Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed Test Run from Good Smoke)

[mokeforfun]

Hey this is my first hydro grow.
DWC bubbler with supplemental drip for the smaller beginning root system.
4 sites with 5" net pots.
2 oxystones on a dual-output air pump
138 gph submersible pump for drip line.
18 gallon tote.
Bagseed test run from good smoke.
Sativa -dominant with some larger lower leaves indicating a slight indica percentage.
Rooted clones moved from soil into hydro.
Mix of 2700K, 5400K, and 6500K CFLs (all 23 watts but I don't necessarily always run them all.)
Fan-cooled.
Temp closed off is about 78. When I'm working it may drop to 75 or a little lower.
Don't know RH.
Don't know pH. (Using "self-regulating" nutrients to help with the fact that I don't have a pH dipper.)
No pests.
Vegetative nutrients: Pura Vida Organics Grow, Thrive Alive Green, and Sweet Grape mineral supplement. Thrive Alive and Sweet Grape were samples but I think I like the Thrive Alive.
Flowering nutrients will be Pura Vida Organics Bloom, Thrive Alive Green, Sweet Grape til I run out then I'll try to get a more complete supplement, and I'll be looking for a nice "PK" bloom enhancer.

Here are some pics. Hopefully it all shows up correctly.


All set up.

Soil clones moving to hydro. I had some trouble doing rockwool cloning so I used soil.

Four clones working back to health now set in hydro setup.

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Try that again.

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Reservoir not quite full but operational with nutrients.

Trying to save the other three clones. They're looking rough. Plus some new seedlings but we all know what those look like.

 

[DroJo]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Hey Moke,
you're underway, but honestly, since you're doing hydro I would tell you that you definitly should get a ph pen(milkwalkee ph600 is only $20) atleast. Ph of your nutes will be very important thing for you to monitor. TDS/PPM meter too. It will become pretty difficult to pull of your grow without those two I hope you dont feel like im jumpin all over ya, I was just givin a few suggestions cause it seems like they might be going thru a lil nute burn. But I like your tubs, and only 4 plants to a tub is cool too, it gives your ladies a lil moore room to stretch out.

lets grow some budd
Once you get the ph and tds meters, your grow will probably take off.

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

No offense taken. Constructive criticism is cool with me plus it's always nice to have a fresh eye look at it. I actually didn't know they made pH pens and TDS, etc. that inexpensive. I'll definitely look at that next time money allows. Thanks.

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Oh and the nute burn I don't think is likely since they've been on soil and water since the clones were taken. I do snip ends of leaves when I clone so it may be them growing back like that or else they dried out too much when they were in the soil. I honestly transplanted those clones in there right before the pictures were taken. The clones were looking a little more rough a few days ago and I think they'll healthy up even more now that they have a good home. I'll check on them tomorrow and see if there's a difference. I will definitely look into the meters you mentioned. I didn't know anybody made any for less than $60! Outrageous.

 

[DroJo]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Oh and the nute burn I don't think is likely since they've been on soil and water since the clones were taken. I do snip ends of leaves when I clone so it may be them growing back like that or else they dried out too much when they were in the soil. I honestly transplanted those clones in there right before the pictures were taken. The clones were looking a little more rough a few days ago and I think they'll healthy up even more now that they have a good home. I'll check on them tomorrow and see if there's a difference. I will definitely look into the meters you mentioned. I didn't know anybody made any for less than $60! Outrageous.

Hey bro you can get a ph pen and a tds pen for less than 40! & shipped!
Milwaukee Instruments pH600 pH Tester
Milwaukee Instruments CD97 TDS Tester

merry christmas moke

 

[usul]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Hey Moke, I'm subscribed and looking forward to watching your grow.

I agree that monitoring your pH is super important for hydro growing. I'll just add a few thoughts about my experience with those pens. I tried two of them actually - and found them to be a pain in the ass. It takes a minute or two for readings to stabilize, especially in turbid (bubbling) water, the pens require constant calibration (that buffer/calibration solution isn't cheap), and the pen's bulb needs to be kept constantly moist with some of the buffer soluton. My first pen used small screws for calibration - it finally got to the point where I'd reached the limit of adjustment and the pen became virtually useless. The second pen had electronic calibration (a must) and a cap that fit way too tight. One day I was trying to pull the damn thing off and the pen broke. I'm now using short range litmus paper (4.5 - 7.5) and am super happy. I tested the paper in buffer solutions and the color readings are extremely accurate, readings are virtually instantaneous, and there's nothing to calibrate or maintain. Just my opinion, your milage my vary and I know most growers swear by them but, for me, litmus paper is far superior to a pH pen.

Regarding a TDS pen, I have one of those too and it works fine. What I've found, however, is that if I follow the nute manufacturer's feeding guidelines the TDS comes out right on. The TDS pen is nice to have but I've never needed to make adjustments based on the pen's readings - it just verifies what I'm doing is correct.

Anyway, I don't mean to disrespect anyone else's opinion - just though an additional perspective would be helpful.

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Thanks I'll look into it. Probably an inexpensive but efficient alternative to a pH pen. Thanks for subscribing as well. Support is nice to have. I'll post more pictures as soon as something noticeable happens with my plants.

Later!

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

So I twisted off most of the burned-looking leaves even thought it isn't nutrient burn. Hopefully that will give me some height in the next few days.

I found a Mexican bean beetle on the back left one the other day and quickly removed it and sprayed insecticidal soap on the plants. I'm not watching them all the time but I think everything's been cool since.

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

This one's lookin' kinda rough.

Some new seedlings.

This one is looking pretty good to me.

Same one again.

Just threw my seedling in there for a little while until my flowering area opens up. Then I just might go ahead and flower those clones.

Two of the seedlings in the pot.

Thanks for looking!

 

[DroJo]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Lookin nice

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

So I'm thinking after this hydro grow I'll more than likely switch back to soil or do a soilless medicine grow. Well at least until I can get either a better area, a better system, or more time. I'm not liking what's happening with this setup. Maybe it's too simple for my taste. I'd like something that's simple to moderate to set up but easy to change solution and also ensure each root system is getting what it needs even if the plants are different sizes. I figure solid container grows are the most reliable way of that.
The two plants that are growing are looking really rough and I'm not completely sure what's going on (I'm thinking nutrient burn due to the lower water level thanks to evaporation of water and not nutrients) since I still have no money for TDS or pH monitoring of any sort. I'll try to get some pictures up soon. Sorry I haven't been posting on this lately but nothing interesting has been happening. Bummer. Anyway the soil grow that I had did well and I think I like the whole "letting the plants mostly do their own thing" setup. Anyway, like I mentioned I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow to see what you all think.

Now if only I could get some better seeds for my next bucket grow. Maybe some seedbanks should have a lottery.

 

[legalizeweed]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

DUDE you have to let me get some of that

 

[DroJo]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Hang in there Moke! Hopefully santa drops in some $$ with your presents this week so you can get some ph/tds pens! Have hope

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Well thank you DroJo... However, I hate to be a downer but there are no presents under the tree this year for us. Christmas has been tight for us for a few years now but it's especially tight this year. Any extra money goes either to bills that are behind, the gas tank, or to hopefully fix the fact that there's no heat in my vehicular form of transport. Duly considering that I have been laid off about half of the year this past year, which is also part of the reason I'm growing bagseed and hoping for some good buds. Not to mention that I am still extremely wary of buying seeds online. Luckily a medicine harvest will come here in a few weeks or so for my soil plants. Much needed. Anyway I'm going to go take a few pictures of these to post on here hopefully within an hour or two. Sorry to sound like a downer, there really is happiness here, just not contentment in the times. Be back in a bit.

DUDE you have to let me get some of that

I'd be happy to smoke you up once they are ready. Come on over!
You too DroJo!

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Haven't looked up to see exactly what this is yet.

Same plant.

I'll probably get rid of the smaller one tomorrow because it's not really doing anything but looking bad. Hopefully that one gone will let the other one grow.

This seedling will probably go tomorrow as well.

Don't know what this one's deal is either.

The lone struggler.

The next few are just a few female clones in soil that are growing up...

Merry Christmas!

 

[mokeforfun]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

Moving these to flowering as soon as the flowering area opens up.

 

[rocafellarush]

Re: Mokeforfun's 1st Hydro Grow (Bagseed test run from good smoke.)

deff a ph problem my friend... if u go to da hydro store u can get a cheap ph up and down kit... with it comes with a lil tester thing too.... they probably sell a lil liquid tester kit too for cheap...