I am new to Hydro and built a "large" (34 gal) tote system like those superponics systems that is a multi-plant DWC with a top drip to test out this method. Now to start with I went to this local grow store and got some bad advise that I knew at the time was bad but they were very convincing regarding my seeds. I have very old seeds from when I used to breed 10 years ago that I wanted to use in this first hydro setup for experimentation. After sprouting them in paper towels I transferred them directly into growstone per the grow shop recommendation. I thought that was a bad move but like I said they convinced me it would be fine. Instead of the tap root shooting down and the pod coming up they both just started curling up in the first vacant area between the stones where it was placed in. So lesson 1 learned, use some sort of basic medium like peat rooting medium to get them started in not directly in the stones.
The problem is it has taken a long time for them to break up through to the top and I had to go in and rearrange the rocks and the sprouts to get the tap root to drive downward. Now they have all but one come up and are starting to look OK.
The reason I say all this is the real question I have is about my water solution and the constantly rising PH durring this initial phase where the sprouts have no real root. I have only had this setup running for about 6 days. It seems every day I need to PH down even though the sprouts are real small with no real leaves yet so they can not be doing much to the water. The PPMs are slowly rising even though there does not appear to be water loss or evaporation happening. Originally I didn't want to start with any nuts in the solution until I saw them break the surface but the guys here convinced me I should have something. So I added a very dilute solution of some very basic cheap stuff you can get at Home depot just for the initial sprouting period. I followed the instructions at about half strength and had a starting PPM in stable water of about 310 (starting at 6ppm before adding anything). The tote is opaque with a black lid and grey walls and should have no light leaks. I have them under a low wattage florescent tube set right now so even if some light got through it is very weak.
So I am wondering if I already have a algae problem or something because each day I check and the PH has gone up considerably and the PPMs are rising but I still have just sprouts. Yesterday I had it at about 5.4 and this morning it was at 6.13 and my PPM is up to 374. Late yesterday was the first that half of them were visible so for this first 6 days there has been really not much use of the nuts for the plants.
I was planning on flushing today and starting a new res but if I have contaminated the res already then maybe I should wash it out.
comments on this would be greatly appreciated.
Also I have gotten lots of contradictory advice on starting from seeds in hydro. What are your opinions on initial nute concentration during the first week basically before the seed breaks the surface? Obviously when it starts making leaves it will be hungry but but it seems like a huge waste to provide a pile of nutes when it can't access them.
And I guess lastly... I will be changing out the res later today. I have sprouts that are just above the surface to about 1 .5 inches up. None have real leaves yet but a few are starting. Is this too early to go to full concentration yet for nutes or is it time to hit the throttle. I was planning on dumping and reloading the res every 4 days as I am going to be on this organic stuff (Mills) that wont last too long. However I have some of that Synthetic AN Sensi Grow that can last up to a week that I can use too. So if I am going to dump in say 4 days and I just have some sprouts should I be running high nutes or still light stuff? I am thinking I can run the AN Sensi grow at 1/4 strength for the first week to get the tap root to the well then switch to the good stuff.
Thanks!
The problem is it has taken a long time for them to break up through to the top and I had to go in and rearrange the rocks and the sprouts to get the tap root to drive downward. Now they have all but one come up and are starting to look OK.
The reason I say all this is the real question I have is about my water solution and the constantly rising PH durring this initial phase where the sprouts have no real root. I have only had this setup running for about 6 days. It seems every day I need to PH down even though the sprouts are real small with no real leaves yet so they can not be doing much to the water. The PPMs are slowly rising even though there does not appear to be water loss or evaporation happening. Originally I didn't want to start with any nuts in the solution until I saw them break the surface but the guys here convinced me I should have something. So I added a very dilute solution of some very basic cheap stuff you can get at Home depot just for the initial sprouting period. I followed the instructions at about half strength and had a starting PPM in stable water of about 310 (starting at 6ppm before adding anything). The tote is opaque with a black lid and grey walls and should have no light leaks. I have them under a low wattage florescent tube set right now so even if some light got through it is very weak.
So I am wondering if I already have a algae problem or something because each day I check and the PH has gone up considerably and the PPMs are rising but I still have just sprouts. Yesterday I had it at about 5.4 and this morning it was at 6.13 and my PPM is up to 374. Late yesterday was the first that half of them were visible so for this first 6 days there has been really not much use of the nuts for the plants.
I was planning on flushing today and starting a new res but if I have contaminated the res already then maybe I should wash it out.
comments on this would be greatly appreciated.
Also I have gotten lots of contradictory advice on starting from seeds in hydro. What are your opinions on initial nute concentration during the first week basically before the seed breaks the surface? Obviously when it starts making leaves it will be hungry but but it seems like a huge waste to provide a pile of nutes when it can't access them.
And I guess lastly... I will be changing out the res later today. I have sprouts that are just above the surface to about 1 .5 inches up. None have real leaves yet but a few are starting. Is this too early to go to full concentration yet for nutes or is it time to hit the throttle. I was planning on dumping and reloading the res every 4 days as I am going to be on this organic stuff (Mills) that wont last too long. However I have some of that Synthetic AN Sensi Grow that can last up to a week that I can use too. So if I am going to dump in say 4 days and I just have some sprouts should I be running high nutes or still light stuff? I am thinking I can run the AN Sensi grow at 1/4 strength for the first week to get the tap root to the well then switch to the good stuff.
Thanks!