Newb: Switched from coco coir to rockwool ebb & flow

Hoisanfeller · Nov 30, 2015

Hi All,

I planted my clones into 3gal smart pots on 11/11/15. Medium was 3 parts coco(cocotek) and 1 part perlite. Did a 3/4.5ml GH nutes w/o the Gro formula. Added 1/8tsp of Calimagic to each gallon. PH between 5.9-6.2 for the nute water. Temps ran up to 73 degrees day/51-55 degrees night. Humidity 32-55%(lower at night). I used tap water set out for 48hrs.

They did root a lot into the coco mixture didn't grow as much as I was hoping. I know nothing about weed, nor plants, never taken care of any living thing in my life. I just smoke it.

Only people who I know grow weed do it commercially and they don't do coco. They use rockwool cubes in ebb and flow systems. They are the folks who gave my my clones. My plants barely grew an inch whilst my buddies clones in the ebb & flow systems grew 4 inches during the same time frame. My plant leaves are a light green, theirs are a nice green.

I just switched over to a 4x4 flood tray, 40gal reservoir. Removed my clones from the coco pots and planted them into Grodan big mama cubes.

I am going to continue to top feed them as for a while. I am curious what I should do for the water reservoir? Should I trash the GH flora nutes and start with other stuff? Or continue to use flora series? Again, it is a 40gal res.

Hoisanfeller · Nov 30, 2015

In the pics above:

11/11/15(when I transplanted clones into 3gal smartpots)
11/17/15

Hoisanfeller · Nov 30, 2015

11/21/15(first pic)

11/29/15(as they stand now, I removed the clones from the coco pots and planted them into their rockwool cubes). A few of the clones had some roots spreading down to the smart pots bottom already.

Should I invest in a heater for the reservoir? I am afraid that the plastic may melt?

Hoisanfeller · Nov 30, 2015

Anyways, specs of my equipment.

Equipment:

5x5 Gorilla Grow Tent
Virtual Sun VSD1000WDS 1,000-Watt Dimmable MH/HPS Digital Grow Light Kit
VenTech VT SPD-CTRL VTSPEED Variable Dial Router Fan Speed Controller for Duct and Inline Fans, 6"
iPower GLFANXINLINE6 High CFM Inline Ducting Fan for Hydroponics Applications, 6-Inch
iPower GLFILT6M Air Carbon Filter Odor Control with Australia Virgin Charcoal for Inline Fan, 6-Inch
AcuRite 00613A1 Indoor Humidity Monitor
Honeywell QuietSet Whole Room Tower Oscillating Fan
2x Clip-on Fans
VenTech VT DF-6 DF6 Duct Fan, 240 CFM, 6", this is used help the intake of fresh air into tent.

Ebb & Flow system:
Botanicare ID White 4ft x 4ft Grow Tray
Botanicare 40 Gallon Premium Reservoir
Active Aqua Submersible Water Pump, 250 GPH
Active Aqua Air Pump 1 Outlet 2W 3.2L/min

Nutes and stuff:
Nutes + ph stuff I purchased:
Oakton EcoTestr pH 2 Waterproof pH Tester, 0.0 to 14.0 pH Range
General Hydroponics Flora Series QT - FloraGro, FloraBloom, and FloraMicro, 32 oz each. 1-quart of CaliMagiC

KiefRichards · Nov 30, 2015

Tagged

Nice clean setup!

Space Toker · Nov 30, 2015

Good luck getting any answers!

I hope someone helps, as I may soon start a similar thread (as long as I have been here, I am totally new to hydro so hopefully we can learn from each other and both get answers). Like the guy above me said, nice clean setup, and you seem very detailed oriented which should serve you well. Best wishes for a kickass grow!

Hoisanfeller · Dec 1, 2015

Thanks. I was trying to keep the tent and the surrounding area clean and tidy. I purchased a lid for the reservoir, another air pump+stone and will install a overflow valve this weekend.

I've watched so many youtube videos and searched with a million results on hydro threads. It makes my head hurt, especially from a newb that doesn't have a background in horticulture or any of the lingo that comes with it!

Hoisanfeller · Dec 1, 2015

Since I'm doing the ebb & flow method I've lost a lot of space so my plants height will be extremely restricted. Need to figure out a way to stunt growth before flowering.

sturgeongeneral · Dec 1, 2015

I run a system similar to you,just in a 3x3 tray with 4x4 cubes. As long as your water isnt ice cold you should be ok. But if you do get a heater, an aquarium one will do just fine. As for the height restriction, id supercrop before flower, use a product like bushmaster ect. Or flower shorter. I tend to flower around a ft tall and the kushes with the stretch in them come out aroumd 3 4 ft. I run a strain now that hardly stretches and i pack20 to 30 of them into a tray

Hoisanfeller · Dec 4, 2015

Update.

Added nutes to my 40gal res of GH Flora Series; Gro, Bloom, Micro. Been top feeding my plants in the morning and again at night. I made the mistake of buying 8x8 big mamas and should have stuck with 6x6 grodans. Too tall of a block for my reservoir to reach.

I broke off the bottom yellowing leaves on my plants They have gotten much bigger and I feel their growth was stunted initially with the coco and smartpots I use using. Planted them with little rooting in 3gal smartpots w/ untreated coco coir.

Will post pics in a bit.

Hoisanfeller · Dec 5, 2015

12/5/15 update:

Been almost 1 week since my clones have been in their rockwool cubes. 2x top feedings/day. PPM initial 1150(full reservoir), now at 1250(used 1/8 of the reservoir already in 1 week).

Still using tap water. PH'd to about 6.1-6.3(need to get it lower). I am using PH down.

Running 18/6 hours of light.

Hoisanfeller · Dec 5, 2015

Comparison:

11/29/15 & 12/5/15. I trimmed off some yellowing leaves off some plants. There are 3 plants that are growing really slow.

Also added and ECO 264 to help distribute the water in the res. tank.

gardener60 · Dec 6, 2015

One newbie to another you have some serious equipment. I wish you look on your grow. Look like you are in the right direction. Hope you get some good replies.

Call me clemoh · Dec 8, 2015

First off to begin with Im pretty sure putting them clones into that big of a smart pot was not the best move off the bat. That easily could of lead to rot due to the size of the pot and how much you where watering . I would of started them in a way smaller container for the coco and worked my way up to that size smart pot . 1000 ppm seems like a lot for your plants but that's just me .

Phases · Dec 8, 2015

Call me clemoh is definitely right about the pot size - I go from oasis cubes once rooted to a solo cups, give them a good watering with a low ec solution of micro/bloom (something like 3/4.5 - half 6/9) and then let it dry a bit and repeat untill get nice roots going then I up pot to a 1 gal and do then same thing while slowly increasing the nute strength. I either flower in a 1 gal pot and feed 2x a day or I go up to a 2 gal pot and get nice fat white roots going - then flip to flower - coco is amazing once you get the hang of it.

I've ised rockwool as well but only the 4x4x2.5 cubes and even those things hold water for a long time So I can only imagine the 8x8 will stay wet forever esp with small clones.
The one thing I can say about rockwool is be careful of the salt build up- it's a good idea to flush them, via top feed and get all the build up out on a regular basis.
I didn't really like rockwool for flood and drain, switched to hydroton and flood every 3 hours once they are established - so much easier in my opiNion~

Hoisanfeller · Dec 9, 2015

Thanks for the info guys. Yeah, first newb mistake was transplanting the little clones into big pots.

Update on my plants 12/8/15 as of this morning.

Hoisanfeller · Dec 16, 2015

12/13/15 update

Jellyfish · Dec 16, 2015

Looks good OP. You asked about the GH nutes, they work great for me. With your size set up, you might take a look at hempy buckets, if you don't mind hand watering.

Looks like you're on the right track, your plants look happy!

JohnnyHopkins · Jan 6, 2016

You oughta keep you ph around 5.5-5.8 for coco and hydro. 1000 ppm is way too high. They are too small and unestablished to handle that. Less is more a lot of times and if they want more then they will make it clear and then you can foliar spray a couple times to take care of it. I believe it is best to start out keeping it as simple as possible which in my opinion is via soil-less mediums. That is the most forgiving way to learn.

Also are you exchanging the air in that room with fresh air? or supplementing co2?

gardener60 · Jan 8, 2016

Man i like your equipment. I have the same intentions for my seedlings. My seedlings are in 1.5 rock wool cubes and the roots have just broke through the bottom so i am waiting until i have a better root system before i put them in the 4" cubes. I have a simple flood and drain table some might call it humble, but if it gets the job done then it is ok for me.

Newb: Switched from coco coir to rockwool ebb & flow

New member

Attachments

New member

New member

Attachments

New member

Active member

Active member

New member

New member

Active member

New member

New member

Attachments

New member

Attachments

Active member

New member

Member

New member

Attachments

New member

Attachments

Invertebrata Inebriata

Member

Active member