New indoor grower needs advice!

[WillieT0813]

Hey everyone, I will start by saying I am trying to grow autoflower indoors. In my signature is my first grow journal. That girl did not make a lot. In fact it did not get fully grown. I feel my first LED light was to small to do the full grow and it stretched and then broke over about two or three weeks before it was supposed to be finished growing.

Now fast forward I have a 2x2x4 indoor grow tent a 300 watt LED 5 gallon grow bag a 6 inch clamp on fan I have a speed control for my exhaust fan with the charcoal filter. A timer for my light and I grow in Roots Organic Original. I have a digital PH meter and I checked the local city water yesterday and my PH was 7.82 I know from my research that is to high. I have white vinegar and Arm and Hammer Baking Soda. Now I have never used this but I have used PH up and down in my large fish tanks and outside ornamental fish ponds. All of my ponds and tanks had fish and live plants and I always used that kind of PH up and down, can it be used in this application? I am not going to start grow #2 until I get my water situation figured out.

Any suggestions or questions will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Old Salt]

it stretched and then broke over about two or three weeks before it was supposed to be finished growing.

Plant yoyos work well if you don't move your plants around. Tomato cages or plant supports are good if you do need to move them around.

I have a container of pH down crystals for a pool I use for anodizing aluminum. I don't use it for my nutrient solutions as I'm unsure of its purity. We consume those plants we are growing, and I'd rather not take the chance.

An RO is a good investment in your health, and that of your plants. I started using one while living in Ottawa, as the water was often discolored when they repaired and expanded their distribution system. I did some research at the time and found out that the requirements for a private water supply were much more stringent than for municipal supplies in Canada. Anyway, the RO will remove better than 95% of the chemicals from the municipal water. You do have to replace the carbon filters religiously, or the membrane will soon be destroyed.

 

[Dloe]

I would agree with investing in a RO system if you’re not sure about the ppms in your water .

 

[Dloe]

Also look into more nutrients and why they’re good or bad . It’s good to work with what you got but don’t be afraid to use new products if it won’t hurt your plant . I would recommend using general hydroponics up or down or roots organic ph up and down . It’s not that expensive either

 

[Old Salt]

I use General Hydroponics' Flora Trio and supplements, but pH up and down from Advanced Nutrients. They were more cost effective. I also put them in dropper bottles such as are used for e-juice, and have a second set at 10% strength so I don't overshoot the mark.

 

[Dloe]

thats an effective method I use a similar method as well while monitoring ppms

 

[Old Salt]

But no ppm meter? If you’re gonna be using those products it’s important to monitor your ppms

It depends on how you grow. I've found that there is no point in measuring TDS/EC for drain to waste grows. The PPM will be where it needs to be for the concentration of nutrients used. I use my pen to monitor the membrane of my RO.

For hydroponics systems where the entire nutrient solution is in use for a week or more (DWC, ebb and flow, aeroponics, etc), it is critical to monitor and ajust both TDS and pH daily.

 

[WillieT0813]

When I bought the Fox Farms Trio a few months back I had really thought about it a lot and almost went with General Hydroponics. I am in no hurry to get this next grow going until I have everything I need to make the changes in my setup. I do have a new container of GH cal mag I just ordered last month. Being a Disabled Army Vet I do this one step at a time.