ah yes another newbie with questions lol

[thattimeofyear]

Troubleshooting Form - Peat-based mediums


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This form is to help us understand your grow enviornment and equipment, what was happening and what's happening now.
Keep in mind that it's in your best interests to answer as many of the questions as possible, to get the most accurate and timely diagnosis.
It's understood that not all growers will be able to answer every question, but try to be thorough.
After all...they're your meds.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank those that contributed (directly or indirectly) to the construction of this form.
Y'all's help is greatly appreciated...
stinkyattic, headshake, Italiano715, Phatesh101 and PsychoForBud.
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What is your experience level? (first timer, novice, experienced...)

Your Equipment:
.1) Type and wattage of lights. (MH, HPS, CFL's, tube fluorescents, LED's)
.2) Distance from tops?
.3) Reflector type? (cool tube set-up, bat wing, enclosed reflector, bare bulb...)
.4) Is there a consistent fresh air supply?
.5) Do you have an exhaust fan and a circulation fan?
.6) What are the bulb wattages, kelvin ratings, and schedule?

Your medium:
.7) Specific brand and type of soil, (coco, peat based soilless...) and anything you've added to it. (vermiculite, perlite, worm castings...)
.8) Size of container.
.9) Did you use peat pucks (or similar) to root clones or germinate seedlings?

Your nutrients and water:
10) Source of water? (tap, bottled or filtered) What's it's ph before adjusting?
11) Method of checking water ph. (ph pen, test strips, aquarium test kit...)
12) Method of adjusting water ph. (phosphoric acid, white vinegar, hydrated lime, PH Up...)
13) Specific brand and N-P-K ratio for each bottle. List dosages (quantity per gallon) and current feeding schedule.
14) How often are you watering between feedings, and how much per watering?
15) Any additives or tea's? (Superthrive, CalMag, molasses, Mother's Earth...)
16) Are your ph levels stable, or do they fluctuate?
17) What is your ingoing water's ph? ...your runoff ph?
18) Do you foliar feed? If so, with what, how often, and at what time do you spray?

Your growroom:
19) Indoors or outdoors?
20) What size of closet, room or hut?
21) What are the temps and humidity levels while lights are on? ...With lights off?
22) Have you seen signs of insects in the growroom?

Your strain:
23) What strain are you growing? (Indica dominate or Sativa dom?)
24) From seeds or clones?
25) Is this an autoflower strain?
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thattimeofyear Reviewed by thattimeofyear on 08-30-2010. ah yes another newbie with questions lol ok i'm using a 400 watt mh light in a grow space of 5ft x 4ft x 2ft i have some seeds that came out a bag of regular smoke(i know, i know lol but i also got some feminized crystal, ice, and white widow seeds too) I have the lights about 19 inches above plants temp is around 77-80 degrees and humidity is at 50-55% i have plenty of circulation and idk if it does anything but mixed up sum sugar and yeast. Some of my plants (the bag seeds only) have holes in the leaves is this normal or should i be Rating: 5

[thattimeofyear]

thanks headshake keep that info coming lol

[headshake]

you have to put your info into the form! you can bold it, color it or put in in parens. we need the info to be able to help.

-shake

[thattimeofyear]

1. 400 watt mh for veg was thinking about getting a 1000w hps for flower
2. has been about 19" from tops
3. cool tube setup
4. tent is open daily atleast once a day
5. I have a exhaust fan and 1 oscillating fan near the top of tent and 2 mini clip fans near the tops of plants
6. lights are on 18/6 schedule

7. grodan cubes in hydroton
8. 3 gallon pots
9. didn't use ne
10. using bottled water ph 6.5
11. ph drop solution color change
12. ph up and down
13. na
14. flood 4 times a day
15. na will be using bloom products once plants reach veg stage
16. ph tends to rise
17. ingoing and runoff ph is at 6.0 checked a few times daily
18. foliar feed once or twice weekly right when lights go off using bloom veg mix
indoors
19. indoors
20. 48x24x60
21. lights on 80 degrees off about 78
22. had seen a few whiteflies kill as i c them
23. indica dom
24. seeds
25. not autoflower
21.
20.

[headshake]

did you rinse your hydroton before using? a rising pH is common with hydroton, especially when it's not rinsed. i'm not sure about the grodan cubes, but i think they are rockwool. you should also soak rockwool in properly pH'd water before using (for at least an hour or so).

your pH is a little high as well. you want to aim for 5.3-5.8 in hydro.

and as far as foliar feeding, if you decided to continue, it needs to be done BEFORE (or just after the lights turn on) so the moisture evaporates during the light cycle. also, raise your light when you do this or you risk leaf burn.

finally, like Finn already said, you HAVE TO USE CALMAG (or some cal/mag supplement)!


-shake

[thattimeofyear]

hey headshake well i did rinse the hydroton b4 i started with tap water for about 20 min b4 putting in pots, as far as ph i'm using the chemical drops and the color i'm coming up with is kinda a mix between the 5 and 6 range(really need to get that digital reader keep forgetting tho). also thanks for the recommendations on the foliar feed definitely helpful and forgot to put the calmag on the list on there but i do have some. was wondering if anyone has used a fertilizer with 20/20/20 would this be good for seedlings and veg and thanks again for the help guys

[headshake]

the water you use on your hydroton needs to be properly pH'd too. definitely get that digital meter. it's especially important in hydro as the medium doesn't act as a buffer like it does in soil.

that fertelizer will be fine for veg.


-shake

[GetThisOrDie]

The rinsing of your rocks probably didnt do much good. You should properly rinse them and then soak them for about 24 hours in PH corrected water... Like shake said, the PH will give you trouble throughout the grow if not properly done.

[thattimeofyear]

wow ok lol lil update took 2 pots out of room leaving 6 total pots I had 2mystery plants in one of the pots and 3 in another, practiced some cloning with 3 of those leaving one mystery plant in each pot I also pruned and cleaned up some of the leaves around the top and bottom of those plants also I also started 1 white widow and 3 crystal plants all are from feminized seeds and all are 1 week old. Now the problem I have occuring is that i will be moving in 60 days my mystery plants are about a month old now and I have the 1 wk old plants any ideas on how to pull this off guys for some reason i've hit a wall lol will post some pics asap and once again thanks guys.

[thattimeofyear]

didn't know i would be moving otherwise I wouldn't have started grow lol