Here's the setup -
I built a flood and drain system with an 18 gallon res and a large rubbermaid bin for the flood tray. My medium is about 60% hydroton and 40% pea gravel. I washed the dust off the hydroton and soaked it for a couple of hours. I washed the gravel in bleach water and then rinsed it 9-10 times and soaked it for a couple of hours.
I filled my res with 8 gallons of distilled water and 4 gallons of tap water. When I was done, the pH was at 7.7 and the ppm was at 65. I started adding pH down and couldn't believe how much I had to add! I'm using a medicine dropper to add it, and every dropperful lowered it by only .1! Isn't it just supposed to be a few drops to lower the whole thing? I'm aiming for 5.8, and I can't believe how much it takes.
I finally got it down to where I wanted it by adding 10-12 droppers and I ran a cycle. Back up to 6.6. I'm going to let it sit overnight now. I've got an air pump with 4 stones attached running in it, but that shouldn't make a difference, right?
I don't know what's going on. I'm a brand new grower, so I'm sure I'm making some big rookie mistakes. I just want to be able to put my sprouts in the tray and feed and water them without killing them, but the system is so volatile, and I don't know what to do.
Help???
I built a flood and drain system with an 18 gallon res and a large rubbermaid bin for the flood tray. My medium is about 60% hydroton and 40% pea gravel. I washed the dust off the hydroton and soaked it for a couple of hours. I washed the gravel in bleach water and then rinsed it 9-10 times and soaked it for a couple of hours.
I filled my res with 8 gallons of distilled water and 4 gallons of tap water. When I was done, the pH was at 7.7 and the ppm was at 65. I started adding pH down and couldn't believe how much I had to add! I'm using a medicine dropper to add it, and every dropperful lowered it by only .1! Isn't it just supposed to be a few drops to lower the whole thing? I'm aiming for 5.8, and I can't believe how much it takes.
I finally got it down to where I wanted it by adding 10-12 droppers and I ran a cycle. Back up to 6.6. I'm going to let it sit overnight now. I've got an air pump with 4 stones attached running in it, but that shouldn't make a difference, right?
I don't know what's going on. I'm a brand new grower, so I'm sure I'm making some big rookie mistakes. I just want to be able to put my sprouts in the tray and feed and water them without killing them, but the system is so volatile, and I don't know what to do.
Help???