about to start my first hydroponics grow but have a few questions first

[sativaz]

i have already built a grow room and made my buckets, but still am unsure ;of a few things after lots of research. at what point in time should i move the plants from the peat pellets (this is what im using with neoprene discs to hold the plant in place in the mesh basket) into the bucket. how long should the roots be and what about the height of the plant. when i first move them should the roots be submerged in the water as soon as i put it in. i plan on filling my bucket up to about 2 inches under the mesh pot. also i plan on using grow and micro nutes for my buckets. what are some good mixes that you guys notice works? im just trying to buy the right nutes and mix it right, so any suggestions are welcome. ill start posting pics of the whole process through because i will be putting this grow on a calender and documenting the whole process. and at the end ill even have a dope time lapse for all you guys to see of the plant if all goes well. just trying to make my first grow a success so any suggestions are welcome.

sativaz Reviewed by sativaz on 08-15-2009. about to start my first hydroponics grow but have a few questions first i have already built a grow room and made my buckets, but still am unsure ;of a few things after lots of research. at what point in time should i move the plants from the peat pellets (this is what im using with neoprene discs to hold the plant in place in the mesh basket) into the bucket. how long should the roots be and what about the height of the plant. when i first move them should the roots be submerged in the water as soon as i put it in. i plan on filling my bucket up to about 2 Rating: 5

[LOC NAR on probation]

How big are your netpots ?

Only reason I ask is cause it would be much easier to use hydrtron rocks instead. Any way with an airstone in the bucket put your plant in when you first see roots. The peat pellet will become your air roots and rootball. Bring the water up to the bottom of the netpot. Bubbles will splash on the netpot and as roots grow down into the water you can lower the water level just a bit. At first you may have to take water from rez and hand water alittle just to get the roots headed down into the water. This doesn't take long.

latewood has the best mix for GH nutes. It's a sticky thread here but you will be using all 3 nutes, grow, micro and bloom.

[sativaz]

i have 3 in netpots. and the only purpose of the pebbles is to stabilize the plant if im correct? and ive seen others on a different forum use the neoprene discs and just normal rocks to deal with this problem. and my plant has sprouted in the peat but is only about a cm high. time to move into the buckets? i plan on starting the nutes a week after putting the plants in the bucket and slowly moving up to more and more nutes for the plant to take in. does that sound good? and ill research the formula u speak of but right now i plan on using the lucas formula, which consists of all three as well.

[LOC NAR on probation]

The lucas formula is 1 part micro and 2 parts bloom. In the strength you need it.

Not just to stabilize. Think of the weight of the plant and gravity pulling straight down. A neoprene collar will not work. The purpose of hydrotron is to keep air flow and hold just a small bit of water. Another good medium is lava rock, like for the gas grill. Just beat it up with a hammer to the size of marbles. Just as good lots of air and stable root mass. Normal rocks are not good but may work.

Wait till you have roots coming out of the peat on the sides and bottom. At least a few roots showing.
Seedlings don't need food untill they are about 2 weeks old. No matter where they are.

Upping the nutes to the week before harvest. Till you see the tips of the leaves burn and then back off just a little. A flush with PH water the last week.

[tinytoon]

right on Loc!! http://boards.cannabis.com/hydroponi...iscussion.html that is the link to Latewood's legacy and I use it and it works great!! I do not runRO water so I dont have a need for Cal-mag but the ratio of mix for the GH 3 part is right on :thumbsup:

[sativaz]

i read that thing, but dont really understand what measurements to use completely. im going to follow Advanced Nutrients - Nutrient Calculator the calculator on that website. i plan on just using the micro flora and bloom and using the vegetative state part for vegging then move to medium feeding. does that sound like the right idea? also i was planning on doing 2 plants in a 35 gal sterilite tub but now decided it will be easier and less spacy if i just do 5 gal buckets for each plan, which will leave me enough room in my room to start about 5 at a time. the seeds are in the peats now and in a few days i plan on moving them to the buckets. from there i will start documenting and taking pictures which i will add to this thread over time. also after the seed sprouted in the peats part of the plant that sprouted is partially brown. i thought it may have been it was getting too much light from my 60w in my bathroom so i moved to the windowsill for daytime light. it seemed to grow overnight from that and i hadn't seen growth in a few days. do any of you guys know what the problem of this may be?

[LOC NAR on probation]

If it is not dried out or streching for light then it is gathering energy and becoming strong.

OK, latewoods formula.

veg time 2 to 4 weeks - 1 part grow 1 part micro 1 part bloom

First 4 weeks of flower - 1/4 part grow 1 part micro 2 parts bloom

Week 5,6,7 - 1 part micro 2 parts bloom

Week 8 - Flush with PH'ed water

All parts are 8 mililiters. (5 mililiters are a teaspoon)

This can be done with out a tds meter. You can up the strength untill leaf tip burn and back off some. Different strains have dif needs.

You can use the calculator too. It's kind of confusing to me.

Or go straight lucas all the way through. It worked fair for me.

Look forward to seeing pic's

[sativaz]

I think ima stick with the Lucas formula for my first grow and see how things go. Thanks for all the advice and tips. Can't wait to get things running and working. I'm excited and will keep you guys up to date as much as possible

[tinytoon]

just remember in Hydro prob the most important thing is watch PH!!!

[LOC NAR on probation]

just remember in Hydro prob the most important thing is watch PH!!!

Aye second that.