SofaKing's Grow Show!

[SofaKing]

Hi so here i am with a grow. Its my first Hydro DWC bubblier grow.

INFO:
-Strain: Unknown, got seeds from a friend
-Stage of growth: Veg, still seedlings
-Indoor or outdoor: Indoor
-Growing method: Hydro DWC bubblier
-Lighting- Two CFLs. Top light is 26w = 150w CFL FS white
Bottom light is 23w = 125 CFL FS white
-Water PH: 5.8
-Nutrients: Seaweed Extract and Liqinox 10-10-5

Ive had good results with these nutrients when i did my soil grow and they can be used in hydro. The seaweed extract is organic and is probably the best stuff i have ever used with cuttings. It grows a root in no time. Im hoping my DWC will be a huge success. I have a total of 4 popped seeds but only 3 in the hydro system since i only have 3 buckets. I might put the 4th in soil. who knows...

ma pics yo, check them below

This is my plan for my grow box:

Pictures of my current set up:

I put a bit of my soil on my cubes to close the hole where the seedling went into and also its used to hold a bit of the moisture in too.

What i use to test PH even though i know its not the best but its what i got.

And here is the last seedling that i dont know what to do with. the other three didnt even pop so i think they are gone.

​

Well I hope this turn out to be a good grow. I like to pride myself as having a green thumb but I have never done any Hydro. It should be fun.

 

[Parkview]

Just started my first try at DWC. I put a clone in a 5 gal bucket about two weeks ago so it will be interesting to follow your journal. So I'm subscribed, if you don't mind.

I use the same PH test. Sucks because I'm color blind, really color blind. When I check my PH, I'm just giving it my best guess.

 

[KingJohnC]

subscribed. i recommend you do not add any nutrients until your plants are established and have 5 nodes growing and are 4-5 inches. off site image hosting is not allowed on 420magazine but here is everything you should need to know to post full size images in your grow journal.

Photo Gallery Guide: How to Resize, Upload & Post Photos

 

[SofaKing]

If off site isn't allowed then why is the link to post images a URL link? That's weird. Well I'll do it differently in the future. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[SofaKing]

PS. If I have already been using nutrients, will that hurt the plants? When I did soil, they did great but with hydro it could be different. Yes?

 

[KingJohnC]

you are probably alright with the seaweed extract but your plants do not have roots yet to absorb the nutrients. if you are going to run nutrients for seedlings i would run a very low ppm of nutrients.

 

[TanR]

Hi SofaKing,

Just wanted to drop in and add mine to the voices welcoming you to 420 Magazine and the community of folks that gathers here. I really apreciate that your sharing your grow with us.

Be well and happy growing.

Ps. Love your screen name btw!

 

[SofaKing]

UPDATE!!

Sooo, today I did a big upgrade. Pictures and descriptions below:

So i took my cubes out of the cups and made an incubator so they can grow up a bit more. I was actually VERY surprised at how well this worked!

Within a matter of minutes one popped up!

Went and got a tub and built this

New lights. The middle is my FS CFL 150w and the outer two are my new 50w Agro-Lite R20 Grow lights. Still need to put my reflector over it.

I got me some PH Up and Down, i needed it.

Got this for free at my local Hydroponics Shop. Owner said its good stuff. I dont even know what it is but hell, its free!

The whole kit and caboodle

Now i got a few light fixtures I dont know yet what to do with. I might build a starter box for my clones. Not bad though for only 50 bucks lol.

 

[SofaKing]

well today there is still only 1 seed sprouted so far. i hope to get more. i germinated them and 4 of the 6 did at lease split out of the shell but so far only one has sprouted. Im getting antsy.

 

[SofaKing]

I just found a small water pump I had completely forgotten about in on of my random boxes from my move. I tested it and it still works. Now Im thinking about making an aeroponic system with it but I have one question. Its not a very big pump but then again my tub isnt very big neither. Its only a 60GPH pump and i was wondering if that would be enough pressure to even work? I would imagine that just like when you put your thumb over the end of a garden hose that the back pressure would be enough to work but my tub is a rubbermaid 18g roughneck. I cant spend anymore money on stuff like a new pump so i was hoping this one would suffice. Any thoughts?

 

[KingJohnC]

a 60 gallon per hour pump is just to under powered for an aeroponic setup, your pressure would come out your sprayers at a dribble.

 

[SofaKing]

I kinda figured lol

 

[SofaKing]

So i finally decided what to do with that small pump.... I built a drip system. It works great. Cant wait to actually see it in action. I like the design. I plan to get a timer later. Question though, whit a drip system, how long does one allow the drip to drip and how often does one drip the plants? I've been reading quite a bit about DWC and ive seen these DWC/Drip combos. I figured it was a good way to get the Nutrients to the plants. I haven't read much about these combos but i like the idea. Has anyone tried this and how was your experience?


Pics of the system:

 

[Parkview]

I'm new to hydro and this site but you might check out this thread by the capn:

How to: Simple Hydroponics

He may be able to answer your questions.

 

[SofaKing]

Well today i got a light fixture for a future grow box. I hope i can use this. Its a powerful piece of equipment, It use to go on my buddies 500g salt water tank. And he used it to grow and maintain coral reefs. I would imagine that this fixture can also be used to grow plants as well. I need to find a low kelvin bulb for it. Its the U shaped bulbs. Does anyone know any info on this fixture? It would be nice to know if anyone has used a set up like this so i can get some feed back about it. Pictures below.

Whole Set

Light Plug

Side view

Light Information Label

Thank for reading.

 

[KingJohnC]

your Coralife Florescent ballast appears to use straight pin connectors, Coralife 05504 6700K 65 watt Straight Pin Compact Fluorescent Lights are available. i would verify with the seller that the lights are meant for your ballast.

 

[SofaKing]

Well sh!t, none of the seeds made it.... Kinda pissed about it. Now I need to find more seeds. I don't think the grow cubes I got work so well. It seemed like the roots couldn't push through and they just balled up inside the hole. Maybe I did something wrong. They are the brown organic cubes. They were PHed and the hydroponic shop used them with all there stuff so I don't know where I went wrong. Oh well, its all a learning experience. Still kinda pissed.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

Subscribed. Looking forward to your successes and I will learn much with you. You'll get there!

 

[Parkview]

That sucks man. Stick with it, you'll sort it out.

 

[SofaKing]

Looks like Im in the process of building my grow box. I found a nice cheap cabinet from wally world that measures 24.0 x 14.0 x 71.0 (L x W x H) which i think is a good size. I might just get my ducks in a row before I start my grow again. But I will still be keeping this up to date with everything and I imagine I will be back in a couple of weeks growing. Cross your fingers that this next time works. I certainly hope so....