Grow Mediums Basic Hydro Questions.

[Sauce]

Wasn't sure if I should post this here or in the new growers section Sorry if it's in the wrong spot.


I have some pretty easy questions for any one who has been growing with hydro for some time. I know this stuff can be found, sadly the answers I seem to find are not very blunt and kind of skim around. And since this is my first grow with hydro will be coming up soon I wanted to cover the basics.

Just for basic information. It wil be ebb and flow with clay.

I know you need to transplant into like rockwool once a root as started (Im sure theres many other ways to do this). How often do you water the rockwool? And do you water it with any thing special? What PH do you water the rockwool with?

After planting the seedling into the rockwool, how much time passes before you put it into the buckets?

My understanding is that you do not feed any thing to them for the first two weeks, just cure water. What do you like to keep you water ph at? 5.5?

Any thing special I should have on hand? Besides the real basics of course I know PPM, Temp, PH, Cal/mag. But any thing else related to hydro?

If any one has some good information on PPM for hydro, IE what PPM should be in early stage, mid stage, late stage of Veg. I would love to read that. Any good solid information that I could read on hydros (more related to autoflower) would be great!

I have been reading though logs, but like most of the information I have been reading so far it's pretty vague to me. I know it makes the logs easier to read of course, but for a newb like me, I get to read 1-2 lines and be in "awwww" over the pics

Also if any tips or advice, I promise it would go a long way.

And thanks for being awesome guys You all have helped me out a lot already!

 

[Torched]

Hydro's not my main thing but I might be able to point you in the correct direction.

Before you transplant into rockwool you need to condition it as it has a super low PHto start. You use ph adjusted water and water as necessary. Rockwool can hold a lot of water and you want it to dry out fairly well or it can cause rot when they are young. Some of the foam plugs are a little easier to work with over rockwool in my limited experience.

Everything you water in should be adjusted to around 5.8. Once you see roots coming out of the rockwool...or sooner, really, you'd put it in the bucket. Then you need to top water until the roots can hit moist medium in the basket.

Anything special? A mop maybe?
I belive PPM varies from nute line to nute line but 0-300ppm when they are small 301-800ppm through veg early flower. Working up to about 1100 or 1200 then backing off at the end of flower.

 

[Roark]

Sauce, I drop the seed in a glass of water leave til the sink. Then right into pre soaked peat pots. Then place peat pots into clay, filled about half way up in the net pot, then top off with more clay. Just don't cover the top of the peat pot.

As for nutes....I stick to plain water (should probaly p.h but I don't my water is pretty good out the tap). When plant show first true leaves I start on 1/4 strength seedling/clone nutes. I'd have to look at my journals for the E.C/ppm (sorry) its low though. No higher then say 500ppm. Wait about a week and if growth is good and strong I drain my rez and take them up to 1/2 strength veg nutes. Repeat that process in about 10-14 days and then up them to 3/4 strength veg nutes. I do a transition period before flower that slowly adjust the feed from veg to flower. Let the girls adjust to that for about 7-10 days and then drain and refill rez with bloom nutes at 100 strength flower/bloom nutes. Changing my rez out every 7-10 days until super model diet time. Nute strength back to about 500 ppm for final flush weeks.

Please keep in mind....I push my plants as far as I can with the nutes. I have had them up too 3.5+ E.C like 1800 ppm. I did not make up this schedule I follow the nutes maker time table and have adjusted for auto flowerz. Also I take up 16 weeks from seed to done.

Can't help on buckets. I am sure some one that does dwc will be along to help you out there.
If I can help out any more send me shout. Good luck and happy growing.