Al B. FAQt

[Al B. Fuct]

I do water every other 15min.

In what sort of watering system/medium?

Al Im not quite sure but I think some of the my plants are begining to show signs of spider mites. I was looking at the plants that are in the cubes still and at the bottom of the cubes i found microscopic tiny little bugs that that have a reddish, black dots on them .

Mites. Get rid of the affected plant/s ASAP and get some Avid to treat the rest of the crop. Clean & vac in & around the grow room. Now.

I think it might be fungus gnats instead of mites.

You correctly described red spider mite in the last post. You probably have some gnats as well. Fear the mites and act ASAP. They can take out the whole grow. Gnats ain't so bad, get some sticky card traps to manage those.

Next time you buy clones, take a jeweler's loupe or strong magnifier to inspect before you buy. It's smart to treat any introduced plants with a miticide like Avid and quarantine them for a few days, to avoid bringing in any more pests.

I notice that a small corner of the rockwool has started to turn a greenish moldy look. This has to be due to overwatering my clones in the cubect correct?

Yep, that and exposing the damp medium surface to light. Cut a disc of panda film with a hole for the stem and a slot to allow fitting it and use it to block light from the area growing algae. Hit the algae with some H2O2 to kill what's there.

 

[LBS OF DANK]

I am a beginner to growing and i want to know what hydroponic system dhould i start with dwc or a waterfarm

 

[Al B. Fuct]

I am a beginner to growing and i want to know what hydroponic system dhould i start with dwc or a waterfarm

Avoid kits. You'll save money buying only what you need.

New growers are best served by plants in pots of absorbent media like rockwool, Fytocell or perlite, watered by a flood system.

Floods are dead simple to set up and operate. Nothing to clog, one moving part, very little plumbing. Floods are much more forgiving of watering failure than any other method. If plants are in pots of absorbent media, there's enough water stored in the media to get the plants safely through a pump or timer failure for a day or so if you forget to look in on the system. Also, if anything leaks in a flood system, with the reservoir being below the tray, the leak is most likely to drip into the res tank.

I would not recommend DWC or aero for a first time grower. DWC in particular has an Achilles' heel. Since DWC keeps roots submerged, they rely on 24/7 airflow. A pump or power failure lasting more than a few hours can kill every plant in a DWC op if you don't have a spare air pump or backup AC power to run the air pump.

Advanced growers may prefer aero or DWC because they are able to get more oxygen to the roots than floods with plants in pots of absorbent media, but the production difference is fractional. Clay pellet media can also be used, which due to low absorbency and large air gaps between pellets, tolerates very frequent watering, thus approximating the performance of aero or DWC. Pellets don't hold much reserve water, but are more tolerant of pump/power failures than aero or DWC.

New growers need simplicity and they don't get any simpler than a flood system. Advanced growers will appreciate the portability of plants in pots. They can be picked up and moved around for maintenance or to put slow plants in better light positions.

 

[Chumlie]

It's aeroponics with net baskets fill with expanded clay with 1" rockwool cube.

 

[Lobo69]

Hey,
Assuming I am using the rockwool floc in the bottom, fyto/perlite in the top of the pots, Should I flood my pots to within 1/2 inch of the 40mm plug in the top of the pot, not touching the rockwool with water? I'm guessing if you are flooding 3x a day with this setup that the rockwool in the bottom would not hold too much water?

 

[HAZEOHOLIC]

Hello AL
I would like to know your opinion on which way I should go with a setup like yours I live in an apartment and can't use closet space so I have to build an enclosure to hide my grow from family,friends,etc......
would love to run a 5x5 or 6x6 tray only one thought what size box do I need and how would you rotate the grow? I know it's a lot of questions and appreciate your insight on this.

 

[Al B. Fuct]

Im wondering because the first set of true leaves have gray edges and the fan leaves have yellow tips. It's either that are nute burn, but I dout it cus Im using foxfarms grow big half normal solution until this week ends. What do you think?

Originally Posted by Chumlie
I do water every other 15min.

In what sort of watering system/medium?

It's aeroponics with net baskets fill with expanded clay with 1" rockwool cube.

What's your nute strength in ppm? pH? Air temp in the room (no guessing, numbers from your pk-mem thermo and pH & ppm meters only, pls)?

Hey,
Assuming I am using the rockwool floc in the bottom, fyto/perlite in the top of the pots, Should I flood my pots to within 1/2 inch of the 40mm plug in the top of the pot, not touching the rockwool [cube] with water?

Yep.

I'm guessing if you are flooding 3x a day with this setup that the rockwool in the bottom would not hold too much water?

Should be OK, that's what's happening in my op as we speak.

Hello AL
I would like to know your opinion on which way I should go with a setup like yours I live in an apartment and can't use closet space so I have to build an enclosure to hide my grow from family,friends,etc......

Don't try to hide it from your mom. Moms know everything.

would love to run a 5x5 or 6x6 tray only one thought what size box do I need

Larger than the trays!

and how would you rotate the grow?

Seen this? Get a harvest every 2 weeks

You basically feed in 1/4 of the number of clones the flowering area can hold and take out 1/4 the room capacity in matured plants on the far end of the pipeline every 2 weeks.

 

[gvega187]

I have questions about flood and drain sir :

I will be using clay pellets flooding for 15 mins 5x a day.

1)have you used pebbles before in the trays?

2)could i afford to water 8x a day? I know from experience pebbles dry out VERY quick...and no flooding at night time with pebbles or mebe just 1/2 as much?

3)should this watering schedule work?

4)For those 15 minutes the water level should never be stopped right? It should just take 15 minutes flood cycle to raise and then drain back right? Or do I flood up to the top, which should take the whole 15 mins and then drain.

5)I use rapid rooter plugs instead of RW. I cant anticipate any problems with this, but I know its not what you use. Any other suggestions related to this?

Thanks for takin time to reply every time

 

[grandpabear3]

I'm guessing if you are flooding 3x a day with this setup that the rockwool in the bottom would not hold too much water? Should be OK, that's what's happening in my op as we speak.

now hold on al...3x per day...did something change in the op? if so, why?
i'm running all 4 at 1400ppm once a day per lights on as per your set up.....for the love of god you gotta send out newsletters or flyers or something....some of us can't think for ourselves!

 

[Al B. Fuct]

I will be using clay pellets flooding for 15 mins 5x a day.

Shorten the flood time to only that needed to raise the flood level to the overflow. Should be only about 3-5 mins.

1)have you used pebbles before in the trays?

yep, switched from pellets because they were heavy and hard to dispose of.

2)could i afford to water 8x a day? I know from experience pebbles dry out VERY quick...and no flooding at night time with pebbles or mebe just 1/2 as much?

3)should this watering schedule work?

With vigorous, mature plants in pellets, you can flood to the overflow 1x/hr for 3-5 mins, last flood no later than 1 hr before lights-off. Don't flood during lights-off, not only no need for it but also can cause probs. Water only when the plants can take up water, which is during lights-on.

4)For those 15 minutes the water level should never be stopped right? It should just take 15 minutes flood cycle to raise and then drain back right? Or do I flood up to the top, which should take the whole 15 mins and then drain.

Too long. It should only take 3-5 mins (tops) to fill the tray to the overflow level.

5)I use rapid rooter plugs instead of RW. I cant anticipate any problems with this, but I know its not what you use. Any other suggestions related to this?

I'm not fond of organic materials in a recirculating hydro system. RR plugs are made of peat. They can support mould as well as can decompose when exposed to H2O2. This may cause them to fragment. The bits may wash through your pellets and into the res, possibly fouling the pump.

now hold on al...3x per day...did something change in the op? if so, why?

When I switched from pots stuffed fully with RW floc to mainly with Fytocell, I was able to increase the watering frequency due to the high air content of Fytocell. The small layer of RW in the bottom of each of my pots is only there to keep the Fytocell from falling out of the drain holes and to keep the pots from floating.

Yes, with 3x flood/day, the relatively thin (compared to the remaining volume of the pot filled with Fytocell) RW layer is oversaturated, but newly introduced plants don't have roots knitted down to the bottom of the pot, so they don't care. Once the clone has developed a bit and has grown roots down to the bottom of the pot, they are well developed enough to take a significant amt of water out of the RW by the next time the system floods, preventing any overwatering or root rot problems.

 

[Chumlie]

I don't have a ppm meter,(way, way to much money) so that I don't know. My ph is 6 usually a little bit lower but I accidentaly put the wrong water in this week. The room temp is usually77 to 80 f, but when Im not here it sometimes reache 85. Can not work on this there nothing I can do about the high temps. Not sure what pk-mem is.

 

[grandpabear3]

well i'll be goddamned....you horrible,horrible man!!!
you weren't even gonna tell anybody......this is the first i've heard of this. i'm only doing it once.....so i should bump it up huh?

 

[LBS OF DANK]

i have a 400 watt hps i still need some good lights for my veg i was thinking the 2 foot t5s from htg supply for 69 dollars are those good or should i get a cfl 125 watts need help with my new grow setup

 

[Al B. Fuct]

I don't have a ppm meter,(way, way to much money) so that I don't know.

OK, sorry, I can't help you any further until you have the right metering and measurement gear.

My ph is 6

Measured with what?

The room temp is usually77 to 80 f, but when Im not here it sometimes reache 85. Can not work on this there nothing I can do about the high temps. Not sure what pk-mem is.

Without a peak memory thermometer, you're only guessing.

If you can't measure it, you can't manage it.

If you can't keep your temps down, you will ALWAYS have heat related problems.

Seriously, you need to KNOW not GUESS what's going on in your op. My guesses are no better than yours.

Trying to run a hydro op without proper metering is like trying to sort out an electrical problem without a voltmeter.

When you get the right gear, feel free to ask me for assistance. Until then, there's nothing I can do for you.

well i'll be goddamned....you horrible,horrible man!!!
you weren't even gonna tell anybody......this is the first i've heard of this. i'm only doing it once.....so i should bump it up huh?

WTF are you talking about, bugs? Lost me.

 

[LBS OF DANK]

i have two 3x3 setups 1 for veg and one for budding.i need advice with lights,vent,good nutes, i could get the ebb and flow fittings,pump,res and tray no problemif i need anything else let me know

 

[Chumlie]

I believe I have the right thermometer, and measure ph with hydroponic store chemical tester. The one where you collect water then add some drips and chart it by the color change. I would get tds or ec meter if I could find one for about
$50. Yet all I've seen are $300 and up.

 

[HAZEOHOLIC]

Don't try to hide it from your mom. Moms know everything.

Larger than the trays!

Seen this? Get a harvest every 2 weeks

You basically feed in 1/4 of the number of clones the flowering area can hold and take out 1/4 the room capacity in matured plants on the far end of the pipeline every 2 weeks.

Lol I live alone is that family and friend sometimes come over so with the enclosure people would just think it's a closet or cabinet.
OK larger then the tray how much larger to rum a 1000 watt air cooled and of course good vent.
Also with one big tray rotating 1/4 can the tray be flooded with the same nutes as all the pots in different stages. Thanks alot Al for helping out

 

[LBS OF DANK]

anybody got some good advice for me

 

[Al B. Fuct]

i have two 3x3 setups 1 for veg and one for budding.i need advice with lights,vent,good nutes,

lights- figure on 50W/sq ft of HPS lighting.
ventilation- the exhaust system needs to be able to shift the room air volume in about 3 mins, so a 500cu ft room needs a minimum 167CFM blower. If this is not sufficient to keep the temps down, use cooltubes on your HPS lighting.
nutes- most any commercially made hydro nutes will do. Joe's are as good as Jim's for the most part. Name brand nutes are usually more consistent in quality than those from small makers (like your local hydro shop which may mix up something in the back room, but I've seen house-brand nute raise fine plants.

anybody got some good advice for me

You posted your first request for info at 12:46pm, this request at 1:09pm. You don't think you're being impatient or anything, do you? :/

i could get the ebb and flow fittings,pump,res and tray no problemif i need anything else let me know

You need to familiarise yourself with the basic necessary equipment to run a grow. SimplyHydro's resource is good for that. PLEASE do your own research on the basics before asking for help. Nothing annoys me more than someone who won't do their own legwork, instead expecting me to do all the basics for them.

I believe I have the right thermometer, and measure ph with hydroponic store chemical tester. The one where you collect water then add some drips and chart it by the color change. I would get tds or ec meter if I could find one for about
$50. Yet all I've seen are $300 and up.

You need to shop better. Lots of ppm meters around for less than $300. Try the Bluelab TDS Truncheon.

Colour-match pH kits just don't git it in a hydroponic op, probably OK for your swimming pool... They're inaccurate on a good day, not a lot better than guessing.

If you have the right thermo, you know the max high & low temps because the thermo saves those peak values.

Lol I live alone is that family and friend sometimes come over so with the enclosure people would just think it's a closet or cabinet.

You're kinda on your own with specifically how to keep the noseynellies out of your op. About all I can suggest is to lock the door!

OK larger then the tray how much larger to rum a 1000 watt air cooled and of course good vent.

The room can be a tent made of pandafilm which is only large enough to fit the tray in, just need to plan to have about 2m vertical height to work with. In such a space, cooltubes will help keep temps under control. Ventilation system should be able to shift the tent/room airmass volume in about 3 mins.

Also with one big tray rotating 1/4 can the tray be flooded with the same nutes as all the pots in different stages.

All my tanks run flowering nutes at 1400, except for wk6, when plants get dosed with Canna's PK1314. If you plan for about 5L of tank volume per plant , a single tank will be pretty big. Also, with a single tank, you can't do stuff like applying a PK additive for wk 6 plants without dosing all the plants. I used 4x 900mm^2 trays (23 plants each) because the biggest el-cheapo storage tubs I could get were 125L.

 

[HAZEOHOLIC]

You're kinda on your own with specifically how to keep the noseynellies out of your op. About all I can suggest is to lock the door!

The room can be a tent made of pandafilm which is only large enough to fit the tray in, just need to plan to have about 2m vertical height to work with. In such a space, cooltubes will help keep temps under control. Ventilation system should be able to shift the tent/room airmass volume in about 3 mins.
All my tanks run flowering nutes at 1400, except for wk6, when plants get dosed with Canna's PK1314. If you plan for about 5L of tank volume per plant , a single tank will be pretty big. Also, with a single tank, you can't do stuff like applying a PK additive for wk 6 plants without dosing all the plants. I used 4x 900mm^2 trays (23 plants each) because the biggest el-cheapo storage tubs I could get were 125L.

Yea thanks AL your right but of course it will be under lock and key lol

Yea no problem height isn'st an issue have a 8 feet celing max, also would you think running 4 sperate trays in a 6x6 grow area would work.