new pc grow, advice please....

[mindvoice]

I am starting a new pc grow with an aeroponics system, I've done soil grow in the past out of bagseed and so I'm not totally ignorant to the process, however i do have a few questions.

1) How can I check and maintain the right ph in the water? what exactly is ph up and ph down? Any good ph meter suggestions?

2)How does having chicken wire keep the plant shorter? Do I have to literally tie the branches down to the wire or does the plant know to stay short because of it being there?

3) Does anyone know what the right lighting cycle should be for a pc grow with two plants in it, for both vegging and flowering?


I ordered some skunk red hair seeds so when i get them I'll provide pics to this thread for anyone who wants to follow me through this journey. I'm a bit nervous about this first hydro grow and the whole rockwhool/germination process so any advice is really really appreciated. . Hope to hear from you all.

This is the pc grow box i ordered: http://www.myspace.com/mrgrowpro

 

[ScrubNinja]

1) Eutech make a fine ph meter. Up and Down is just small bottles of liquid. My down is phosphoric acid, and my up is ... I can't read the label too well but I think it's potassium hydroxide. I read you should get the right stuff for horticultural purposes as fishtank stuff may not be the best choice.

2) I take it you mean a scrog screen. It allows you to grow it and sort of collect all the growing tips on that one level where the screen is, then you can start flowering and all the young buds get close, strong light, unblocked by taller buds and leaves. You just tuck and bend them through the screen, you don't have to tie them, although there may be one or two need tieing.

3) Same cycles as any indoor grow. 12:12 for flowering and take your pick for veg - I like 20:4 (lights onff), other common ones are 18:6 or 24:0.

4) Good luck.

 

[mindvoice]

oh awesome dude, thanks for that. I'm squared away on the meter i need, the lighting and on the purpose of the scrog. I'm still a bit confused about the ph up and ph down. I get that your using these chemicals potassium hydroxide and the phosphoric acid but I assume you were using fish tank ph up and down. That can't be much different from plant ph up/down tho right? Unless, Ph isn't the same thing as nutrient value? Are those two separate things cus if so then your probably right that I should find the horticulture version of ph up and down.

I'm probably gonna go with light for 24 hours durring vegging, and a 12:12 for flowering. Should 4 weeks of 24 hour lighting sound about right for a two plant pc grow for the vegging period?

Last question, Should I just soak the rockwhool and put the seed inside it for germinating? Further when I put the rockwhool in the basket that holds the pebbles should the rockwhool itself be in the water or just above the water so when the roots break through they end up touching water? Actually do I leave the rockwhool in throughout the whole process including flowering? I've never used rockwhool before nor grown with aeroponics. Some opinions PLEZZZZ. thanks so far tho

 

[maledar]

Wow Mind you're like next door to me I'm gonna shoot you a PM because I have a very curious question for you. Good luck on your grow I'm a noob myself so I can't give you any good advice.

 

[mindvoice]

i just got a ph meter but gotta "calibrate it" otherwise i'm pretty much on the right track.

 

[ScrubNinja]

Cool yeah, don't trust it until you calibrate. About the ph, I'm pretty baked but I'll explain the best I understand. The fish stuff is, or definitely can be detrimental. I remember seeing a grow gone wrong and they tracked it down to that. If you really want to get technical, I believe there's an optimal ph up/down for veg, and different stuff for flower. But most people just use the one for flower cos that's what it's all about, the flowers, and I'd imagine it's not much difference anyway. I'd assume you're gonna get this from a hydro store so just say you want up and down and they will very likely give you what I have.

You can use other household type stuff for adjusting the ph but I have no experience with aeroponics or rockwool so I dunno if it's suitable. I've heard of people using vinegar for Down, and I often use an ocean type liquid fert called Seasol as my up.

Vegging>>> I think you'd be looking more at zero to a fortnight or so in aeroponics. Just play it by ear but I doubt it would take you a month of vegging. Cheers.

 

[mindvoice]

Yeah I went to the hydro store and got the right ph up and ph down and they very well have the chemicals you mentioned. I also bought some nutrients but dont know if I should use it durring both vegging and flowering stage. I figured I'd put the nutrient in a spray and spray the roots a bit as soon as they show for both stages. The dude at the hydro store said that aeroponics can be difficult and that I gotta check the ph everyday. But I don't think checking ph everyday should be difficult personally. As far as I know aeroponics really speeds up the growing process, especially for a micro grow like mine but there is risk of drowning the plant. So I really gotta keep that water oxygenated. I was wondering if adding a second air pump would be beneficial to the plants which I'm pretty sure it would be but then again I figured I'd just put the pump right up near the roots for now and see how they do.

I'll play it by ear for the vegging process and keep it within a month (give or take), but the plant should preflower before I change the light cycle i think right?

The dude at the store said ebb/flow and the drip systems were the best for hydro growing cus it's "idiot proof" maybe if i expand my operation in the future I can try the ebb/flo or drip method.

Have you calibrated a ph meter before scrubninja? What system of growing do you use?

I'm still waiting on my skunk red hair seeds, when I get them I'll go ahead and provide some pics of my microgrow setup.

http://www.amsterdammarijuanaseeds....972129220512311529&currency=155&product_id=34

 

[ScrubNinja]

Wicked bro, looking forward to it. I calibrated my eutech about a year ago when I got it. I often go to calibrate it, but it just doesn't need it as it reads the calib. fluid at the right ph anyway. Best to check it occasionally just in case but anytime I've seen a ph meter go wonky, it's been very very obvious. The numbers fluctuate like crazy and you instantly know something's up.

I run handwatered coco in pots (run to waste). As far as foolproof goes, I reckon it's hands down the simplest hydro system. Not quite as good results as I've seen with aeroponics here, but so much simpler. Just mix the nutes and water em on, and chuck out the runoff. No need for bubblers, pumps, pipes, reservoir, etc. Just pots, plants, coco, nutes, and a bucket. I am gonna sort out an automated watering system next grow though. Got a pump today. It's very hard work watering a scrog by hand.

You're right about the daily ph thing. It's not hard at all. Should take less than 2 minutes I reckon. Can't help much with the other stuff I'm afraid but check out irie4i's thread here, it's aero in a cab, or D.I.Try has a thread somewhere with aero in a pc case. Both getting some kickass results. Otherwise try the indoor hydro forum if no aero folks help ya here. Good luck!

Edit: oops just read your other thread and realised we got dwc and aero mixed up lol.

 

[Aerohead]

As far as PH goes, make sure to use R/O or distilled water and the PH will require little adjustment. It will also take very little (drops) of PH up/down to dial it in. You will have to check it daily because of the small capacity of that res but it should require little adjustment. It wouldn't hurt to add a larger air pump in there especially if the water temp in the res gets warm. Don't forget to add tsp per gallon of hydrogen peroxide to keep those roots healthy.
If you are going to use that scrog screen your case came with, you will need 3-4 weeks of veg to fill it.

 

[Monk Hughes]

hello guys! sorry for using your topic for my question, mindvoice, but it seems you were as confused about it as me with the difference that i still am confused. can somebody explain the use of a screen to me again? for me it looks like some mid air floating LST but i guess i'm wrong about it. helpful words would be appreciated.

 

[ScrubNinja]

hello guys! sorry for using your topic for my question, mindvoice, but it seems you were as confused about it as me with the difference that i still am confused. can somebody explain the use of a screen to me again? for me it looks like some mid air floating LST but i guess i'm wrong about it. helpful words would be appreciated.

That's pretty accurate. It's a training barrier and is, in a sense, LST - you are low stress training it using the screen instead of strings or wire. The shoots want to (and will if you're not vigilant) shoot straight through the screen and up to the lights. You just tuck/tie/bend the stems once/twice per day so they all stay under the screen and keep vegging until the plant has covered most of your screen (paying attention to the grow tips, not the leaves). When you're happy with that, flip to 12/12 and stretch will begin and go for approx 2 weeks or so. You want to flip so that the early stretch will cover any gaps you missed, and then let most of the stretch (depending on headroom) go straight up and by this time, the budlets are visible and it's downhill from there with a nice even carpet of buds. By letting them go straight up, I mean stop training/tucking at this point.

 

[Crafty]

Awesome. I just ordered the same case from him today and found this thread. I'll be watching and learning as well. I have never done this before and am a complete newb! So far great info!

 

[mindvoice]

FOR AEROHEAD:

thanks for that man. I'll buy some distilled water, i heard in the past not to use distilled water because it's dead water, but I'll take your word over that cus I don't even remember where I heard that from. But I'll be sure to get distilled. And I'll also note a teaspoon per gallon of hydrogen peroxide. That's a good idea, it keeps more oxygen in the water too hu? didn't even think of that. I'll look into buying another air pump too, it'll probably another small one but hey it's more air right?

I'll jot the 3-4 weeks of vegging and then I'll change the light cycle. Hope it don't get to crowded in there, or i guess I don't mind more weed, but I hope there's enough space for my plants to harvest.

 

[mindvoice]

crafty, you should view my other post about rockwool, there's good germinating information there too, and now we're trying to clear up what to do with the nutrients.

Scrubninja, great job reiterating about the screen, helped me to understand the vegging process that much more. Swear when I'm done with this grow you all should have a taste.

 

[Monk Hughes]

Thank you, Ninja! Sounds good so far, probably going to have one in my soon to come PC grow, too.

 

[Crafty]

Thanks! I'll have to check out those posts. We'll collaborate since we have the same setup.

 

[Chr0nicles]

Good luck on your micro aero setup! I'm currently planning out either a DWC or Aeroponic setup for my PC Case...but I have been thinking I have this broken bass amp in the basement that is much bigger than a pc case, but not too big as to arouse suspicion...it might be time for me to alter my plans a little ;o) Either way, good luck with building your system and keep us updated on what you decided to go with and any plans / how-to's, etc...

- Chr0nicles

 

[Crafty]

Have you started yet mindvoice? I get my pc case on tuesday.