1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Technique

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Hi rmatheson58...thank you for stopping by.

As far as lighting goes, I've already purchased an overpriced all-in-one system. Hahahahaha. I've gone into great detail at the beginning of my journal on the reasons why as well as on the system itself. I have a 125 Watt CFL bulb on the veg side, and the flowering side I have both a metal halide and hps option--both 400 watts.

As far as container go...it does say right in the title that I'm growing hydroponically. I have net pots, and I do not need to transfer into other containers.

I have looked into RO systems, and I will eventually invest in one. I am using distilled water--all of this information is in my journal. My nutrients all came with my system, and I have been researching other brands for when I run out--I have over a year's supply though.

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

flowergirl i am for you still. I'm sure your next grow will become awesome, you have learned a lot from this. i remembered first time i got a hydro grow going. so much extra stuff to get a grasp of, from when growing in soil, but you get there, you and your girls are true fighters.

Klovneposen...I am doing my best, and it is a learning process--this is my first grow, period. I knew hydro would be more complicated, but it was the choice I made, and I have only the best intentions for my plants.

Thank you.

 

[7Dust]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Flower hun.

yeah i like simple crap. or i am just lazy has heck. lol.


better to ask forgiveness than permission. lmao

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Poor little girls, I'm hoping they pull through for you!

Sillysally--love your user name. Thanks for your best wishes! I think my girls are fighters though...I can see some green new growth in the center of Winifred, and once it emerges, I will feel better about both of the surviving.

 

[sillysally]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Sillysally--love your user name. Thanks for your best wishes! I think my girls are fighters though...I can see some green new growth in the center of Winifred, and once it emerges, I will feel better about both of the surviving.

Haha thanks! Glad to hear that things are looking up over there!

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Last Sunday, I put Scarlett, Sprout, and my tomato plant in the Hydro12 tub--the hydro setup for the veg side of the bloom box. It boasts two airstones and a sprayer for bottom feeding; when the tub is used as a power cloner, the sprayer is always on, constantly misting the stems.

The reservoir is 11 litres, and mindful of using too many nutes, I used 1/2 the recommended amount of Cal/Mag and half of the Grow, Common, and Veg Boom.

Sprout's coloring has improved greatly, but she looks like she's overwatered--I feel like it's an impossible problem though--her roots are coming out of the rockwool, and they are constantly exposed to oxygen. I'm considering moving her to the flowering side temporarily--she will be out of the timed watering cycle, and allowed to dry out a bit. Also, the flowering side is currently set up to be a vegetation side with a metal halide bulb, and 18/6 lighting.

Scarlett is doing well. I can finally see the growth tips at each node! I can't wait until she reaches 5 or six nodes. I will top to the third node at that point, and my manifold will begin.

Willow has shown promising new growth, and sometime last week, she actually poked a root through the 1 inch. To avoid a repeat of the last situation, I popped her into a soaked 3 inch rockwool cube. She has remained the same since.

Winifred--I removed the dead tips of what would have been her first serrated leaves to expose the newer growth. The new growth is S L O W. I don't know if I should give up on her, but in reality, she is not taking up any valuable resources. I'm fine doing what I'm doing with her until she shows once and for all if she is going to pull through or if I should pull the plug.

My camera refused to focus on the tiny dot that is the new growth. Sorry about that!

I changed the reservoir water, and this week when I mixed up more nutrients, I cut the cal/mag down a bit. I will go into further detail about my nutrient schedule soon. I just wanted to get this post out...it's been awhile!

My Bloombox's air pump seemed to be making a lot of noise, and I also wanted to check on the ballast settings--learning from UltraDan --I wanted to make sure it was at 100%. While the top was off, I took some photos for you all.

Overview:

Air Pump lines. Only one is flowing--it goes to the veg side.

Ballast:

If anyone has any insights about Sprout and why she looks overwatered, please let me know! I'll take photos of the roots tomorrow. Scarlett's are remarkably longer and fuller...and they are in the same reservoir.

Cheers!

 

[CronicHempHog]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

rockwool holds water longer than a rooting plug with less air maybe cut back the watering schedule maybe space it out a bit more
my seedlings go into my netpot in bubbler hydro and I make my rooting plug just touch the water difference is constant air and im not drip feeding since its in a bubbler I don't have any issues like that and my rooting plug is touching the water from seedling
looks like it just isn't drying out enough or have enough oxygen when it stays wet
just my opinion

 

[7Dust]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

yeah no o2 getting to them. i agree cronic.

 

[Dan Ultra]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

learning from UltraDan --I wanted to make sure it was at 100%.

Glad I could help you by showing you what NOT to do. Lol.

I agree with Cronic. They need more O2 and they will perk right up.

 

[7Dust]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

i never tried rockwool i always used dirt now the rapid rooter plugs.
their ok but still like dirt.

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Nutrients

Week 1

Cal/Mag-7.5mL
Grow (2-1-7)-2.5mL
Common (5-0-2)-3mL
Veg Boom (1-1-2)-5.5mL

Week 2

I felt that 7.5mL was too much Cal/Mag, so I cut it down this week.

Cal/Mag-5mL
Grow (2-1-7)-4mL
Common (5-0-2)-4mL
Veg Boom (1-1-2)-5.5mL
ppm-250
pH-6.3

Week 3

Cal/Mag-6mL
Grow (2-1-7)-7.7mL
Common (5-0-2)-8.3mL
Veg Boom (1-1-2)-11mL
ppm-425
pH-5.3

Scarlett is still holding her own. I've made a few improvements in her environment. The reservoir temps have been low 60's, and at the beginning, sometimes even in the high 50's. I added an aquarium heater--a Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm 50 Watt heater that has a slim cord. I am able to sneak it under the front of the door. I have it set to it's lowest setting, which is 66 degrees.

I've been erring on the wrong side of pH--during Week 2's initial reservoir change, I had a brain glitch and added a tiny bit too much pH Up. Once I add all of my nutes to the distilled water, the pH is about 4.8. According to the Bloombox manual, I want it between 5.4 and 6.1. I think I was confused by a pH chart that showed nutrient availability according to the pH level. Even though it was labeled Hydro, it said the ideal pH was 6.3. In hydro, I now believe that to be too high. I had pH'd to 6.3, and I kept it in that range all week. Scarlett seems okay, but I think she is showing the first signs of Phosphorus deficiency. You cannot see it in the photo I took, but a few of her leaves have a slight darkening on the tips.

This week, I pH'd to 5.3. I also think I've been erring too conservatively on the nutrients--anyone familiar with hydro, please let me know what you think! I have 4-5 nodes on both plants, and they are both pretty small. I keep seeing all of these other journals, and it seems like their plants are bursting to grow.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this week and seeing improvements! I'm almost at the point of topping for the first time--nervous and excited about that!

 

[Dan Ultra]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

5.8 seems to be the ideal pH for hydro.

Your girls had a bit of a stunt for the first part of their lives, so growth might be a little slow. Right now, they will be focusing a LOT of energy in their root structure, then you will see the vertical growth take off.

I'm not a hydro guy, but for that age, I think 250ppm might be a bit high. Nute burn may take a week to show up on fan leaves, so IMO it's best to start low and slowly work up to higher ppm's as the plant grows.

 

[LedLWCFogPon]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Experienced grower here but not too much with hydro at all but have enough knowledge and again years of experience. Anyway I want to say that you are doing very well for a very first time grower stilll. I didn't get a plant my first time messed up my seeds course I was just 16 then and didn't have the net to consult with. Also hydro is much more challenging so again your doing good considering. Rockwool is more challenging then soil for-sure. Some say its easier that is because they got ust with using it. Whatever you use the more times you use it and get ust with it of course it will be easier to use cause that's what you learn t to use. I also forth Cronics opinion. Even I can struggle with Rockwool still (I never use it tho so only few times) it gets super wet so easy which then holds out oxygen its real tricky stuff unless your experienced with using it. I'm sure from what I seen that your issues besides the roots getting messed up was simply over watering (I hope I am not sounding harsh just giving you my opinion to help) I could see it in pics. I'm 80 plus percent sure that's what it was. One other suggestion I noticed there was space between your small cubes and the larger ones you transplanted into if you can try making sure that's pinched up together so that space is not there allowing light to get in there or exposing to much air from roots developing on long the stalk later on; basically you get slight more rootage possibly in that area if its filled in.

 

[LedLWCFogPon]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

I am actually basing my first post on here more so for beginners so if you are curious on some personal exp tips you can check mine out I think some of my info coulddd help not sure but just letting you know. Note I am basing it on outdoors and in soil then of course but I am providing a lot of good beginner tips that is useful for growing period (I think anyway ha). Just so you know I have only just started but I am detailing the steps from seed to flower to harvest. I also will list anything I may do wrong as a learning tool for others as well. An if you check it out I goofed up my seeds right off the hop and i have nooo excuse haha. So ya don't feel ashamed at all your totally new to this. Ill keep up on this and offer any advice I can possibly give no ones paying much attention to mine yet so I got plenty of time to advise and I do not do it to feel high and mightyI do it cause I am helpful guy by nature I guess. Good luck keep at it. Hope this helps.

 

[CronicHempHog]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

I run my veg plant from 5.8-6.2 but usually for the first 3 weeks when I veg its in the 6.0-6.2 range
in bloom im keeping it at 5.8 to 6.0 range my ph usually drops daily so I usually ph it to 6.0 and usually
after a couple days I have to up it again I go to 6.0 because that way im not phing it daily
more like every 2 days in bloom but everyday water is added and ph is checked
during veg I usually start it @6.2 and the lowest ill set is 6.0 since it doesn't drink like the plants in bloom ill usually leave it alone for the whole week and not even bother with it till res change day which I do weekly

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

I run my veg plant from 5.8-6.2 but usually for the first 3 weeks when I veg its in the 6.0-6.2 range
in bloom im keeping it at 5.8 to 6.0 range my ph usually drops daily so I usually ph it to 6.0 and usually
after a couple days I have to up it again I go to 6.0 because that way im not phing it daily
more like every 2 days in bloom but everyday water is added and ph is checked
during veg I usually start it @6.2 and the lowest ill set is 6.0 since it doesn't drink like the plants in bloom ill usually leave it alone for the whole week and not even bother with it till res change day which I do weekly

So, your pH drops? Mine goes up with time because of the rockwool (I think). I pH'd my new nutrients to 5.3 (from 4.8) and when I checked later that night it was in the 6.0 range already. I almost think I should just keep it at 4.8 and let it naturally drift. I just don't know if the initial low pH would harm the roots/plants at all.

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

5.8 seems to be the ideal pH for hydro.

Your girls had a bit of a stunt for the first part of their lives, so growth might be a little slow. Right now, they will be focusing a LOT of energy in their root structure, then you will see the vertical growth take off.

I'm not a hydro guy, but for that age, I think 250ppm might be a bit high. Nute burn may take a week to show up on fan leaves, so IMO it's best to start low and slowly work up to higher ppm's as the plant grows.

Thanks, Dan. While we are all so lucky that so much information is out there and at our fingertips, there is the danger that the information isn't quite correct! I think your chart is more accurate, even though mine was labeled as hydro.

 

[Dan Ultra]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Thanks, Dan. While we are all so lucky that so much information is out there and at our fingertips, there is the danger that the information isn't quite correct! I think your chart is more accurate, even though mine was labeled as hydro.

What chart were you (or are you) using?

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

I found it on a hydroponics website. pH Chart NFT hydroponic hydroponics NZ

Buuuut, I shall be referring to your chart from now on!

 

[NuttyProfessor]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

ohh you will be well looked after here , i think your brave to start with hydro , im on my second year and still havnt thought about trying it lol good for you
but i do have a bucket ill give it a go sometime

good luck