First Grow! TurboGarden

[Weedhound]

And are you venting or cooling your light source at all? That will make a difference as to how close you can lower your light. I use a 400wmh these days.....in hood but not air cooled and I'd say a foot is good. Like Dutch I would consider 8-10 inches too close......i'll go measure mine right now. Brb

[Weedhound]

Ok, right now I have some 1 month old plants under 400w (hooded/no ventilation) and the light is about 15 inches away. I'd even revise what I said in my last post after measuring....I would go no closer with a 400w than about 13 inches and that would be pushing it.

[Mr. Champ]

Thanks for the tips. I raised my light to about 11 inches and they are doing better with the curling leaves. Seem much happier. The reflector I have has glass but is not air cooled. I purchased everything to set that up but haven't gotten to it. I keep a thermometer at the level of the plants and it stays about 77-78°F.

I am confused about the watering schedule for these flood/drain systems. I was told not to water more than 2-3 times per day for 20 minutes total flood and drain time. The plants are in small rockwool cubes within the hydroton, and the flood level reaches these cubes. I increased the schedule today to 4 times per day to see what happens. Raising the water temp to 72-73°F seems to be an improvement.

I do not have a meter yet for ph or ppm but am in the market for one. I take ph readings with the drop test and it stays consistent at 5.5-6.0 for sure. I lowered the nute strength significantly but I have no way to know the ppm. I have a densimeter, I wonder if that would tell me anything?

Thanks again, Ill update the pics soon

[Weedhound]

I'm sorry I'm not sure what that is. Drops are fine for ph as long as you stay on top of it.....knowing the color you want etc..and it seems to remain consistent in your readings. Updated pics wosuld help......you say a thermometer at the level the plants is reading 77 degrees? Looking at my own 400wmh I think my plants would melt at that so something is not making sense.....upturned edges are usually a sign of heat stress as well as Dutch first mentioned. I'm going to go measure my leaf temps right now. And yes, there is tempered glass as I have vented the 400w through the hood before....brb......

[Weedhound]

ok leaf temps are measuring out at 75 degrees with the light 15 inches away. I DO, however, have reflective white around my plants so that may raise temp a bit I suppose.

Obviously the more information you have the more you can do with it. Without meters etc you are simply guessing at best and that's not a very good way to do hydro. Part of the fun of hydro is manipulating everything.

[Mr. Champ]

Yah that is the only variable i am unsure of. I need a good meter but spent so much on the set up I have nothing left over for the tools.... Ill be putting a ph/ppm meter on the credit card soon.

thanks for all the tips.. the girls look much better and i will update the pics tomorrow.

[Mr. Champ]

Updates pics. The only way to make the hydroton appear wet on top would be to flood to the top. I flood the table about half way up the pots, and there are quite a few roots growing out of the bottom.

The tomato plants are getting huge and the pepper is growing up. Will this be a problem besides possibly blocking any light? Even better, can I pollinate the flower on the tomato with a male cannabis plant? LOL!

-Cheers-

[Mr. Champ]

Quick question for anyone with a scientific mind. I have a densimeter that measures the amount of particles in solution in Millions/mL. Does anyone know if this would be able to measure nutrients the same as a ppm meter does? Is this the same principle?

Thanks

[headshake]

Quick question for anyone with a scientific mind. I have a densimeter that measures the amount of particles in solution in Millions/mL. Does anyone know if this would be able to measure nutrients the same as a ppm meter does? Is this the same principle?

Thanks

do you have a model number and make of the densimeter?

-shake

[Weedhound]

Your plants DONT look bad.. but they don't really look that happy either. Again, information is power and that's the best way to do hydro (its actually the only way I know how to do hydro) so while many people seem to do ok without the meters etc I'm not even sure how to approach it.....I've always lived and died my all my little measuring toys.