Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st Timer, No Experience

[miller162]

Strain - bag seed (unknown)
# of Plants - 5
Grow Type - Hydro/Deep Water Culture
Grow Stage - sprouting into vegging
Setup - Deep Water Culture
Light - 2 CFL, dual spec II, 85w (usually around 3 inchs about res)
Nutrients - Stealth Hydronponics
Medium - Rockwool, surrounded hydroton
PPM - unknown
PH - 5.75-6
RH - ?!?!? dont know
Room Temperature - Give or take 80*F
Solution Temperature -unknown (so far)
Room Square Footage - 2x3= 6ft..
Pests - None Known yet

Problems: all sprouts LOOK healthy, one is alittle more mature than the other 4,,, it seems to be curling upward and gradually becoming a lighter shade of green, i cant tell if it is just growing or if they are stunted, i have changed the res 2 times in a week becuase some unpleasnt smell or look...i dont know if i should leave them be or change out the res again so no disease is cookin up..let me know guys and gals thanks!

This is what i have so far for pics

ALL INPUT, is very much appreciated guys!! Deep Water Culture tell me what ya think!

 

[StinkFinger]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..



Good job man! Consider me subscribed.

SF

 

[FryingPanFlyer]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

Hey Miller, looks good so far. The first thing I notice is you need to cover those net pots, just use a foam plate and cut it to size. You can probably look at most other journals and see what I'm talking about.

And you might want to consider more lights, I've got 8- 55w watt over mine and that seems to be about right for my closet.

 

[miller162]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

Thank you kindly Stink!
You truely bring hope to me, being new and all..Knowing people do care!!
So far you and Roseman are the only two i have been communicating with, but thats okay because you two are quite helpful and insightful! Even though i would love all the support possible!

But thanks again!!!

 

[MostlyCrazy]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

I think they look perfectly normal. I take it you are not giving them nutes just yet. I wait until they have 2 sets of real leaves ( the little round ones that the plant used to pop the seed don't count). Then start them out at 1/4 the sh packet dose and then see how they do. The reason they are gettng a lighter shade of green is because they are using the built in nutes from the seed to get them this far. You have to have patience now. For me it's the most aggrevating time because I want to do something but doing nothing is the way to go if all your set-up is within bounds and yours is.

Wait for them to get those two sets of leaves. Next fun part after that is when the roots hit the water. They will look like babies until then. Just have to baby them to, in essence. adolescents. We'll help you all we can and with the group we have your success is assured. Relax and smoke 'em if you got 'em!

 

[miller162]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

Hey Miller, looks good so far. The first thing I notice is you need to cover those net pots, just use a foam plate and cut it to size. You can probably look at most other journals and see what I'm talking about.

I believe i understand what you are saying.. 4 inch netpots so id need 4 inch foam circles with a cut in the middle for the little bitty sprouts? well when would they need to be removed do you think? thanks!

 

[RPsmoke]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

So cute when they are so tiny!!

Looks good my friend. No need to worry. You have any nutes in the water? Or clean plain PH'd water?

Maybe get those lights a tad bit closer. It's a hard balance between perfect and too close. The plants "curling up" look only like they are reach for the light. Move the light, check the plant in a couple days, and the leaves will have moved again to get more light. It's crazy!

I would suggest a temp sensor of some kind. I like this:
Holmes Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer/ Hygrometer - Bed Bath & Beyond

It's setup for indoor/outdoor use. Has a little probe that is suppose to go outside somewhere to get temps. Instead, put the probe on top of the reservoir, directly under the lights. So you know the temp there vs. the room's temp. Also helps you keep an eye on relative humidity (RH). Some probes are water proof, so they also let you test the res. water temp.

Do you have a fan blowing on them? I see the one exhausting air away... but anything moving them? Having them GENTLY move from the wind helps build stronger stems (like a work out). They are fragile at this point, so having air move over top, or nearby, just to get them to gently move. By move, I just mean you can tell the air is moving. You don't want these little babies rocking back and forth!

More lights. Yes, you can grow using only those two CFL's. But having more would help. Lowes or Home Depot sell clamp on reflectors and all kinds of cfl bulbs. You can buy Y splitters, so two bulbs go in one reflector. Can get some 23,42 and 65 watt bulbs. You want a more in the 6500k range during veg growth. Once you go to flower, you want more 2700k range bulbs. But having both spectrums helps throughout the plants life.

You have the water pump hooked up? Feeder lines? A light trickle of water?

 

[miller162]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

I think they look perfectly normal. I take it you are not giving them nutes just yet. I wait until they have 2 sets of real leaves ( the little round ones that the plant used to pop the seed don't count). Then start them out at 1/4 the sh packet dose and then see how they do. The reason they are gettng a lighter shade of green is because they are using the built in nutes from the seed to get them this far. You have to have patience now. For me it's the most aggrevating time because I want to do something but doing nothing is the way to go if all your set-up is within bounds and yours is.

Wait for them to get those two sets of leaves. Next fun part after that is when the roots hit the water. They will look like babies until then. Just have to baby them to, in essence. adolescents. We'll help you all we can and with the group we have your success is assured. Relax and smoke 'em if you got 'em!

Hey there Craz thanks for the post, and yes i gave them 1/4 of the packet of the MIrco and Grow nutes. they have not been rejecting them, but Roseman told me they are about ready for an additional 1/4 pack of the nutes. so total, 1/2 of the full strength. And my air stone just like broke in the middle so when i get a new one today im gonna flush it and throw in 1/2 strength nutes! well correct me if i am wrong..Thanks!

 

[RPsmoke]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

Cover up those net pots like FPF said! I use tin foil. Easy. Cover the hydroton clay rocks so no light leaks through, and you are golden.

Light getting into the reservoir will get you algae. Once you get algae, its a pain in the butt to get rid of. It can kill plants, or at best, hurt your total yield.

 

[RPsmoke]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

Hey there Craz thanks for the post, and yes i gave them 1/4 of the packet of the MIrco and Grow nutes. they have not been rejecting them, but Roseman told me they are about ready for an additional 1/4 pack of the nutes. so total, 1/2 of the full strength. And my air stone just like broke in the middle so when i get a new one today im gonna flush it and throw in 1/2 strength nutes! well correct me if i am wrong..Thanks!

Might want to hold off on 1/2 strength. They most likely would be fine, but right now they are so small! Too little of nutes is fine, and can be easily corrected. Too much is a problem.

Maybe others will chime in here.

 

[MostlyCrazy]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

Take an empty net pot and put the biggest part down on a styro plate and draw a circle on a styro plate. Cut it out just a little bigger than the net pot. Poke a 1/2" or there about hole in the center of your circle. Now cut from the outside edge to the center hole, bend it a bit and slip it around your baby.

You need to do this when you start putting nutes in the water. No chance of algae (which covering the plant with this cutout prevents by depriving algae of the light is needs to grow) and roots don't like light anyway.

No need to remove it until the end of the grow. The plant will bust through it if it needs extra room (a good thing).

 

[miller162]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

So cute when they are so tiny!!

Looks good my friend. No need to worry. You have any nutes in the water? Or clean plain PH'd water?

Maybe get those lights a tad bit closer. It's a hard balance between perfect and too close. The plants "curling up" look only like they are reach for the light. Move the light, check the plant in a couple days, and the leaves will have moved again to get more light. It's crazy!

I would suggest a temp sensor of some kind. I like this:
Holmes Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer/ Hygrometer - Bed Bath & Beyond

It's setup for indoor/outdoor use. Has a little probe that is suppose to go outside somewhere to get temps. Instead, put the probe on top of the reservoir, directly under the lights. So you know the temp there vs. the room's temp. Also helps you keep an eye on relative humidity (RH). Some probes are water proof, so they also let you test the res. water temp.

Do you have a fan blowing on them? I see the one exhausting air away... but anything moving them? Having them GENTLY move from the wind helps build stronger stems (like a work out). They are fragile at this point, so having air move over top, or nearby, just to get them to gently move. By move, I just mean you can tell the air is moving. You don't want these little babies rocking back and forth!

More lights. Yes, you can grow using only those two CFL's. But having more would help. Lowes or Home Depot sell clamp on reflectors and all kinds of cfl bulbs. You can buy Y splitters, so two bulbs go in one reflector. Can get some 23,42 and 65 watt bulbs. You want a more in the 6500k range during veg growth. Once you go to flower, you want more 2700k range bulbs. But having both spectrums helps throughout the plants life.

You have the water pump hooked up? Feeder lines? A light trickle of water?

OK so lol, i have two fans one little muffin fan under the res blowing up on the stems like you said, and the one isolating fan for exhaust (both on low low setting)
I have a therometer for the room temp and humidity but i honestly can say i do not think it is too accurate..and if you see above my pics i say the lights are about 3 inchs above the res. i want both lights going for the 8,400lumens i want. even though they dont really absorb the red spec or (27k) or whatever. and the other light is about 65k i believe.

I put in 1/4 nutes in and im about to flush and get a new air stone (mine broke) then i plan to put 1/2 strength like Rose instructed me earlier.

and of course i have the water pump 24/7 running and i ajusted the irrigation hub to trickle out water instead of pumping a stream (so i can maximize the oxygen in the water).

 

[MostlyCrazy]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

I agree. They are a little young for 1/2 strength. Keep it at 1/4 for now. Theory is not feeding a baby a full course meal and upset their tummy. I'd wait for another full set of leaves until I'd go 1/2. Patience is a bitch ain't it!

 

[miller162]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

You guys are totally right. I will flush, add 1/4 then maybe a week later add another 1/4? lol well thanks all you guys!

 

[mule]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

While your at it put two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water... It will keep the bad smells out of the rez... And I didn't read the wall of text above I hope in there somewhere is a ph meter in your future!

 

[Myzz617]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

You guys are totally right. I will flush, add 1/4 then maybe a week later add another 1/4? lol well thanks all you guys!

You got the best of the best on her helping you. Hopefully i can learn from this before i start my bagseed DWC Bookmarked!!!

 

[FryingPanFlyer]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

I guess you can't feel all alone anymore either! Some times we need to be told you need the help, that's why the Deep Water Culture home, if you've got a question please feel free to bring it up like you did. We're all about making everyone feel a part of what's going on.

 

[MostlyCrazy]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

Yeah, we're are suckers for a new grower with questions and a thread! LOL! It's how we get our kicks!

 

[miller162]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

Hey guys! thanks for all the posts I really appreciate it!!

got some more pics of covered netpots, didnt use foam, used some alumi foil...just picked some up.

And i also picked up 2 new air "bars"? not as heavy duty as the air stone.
i got a 12" and an 18" one. (and of course a new air pump)

I also just picked up a submergable therometer so i will check that tomo.

Flushed out the water and added another 1/4 strength of nutes. Ph'd of course. and here are the pics...

^^^^^ please tell me if that that foreshadows problems, the stem already seems to be more "erect" now that i gave it around 30 mins so hopefully it will be okay..
One last thing...the bubble bars or air bars do not lay on the bottom but are still fully submerged..do they need to sit on the bottom in order for the water pump to get oxyigenated water? or will it be fine?
Thanks guys! Input would be super duper!

 

[RPsmoke]

Re: Deep Water Culture Grow Journal, 1st timer, No exp..

Hey guys! thanks for all the posts I really appreciate it!!

got some more pics of covered netpots, didnt use foam, used some alumi foil...just picked some up.

And i also picked up 2 new air "bars"? not as heavy duty as the air stone.
i got a 12" and an 18" one. (and of course a new air pump)

I also just picked up a submergable therometer so i will check that tomo.

Flushed out the water and added another 1/4 strength of nutes. Ph'd of course. and here are the pics...



^^^^^ please tell me if that that foreshadows problems, the stem already seems to be more "erect" now that i gave it around 30 mins so hopefully it will be okay..
One last thing...the bubble bars or air bars do not lay on the bottom but are still fully submerged..do they need to sit on the bottom in order for the water pump to get oxyigenated water? or will it be fine?
Thanks guys! Input would be super duper!

Sounds good brother.

Aluminum foil! Right on man. Like I said earlier, I use it to cover up those pots. Works great, cheap and easy!

Air bars, air stones, all the same idea. Just need something that will put out tiny bubbles! Sounds like they should work.

Knowing water temps is a plus!

Do you have a PH meter? or how do you know your PH?

Next to RH you put ? That is why I provided a link with the thermometer/hydrometer. Didn't mean to assume you didn't have one. The fans sound good! I'll see if I can get some pics of how close I keep my lights. Dang near touching, but to each there own. 3" would work just fine!

Didn't notice you had a fallen soldier. Has that plant fallen over?

You could use something like a toilet paper roll... stand it up as a support around the little plant. Keep the lights as close as possible. The stem should heal itself.