New to Hydro, looking for input

For the hydro-heads
BCbudinTO
Stackin' Karma Yo
Stackin' Karma Yo
Posts: 363
Joined: Fri May 22, 2009 4:04 am

New to Hydro, looking for input

Post by BCbudinTO »

So I've done a couple dirt grows, nothing big, and decided I'd like to try Hydro, see what it's all about. My friend is sort of guiding me through the process but he's sort of one of those guys who learned one method and just keeps using it, and sometimes gets a bit bitchy if I ask questions he doesn't know the answer to,so I think I should get some second opinions on things just in case

A buddy was kind enough to donate a mom ( A "something kush" is what I was told) for me to veg up to take a bunch of cuttings and get them started in rockwool cubes, I soaked them in water that was PH'd to about 5-6 ( I have real trouble telling the exact measure as I'm using the dropper chemical and I'm a little colorblind) dipped them in root stim 0.1% and have had them under a dome for just over a week now. They're starting to root so I'm hoping to transplant them into pots full of rockwool soon.

I picked up some equipment cheap from my local compassion club posting board.

I have 2 x 1000w MH lights and a new roll of the double sided white/black plastic. I'm only using one for the mom right now but was thinking about putting the 2nd one in for the veg cycle.

The recipe I've been given for the nutrient solution is as follows:

My reservoir size is 100l

14g Calcium Nitrate 15.5-0-0
5g Potassium Sulfate 18% Sulfur
35g Monopotassium Phosphate 0-52-34
65g Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate 9.8%
10g Plant Prod Chelated Micro nutrient mix
60g Potassium Nitrate


How does it sound so far?

User avatar
BAMF
Kosmic Karma
Kosmic Karma
Received Karma : 1 time
Posts: 1270
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:00 pm

New to Hydro, looking for input

Post by BAMF »

To be honest, it sounds really complicated already... I honestly dont even know what half that list means... If you are successful in soil then hydro should be a snap... Try to not make it complicated... I do know that the rock wool is almost a waste of time, unless your using a flood table, and In my understanding a flood table would be a waste of time as well... There are much better ways, like deep water culture/DWC...

How do you plan on growing, what type of system?

User avatar
Munchy
Board Administrator
Karma God
Karma God
Custom Title: Golden Member
Location: ~Sims Universe~
Has bestowed Karma : 470 times
Received Karma : 957 times
Posts: 3998
Joined: Thu May 21, 2009 1:55 am

New to Hydro, looking for input

Post by Munchy »

I'd highly recommend getting a digital PH & PPM/EC meter. :smoke:
Prohibition is Futile Image THC will be Assimilated
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ How To Pass Drug Tests ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. -Albert Einstein

User avatar
Jesús Malverde
Site Moderator
Karma Bhudda
Karma Bhudda
Custom Title: Munchy Sock since OG lol
Has bestowed Karma : 70 times
Received Karma : 131 times
Posts: 2469
Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 6:59 pm

New to Hydro, looking for input

Post by Jesús Malverde »

Just use a well regarded commercial premix I reckon and carefully follow the instructions. It ain't rocket surgery and there's no reason to re-invent the wheel. It's just a weed.
One for the rook

One for the crow

One to rot

and one to grow

User avatar
A Bloke Down The Pub
Karma Bhudda
Karma Bhudda
Custom Title: Shaman to the Gentry
Location: Teku Benga
Posts: 2948
Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 3:35 pm

New to Hydro, looking for input

Post by A Bloke Down The Pub »

If you have the choice, I'd go for a commercial pre-mix two part nutrient, rather than making it up yourself, at least to start with.
It will be MUCH less hassle, and you can be sure the ratio of nutrients is pretty much exactly what's needed.

Unless your water supply is particularly hard, you probably won't have to do much adjustment of the pH (which isn't really as critical as some would have you believe... unless it's WAY off, it'll be OK) and although an EC meter is very handy, just measuring and mixing the nutrients as recommended by the manufacturer will usually get you a "good enough" mix to be going on with.

I've used Canna nutrients for the last 10 years or so, and I'm very happy with them.

Are you dead set on using rockwool? I'd suggest that coco would be a better medium to start with as it's a bit more forgiving than rockwool, and has a bit of buffering capacity, which means that it will forgive more minor mistakes in the nutrient mix than rockwool.
It also has the advantage (at least with Canna nutrients) of not needing separate "grow" and "bloom" formulations.... one set of nutes works all the way through the lifecycle.

I use coco for my mother plants and NFT (nutrient film technique) for my main grows... mainly because there's very little to get rid of afterwards other than stems and and a big wodge of roots :)
Last edited by A Bloke Down The Pub on Sat Apr 27, 2013 4:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
WhiteHotAfterburner
Advanced Grower
Karma Hippie
Karma Hippie
Custom Title: Turbine Powered Toker
Location: In an F35...above you..jus sayin.
Has bestowed Karma : 521 times
Received Karma : 217 times
Posts: 6770
Joined: Thu May 21, 2009 12:02 am

New to Hydro, looking for input

Post by WhiteHotAfterburner »

BCbudinTO wrote:So I've done a couple dirt grows, nothing big, and decided I'd like to try Hydro, see what it's all about. My friend is sort of guiding me through the process but he's sort of one of those guys who learned one method and just keeps using it, and sometimes gets a bit bitchy if I ask questions he doesn't know the answer to,so I think I should get some second opinions on things just in case

A buddy was kind enough to donate a mom ( A "something kush" is what I was told) for me to veg up to take a bunch of cuttings and get them started in rockwool cubes, I soaked them in water that was PH'd to about 5-6 ( I have real trouble telling the exact measure as I'm using the dropper chemical and I'm a little colorblind) dipped them in root stim 0.1% and have had them under a dome for just over a week now. They're starting to root so I'm hoping to transplant them into pots full of rockwool soon.

I picked up some equipment cheap from my local compassion club posting board.

I have 2 x 1000w MH lights and a new roll of the double sided white/black plastic. I'm only using one for the mom right now but was thinking about putting the 2nd one in for the veg cycle.

The recipe I've been given for the nutrient solution is as follows:

My reservoir size is 100l

14g Calcium Nitrate 15.5-0-0
5g Potassium Sulfate 18% Sulfur
35g Monopotassium Phosphate 0-52-34
65g Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate 9.8%
10g Plant Prod Chelated Micro nutrient mix
60g Potassium Nitrate


How does it sound so far?
Hey there, BC! Good to see you posting. I hope all is well on your end of these interminable wires :smoke:

Breaking "new ground", so to speak :winky: Good for you! :fly:

A 1000w MH for a "mom" sounds extreme, but IF that's what you have to work with then that's what you use. You are keeping mom in "Veg", right? The wording in that paragraph isn't quite clear.

I also believe, as these others do, you're creating much more work for yourself with your nutrient formula than is necessary. But, IF the formula came from a knowledgeable/successful source I'd stick with it. I never drilled down to the individual ingredient level...I never had to.

I hope you keep this updated, my friend, as I'd really like to follow it.

All the best to you and all those you love and hold dear, brother!

:rollitiup:,
WHAB

Post Reply