Loolagigi's first grow journal, 400 hps

[loolagigi]

what is happening? well, i have had some good grows, and some bad grows. recently things have not been going well for me with my plants. i know my thumb is somewhat green from past grows, but it seems i have lost my mojo. so ill need all the help i can get. i have a 400 hps cooltube hood, that will be updated to a cooltube. temps are ok, around 82, with r/h at 32. no nutes yet. i was going to do hydro, but i am not comfortable yet. can i put these rockwool cubes in soil when ready? here are some pictures of the setup.....:holysheep:

 

[DirtySouth]

Yes roockwool cubes will work in the soil.Go ahead and give em about 150 ppm ph 5.6 while in the cube.Why soil you'll love the results w/ the cubes.Do you have a ppm meter and ph soil tester?If so I'll/we'll walk you throug this and you'll be amazed @ the results w/ out soil!
R.O @ 32,yep you got the meter

 

[phatpharmer]

Looks good so far, what strains are you growing?

Phatpharmer

 

[loolagigi]

Yes roockwool cubes will work in the soil.Go ahead and give em about 150 ppm ph 5.6 while in the cube.Why soil you'll love the results w/ the cubes.Do you have a ppm meter and ph soil tester?If so I'll/we'll walk you throug this and you'll be amazed @ the results w/ out soil!
R.O @ 32,yep you got the meter

yuppers, i have meters, some nutes. ok, well if i go hydro, im ganna need my hand held. i have a dwc bucket, but it only holds one big plant. and the seeds i am using are bagseed. so, (hand being held), the the bigger seedling has just barely rooted through the 1.5" cube. its in a dixiw cup which is not light tight. whats a simple way to make sure it survives until its ready to go in system, whichever we choose? i have larger 3" cubes with hole in them. not sure if i even need them. also i have hydroton. so, can i just let the babies sit where they are? and with such a small area, what system would you recomend? i am a welder/fabricator, so i can build whatever. by the way i also have a 20 gal air pump, with 2 airstones hooked up to line. and i also have i think a 85 gph water pump. i have been buying all different hydro materials, but for some reason i have a hard time getting the kinks out using the computer. i am sure if i had a buddy down the road, and watched his grow it would be easy enough. thats not the case. but i seem to have all the materials mostly, and am determined to learn hydro growing once and for all. thanks for everyones responses. i love this plant:heart: :smoke1: :dancing:

 

[zipflip]

i love this plant

hopefully she thrives and loves you back just as you love her man.
good luck.
keep it real !!

 

[DirtySouth]

The EASIEST is get a tote(20 gal)dual air pump,2 6" air stones.We'll have a well airrated res ful of mixed nutes.Get 4 or 6" rockwool cubes,hydroton pellets,4" pots.We'll hand water as needed.No need for dwc(never tried 1 myself).If you wanna go this route I'll walk with you.I'll walk anyway.This way is a easy 1 2 get 2 know hydro!

 

[loolagigi]

hopefully she thrives and loves you back just as you love her man.
good luck.
keep it real !!

thanks zip. i pretty much have the basics down in my head, as for, ph levels, ppm"s, um.....temps, lights, freshair, and oxygen is very good for roots. i had a nice grow before with 14 females from g/h, but it was in soil. so ah, what the hell, ill give hydro another whirl. i have found myself to be pretty determined they older i get. thanks again, cmon mojo

 

[DirtySouth]

I stumbled and broke my nose on the way,lol,High ambitions,just no know/how.Soil IMO is a hassle.Heavy,takes up alot of room,hard to manuver,brings pests,hard to judge when to water,pest breeding ground(again with the pests,stay away,IMO),root rot,harder to controle.
These cubes/hydroton are light(can judge by weight easier when to water).You can easily dip if pests do become a problem.How many 6" cubes can you fit in your area?Bet it would add more height also!

 

[loolagigi]

The EASIEST is get a tote(20 gal)dual air pump,2 6" air stones.We'll have a well airrated res ful of mixed nutes.Get 4 or 6" rockwool cubes,hydroton pellets,4" pots.We'll hand water as needed.No need for dwc(never tried 1 myself).If you wanna go this route I'll walk with you.I'll walk anyway.This way is a easy 1 2 get 2 know hydro!

IM GAME DIRTY! ok, i was eyeing a tote at the depot the other day. ill pick it up tomorow. 4" pots i will have to obtain from the hydro store tomorow. hydroton i got plenty of. as for the air pump...can i use the one i have?or maybe buy one more? i have it split into 2 airstones. yeah, it needs a cleaning, i kinda stuck it in a corner when all else failed. heres a picture.......

 

[DirtySouth]

Give it a GOOD cleanin/steralization and it looks good 2 me.The tote will be strictly 4 water nute solution.Your gonna hand dip(if your still game).What nutes you got?How often you wanna water,it'll help determin the medium,ie less watering hodroton layer in pot w' rockwool cubes then your plant.More waterins hydroton then your plant.The rockwool will hold water good w/out restrictin the air.4 me I put 2"hydroton(helps drainage)then 50/50 mix hydroton rockwool cubes.Keep out light!causes algae.I use contracter bags(thick plastic,white is ideal)cut bags into circulsr disks(bout size of top of container)cut 1/2 up 1 side and place around.This eliminates algae and flyin insect problems.Also holps hold in medium when turned upside down for dip.Lil things that go along way!

 

[loolagigi]

I stumbled and broke my nose on the way,lol,High ambitions,just no know/how.Soil IMO is a hassle.Heavy,takes up alot of room,hard to manuver,brings pests,hard to judge when to water,pest breeding ground(again with the pests,stay away,IMO),root rot,harder to controle.
These cubes/hydroton are light(can judge by weight easier when to water).You can easily dip if pests do become a problem.How many 6" cubes can you fit in your area?Bet it would add more height also!

ireally only have a 2'x3'x3' foot high area. i was thinking the 3" cubes would work? i can probably do 9 3" cubes in there. ill see tomorow when i pick up tote. NOW, when you say tote, you meen something like this?

 

[loolagigi]

Give it a GOOD cleanin/steralization and it looks good 2 me.The tote will be strictly 4 water nute solution.Your gonna hand dip(if your still game).What nutes you got?How often you wanna water,it'll help determin the medium,ie less watering hodroton layer in pot w' rockwool cubes then your plant.More waterins hydroton then your plant.The rockwool will hold water good w/out restrictin the air.4 me I put 2"hydroton(helps drainage)then 50/50 mix hydroton rockwool cubes.Keep out light!causes algae.I use contracter bags(thick plastic,white is ideal)cut bags into circulsr disks(bout size of top of container)cut 1/2 up 1 side and place around.This eliminates algae and flyin insect problems.Also holps hold in medium when turned upside down for dip.Lil things that go along way!

this is what i have from my last soil grow. can i use all of them? i can water 2-3 times a day. once in morning, about 4 pm, and about 10 pm. i dont really understand the whole bag thing, but ill ask later. and as for hand dipping i can dig it. do you dip plant, or medium? pics would be cool, so i can get an idea. is there any sites you could send me to to get an idea?

 

[DirtySouth]

yes,u want somethin that'll hold enough water for a week or so.That looks fine.Basicly what you'll do is add water( what type u use,r.o. tap. bottle)adjust ppm,adj. ph,then dip the plants in.Check ppm and ph daily(add lil water 2 bring ppm back to ideal level lil ph down to bring the ph back to ideal range(6.5).
Your area in height resricted.No pots,go to the hydro store and $ 4" or 6" rockwool cubes.Trust me they will be ideal 4 ur situation.Lil costly.Read inst on how to ricse rockwool hydroton before use,Always.yOU KNOW THOSE 7" HIGH "STORAGE TOTES",like 4 shoes or blankets? pick up enough to cover floor of grow area,bigger the better.Stick to 6-7" high.Keep tote outside area(is this a problem?)with lid on.What kinda lights,nutes vent?

 

[DirtySouth]

I'll take plenty pics tonight 4 u

 

[DirtySouth]

alright heres a coupl examples,should cover couple questions pondering in your mind.
This is a premix @ 700ppm 6.5

 

[DirtySouth]

Here an example of the 7" tote and plastic bag I was talkin bout.Also shows how drainage is a snap.See how the algae is barely visible,watch tonight,I'll show you why I do this

 

[DirtySouth]

Plant can be healthy taken care of in this manor!

 

[loolagigi]

Here an example of the 7" tote and plastic bag I was talkin bout.Also shows how drainage is a snap.See how the algae is barely visible,watch tonight,I'll show you why I do this

so for my res...dip solution, i can just use a 5 gallon bucket that has the airstone in it above? ok...and as for the 7" totes, ill pick them up tommorow. ok, so i need lets say 6 4-6" cubes, and net pots to accomidate? just trying to make a supply list. thanks for the picture, boy do they help, lol.

 

[DirtySouth]

No net pots,It'll take away from ur total plant heigth.Cubes will b fine.As for only 5 gal res.If your base is 5 gal you'll need to change res water more often.After 2 gal is replaced.
I.E.,MOnday you mix 5 gal.Keep track of how much water you add inorder to keep you nute ppm(make sence)Say tues 1/2 gal wends 1/2 thurs 1/2 fri 1/2 now change.If you had 20 gal.res you will extend the time inbetween res changes.Its cheeper to upgrade res than buy more nutes,IMO
Don't forget the 7" totes to put plants in(rockwool will "leak",totes r cheap & work well).

 

[DirtySouth]

Not to mention the more water in the res. the less evaporation.The less evap.less water replacement.Also helps keep temp down.What kinda nutes?Floronova is easy and works fairly well,IMO