hydroponics growing advice needed,

[dragonfly2dream]

ok, this is my first set up, lots of research i was able to put together a room for about $200. pics are at the 3 week stage
right now i am using 20-20-20 miricle grow,
ph is at 6.8
lighting is at 18 hours
so far so good, be the judge, pics attached
now NEED TO KNOW what next,
1-when i change the water next week, the plant will be 4 weeks old,
what is the formula i use--i purchased 15-30-15 mix or do i use something else or stay with 20-20-20
2-when do i change my lighting from 18 to 12 hours
4-any advise about what to do in the next stage will be appreciated
happy smoking

dragonfly2dream Reviewed by dragonfly2dream on 10-29-2008. hydroponics growing advice needed, ok, this is my first set up, lots of research i was able to put together a room for about $200. pics are at the 3 week stage right now i am using 20-20-20 miricle grow, ph is at 6.8 lighting is at 18 hours so far so good, be the judge, pics attached now NEED TO KNOW what next, 1-when i change the water next week, the plant will be 4 weeks old, what is the formula i use--i purchased 15-30-15 mix or do i use something else or stay with 20-20-20 2-when do i change my lighting from 18 to Rating: 5

[Weedhound]

Your plants appear to be overnuted and about 2 weeks old tops. I can't really find anything that you are actually doing correctly so I'm kind of surprised they are growig at at all.....but it is a weed after all.

Ph should be between 5.6-6.2 in hydro......6.8 is too high.
Miracle Grow has no place in hydroponics. NONE. ..... you should be using true hydroponic nutes.

Best of luck to you ......honestly......you've gotten farther than I would have thought with hydro......but you're in for a nasty surprise at some point and I don't want to be involved in it.

Again....good luck. Really.

[LOC NAR on probation]

Amazing !!!!! They are still alive !!!

If you do nothing else do not give them any more miricle grow that stuff is death to MJ. They look good to start and then take a slow train to deathsville. You got the setup going good envest in some hydro nutrients, they don't cost much for how much you need.

You need good water and yours has not killed them yet. Look at the sticky at the top of page for R/O and distilled water and cal-mag plus. It will help alot.

You need a meter PPM or EC and good nutrients so you can give them what they need. The good thing with hydro is if mixed to strong you can water it down but a meter helps to know what your doing.

Lights are another thing and I will just say this. The bigger the light the bigger the buds. .

When to change light ? It's really up to you. You should have 4 sets of branches. About 8 to 12 inches. However it depends on the size you want them to be. They will double in size by harvest so if you want 4 feet you flower at 2 feet or so.

In the next stage put some good nutes and light to them .

Let's us know how it's going.

[dragonfly2dream]

Amazing !!!!! They are still alive !!!

If you do nothing else do not give them any more miricle grow that stuff is death to MJ. They look good to start and then take a slow train to deathsville. You got the setup going good envest in some hydro nutrients, they don't cost much for how much you need.

You need good water and yours has not killed them yet. Look at the sticky at the top of page for R/O and distilled water and cal-mag plus. It will help alot.

You need a meter PPM or EC and good nutrients so you can give them what they need. The good thing with hydro is if mixed to strong you can water it down but a meter helps to know what your doing.

Lights are another thing and I will just say this. The bigger the light the bigger the buds. .

When to change light ? It's really up to you. You should have 4 sets of branches. About 8 to 12 inches. However it depends on the size you want them to be. They will double in size by harvest so if you want 4 feet you flower at 2 feet or so.

In the next stage put some good nutes and light to them .

Let's us know how it's going.

great, i will be posting every week pics, and i think i will start a blog on the new pics in my photo album, i started some new seeds in a normal dishwashing sponge and so far so good, people seemed shocked that it grew at all, it could be our water, we only have well water here, i will cut down on 20-20-20, any recomendation that can be purchased at a hardware or walmart store would be appreciated, this is my first try, to see more plants i have a pic in my photo album, if you go to my profile u might be able to see it

[dragonfly2dream]

Your plants appear to be overnuted and about 2 weeks old tops. I can't really find anything that you are actually doing correctly so I'm kind of surprised they are growig at at all.....but it is a weed after all.

Ph should be between 5.6-6.2 in hydro......6.8 is too high.
Miracle Grow has no place in hydroponics. NONE. ..... you should be using true hydroponic nutes.

Best of luck to you ......honestly......you've gotten farther than I would have thought with hydro......but you're in for a nasty surprise at some point and I don't want to be involved in it.

Again....good luck. Really.

to; weedhound,
i have other pics in my profile album
my ph was adjusted at 6.2, but started to dry out the tips, i will go to the site you bookmarked and see whats there, as information is key right now, this is my first time with hydro grow, and i do have 3 back up ground plants, but here in newfoundland the winters are long long long, so hydro is a good project over the winter to work and perfect on, im trying to do the grow as cheap as possiable, and like those i researched and have helpe me, i will in turn share what i learn as a complete new negginer at hydro grow,

[Weedhound]

I don't mean to be rude or put you down, honestly........I'm actually impressed that your plants looks as good as they do.

I just can't at all imagine what I could add that would help you. Loc Nar gave you some good info but I don't grow with Miracle Grow and I've never known anyone in hydro to grow well with a ph of 6.8. So I have no idea what t tell you.
Except the very best of luck to you.

[dragonfly2dream]

I don't mean to be rude or put you down, honestly........I'm actually impressed that your plants looks as good as they do.

I just can't at all imagine what I could add that would help you. Loc Nar gave you some good info but I don't grow with Miracle Grow and I've never known anyone in hydro to grow well with a ph of 6.8. So I have no idea what t tell you.
Except the very best of luck to you.

i know that this might fail, on my first try, i am keeping a log and seeing what is working and whats not, there is so much advise out there its hard to know where to begin, but i do keep an open mind and gather advise and try different ways and use what works i guess through trial and error,
and as for the advise you gave it was appreciated, and never came accross as rude, this is my first grow and i do not know what the steps are and whats next, but i try my best, and i will keep pics coming, again thanks

[Weedhound]

You mentioned changing to a formula of 15-30-15......what is the name of it? Is it still Miracle Grow or a different brand of some kind?

[Weedhound]

And are they clones or did they come from seeds?

[LOC NAR on probation]

Your well water must be good but you still need cal-mag plus.

If you would like since you have soil too and this is your first hydro. Do a test and show how it goes. First back off on the miricle grow mix a little. Get your PH down to give or take 6.0. Just a teaspon of ebson salt in each bucket for mag part of cal- mag can get you by. Then just keep us up on it.

You really need the hydro nutrients and the cal-mag unless your like my bro latewood and know all the parts to make it for pennies. General Hydroponics is one of the most used because the formula is made for MJ. I ran lucas you only need 2 of 3 parts so cost is down.

Do a search on loc nar. I did a thing where I cut massive roots back just to water level and the plant hardly slowed down.