Need help on specific DWC question

Marley Man

New Member
Hey everyone. I recently posted at another forum about what the water level should be when the rockwool seedling has just been placed in the netpots with hydroton.

The advice I got was to have the water level 1 cm away from the rockwool. This means having part of the netpot in the water too.

I am cautious to do this, because when the water is at the level of just below the netpots, the roof is splashed, so why wouldnt the rockwool be splashed? the hydroton retains water doesnt it?

Would really appreciate some advice on what to do
 
Thanks very much WCT

now that that is solved, I had a question about nutrients. The seedlings are just starting to have their third set of leaves. Is it a good time to add nutrients, was thinking of adding just 1/16th strength. Just bought a tds meter but its shipping from hong kong so no idea how long that will take.

are also using tap water and don't know how much ppms that is but it was let to sit out for more than 24 hours.
 
Well 4 plants were put into the netpots. The ph was adjusted to 5.5. Half a day later the ph was back up to 7.0 so it was readjusted back down to 5.5.
3 of the 4 were very droopy and weak. The next morning, the 3 were completely dead. Its heartbreaking to see it, It kills me that I did a lot of research to do all the right steps, and I believe I did do all the right steps, but somehow they are killed. There are no signs of ph burning, the leaves were all quite green. the roots had even grown at least an inch out of the rockwool cubes.

There is one remaining. I dont understand how 3 could be killed so easily and one be unaffected. Any ideas on how to keep it alive. I plan on moving it to a 5 gallon bucket system and to use distilled water with a weak amount of nutrients.
 
Well then maybe someone else here with extensive hydro experience should address your problem since you obviously believe what you've read in the past over what I just wrote. Your having problems and I've given you the correct answers. Do what you want but what ever it is...make a change because what your doing is flat out killing them. (that alone should tell you what you read wasn't 100% right) 5.8 to 6.2 is the average most use. PH is extremely important. Any .1 in your meter reading difference is a huge (10X's) difference and needs to be addressed ASAP.

Good luck.
 
I wasn't trying to say you are wrong. But when I see two conflicting pieces of information, it doesn't make sense. Wouldnt you also be confused if the guide you are reading from the forum says one thing when it really should be other?

If I came of as hostile it wasn't my intention. I was commenting with the approach that there is reasoning behind each answer, I was just trying to figure out that reasoning. Thank you for your help it will be raised.
 
I hope I didn't step on toes by disagreeing with the OG entry but I know 5.5 locks out a lot of elements that require a higher PH to be useable. I believe Moose posted a chart that shows the optimum PH for certain elements recently. Since we can't swing the PH to the extremes to guarantee that all elements are readily available we have to come to a happy medium that allows most to be used with the others sneaking in a little at a time.
Thanks for changing that entry though guys. Hopefully it keeps another newer grower from killing their plants. I hope your 1 baby is a lady and makes it Marley. I'm not here to argue with anyone. Only help.
 
yup it should be a female (feminized big bang from greenhouse seeds). I am guessing that it is an anomaly that it has survived. I also have one other seedling that was never put into a netpot, its still in a rockwool tray, and it hasnt really been growing and looks like it will succumb to the same fate.

The rockwool was pretreated for 24 hours, but water was not run through it, so maybe the ph climbed up since all the crap in it was not rinsed out?

anyway, got a 5 gallon bucket and am going to be putting the net pot into that. Also got 5 gallons distilled water and will add a 16th strength of whats on the directions for pure blend pro. I pray that it works.

I do appreciate the responses very much, thank you.
 
Ok. Digital camera came in the mail today. So I think pictures will probably help out describe the situation here.

Here is the one plant that survived. Its at least been 8 days since it sprouted, so it is growing slowly:

biggieG.JPG


Whaddya think, think it could handle some nutes?

here are 2 images of the plants that died. No idea what happened to those guys. The one seedling left that was in rockwool and not transplanted also died today.

DSC000151.JPG

DSC000142.JPG


and here is the new setup. (still have to spray bucket black and aluminum foil tape the lid)
DSC000311.JPG
 
i would have kept them out untill the roots were showing and then put thenm in were the cubes holding any water at all when they died?
 
Any luck getting anything going? The roots should be visible before transplanting. You need to root them for about 3 weeks before they will be ready to hit the Veg stage.
 
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