first timer here! HELP< HELP

[wastwhg]

ok please can someone 'in the know' please help me with a few quick questions.

1) what should be the ph value of the water used to germinate the seeds? and in my hydro-system?

2) How wet should the rockwell be to germinate?

3) How big should the plants be before i stick them under my 400-Watt grolux lamp? I have heard 'after the first proper leaves are formed', is this correct?

4) I have a private water supply at my house and hard water. Is limescale bad for plants as my waters full of the stuff!?

5) When is the correct time to start putting nutrients in the water im using on the seeds? And how strong? 1/4 of normal strength or even less?

many thanks

wast imp:

wastwhg Reviewed by wastwhg on 12-13-2005. first timer here! HELP< HELP ok please can someone 'in the know' please help me with a few quick questions. 1) what should be the ph value of the water used to germinate the seeds? and in my hydro-system? 2) How wet should the rockwell be to germinate? 3) How big should the plants be before i stick them under my 400-Watt grolux lamp? I have heard 'after the first proper leaves are formed', is this correct? 4) I have a private water supply at my house and hard water. Is limescale bad for plants as my waters full Rating: 5

[cnd411]

ok please can someone 'in the know' please help me with a few quick questions.

1) what should be the ph value of the water used to germinate the seeds? and in my hydro-system?

2) How wet should the rockwell be to germinate?

3) How big should the plants be before i stick them under my 400-Watt grolux lamp? I have heard 'after the first proper leaves are formed', is this correct?

4) I have a private water supply at my house and hard water. Is limescale bad for plants as my waters full of the stuff!?

5) When is the correct time to start putting nutrients in the water im using on the seeds? And how strong? 1/4 of normal strength or even less?

many thanks

wast imp:

Welcome to our friendly community. Hope you enjoy your stay

1. Generally,pH 5.5 - 6.0 is ideal for hydro system. Most growers used RO water or spring water to germinate seeds. pH 6.0-7.0 work fine on seeds.
2. Seeds work well in moist rockwool,not too wet.
3. Young seedlings do not need intense light until they have 3 - 5 set of true leaves.
4. Hard water is bad... Especially working with hydroponic, you better go with RO water OR you will end up geting problem.
5. As soon as your seedlings enter vegetative stage, 3-5 set of true leaves, start giving them 1/4 of normal strength and monitor for sign of deficiency and toxicity.

[wastwhg]

cheers dude!

would a household waterfilter help me around my water problem as i dont like the sound of buying loads of bottled water (could get expensive!)?-like a britta.

im a little worried about what i should do with the plants between when they hatch and when they are big enough to go under the light. WOuld it be ok to put them in my grow space but instead of having the light 2 foot away (ish) would it be ok to have it about 5 foot away? Is this far enough so not to damage them whiulst they are small?

also is their enough nutrients in the plant that they will survive just off water untill they reach veg?

Cheers again

wast

[cnd411]

cheers dude!

would a household waterfilter help me around my water problem as i dont like the sound of buying loads of bottled water (could get expensive!)?-like a britta.

im a little worried about what i should do with the plants between when they hatch and when they are big enough to go under the light. WOuld it be ok to put them in my grow space but instead of having the light 2 foot away (ish) would it be ok to have it about 5 foot away? Is this far enough so not to damage them whiulst they are small?

also is their enough nutrients in the plant that they will survive just off water untill they reach veg?

Cheers again

wast

RO water is the best! You can find RO machine on ebay at a good deal. Britta water filter wouldn't help much but it is better than nothing
Fluorescent lamps work very well to seedlings and can keep close to plants without burning. Young seedlings will S--T--R--E--T--C--H as hell if you keep your 400 W light far away.
A few drops of Superthrive or Liquid Kama will be good until they reach vegetative stage.

[wastwhg]

thanks dude

[wastwhg]

hey cnd u still out there?
i got myself a small strip light for my baby plants. the seeds are just cracking and i can see small shoots coming up. should i stick them under the tube light now or wait a couple of days?
thanks again
wast

[Zandor]

Use the light now is fine just make sure for seedlings you use a Cool white light. Another thing is using RO water is great but you also need to add CalMag Plus to the water to put back some nutrients the RO process removes and the plant needs.

[wastwhg]

hey, my small light is a 18W (t5) which is suited to plants which need low to medium light(apparently). it doesnt have much red light but equal of the other 3 (blue, yellow, green). I have hung it about 8 inches (20cm) above the rockwell and it is about 20 degrees in the cupboard. Does this all sound ok guys?
wast

[cnd411]

hey, my small light is a 18W (t5) which is suited to plants which need low to medium light(apparently). it doesnt have much red light but equal of the other 3 (blue, yellow, green). I have hung it about 8 inches (20cm) above the rockwell and it is about 20 degrees in the cupboard. Does this all sound ok guys?
wast

It sounds O.K. Temperatures from 22 - 28 are ideal for seed geminating and seedlings. Temperatures above 32 impair germination. Also making sure you place tiny white sprout pot out,the taproot,(you called shoots) pointing down into your growing medium.