Some questions about growing in hydro: converting Wilma to a hybrid drip-feed/DWC, correct amount of IONIC's nutes, using beneficial fungi & reservoir

[MarcusAurelius]

So, I am starting a new growth project and these questions are still unanswered for me. First time growing in hydro and I have earlier experience growing in soil.

I’m going to grow in Wilma’s drip-feed hydro where the liquid recirculates within the system) which I am planning of converting into a hybrid DWC/Top Feed-hydro by simply drilling additional holes to the bottom of the pots and to the reservoir on the spots where the pots are placed. This brings me a question:

- Does it matter how many holes and what sizes those holes are? I ask this because as I am going to run the system 24/7 with clay pebbles as the medium and I’m wondering will “too many/too big holes” cause a situation where the pots will be drained of water too fast and that the roots dry up.

- I am going to use IONIC’s hydro nutes with the setup (the nutes/supplements that I have are all from the same company, which is Growth Technology IONIC): Hydro Grow, Hydro Bloom, Green Fuse Root Stimulator, Grow Stimulator, CAL-MAG pro). Which leads to the question:

In many grow guides that I read, people often say that the amount of nutrients in feeding scheludes should be treated as the MAX amount of nutes which means that the right amount will be considerably less than what is written on feeding schedules. Given this fact, what kind of realistic amounts should I start with in the seedling, veg and bloom stages?

- I am using Piranha from Advanced Nutrients (only supplement that is not from IONIC/Growth Technology) as Beneficial Fungi in my setup. Given the fact that I need to do the weekly reservoir change, how will this affect using beneficial fungi? Will the colony disappear after each wash or how do people keep up the fungal colony there with reservoir changes?

- What’s the best way to drain the reservoir? Do I just scoop up the water with a bucket or something and then change it? Can I use the water pump and the tube that came with the set to somehow suck out the water during reservoir changes?

 

[Mr. Krip]

- Does it matter how many holes and what sizes those holes are? I ask this because as I am going to run the system 24/7 with clay pebbles as the medium and I’m wondering will “too many/too big holes” cause a situation where the pots will be drained of water too fast and that the roots dry up.

I'd make the holes about 1/4" - 5/16". Too big and the clay pebbles will fall through; and too many and you'll weaken the pots ability to hold all those clay pebbles.

In many grow guides that I read, people often say that the amount of nutrients in feeding scheludes should be treated as the MAX amount of nutes which means that the right amount will be considerably less than what is written on feeding schedules. Given this fact, what kind of realistic amounts should I start with in the seedling, veg and bloom stages?

I have not used IONIC's nute line, but as a general rule, when the plant has three nodes, start on 1/4 strength nutes. You can increase the PPM's every res change through veg. If you start seeing yellow tips, back off the nutes a little. When you flip to flower, some grower will give a "transition" dose the first couple of weeks, but you're good, once she's on bloom nutes to keep increasing PPM's for the first 6 weeks, or so, of flower, then start reducing the PPM's as you get to the flush.

- I am using Piranha from Advanced Nutrients (only supplement that is not from IONIC/Growth Technology) as Beneficial Fungi in my setup. Given the fact that I need to do the weekly reservoir change, how will this affect using beneficial fungi? Will the colony disappear after each wash or how do people keep up the fungal colony there with reservoir changes?

I can only tell you that, yes, you would change this with each res change and you can call Advanced Nutes which has a great "Grower Support" hotline to assist. That being said, I was NEVER a fan of running ANY organics in hydro. IMHO, it only increases the chances that bad stuff is gonna start growing in the res. For root health, I highly recommend Dutch Masters' Zone which can be used safely with H2O2 and all synthetic nutes. It does have copper as an active ingredient so it should not be used with organic nutes.

- What’s the best way to drain the reservoir? Do I just scoop up the water with a bucket or something and then change it? Can I use the water pump and the tube that came with the set to somehow suck out the water during reservoir changes?

Sorry, I'm not familiar with that specific system but, if there's no obvious way to drain it, the quickest/easiest will likely be to simply use a water pump to pump it into a bucket or nearby sink/tub. I would think you could use the pump that comes with it but, again, I'm just not familiar enough with that specific system.

I hope that helps!

 

[Barney86]

Yup yup and yup. Couldn't agree more with krip there. I'm a fan of a sterile res too. Can run much higher temps before you need to worry.
I use the gt line also but during veg they just get the veg bottle and scillica. Nothing else and they go like the clappers.
200ppm for first 2 weeks Then up by 100ppm any time the bottoms go yellow.
They don't need much man they're really good nutes. Surprising considering how cheap they are.
My current veg lot on 300ppm.
The auto in bloom up the top is on 500.