What Am I Doing Wrong ? ( First Attempt At Hydro )

[Buddaluva]

This is my very first attempt at hydro and im trying it out with a little diy dwc system that i made out of a container that i got from the dollar store

Im using bagseed to practice with ,

So far all i have done is soak the rockwool cube in water with a ph around neutral maybe slightly over .

Iv read that the ph in the res needs to be around 5.8 , but since i have not given any nutes i figured that the ph would be fine for now since im not giving nutes yet , then adjust the ph once i do start giving nutes

Is that wrong ? should i be giving like a 1/2 strength nute with ph water for the cube to absorb ?

My seedling is starting to turn yellow and i dont know why

No roots are coming through the cube yet ,

It is currently under just one 26w cfl ( 6500k ) since its so little

The temp is 79 degrees and the humidity is 40%

Any help on this is greatly appreciated ..thank you

 

[Sam the Caveman]

Looks like ph problems to me.

I'd flush it real good with some ph 5.8 to 6.0 and ph adjust the water in your rez.

Remember to keep your rez sterile by adding 1ml/10gal of bleach to your rez every 3-4 days, otherwise you'll get root rot or other nasties growing in your water.

 

[Z-Beeblebrox]

Check your water before doing any further.

I have just started my own hydro for the first time, and have done this:

Rockwool cubes soaked in water pH 5.8 with 0.6mS/cm EC by adding nutes to raise from 0.3mS/cm.

Check my signature for how it is going

 

[gaiusmarius]

yeah you still need to ph the water any time it ends up reaching the plant. also don't make the seedling wet when the light is right on top of it. after flushing the cube with ph 5.9 i'd add a few drops of very weak nutrient solution or better yet some rhizotonic to help it get back on track.

 

[Buddaluva]

Thanks you all

as of now it has not been in my res yet , i just have it in the net pot since the roots are not coming through the cube yet

So when you all say flush it with ph water , and not let the seedling be wet up top , how do i do that ?

Do i just sit it in a saucer with ph water and let it get absorb up through the bottom ?

and i do not have any rhizotonic , do you think a very little dose of superthrive would work also ?

 

[Z-Beeblebrox]

You want it in the bubler now, so that the water gets aerated

 

[FreezerBoy]

I vote starvation.

Soil growers will say seedlings don't need food but they forget to tell you that soil IS food. You don't have soil. Hydroton and Rockwool are inert; they are not soil and thus not food. From the beginning, feed at 1/4 strength of whatever your nute bottle suggests for veg growth.

Until you see several inches of roots sticking out, you want the cube completely saturated at all times. Failure to do so can kill the plant in a few hours from dehydration. I'm talking less time than a good night's sleep. In DWC and Aero, water is the oxygen delivery system. Thus, saturation prevents drowning and suffocation.

In future, bury Rockwool under the Hydroton so Rockwool cannot be seen. While algae on Rockwool wont harm you, exposed Rockwool will attract gnats. Cover the Rockwool and you'll be gnat free.

Picture is fuzzy but seems to be aero rather than DWC. Water pumps in aero heat the water. Warm water is not an automatic death sentence but, can exacerbate problems created by other conditions. Should heat cause problems, consider adding a chiller to the res, frozen bottles of water, or swapping the water pump for an air pump and stone.

 

[Buddaluva]

Thanks F.B

I have 2 little holes drilled in the pvc pipe for water to shoot out back into the res creating bubbles

So are you suggesting just to take the fountain pump and the pvc attachment out , and just use an air pump with an air stone attached to aerate the water in the res ?

Something more like this ?

 

[joe9000]

its overwatered,let the cube get abit drier before another watering.

 

[growhigh1233]

its overwatered,let the cube get abit drier before another watering.

i agree your in effect drowning the seedling, i do seeds in aero ponics and i dont even turn on the sprinklers untile i see a good healthy root from bottom of the cube !

 

[Buddaluva]

Until you see several inches of roots sticking out, you want the cube completely saturated at all times. Failure to do so can kill the plant in a few hours from dehydration

its overwatered,let the cube get abit drier before another watering.

Your telling me something completely different F.B

He says it needs to stay wet , your saying let it dry

Hey F.B

You said that next time to have to pebbles over the cube

Like this ?

 

[gaiusmarius]

i meant dont get the leaves wet when lights are on, but to get the ph corrected pour corrected water through the rw cube from top. yes superthrive will work too, just use very small amount.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Aero and DWC are both based on keeping roots wet at all times. There is no dry cycle as there is in E&F or drain to waste. While aero uses an on/off cycle, the dry cycle's optimum length is 3-4 seconds and rarely exceeds 15 minutes.

Aero uses billions and billions of jets (ok, not billions and billions but, a heck of a lot more than two) to create a chamber of heavily aerated mist. DWC roots live in heavily aerated water. If you want to go Aero, you want more jets.



I'd consider DWC first. Aero gives the best results but is more prone to immediate catastrophic failure. The lessons you learn in DWC (EC, pH, etc) will carry over to Aero. If you go DWC, keep water level in contact with cube until roots can exceed a one inch gap.

 

[Buddaluva]

i meant dont get the leaves wet when lights are on, but to get the ph corrected pour corrected water through the rw cube from top. yes superthrive will work too, just use very small amount.

Oh no ,

i might have fukd it up then ,

I did not know how to flush just the cube so i have it soaking in ph water with barely 1/2 strength nutes

its been soaking about an hour , i keep checking on it to make sure the cube is still firm and not trying to dissolve

i better take it out now

Aero and DWC are both based on keeping roots wet at all times. There is no dry cycle as there is in E&F or drain to waste. While aero uses an on/off cycle, the dry cycle's optimum length is 3-4 seconds and rarely exceeds 15 minutes.

Aero uses billions and billions of jets (ok, not billions and billions but, a heck of a lot more than two) to create a chamber of heavily aerated mist. DWC roots live in heavily aerated water. If you want to go Aero, you want more jets.



I'd consider DWC first. Aero gives the best results but is more prone to immediate catastrophic failure. The lessons you learn in DWC (EC, pH, etc) will carry over to Aero. If you go DWC, keep water level in contact with cube until roots can exceed a one inch gap.

Then i will try the dwc first like you suggest ,

i only have the 2 options anyway ,

I can use just the pump and air stone or use the fountain pump with the pvc pipe , i have little sprayers that i can put in the holes i drilled , but from what your describing its more then likely no where strong enough

I also have 2 different lids , 1 to grow 1 plant and one to grow 2 plants

 

[OvergrowingKiwi]

I couldn't resist. Had to chime in lol..
Heres my advice take it or leave it bro.

Ditch the PVC pipe & the sprayers. Learn to crawl before you walk.
Follow the instructions mentioned for flushing the cube.
Go with just the airstone in the water. 1/4 strength nutes ph 5.8
Fill the reservoir up until its at level with the bottom of the netpot.
Place the cube in the bubbles should be sitting in it.
I suggest ya read up on the basic principles of hydroponics.. Root oxygenation etc.

My guess at whats happened:
The PH of your rockwool is too high and it's soaked with stale water with no oxygen in it.

Good luck!

 

[Buddaluva]

That`s what im gonna do , ( the pump and air stone )

I split the cube with a razor and lowered the seedling down with the root tail barley hanging out the bottom

The cube has been soaked with ph water and 1/4 strength nutes

 

[FreezerBoy]

uhhh... get that baby out of the cup and into the res and turn on the pump. While saturation is part and parcel of DWC it's in conjunction with heavily aerated water not stagnant water.

 

[OvergrowingKiwi]

That`s what im gonna do , ( the pump and air stone )

I split the cube with a razor and lowered the seedling down with the root tail barley hanging out the bottom

The cube has been soaked with ph water and 1/4 strength nutes

Wouldn't usually recommend opening up the cube but in this case it was a good idea as that baby was suffocating.

U got it bubbling yet?

 

[Mr Eckted]

You might try planting your seeds in soil, and then taking clones.

You can throw the clones right in rockwool, and put the cubes into netpots and a bubbler. Or just right into bubbling water, without the cubes.

Also, I have success using straight tap water to soak my rockwool in, maybe with a bit of rooting hormone.

I say ditch the pump and just go with an airstone in that container. I have a couple girls chilling out in a similar setup right now, let me go snap a pic for you.

 

[Mr Eckted]

Alright man, Here they are. There's just a bit of water in the bottom of the pots. Hopefully the pics help.