Help Newtime Hydro (pics)

[srs18]

Grow Info:
Indoor Hydroponic Wardrobe
Plants are all Northern Lights
In Veg 18/6 cycle
Lighting is a 400 Watt Son T Agro HPS
Small Shade
120mm Exhaust Fan
Growing Medium is clay balls
Using Rapid Grow as nutrient
Have water heater and air pump with Airstones

Any other information you need let me Know.

Im a first time grower so taking on the hydro was a bit of a challenge, ive been trying to follow everything to the specifications I found on packets, however im having quite a few troubles.

1. The Ph fluctuates constantly. Adding Ph down everytime it gets up there but only lasts a day until I must add again. Is this normal?
2. Ive just replaced the whole nute solution as it had a lot of green algae. Have read firther found that its light on water so have covered that better, is that the only cause of algae? How often are you ment to replace whole solution?
3. I have no idea what temp the water should be at we have a heater that can set to any temp its at 20 degree at moment.
4. When should exhaust fan be on? I have it set up to same timer as lights, so its on when lights on. Temp stays between 25 -30 degrees celcius.
5. One plant in particular is turning very yellow and not looking so good. All the leaves on all plants even healthy ones are curling downward, is this normal? What can you suggest? (pics Included)
6. Am using a CF meter for the nutrient level and it is always high, I add water however by next morning it is back to the same level, is this normal?

Pics are included, any other information you need let me know!

This is the link to the set up I Have. As itâ??s a secure site I cant just link you to it. Go to www.sog.co.nz then click on store to the left. Once that opens view kitsets, look for K180 Hydro Wardrobe 3 Piece.

srs18 Reviewed by srs18 on 08-29-2006. Help Newtime Hydro (pics) Grow Info: Indoor Hydroponic Wardrobe Plants are all Northern Lights In Veg 18/6 cycle Lighting is a 400 Watt Son T Agro HPS Small Shade 120mm Exhaust Fan Growing Medium is clay balls Using Rapid Grow as nutrient Have water heater and air pump with Airstones Rating: 5

[srs18]

[attachment=o84581]

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[srs18]

Just quick note, have made several changes in effort to keep these babies after reading alot on here.

Have just finished completely flushing the system, scrubed all the Algae out so none in the system. Have covered all water possible however where hoses are there will still be some light leak, maybe 1cm * 5cm worth, will this still enable algae to grow?

With the nute i went out and brought better quality called growzilla with n-p-k of 28-5-30. Added 1/6th of recomended strength as im sure was burning with the amound of nute we had. Also added Earth Juice Catalyst n=p=k of .03-.01-.10. Added 1/6th of recomnded of this too. And last things added to water (as it was recomended on back of the growzilla) was Herb's Nitrozyme and Superthrive, I used 1/6th of recomended once again.

Is there anything else people can recomend. I replaced the pads at bottems of plants as this was full of Algae, tried to wash all algae from plant, hw can you tell if it has taken hold of the actual plant? Im thinking this is whats happened with the very sick looking one, as even at the base of the plant before it hits the growing medium is green almost algae looking.

If anyone needs pics of anything let me know and il put them up for you to have a good look.

Any help much appreciated!

[u.g.u]

well if you had a bad alge problem you may have root rot check the roots, is there slimy brown stuff on them if so that is your problem some h202 will help with that next time as a preventative measure use hydroguard its a biological water treatment that stops alge growth but do not use it in conjunction with the h202 as they will conter act each other making them useless. do an application of the h202 then wait 24 hours and add hydroguard.

[deftdrummer]

1. The Ph fluctuates constantly. Adding Ph down everytime it gets up there but only lasts a day until I must add again. Is this normal? LIQUID UP/DOWN LASTS LONGER THAN POWDER MIX. PH FLUCTUATION IS NORMAL BUT BEING IN THE HABIT OF CHECKING DAILY IS GOOD.

2. Ive just replaced the whole nute solution as it had a lot of green algae. Have read firther found that its light on water so have covered that better, is that the only cause of algae? How often are you ment to replace whole solution? THE CAUSES OF ALGAE TO GROW ARE AS FOLLOWS: LIGHT HITTING THE TRAY / NUTE TANK, WATER ABOUT 75 DEGREES FARENHEIT, AND ALSO STAGNANT OR DIRTY WATER. GET IN A HABIT OF FULLY CHANGING AND CLEANING YOUR RESIVOIR EVERY TWO WEEKS

3. I have no idea what temp the water should be at we have a heater that can set to any temp its at 20 degree at moment. SEE ABOVE

4. When should exhaust fan be on? I have it set up to same timer as lights, so its on when lights on. Temp stays between 25 -30 degrees celcius. WHILE SOME STRAINS APPRECIATE HIGHER TEMPERATURES, MOST SHOW OPTIMAL GROWTH SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 70-80 DEGREES FARENHEIT WITH THE LIGHT ON. WHEN THE LIGHT IS OFF IT SHOULD DROP 10-15 DEGREES IDEALLY.

5. One plant in particular is turning very yellow and not looking so good. All the leaves on all plants even healthy ones are curling downward, is this normal? What can you suggest? (pics Included) YOUR CAUSES FOR YELLING COULD BE A FEW THINGS. THE MOST LIKELY WOULD BE A NITROGEN DIFFICIENCY IN THE NUTRIENTS, OR POSSIBLE A PEST SUCH AS SPIDER MITES. LEAVES CAN CURL DOWN WHEN THE HUMIDITY IS TOO HIGH OR WHEN THEY ARE BEING OVERWATERED. SET WATER CYCLE TO "ON" FOR 15 MINS EVERY 4 HOURS AND INCREASE THE FREQUENCY BUT ONLY IF THE PLANTS SHOW NO SIGN OF DROOP.

6. Am using a CF meter for the nutrient level and it is always high, I add water however by next morning it is back to the same level, is this normal? I CANNOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION AS I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER.

[srs18]

Have checked all roots, some are slightly brown some are not. I have taken picture of the worst affected one just incase it is not root rot. H202 is that Hydrogen Peroxide? What form do you buy this in.

Il have a read up on this now, are you able to cut away the effected areas of the roots as not the whole system is brown? Also will one plants root rot spread to the next?

Can i expect to recover, or as im only a week or so into grow would it be worth dumping the lot and fresh restart?

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[srs18]

Thanks deft for the hint on water cycle we have had it on 15 mins every hour as this was recomended to us. Will cut it back to 15 mins every 3 hours while lights on and every 4 when light off, this ok?

[srs18]

[attachment=o84666]
This is the setup now is that water covered enough? Ignore the paper thats temp till cut some plastic.

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This is the one im worried about, see the green at the base? Is that normal, also if its algae would u recoment cutting out something to block light from top around base of plant so the algae gets no light?

[Racerx]

they look like the water temp is too high. Can you get the temp cooler? Consider dropping ice bottles in the res, etc. Some H2O2 and cool water tempatures should help get rid of the algae.

[mellogold]

they look like the water temp is too high. Can you get the temp cooler? Consider dropping ice bottles in the res, etc. Some H2O2 and cool water tempatures should help get rid of the algae.

my thoughts exactly esp when he said that he had a water heater involved...

dude you want you temps low.....i find 70* is perfect for my tomatoes:thumbsup: