatever else you add is available to the plant immediately...
good luck, lw

What you do is get a lot of resin for hash but put it in the water this make the THC levels rise i really have no fucking clue i made it up

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed

oh yeah

i am going to ask you questions aboiut the system!

1, how deep into the water in the tray do those pots sit? it apears that the whole or more than 50 % of the pot would be submerged!
2, have you got any other medium in the pots, ie rockwool cubes or jiffy pellets? as both of these can become water loged and kill your roots and the plants will take on the appearance they have,!
3, do you use tap, distilled or purified water,
4, are you able to adjust the hieght of the sollution in the trays?
TIP! the more oxigenation you can achive in the aeroflow the better! try insalling airstone in each tray at inlets, and adding an inlet extra will help move the eddying water in the trays, and give better oxigenation,aslo with most areoflow the baskets only sit slightly in the solution about one third of the basket!if ya have more than this the plants will suffocate of oxigen to the root supply , unless you have super oxygen enriched sollutions, which is basically "over watering!.

good luck with your crop!
and keep reading all you can!