Noob Attempting Hydro. Need advice!

[curious2garden]

So did a bit of reading on different types of root rot. Looks like that may have been the culprit. The yellowing may have been because the roots were coated and not getting enough nutrients. Eventually, they were coated entirely and the pant stopped getting water.

The air tube that goes into the top of the bucket MAY have been letting light in. Plus, it was getting warm from time to time... So..my next step is going to be preventing root rot. I can block off the opening where the tube is with electrical tape etc. But how do I keep it cool? Also...is Hydrogen Peroxide the best way to prevent future blooms and...if so, how much/how frequently?

Again, thanks for bearing with me as I stumble my way through all of this.

Pool Shock, Calcium Hypochlorite is the easiest way and what I used when running NFT.
You need a pH pen and a TDS pen to run hydro.

 

[rkymtnman]

try to save this one first if you can. it will give you some experience. they are pretty hardy plants, you'd be surprised what they can handle.

but yes, 1x a week with the water change

 

[fragileassassin]

15 liters per minute of air per site if you dont have recirculation. The big 2x4 cylinder ones work well.
If you have some small aquarium type air pump you'll likely need that per bucket.

 

[A_String]

Any opinions on the UV light idea?

 

[rkymtnman]

Any opinions on the UV light idea?

a one pound bag of pool shock will last you 10 years.

 

[rkymtnman]

Any opinions on the UV light idea?

and somebody here tried it and i think he said it didn't work as expected. cant remember who though.

 

[fragileassassin]

Any opinions on the UV light idea?

Waste of money at the home scale imo. It's expensive to do it right. Youd be better off saving up for a chiller if you want to take the next big step in system stability.

 

[A_String]

Yeah, I'm not going for anything large scale. Just a single plant, in a small tent. Growing some personal. I have a fairly green thumb when it comes to soil growing, but I am SO out of my league here with Hydro. But...I WANT to learn it and get good at it.

So...next step for me is to get a larger air stone (possibly a disk?), tape up the hole where the air tube is going in so no light can get through and deal with the heat issues by adding pool shock once a week? Does that cover it?

 

[A_String]

You need a pH pen and a TDS pen to run hydro.

The prices on these things vary greatly (As do the reviews). Any recommendations that won't break the bank?

 

[shiva71]

The prices on these things vary greatly (As do the reviews). Any recommendations that won't break the bank?

PH pen - any one that isnt yellow
PPM pen - any one that isnt blue

 

[curious2garden]

PH pen - any one that isnt yellow
PPM pen - any one that isnt blue

Both my yellow and blue pens I first bought functioned well and when it came time to replace them I bought the same blue TDS meter but got a Bluelab pH pen.

The prices on these things vary greatly (As do the reviews). Any recommendations that won't break the bank?

This is my TDS meter and I still use it today

https://amzn.to/2IvPDRq

This the pH pen I use a bit spendy but well worth it especially the ease of calibration (you will need to buy calibration fluid separately)

https://amzn.to/2TzuAnm

Best of luck with your grow.

 

[Hippieryan]

I dunked mine in a peroxide solution? Just until my hydro guard came in from ordering it? It seems to clean it up, but if the roots are dead they are dead, I read you need to trim these off? This is new to me as well, I still have a clump in the middle of the root mass is this normal?i know it says to just cut the dead roots off but I literally can’t get at this thick mass in the middle?

 

[Lpena007]

Is 1300 ppm high for flower??

 

[Darkoh69]

If your done with that plant I would just get your bucket & kit nice & clean & focus on the fundamentals. If you do everything right, with the right amount of everything plant will ever need, the only time you'll ever need 'pool shock' chlorine or H2o2 is to clean your kit out again while your watching your buds dry.

 

[A_String]

If your done with that plant I would just get your bucket & kit nice & clean & focus on the fundamentals. If you do everything right, with the right amount of everything plant will ever need, the only time you'll ever need 'pool shock' chlorine or H2o2 is to clean your kit out again while your watching your buds dry.

At this point, I need to figure out how to deal with the temp. I suspect it was the main cause of the algae bloom. I would LOVE to keep this plant alive but, in all honesty, the branches are laying flat against the stalk and the leaves are mostly shriveled.

 

[A_String]

PH pen - any one that isnt yellow
PPM pen - any one that isnt blue

How about a yellow TDS pen and a blue PH pen? lol.

 

[cannabineer]

The prices on these things vary greatly (As do the reviews). Any recommendations that won't break the bank?

For a TDS meter, any Amazon cheapie. For pH, the Bluelab unit.

 

[Darkoh69]

At this point, I need to figure out how to deal with the temp. I suspect it was the main cause of the algae bloom. I would LOVE to keep this plant alive but, in all honesty, the branches are laying flat against the stalk and the leaves are mostly shriveled.

You say your water temp was only 68f is that too hot for dwc? I run a recirculating system so im not learned in dwc but my res temps can reach the mid 70's (about 22-23celcius here in New Zealand) with no problems. If its algae youve got then there must be light getting in on stagnant water?

 

[A_String]

You say your water temp was only 68f is that too hot for dwc? I run a recirculating system so im not learned in dwc but my res temps can reach the mid 70's (about 22-23celcius here in New Zealand) with no problems. If its algae youve got then there must be light getting in on stagnant water?

That was the temp, last time I checked, but I think it was hitting MUCH warmer temps, on and off, over the month or so I was running it.

 

[A_String]

For a TDS meter, any Amazon cheapie. For pH, the Bluelab unit.

Thanks!