I need a waterfarm grow coach.

[MickFoster]

hey Mick, what do you do to prevent algae ? last 2 grows were fine, this one i have serious algae on the growstones/hydroton under the drip ring.

I haven't done waterfarms in 10 years. I remember I used hydroguard and frozen water bottles to keep the rez cool. I removed and stopped using the top dripper rings once the roots hit the rez and added additional airstones to do an 8 bucket dwc with a main controller. Eliminating the possibility of algae.

 

[rkymtnman]

I haven't done waterfarms in 10 years. I remember I used hydroguard and frozen water bottles to keep the rez cool. I removed and stopped using the top dripper rings once the roots hit the rez and added additional airstones to do an 8 bucket dwc with a main controller. Eliminating the possibility of algae.

yeah, i just have it on the top layer of the hydroton so not too big a deal. just doesn't look good.

i actually modified the waterfarms by cutting the sight tube about an inch above the line and do an auto-feed drain to waste. feeds every day to get some run-off. works awesome and now i can go away for a week and not worry

 

[klozetgrow]

Thought it was soil medium then rephrased and said light nutes when he confimed it was like a dwc my bad

 

[VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER]

drill your holes in the top res to 3/8"
add an airstone and airpump when the roots hit the lower res

maxibloom kicks ass. very pH stable too.

I have drilled extra holes already.
I do have a airstone and extra pump already waiting.
I have a strawberry cake from heavy weight seeds germinating now.

 

[rkymtnman]

I have drilled extra holes already.
I do have a airstone and extra pump already waiting.
I have a strawberry cake from heavy weight seeds germinating now.

only other thing to watch for is when you put a small plant in it. keep an eye on splashing from the drip ring getting onto the leaves. i had that issue and the leaves were constantly wet. i ended up putting a clear large cup over them to keep them dry until they were tall enough to not get splashed on.

 

[VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER]

only other thing to watch for is when you put a small plant in it. keep an eye on splashing from the drip ring getting onto the leaves. i had that issue and the leaves were constantly wet. i ended up putting a clear large cup over them to keep them dry until they were tall enough to not get splashed on.

Yes I seen people covering the top to cover the ring and the hydroton with foil.

 

[rkymtnman]

Yes I seen people covering the top to cover the ring and the hydroton with foil.

it was even worse when i had a fan going.

one thing else that will make your life easier: have something that you can rest the top res on when you lift it off the bottom res. i put a piece of rod thru the top of a 5 gal bucket so when i take it off, i set it on top of the 5 gal bucket and not worry about tipping over

 

[VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER]

it was even worse when i had a fan going.

one thing else that will make your life easier: have something that you can rest the top res on when you lift it off the bottom res. i put a piece of rod thru the top of a 5 gal bucket so when i take it off, i set it on top of the 5 gal bucket and not worry about tipping over

So ok, start feeding from sprout at 1/4 strength.
When should I start using the 600w light?
Can I use a cfl light too start? If so how long should I use them?
Is maxigro and maxibloom all the nutes I need?
Should I use calmag with maxi series?

 

[rkymtnman]

So ok, start feeding from sprout at 1/4 strength.
When should I start using the 600w light?
Can I use a cfl light too start? If so how long should I use them?
Is maxigro and maxibloom all the nutes I need?
Should I use calmag with maxi series?

here's what I do, adjust accordingly:

i start my seeds with RO with 1mL/gal of dyna gro foliage pro. once they get a decent set of roots poking out of rapid rooter, i transfer to waterfarm. then start at 1mg/gal of Maxi. with RO, EC should be 0.25. then slowly move up. i'm at 2g/gal (0.5EC) now and they just hit their 7th node. i use a scale to be pretty precise.

i don't use maxigro. just foliage pro (high N) and then maxibloom
i don't need cal/mg even with RO but having it on hand is not a bad idea. foliar spray to fix an issue quickly.

for the light, keep it farther up and lower it as the plant gets bigger.

 

[VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER]

here's what I do, adjust accordingly:

i start my seeds with RO with 1mL/gal of dyna gro foliage pro. once they get a decent set of roots poking out of rapid rooter, i transfer to waterfarm. then start at 1mg/gal of Maxi. with RO, EC should be 0.25. then slowly move up. i'm at 2g/gal (0.5EC) now and they just hit their 7th node. i use a scale to be pretty precise.

i don't use maxigro. just foliage pro (high N) and then maxibloom
i don't need cal/mg even with RO but having it on hand is not a bad idea. foliar spray to fix an issue quickly.

for the light, keep it farther up and lower it as the plant gets bigger.

So start at 1gram of maxi bloom when in the waterfarm?
That would be 1 gram per gallon, so 2 grams total?

 

[VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER]

here's what I do, adjust accordingly:

i start my seeds with RO with 1mL/gal of dyna gro foliage pro. once they get a decent set of roots poking out of rapid rooter, i transfer to waterfarm. then start at 1mg/gal of Maxi. with RO, EC should be 0.25. then slowly move up. i'm at 2g/gal (0.5EC) now and they just hit their 7th node. i use a scale to be pretty precise.

i don't use maxigro. just foliage pro (high N) and then maxibloom
i don't need cal/mg even with RO but having it on hand is not a bad idea. foliar spray to fix an issue quickly.

for the light, keep it farther up and lower it as the plant gets bigger.

Can I use cfls to start or do I need to use the big light from start at maybe 50%

 

[rkymtnman]

So start at 1gram of maxi bloom when in the waterfarm?
That would be 1 gram per gallon, so 2 grams total?

i'd rather start feeding light than burn the crap out of them.

 

[rkymtnman]

Can I use cfls to start or do I need to use the big light from start at maybe 50%

if the 600 is hps, i'd use the cfls of 6500K for more blues. if the 600 is mh, use it but raise it up

 

[VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER]

if the 600 is hps, i'd use the cfls of 6500K for more blues. if the 600 is mh, use it but raise it up

yes the light is mh/hps.
Do I go full 600w or 50%

 

[VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER]

i'd rather start feeding light than burn the crap out of them.

so dont use maxigro, just use maxi bloom correct?

 

[rkymtnman]

yes the light is mh/hps.
Do I go full 600w or 50%

i like running lights at 100% and raising them higher. bulbs last longer vs being underdriven.

i would think 24" would be fine from the tops. maybe 30".

 

[rkymtnman]

so dont use maxigro, just use maxi bloom correct?

yep. you can use maxigro if you have it but maxibloom is a better all round nute.

 

[VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER]

yep. you can use maxigro if you have it but maxibloom is a better all round nute.

so should plant the seedling 1 week after sprout into the waterfarm or just when I see roots coming out of the riot cube?

 

[VACAVILLE,CA.GROWER]

yep. you can use maxigro if you have it but maxibloom is a better all round nute.

Here is another growers maxibloom usage.
What do you think of this, too much nutes?
They are using tap water at 200ppm
I'm using GH MaxiBloom at 7 grams per gallon, and 1/4 tsp Dyna-Gro Pro-TeKt per gallon from start too finish.

 

[MickFoster]

Here is another growers maxibloom usage.
What do you think of this, too much nutes?
They are using tap water at 200ppm
I'm using GH MaxiBloom at 7 grams per gallon, and 1/4 tsp Dyna-Gro Pro-TeKt per gallon from start too finish.

It's full strength using the KISS method - 7 grams per gallon of tap water. Pro-Tekt is a silica additive. I've been using it for years with great results.