First timer-hydroponics grow in cabinet

[Bdubs]

Hydroguard will be needed because that algae on top of the rockwool is bad bacteria and acid. So you will want to use it every mix. Hydrogen peroxide is just a bad deal because it kills all bacteria and is only temporary.

But get the water level dropped and make sure your air bubbles are not splashing the lid and very little on the net pot. She will be good. The drooping is always overwatered in hydro. (Water level is too high) In your case the pebbles and rockwool are soaked and too moist: remember, humidity zone between the water and the lid. The pebbles and rockwool only need the humidity, not getting wet. This is why you don’t too off or water from above in the net lot.

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

Hydroguard will be needed because that algae on top of the rockwool is bad bacteria and acid. So you will want to use it every mix. Hydrogen peroxide is just a bad deal because it kills all bacteria and is only temporary.

But get the water level dropped and make sure your air bubbles are not splashing the lid and very little on the net pot. She will be good. The drooping is always overwatered in hydro. (Water level is too high) In your case the pebbles and rockwool are soaked and too moist: remember, humidity zone between the water and the lid. The pebbles and rockwool only need the humidity, not getting wet. This is why you don’t too off or water from above in the net lot.

Thanks for your help and advice. I will get some hydroguard locally if able. Otherwise it been ordered. Got Rapid Rooter on order as well.

 

[Bdubs]

Yup no problem. If you have not noticed, if allowing the drip system to water the rockwool, you will eventually experience acid rain. So I would highly suggest to not use the drip system altogether. Zero watering I. The netpot needed. If you do continue, she will rot at the rockwool and kee showing overwatering conditions on the leafs, drooping.

 

[Bdubs]

You wont ever have an underwater signal in hydro. So, although soil grown leafs can droop from either or, hydro will only display overwatering. Even if you let the water level drop to the bottom, it is still able to uptake and won’t droop from underwatering. Any time you see leafs drooping or leafs looking bubbled, you know: rockwool/pebbles are too wet, water level too high, or air bubbles popping and splashing too much.
Now, when your roots hit the water and make a decent root ball, they will sort of split off and create a junction. For me, I use that junction as a water level peg. Above that junction, if I let water go above when topping off, she always shows overwater condition. Basically, the roots in the humidity zone between the water and Net pot do not want to be submerged, but below the junction it does. So I peg my topping off to where the junction is or where the root ball starts in the water. Most of the time I’ve noticed that the roots will form that junction depending on where you have decided to maintain your water level as the roots grow. They assume that that is max water level and so the roots above it, during making new roots, hate submerged in the water and will show as overwatering. Even though that junction is well far away from the net pot. If that makes sense.

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

Big thanks to @Bdubs

I like to research and I did a fair bit, before buying this hydro system, but this is the first time I’m reading and learning about nuances of hydro. Things I will learn by doing and making mistakes along the way, but the folks here helping with real-world experience is invaluable. I appreciate the advice.

Here are pictures of the roots after I cleaned them up this morning. The algae slipped right off. I think it was growing inside the water pump’s crevices etc

I plan to remove my plants and sterilize the entire reservoir system by filling with it with H2O2 and letting it run and flush all the remaining algae out. Dump it, then restart.

Incorporate hydroguard into my system (must find it locally first since Amazon is running long on delivery).

Thoughts on my way forward?

 

[Choppr]

I use Southern Ag Garden Friendly Fungicide, as a Hydroguard Substitute, its less expensive, and Its more concentrated. (contains the same/more of the microbe amylolique faciens) might be more available to you? Ive haven't had root rot for many years. Water-temp is important stay under 75F. (72) What is your plan for growing them into trees? Your in a clone bucket currently!? They should be relocated after your Peroxide Treatment. Good Advice coming from @Bdubs

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

I use Southern Ag Garden Friendly Fungicide, as a Hydroguard Substitute, its less expensive, and Its more concentrated. (contains the same/more of the microbe amylolique faciens) might be more available to you? Ive haven't had root rot for many years. Water-temp is important stay under 75F. (72) What is your plan for growing them into trees? Your in a clone bucket currently!? They should be relocated after your Peroxide Treatment. Good Advice coming from @Bdubs

Thanks for the alternative. A quick search near me turned up no results, but i did find a potential hit for Hydroguard.

I’m not convinced I have root rot, yet. I think the algae got disturbed and floated around until it got caught in the roots like a net. I know it will lead to root rot, though.

To validate my statement, I haven’t had any fluctuations in my PH or EC at all. This morning my stats were the exact same as last night.

My water temp is a constant 69* f.

Legit question from me: I bought this kit thinking this net cup arrangement is “seed to harvest.” Perhaps I have to get something else.

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

So far no one near me has hydroguard or Southern Ag Garden Friendly Fungicide.

Are there other known/proven alternatives? I have small nursery’s, Home Depot/Lowes, Ace, Tractor Supply.

I don’t assume I can use any old algaecide.

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

Just got a potential hit. What do you think about these:

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

Researched and decided on SLF-100 until my Southern AG Garden Friendly Fungicide gets here. Thanks @Choppr for the tip. Much cheaper and more concentrated.

Now, I’m researching different, low profile hydro reservoirs and bigger net cups. It’s only a 2x4 space so I’m looking for something relatively low profile.

As for net cups, not sure how I will snake the roots through the small net cup but that’s what I have to work with right now.

 

[Choppr]

these are good 5" cups I personally have never found a good reason for the bigger cups - https://a.co/d/2JYAeng

Yeah, your gonna loose some roots trying to move them, try not to lose too much....start in aqua plugs/riot cubes next time, I run tooth picks thru them and hang them thru my cloner holes, then a piece of vinyl to cover/keep light out, (i remember gramma hung her potato's in a jar of water with toothpicks-lol) live and learn my'dude -

as far as the fight against pythium/phytophthora (root rot) i was told years ago as along as it contains the specific microbe (amylolique faciens) your good to go, they out-colonize the myco assassins' Im tellin'ya - its a "war of the microbes" down there! keep water temps below 74F ! Right-On!

 

[Choppr]

just to follow up On the Southern Ag GFF Product - its got a 1:20 mix ratio, so 1ml to 20ml and then you use 1ml of that mix per gal - I use 5gal buckets for my plants, so ill mix up a 3 gal nutrient solution when I do a full water change ("mix and pH 1st" so your not dumping acids on your microbes) then I just add 1 ml straight out of the bottle to my 3 gal solution, I dont go thru the 1:20 mix. Haven't seen root rot in 6-7 years, no chillers and water temps are always around 70-71F. (pic is a current wk 8 auto flower "gummi bears" Atlas Seeds) #vivosun

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

just to follow up On the Southern Ag GFF Product - its got a 1:20 mix ratio, so 1ml to 20ml and then you use 1ml of that mix per gal - I use 5gal buckets for my plants, so ill mix up a 3 gal nutrient solution when I do a full water change ("mix and pH 1st" so your not dumping acids on your microbes) then I just add 1 ml straight out of the bottle to my 3 gal solution, I dont go thru the 1:20 mix. Haven't seen root rot in 6-7 years, no chillers and water temps are always around 70-71F. (pic is a current wk 8 auto flower "gummi bears" Atlas Seeds) #vivosun

What an awesome setup and great information. All the shit I ordered to rehab my plants and redo my reservoir will be in next week. I’m just hoping my plants will survive until then. It’s going to be fun cutting the small plastic net pots apart to carefully remove the roots while trying like hell to prevent damage.

thanks again for the great info. I’m consolidating your notes and Bdubs notes so I can continue learning and honing.

Once I get the hang of this, I’ll likely order one 4x8 or two 4x4s but grow in a soil medium in those. Not yet decided.

I’m just tired of buying expensive “top tier, exotic brick weed.” Plus I like to know what I’m ingesting. I pulled a bud out the other day that was covered in what looked like nut hair and dryer lint. Lmao.

Look at it, they swept the floor with it. . Yeah I still smoked it after removing the shit from it.

 

[Choppr]

If you buy Vivosun tents/equipment? try a 1 time code: chopsgrow i think its 15% off. its always good to have a back air pump too...lol
(that's the only draw back in DWC,RDWC,F/D, is equipment failure or Power Loss) Right On!

#vivosun

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

Today was a rough day for my plants. They got another res change and they needed it. Look at this nastiness. I think this is the nutrients that built up mixed with slime/algae.

This morning at 0500:

My ladies this evening 1900:

I hope they make it. They’re resilient. I forgot to add more of that SLF100 but I’ll give them more tomorrow.

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

Good morning, I changed out the reservoir last night. I use Lotus brand nutrients because that’s what came with my stuff but I bought more of the same shit. I’m not sure I like it because it doesn’t dissolve well. I mix my nutes prior to filling the res but the granules are still large and I have to stir for a long time and it still doesn’t do much to make the granules smaller. Is that normal or should I premix my nutes and let it sit for a few days to dissolve first? Seems like a simple enough solution.

Last night I mixed the nutes and ph’d it. This morning my stats are slightly elevated but I’m not sure if it’s because the nutes are dissolving overnight and creating a higher EC.
EC 972 to 992
PH 5.85 to 6.0. PH’d down to 5.4
PPM 485 to 498

This tells me my girls didn’t drink at all right? Or maybe the granules from my nutes dissolved more overnight.

I’ll have to monitor. The water temp is 67 the ambient temp is 68-69. RH is between 55-65 depending on lights on/out.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Choppr]

I call this "puffy leaf".... fat with water, drop that water level, and lower your splash...2" minimum airspace (humidity/oxygen zone). oof!

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

I call this "puffy leaf".... fat with water, drop that water level, and lower your splash...2" minimum airspace (humidity/oxygen zone). oof!

Thanks man!
That’s where the res is currently and before the res change I kept it 2” below the net cups too. They are already adjusting and perking up.

Time to add SLF-100 again.

 

[PeregrineRefuge8281]

Veg day 18.

Got my Southern AG Garden Friendly Fungicide today. FINALLY. I mixed it 1ml AG to 20 ml of water per gallon of water in my reservoir. I hope that’s right. 15ml/300ml/15 gallons. Let’s see how they recover. They went through a shit load of stress in a short time of their lives. I’ll do better!!

What do you guys think these spots and discoloration is?

I wonder if I splashed H2O2 on these parts?

The runt, Valeria is surprisingly very fragrant. Isn’t it a bit early to be smelling so strong?

 

[Charlie946]

That downward wrinkle can be from n toxicity. I just had it on a bigger plant than that at 1.3 ec.