first time grower

[jezek]

hi everyone, this is my first time growing and decided to make a hydroponic system i got the plants from here, http://www.simplyhydro.com/free2.htm

anyway, i have two plants growing, still within the first or second week of veg under floresant lights, i poked about twenty holes in the styrofoam cups and the water level is just over the little holes, and i was wondering if anyone can give me some tips, im using natural top soil and no fertilizer right now, any tips will be great

 

[Mutt]

Need to go to the local hydro store and get nutrients for the hydro water. ASAP, before you put the plants in there. Prior to putting the plants in the DWC. you will need to wash all soil and stuff off the roots.

 

[jezek]

their in there now, have been overnight so should i take them out? im gonna go get some nutrients today, whats good but cheap, im gonna borrow $20 what all should i get within a $20 budget

 

[Mutt]

See what they got.
General Hydroponics Flora series is what a lot swear by on here. For my maters I use dyna-grow. Its a 1-part nutrient PH-buffered. Easy to use.

edit: leave the plants in, but they are starvin. plain water has no nutrients. Also dirt is not a good medium. Pick up some hydroton while your at the hydro store to hold your plants.

 

[jezek]

a friend on msn says to make sure the NPK level is 20-10-10 because their still in veg the nfor flowering use 5-20-10?

 

[Mutt]

Ignore the numbers. You need Hydroponic nutrients. The Ratio your freind is right. but the numbers for hydro ferts will be different than what regular ferts are. Yes, Veg. needs more Nitrogen than flower. but when you go in just get nutrients that will get you through a entire grow. Don't mention weed but state you need a nutrient for vegatative growth.

 

[jezek]

i dont plan on mentioning weed but the guy i bought the plants off of, his mom owns that store

 

[Mutt]

Even if she knows. She cannot legally sell you stuff if you mention it. It becomes a conspiracy in the Laws eyes and she could lose her business. So don't mention it.

 

[noobneedshlp]

For $20 you're not gonna get a lot. I think Dyna-Grow is one of the cheapest veg nutes on the market. I hate it because it forms crystals. Everytime I shook the bottle there would be salt like crystals clumped up. If you're on a budget go ahead and buy it. I think I still have some Dyna-Bloom laying around. I'm sure you can get good plants with it but it just wasn't for me. After you spend that first $20 on nutes you are gonna get hooked. You'll want a better system,better lights, better nutes, and on and on. That's how I started with a hot $20. I ordered $20 of nutes thew some bag seeds in dirt and the rest is history. Welcome to your new ADDICTION.

 

[AeroTX]

me too, I thought what can I get for 50 bucks... I have spent well over a grand on my setup now, and still adding. Don't even have C02 yet... I use some veg solution called Flora Nova. It's about $21 at your local headshop. That will get you started. I have a friend that just started putting nutrients other than to raise the ph and they are the healthiest looking plants I've seen since I was in Holland.

 

[jezek]

just got back from the hydro shop, she sold me $40 worth of stuff for $20 lol, i got a big bag of hydroton, 6net pots FINALLY no more styrofoam lol and i got "higrow grow2-1-6 and higrow micro 5-0-1" can anyone please tell me what to do lol i know to flush all the topsoil off the roots and then what?

 

[jezek]

i flushed all the roots, put a bit of hydroton in the bottom and put it in then covered with hydroton, i put 7.5ml of the grow in and 2.5 of the micro as it says on the bottles, is that correct?

 

[cratos]

If youre using the plans that you linked to, you need to make the aquarium light proof. Cover it with something so the light doesnt get in. If it does, youll start growing alge on the roots.

 

[jezek]

i went out yesterday and bought a 68 gallon blue bin with lid, made 8 holes and filled them all with netpots and hytroton, i know not to let light in thats why i got this new one, im supost to get a hps light off a friend today but hes not that reliable, gonna work on the lighting now

 

[noobneedshlp]

If it's the rubbermaid or similiar type you need to get some tape around it or your roots will have algae like crazy. Those containers aren't light proof. If you look at my container (check my grow journal) it's a clear rubbermaid but it's taped up. If you have a blue one how will you know the level of your nutes. While the plants are little lifting them or the lid up works but when the get to flowering that won't even be an option. Since you have them in Hydroton only do you have some type of drip system to keep the roots moist. Are you just guessing on the PH and TDS?
You should get you a submersible from somewhere that handles at least 70 gph gallons per hour. Wally World has them cheap. You can run that through a hose that runs through a hole in the top and all the way across the top. You can get all the fittings from a pet store in the fish aisle. Poke holes in the hose and run that clear aquarium from the fittings that stick out of the hose to the tubing that runs to the net pots. It can also be done with PVC.
If you use the clear tubing tape it up with electrical tape to keep the light away from the Nutes as much as possible. Algae will build up in the clear tubing if not taped up. It takes a while but it can happen.
If you can't get the submersible pump at least get an air pump and a long air stone. Stick it in the bottom and it keeps your roots oxygenated. I have one in the bottom of mine and my roots look nice and healthy with no kind of slime.

 

[jezek]

it is a rubbermaid but its super dark, its a rubbermaid roughtough bin, no light gets in at all, today i made a light for it, better then the flors its a 250w fixture and a 200w (3,986 lumens) bulb, i dont have a drip system, but i made sure the netpots are a cm into the water, i just move one of the little hydroton rocks to see the waterlevel, im getting a real grow light soon, i got a job at a hydropnics store today, kick ass, im gonna have a good setup soon, and i measured my water with a 2 litre pop bottle, theirs 40 litres in there so i got the right amount of fert, everything is working very well, gonna see how this new light does tommrow, plants growing strong, very pleased so far