First DWC grow… In Flames

[Matthew_T1986]

So, let me preface that I grow peppers, not cannabis, but frequent a lot of cannabis grow communities because the vast majority of y’all seem to be much deeper into the intricacies of indoor growing than the other 99% of growers…

Anyway… I am fairly new to indoor gardening, and brand new to hydro. I’ll attach a picture of my set-up instead of writing it all out, maybe you can spot something I’m missing…

For my environmentals,

- 69-73° constantly
- VPD .6-.8
- 300 watts full spectrum, 250 PPFD at the plants currently
- Res temp 67-70°
- PH 5.8-6.3
- GH Flora Trio
- Sterile reservoirs

Ok, so I’ve been trying to get these seedlings to survive for about 10-12 days and have had a few bumps along the way. I was using H2O2 to maintain a sterile set-up, but was either way too comfy putting my whole arm in the water or not worrying about temps and grew out a nice crop of bacteria in all 4 tanks.

Cleaned everything and switched from H2O2 to bleach and am keeping my water temps where they should be… and learned the hard way that bleach will skyrocket my PH, so I’m now keeping that in check after finding it at 7+. Transitioning from PH Down to 36% sulfuric acid for the sake of cost.

Along with that, I’m assuming my lights were on the high end of what my plants wanted, as some started putting some purple on their leaves. I’ve since gotten a meter and turned it down to 250ish PPFD, contemplating turning it down further to stretch them out a bit and create some room between the leaves and Hydroton, as I struggle to keep them from touching.

My biggest concern is that while pepper seedlings grow slow AF compared to cannabis, it seems that all plant growth has stopped, root growth never even started, and their health is declining.

Yellow, splotchy and curled leaves, no growth above or below the net pots.

A few days ago I dropped the water level down to about 1.5” below the pots and started top-watering once a day with the nutrient solution from the reservoirs they are in, in hopes of promoting root growth.

With this method, do I want the Rockwool to dry out a bit between waterings?

For contrast, I have a handful of the same varieties of peppers in soil in the tent as well, same environmentals and same age. The soil peppers are by far my healthiest…

Edit to add-
My objective is to have a strong variety ready to harden off and move outside come March, and move completely to taking clones in the fall each year to keep in my tent until the following spring. With the occasional few started from seed for new varieties & crosses that come along.

 

[amneziaHaze]

I grew chilly in dwc but never sterile.i had some photos from my crossbreed red rowit x black bullet. It lost the lenght of burn but kept the fire and bite from bullt.and color was a mix from both and became pink.
Flower went from white and purple to half white half purple.

 

[Matthew_T1986]

I grew chilly in dwc but never sterile.i had some photos from my crossbreed red rowit x black bullet. It lost the lenght of burn but kept the fire and bite from bullt.and color was a mix from both and became pink.
Flower went from white and purple to half white half purple.

I’ve fallen in love with the heat and flavor of Ghost’s, plus I’ve always wanted to do hydroponics.

I think I’ll have my hands full for a few seasons keeping things alive throughout the year but would eventually like to play around with making my own crosses.

Just gotta fumble through and get these little ones back to being healthy before spring!

 

[amneziaHaze]

I’ve fallen in love with the heat and flavor of Ghost’s, plus I’ve always wanted to do hydroponics.

I think I’ll have my hands full for a few seasons keeping things alive throughout the year but would eventually like to play around with making my own crosses.

Just gotta fumble through and get these little ones back to being healthy before spring!

But i did notice hydro will flower a shit tone but most will not get polinated and its less hot than dirt.probably because of the drouth stress

 

[jadins_journey]

Running bleach to control your ph levels is where I’d start looking. Cannabis and bleach really don’t belong in the same sentence, let alone a rookies grow room

 

[DillyTrying2Learn]

Do you have any aeration in the buckets?

 

[Matthew_T1986]

Running bleach to control your ph levels is where I’d start looking. Cannabis and bleach really don’t belong in the same sentence, let alone a rookies grow room

I run bleach to maintain a sterile system, and do not use it as a means to control PH.

For that, I use Sulfuric Acid.

And I do not grow cannabis. Peppers only.

 

[Matthew_T1986]

Do you have any aeration in the buckets?

Yes, please refer to the video in my original post. Though I’m contemplating getting a new pump to significantly increase the amount of air.

 

[FloridaMike]

this is from co-pilot

"me: do hydro peppers need chlorine?

co-pilot: No, hydroponic peppers do not need chlorine. In fact, chlorine can be harmful to plants as it can hinder their growth and nutrient uptake1. It's important to use chlorine-free water or treat your water to remove chlorine before using it in your hydroponic system."

food for thought... -peace-

 

[FloridaMike]

in my dwc system, i top with mixed nutrient solution every day, now @ 1gal per day &

flushed and cleaned every 7 days religiously. i have never had a problem with

roots sliming up (i use orca, which is good bacteria that eats bad bacteria), also never

had root rot, nematodes - none of that. pic of roots was yesterday, they have

been doubling every day since they 1st appeared coming out of the bottom of

the bucket lid. this plant is only 32 days old. ireally think that you'reu over thinking this whole thing - keep it

simple stupid is usually the best mindset to keep. this is all actually quite simple

once you've mastered the basics. feel free to dm me if you have any questions -peace-

 

[DillyTrying2Learn]

in my dwc system, i top with mixed nutrient solution every day, now @ 1gal per day &

flushed and cleaned every 7 days religiously. i have never had a problem with

roots sliming up (i use orca, which is good bacteria that eats bad bacteria), also never

had root rot, nematodes - none of that. pic of roots was yesterday, they have

been doubling every day since they 1st appeared coming out of the bottom of

the bucket lid. this plant is only 32 days old. ireally think that you'reu over thinking this whole thing - keep it

simple stupid is usually the best mindset to keep. this is all actually quite simple

once you've mastered the basics. feel free to dm me if you have any questions -peace-

Do you flush your roots with pure clean water in-between each nute change?

 

[FloridaMike]

Do you flush your roots with pure clean water in-between each nute change?

i top off every day with pre mixed nutes (currently@ 1 gal per day). at end of week i swap her to

a separate bucket with 3gal fresh water out of my 44gal holding can ph 5.6.

flush runs [constantly] 1-2hrs, meanwhile; clean out the main bucket

and reset w/ 3gal fresh nute solution. swap plant back into bucket and bada

bing, bada boom. *note; i am only using this bucket method for

a mother plant* i may use it to finish her off (if she is indeed a 'her").

but main tents will have raised flow pans with unislabs sitting in

them for drainage-to res which will be underneath the flow table

i'm going to pull 2 clones & put them in 12/12 immediately. this will

force them to begin flower and show sex, even if it doesn't root.

once i know sex for sure. i'll prolly bloom her and make new mother

out of the best of the 2clones. this is already long but i just found

this:


benifits of keeping water oxygenated. go

Keeping water oxygenated in a hydroponic system, aquarium, or any water-based environment has several benefits:

1. Improved Plant Health: Oxygenated water ensures that plant roots receive enough oxygen, which is essential for nutrient uptake and root health.
2. Prevents Root Rot: Adequate oxygen levels in the water can help prevent root rot and other fungal infections that thrive in low-oxygen environments.
3. Enhanced Growth: Oxygenated water promotes faster growth and higher yields for hydroponic plants by optimizing nutrient absorption.
4. Fish Health: In aquariums, oxygenated water is crucial for the survival and well-being of fish and other aquatic organisms. It ensures that fish can breathe efficiently.
5. Microbial Activity: Beneficial microbes that break down organic matter and assist in nutrient cycling thrive in oxygen-rich water.
6. Water Clarity: Oxygenation helps reduce the buildup of harmful gases and organic matter, contributing to clearer, cleaner water.

hope it helps (sorry for delay, i thought i had posted it already)

ps the storage can is a must if you have city warer, it's porpoise

is to allow chlorine to off gas b4 using it. it is recommended to

let it sit at least overnight, notice the air bubbles? i also have a

small h2o pump running 24/7 to circulate the water.


is this all overkil?, maybe; but it's like a story i once heard about

an eccentric old wise man that lived way up in some mountains:

every morning before doing his morning prostrations, he would

walk around his house 3x whilst whistling and smacking the

ground and bushes with a stick.

one day a passerby saw this and asked "hey old timer, why do

you do that?"

old man matter of fact-ly replied: "it keeps the Tigers away"

passerby says: "you crazy old coot, we haven't had any Tigers

around here in over 75yrs"

old man simply says: "see, it works, doesn't it"
-peace-

 

[amneziaHaze]

this is from co-pilot

"me: do hydro peppers need chlorine?

co-pilot: No, hydroponic peppers do not need chlorine. In fact, chlorine can be harmful to plants as it can hinder their growth and nutrient uptake1. It's important to use chlorine-free water or treat your water to remove chlorine before using it in your hydroponic system."

food for thought... -peace-

Ai juat copies google results.5ppm is good for sterile water and

 

[FloridaMike]

Ai juat copies google results.5ppm is good for sterile water and

yeah, i was going on old school hands on empirical experience, and ai just confirmed what i had always heard, said & done. i use ro water, have never added chlorine back (other than with gh micro) and if the EPA says levels above 3ppm is hazardous and shouldn't be drank, why tf would i give it to my babies? while i'm not arguing that mj doesn't need [very] trace amts of chlorine, i am saying they do perfectly fine without it (other than gh or other quality nutes) and why play with fire when chlorine toxicity comes about so easily? now if you can site some references or studies or grow books or something other than just the blanket statements you make you may win me over to your camp. until then i have to go with what i know and have personally experienced, as well as what i learn thru ongoing education and discourse.

from stanford:
"A 5% bleach solution is considered a strong disinfectant, but it is not necessarily sterile. Sterility implies the complete absence of all microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and spores, [emphasis mine] which is typically achieved through methods like autoclaving or using sterilizing agents specifically designed for that purpose. A 5% bleach solution can effectively kill most pathogens and is commonly used for disinfecting surfaces, but it may not eliminate all microbial life, especially resistant spores. ehs.stanford.edu

...so:

A 5 ppm (parts per million) chlorine concentration refers to the amount of chlorine present in a solution, while a 5% bleach solution is a higher concentration of chlorine.
To clarify:

• 5 ppm chlorine means there are 5 parts of chlorine per million parts of water.
• 5% bleach solution means 5% of the solution is chlorine bleach, which is equivalent to 50,000 ppm of chlorine (since 1% is 10,000 ppm).

So, 5 ppm chlorine is significantly lower than a 5% bleach solution. 1cup bleach in 5gal bucket = 5% solution, good for cleaning equipment, not so good for feeding plants.

me:... op was talking about using sterile water, that suggests to me a 5%+ solution (over 50,000ppm chlorine, which isn't even considered necessarily sterile) brother, that's a long fucking way from the 5ppm you claim makes sterile water. just saying

in the end i'll stick by what i posted unless or until someone proves me wrong with empirical evidence, other than 1 truncated statement. you my friend haven't done that, especially with the truncated statement you trolled me with. telling a newb that a sterile chlorine solution is good for his fragile little seedlings in an hydroponic system is irresponsible at best and criminal at worst imho

don't make me sic @Captspaulding the killer clown on you,
he's liable to break your f'n arms off and beat you with them
like he does when he's clubbing baby seals for shits & giggles.
then he'l throw your baked ass for a back breaking suplex, like he
does me when i get outta line.

jk brother, i see you're very knowledgeable and help a lot of peeps, i'd
just like to know more about where your chlorine/hydro info comes
from, i love to learn new stuff, hell, you prove me wrong i'll kiss your
ass in the middle of THCFARMER square. as it were hehe
peace out brother & have a safe and day

 

[jadins_journey]

yeah, i was going on old school hands on empirical experience, and ai just confirmed what i had always heard, said & done. i use ro water, have never added chlorine back (other than with gh micro) and if the EPA says levels above 3ppm is hazardous and shouldn't be drank, why tf would i give it to my babies? while i'm not arguing that mj doesn't need [very] trace amts of chlorine, i am saying they do perfectly fine without it (other than gh or other quality nutes) and why play with fire when chlorine toxicity comes about so easily? now if you can site some references or studies or grow books or something other than just the blanket statements you make you may win me over to your camp. until then i have to go with what i know and have personally experienced, as well as what i learn thru ongoing education and discourse.

from stanford:
"A 5% bleach solution is considered a strong disinfectant, but it is not necessarily sterile. Sterility implies the complete absence of all microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and spores, [emphasis mine] which is typically achieved through methods like autoclaving or using sterilizing agents specifically designed for that purpose. A 5% bleach solution can effectively kill most pathogens and is commonly used for disinfecting surfaces, but it may not eliminate all microbial life, especially resistant spores. ehs.stanford.edu

...so:

A 5 ppm (parts per million) chlorine concentration refers to the amount of chlorine present in a solution, while a 5% bleach solution is a higher concentration of chlorine.
To clarify:

• 5 ppm chlorine means there are 5 parts of chlorine per million parts of water.
• 5% bleach solution means 5% of the solution is chlorine bleach, which is equivalent to 50,000 ppm of chlorine (since 1% is 10,000 ppm).

So, 5 ppm chlorine is significantly lower than a 5% bleach solution. 1cup bleach in 5gal bucket = 5% solution, good for cleaning equipment, not so good for feeding plants.

me:... op was talking about using sterile water, that suggests to me a 5%+ solution (over 50,000ppm chlorine, which isn't even considered necessarily sterile) brother, that's a long fucking way from the 5ppm you claim makes sterile water. just saying

in the end i'll stick by what i posted unless or until someone proves me wrong with empirical evidence, other than 1 truncated statement. you my friend haven't done that, especially with the truncated statement you trolled me with. telling a newb that a sterile chlorine solution is good for his fragile little seedlings in an hydroponic system is irresponsible at best and criminal at worst imho

don't make me sic @Captspaulding the killer clown on you,
he's liable to break your f'n arms off and beat you with them
like he does when he's clubbing baby seals for shits & giggles.
then he'l throw your baked ass for a back breaking suplex, like he
does me when i get outta line.

jk brother, i see you're very knowledgeable and help a lot of peeps, i'd
just like to know more about where your chlorine/hydro info comes
from, i love to learn new stuff, hell, you prove me wrong i'll kiss your
ass in the middle of THCFARMER square. as it were hehe
peace out brother & have a safe and day

Agreed you just said it much better.

 

[amneziaHaze]

yeah, i was going on old school hands on empirical experience, and ai just confirmed what i had always heard, said & done. i use ro water, have never added chlorine back (other than with gh micro) and if the EPA says levels above 3ppm is hazardous and shouldn't be drank, why tf would i give it to my babies? while i'm not arguing that mj doesn't need [very] trace amts of chlorine, i am saying they do perfectly fine without it (other than gh or other quality nutes) and why play with fire when chlorine toxicity comes about so easily? now if you can site some references or studies or grow books or something other than just the blanket statements you make you may win me over to your camp. until then i have to go with what i know and have personally experienced, as well as what i learn thru ongoing education and discourse.

from stanford:
"A 5% bleach solution is considered a strong disinfectant, but it is not necessarily sterile. Sterility implies the complete absence of all microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and spores, [emphasis mine] which is typically achieved through methods like autoclaving or using sterilizing agents specifically designed for that purpose. A 5% bleach solution can effectively kill most pathogens and is commonly used for disinfecting surfaces, but it may not eliminate all microbial life, especially resistant spores. ehs.stanford.edu

...so:

A 5 ppm (parts per million) chlorine concentration refers to the amount of chlorine present in a solution, while a 5% bleach solution is a higher concentration of chlorine.
To clarify:

• 5 ppm chlorine means there are 5 parts of chlorine per million parts of water.
• 5% bleach solution means 5% of the solution is chlorine bleach, which is equivalent to 50,000 ppm of chlorine (since 1% is 10,000 ppm).

So, 5 ppm chlorine is significantly lower than a 5% bleach solution. 1cup bleach in 5gal bucket = 5% solution, good for cleaning equipment, not so good for feeding plants.

me:... op was talking about using sterile water, that suggests to me a 5%+ solution (over 50,000ppm chlorine, which isn't even considered necessarily sterile) brother, that's a long fucking way from the 5ppm you claim makes sterile water. just saying

in the end i'll stick by what i posted unless or until someone proves me wrong with empirical evidence, other than 1 truncated statement. you my friend haven't done that, especially with the truncated statement you trolled me with. telling a newb that a sterile chlorine solution is good for his fragile little seedlings in an hydroponic system is irresponsible at best and criminal at worst imho

don't make me sic @Captspaulding the killer clown on you,
he's liable to break your f'n arms off and beat you with them
like he does when he's clubbing baby seals for shits & giggles.
then he'l throw your baked ass for a back breaking suplex, like he
does me when i get outta line.

jk brother, i see you're very knowledgeable and help a lot of peeps, i'd
just like to know more about where your chlorine/hydro info comes
from, i love to learn new stuff, hell, you prove me wrong i'll kiss your
ass in the middle of THCFARMER square. as it were hehe
peace out brother & have a safe and day

i dont know why i am responding i dont even grow sterile.
but the information i got is from forum posts from growers that grow "sterile" and they use 5ppms not 5% and allsoo they recharge it every 3-4 days.
i guess you cant have it 100% sterile since plant roots are also alive.... but i have no energy to google it and no need to fight you soo...
and chlorine will evaporate on it own in still water after 4 days or faster in dwc with bubbles

How Long Does It Take Chlorine to Evaporate From Water?

On average, it takes up to 110 hours, or 4 and a half days, for 2 PPM of chlorine to completely evaporate in water.

waterfilterguru.com

 

[DillyTrying2Learn]

i dont know why i am responding i dont even grow sterile.
but the information i got is from forum posts from growers that grow "sterile" and they use 5ppms not 5% and allsoo they recharge it every 3-4 days.
i guess you cant have it 100% sterile since plant roots are also alive.... but i have no energy to google it and no need to fight you soo...
and chlorine will evaporate on it own in still water after 4 days or faster in dwc with bubbles

How Long Does It Take Chlorine to Evaporate From Water?

On average, it takes up to 110 hours, or 4 and a half days, for 2 PPM of chlorine to completely evaporate in water.

waterfilterguru.com

I'm not educated on this at all but I thought they were using hydrogen peroxide in most cases?

 

[amneziaHaze]

calcium hypochlorite is the cheapest method

 

[Matthew_T1986]

Mike… glad you’rehaving success, and figured there would be a few to show up and talk shit. No sweat! You’re covering for everyone else so far!

I skimmed the rest of your BS and pass it off as emotional, anecdotal hyperbole at this point. Maybe your midget wraaaaaaasle-mania snippets lost a few of us. ( It’s real, my gran-pappy swrars it!)…



You got called out and posted MORE Chat GTP/Google crap



Been feeding my plants (not the Devils Lettuce I swear!!!!) SULFURIC ACID and DRAIN CLEANER (yes I know… potassium hydroxide is better than sodium hydroxide) dilutions to manage PH and BLEEEECH to keep thing at 5.8 and crystal clear so far…… just so you know, if you use inorganic nutes , it’s likely salt based (sodium!!!!!) as well… I’ve got about enough for $10 to last until my grand-grand kids…

I’ll wait while you discredit 95% of the inorganic market.

Edit to add: More cursing at Mike

 

[FloridaMike]

Mike… glad you’rehaving success, and figured there would be a few to show up and talk shit. No sweat! You’re covering for everyone else so far!

I skimmed the rest of your BS and pass it off as emotional, anecdotal hyperbole at this point. Maybe your midget wraaaaaaasle-mania snippets lost a few of us. ( It’s real, my gran-pappy swrars it!)…



You got called out and posted MORE Chat GTP/Google crap



Been feeding my plants (not the Devils Lettuce I swear!!!!) SULFURIC ACID and DRAIN CLEANER (yes I know… potassium hydroxide is better than sodium hydroxide) dilutions to manage PH and BLEEEECH to keep thing at 5.8 and crystal clear so far…… just so you know, if you use inorganic nutes , it’s likely salt based (sodium!!!!!) as well… I’ve got about enough for $10 to last until my grand-grand kids…

I’ll wait while you discredit 95% of the inorganic market.

Edit to add: More cursing at Mike

sory it was noted with credible sources such as the EPA and standord, and the whole point, was that trying to put and maintain 5ppm of chlorine into the mix would be almost impossible for a newb. christ, how would he even know how to do it?

i'm not here to discredit anyone. i've already stated in other threads, that i luv organic, soil grown herbs (but only by a slim margin). i'm just tired of the organic camp always claiming that their "natural way" whatever the fuck that is... [everything exists in nature and is "natural"], is the best and only way to grow quality flowers. i'm here to show peeps that that isn't necessarily true.

ass for my sense of humor, if you don't like it, tuff shit, scroll on past it without looking at it. anyone that claims midget clown wrassln ain't some funny fuckn shit is full of shit themselves.

sorry but your critique fails; next please...

-peace-

ps to add:
"I skimmed the rest of your BS and pass it off as emotional, anecdotal hyperbole at this point. Maybe your midget wraaaaaaasle-mania snippets lost a few of us. ( It’s real, my gran-pappy swrars it!)…"
i'm still ROFLMFAO at that "snippet"
pps. if you don't like midgit wraaaaas-ling howz about some good ole dwarf tossing, that shit is for real
ppps. i'm still pissing myself @ your expense, seems i'm living in you head rent free.
pppps. brother, i was only tryna help and steer you towards some qualiy info. when you quit killing your plants (with chlorine and learn a good dwc sys, come back and talk to me then and i'll be the 1st to pat you on the back and shower you with praise and accolades, until then, i'll move along and let the real keyboard warriors give the advice that you asked for - see ya!