Beginner need help understanding some stuff

[hermm]

Hey guys, first grower here looking to improve.

#1 BIG BUD

#2 CRITICAL PURPLE

both photoperiods

http://imgur.com/a/AmRbfxk

I'm using water from tap 7.1 adding my nutes lowers to 6.5 then I use pH down to 6.3.
PPM from tap is 300

Here's what I noticed:
- First plant is growing a bit slow and is showing some purple
- Second plant has a tad yellow tinge but growing faster than the counterpart
(GF's clearweed for colour comparison)

Here's what I (maybe) did wrong:
- Used vinegar as pH dwn for 3-4 days
- Left humidifier on too high accidentally, leaving tent at 100 + RH for an hour, the room was literally a cloud
- Didn't have any passive intake or any airflow for the first few days out of germ dome
- Was turning exhaust fan off at night, until yesterday
- Passive intake too wide (wasn't creating negative air pressure)

Here's my current setup:
- Light 24" from canopy
- Water level is 1"/1.5" above net
- Passive intake with a fan sitting parallel pointing up
- Exhaust running 24/7
- Nute trio being used. CalMag and B1 sitting idle.
- Res temp kept 17-22 degrees C (Currently 19-20C)
- pH 6.3
- PPM 450

I cleaned the hydroton and res last night with a couple sprays of H202 because the room smelt fishy (I'm guessing from not enough airflow/vinegar). I did notice the roots looked OK (to me).
-

http://imgur.com/a/X6ZE4Rj

Maybe I'm expecting too much too soon, should I give these more time now that I'm not torturing them or pop new seeds ASAP?
It's also worth noting that I may have calibrated my pH tester wrong, I just got testing strips today and they are reading below what I had expected. For example, my tap water was testing 7.1 before and is now testing 6.9.


RESERVOIR:
Sensor: 6.6
Strip:

http://imgur.com/a/8qEqRb4

TAP:
Sensor: 6.9
Strip:

http://imgur.com/a/ZMJi7lo

Is there anything else I can do to calibrate my pH sensor at home?

I wrote this 12 hours ago, they are looking a bit better but pH is drifting at an annoying rate and PPM is still high, what's the best thing to combat these issues?

Sorry for the flux of questions/information but I want these to become healthy as possible. Thanks a bunch!

 

[Airwalker16]

Your problem is rockwool. The stuffs awful for starting seeds as a newer grower. Over watering is almost inevitable. When you use RDwC, ita really a made-for-clones system. If you do want to run seedlings,it's important to start them in coco or some other media like a root riot or rapid rooter to allow the roots to completely FILL the media and be about ready to explode. That way, once you put it in your system, it takes only a few days for the roots to start coming out and down into the water rather than weeks. Tiny seedlings like that just need so much attention and it's hard on them.

 

[oill]

Your problem is rockwool. The stuffs awful for starting seeds as a newer grower. Over watering is almost inevitable. When you use RDwC, ita really a made-for-clones system. If you do want to run seedlings,it's important to start them in coco or some other media like a root riot or rapid rooter to allow the roots to completely FILL the media and be about ready to explode. That way, once you put it in your system, it takes only a few days for the roots to start coming out and down into the water rather than weeks. Tiny seedlings like that just need so much attention and it's hard on them.

What he said.... go with coco. This will pull round but might take a while.

Ph should be 5.8 ish in dwc

 

[fragileassassin]

Your problem is rockwool. The stuffs awful for starting seeds as a newer grower. Over watering is almost inevitable. When you use RDwC, ita really a made-for-clones system. If you do want to run seedlings,it's important to start them in coco or some other media like a root riot or rapid rooter to allow the roots to completely FILL the media and be about ready to explode. That way, once you put it in your system, it takes only a few days for the roots to start coming out and down into the water rather than weeks. Tiny seedlings like that just need so much attention and it's hard on them.

this
poke around in here for other ideas

Fragile back at it. DIY RDWC with the things.

Rinsing the system out with fresh water tonight so figured I would share the process some this time. Goal is to transplant tonight. Build of the veg system is in the link in my signature. This is my 5x5 veg tent, will share progress of the flower setup as I start prepping it here in the next...

www.rollitup.org

 

[Mohican]

Looks great! Seedlings love high humidity. It is a little early to make the water acidic. Seedlings are usually best in 7.0 until you get a couple sets of true leaves. Then you can add nutes. I use Advanced Nutrients (AN) Sensi A and Sensi B for seedlings. I also add some AN Micro.

Vinegar isn't a stable acidifier (I made the same mistake at the start) I use gardening liquid phosphorus acid and shoot for 5.7 pH (matches my rainwater). You can get it at the local farm supply or landscaping supply.

 

[hermm]

Looks great! Seedlings love high humidity. It is a little early to make the water acidic. Seedlings are usually best in 7.0 until you get a couple sets of true leaves. Then you can add nutes. I use Advanced Nutrients (AN) Sensi A and Sensi B for seedlings. I also add some AN Micro.

Vinegar isn't a stable acidifier (I made the same mistake at the start) I use gardening liquid phosphorus acid and shoot for 5.7 pH (matches my rainwater). You can get it at the local farm supply or landscaping supply.

Ok, I honestly just dropped my nutes (5ml, they recommend 15ml). I'll keep that in mind for next grow. Is my pH rising normal or am I doing something wrong? have to pH down like 3 times a day

 

[Airwalker16]

Ok, I honestly just dropped my nutes (5ml, they recommend 15ml). I'll keep that in mind for next grow. Is my pH rising normal or am I doing something wrong? have to pH down like 3 times a day

This is why SINGLE SITE DWC is such a pain in the fuckin ass. You're only dealing with 3gallons or so of water in a 5gal bucket setup. It's always a game of up and down with pH when you're setup that way. You'll battle it constantly not to mention all the times you'll be adding water because once you're girl gets bigger, they can drink and transpire that entire 3 gallons in a matter of a day or two. It gets ugly. This will be a good learning experience for you though and will show you why an RDWC System is so much more convenient and easy to maintain. With even a 4 bucket site and a 20gallon tote for a reservoir you'll up your water volume to 35ish gallons making pH swings a thing of the past.

 

[TheSadBadGrower]

 

[fragileassassin]

This is why SINGLE SITE DWC is such a pain in the fuckin ass. You're only dealing with 3gallons or so of water in a 5gal bucket setup. It's always a game of up and down with pH when you're setup that way. You'll battle it constantly not to mention all the times you'll be adding water because once you're girl gets bigger, they can drink and transpire that entire 3 gallons in a matter of a day or two. It gets ugly. This will be a good learning experience for you though and will show you why an RDWC System is so much more convenient and easy to maintain. With even a 4 bucket site and a 20gallon tote for a reservoir you'll up your water volume to 35ish gallons making pH swings a thing of the past.

Thats why my "single" sites are 27gal totes. They have 15-20 gallons of water

 

[hermm]

View attachment 4524798

You're awesome! Unfortunately, I broke my ppm so I have to wait a week or so for some new products to come in. I ended up grabbing a kit that gives TEMP/EC/PH readings to my phone. I'll try to keep them alive 'til so I can properly stick to this chart. I think for me I'm experiencing either STATIC, RISING, RISING or STATIC, STATIC, RISING. Like I said until those parts arrive I'm in the dark.

PS: It's also worth noting I haven't been leaving my tap water to sit therefore letting chlorine evaporate.. Could that be apart of the reason why I'm getting rising PPM and pH?

Thanks friend

 

[hermm]

Your problem is rockwool. The stuffs awful for starting seeds as a newer grower. Over watering is almost inevitable. When you use RDwC, ita really a made-for-clones system. If you do want to run seedlings,it's important to start them in coco or some other media like a root riot or rapid rooter to allow the roots to completely FILL the media and be about ready to explode. That way, once you put it in your system, it takes only a few days for the roots to start coming out and down into the water rather than weeks. Tiny seedlings like that just need so much attention and it's hard on them.

I'm a beginner, I didn't know much starting out. I've now got proper medium and a whole germ dome. I think haflway through flower (if the make it) I'll make a veg box so I can keep 'em cycling in... I'm still going to ride these out, I have a buddy who literally just added water and nutes to instruction and his outgrew his tent. Doesn't even know what ppm means. I really do appreciate the tip though, I'll never use rockwool again. Heard it's hard on your skin and lungs as well.

 

[hermm]

This is why SINGLE SITE DWC is such a pain in the fuckin ass. You're only dealing with 3gallons or so of water in a 5gal bucket setup. It's always a game of up and down with pH when you're setup that way. You'll battle it constantly not to mention all the times you'll be adding water because once you're girl gets bigger, they can drink and transpire that entire 3 gallons in a matter of a day or two. It gets ugly. This will be a good learning experience for you though and will show you why an RDWC System is so much more convenient and easy to maintain. With even a 4 bucket site and a 20gallon tote for a reservoir you'll up your water volume to 35ish gallons making pH swings a thing of the past.

My local hydroponics store is just looking to sell product and they took advantage of me being a beginner. I think next time around I'll drill some holes into a tote like you said, I already have the netpots. Would 2 plants in a 30 gal tote wrapped in mylar be a better setup? Or just the one in 30 gal? Thanks a bunch, I should've came here instead of rushing into it but it's not a hobby you're putting money into for no reason, in the end the proper setup will be saving me HUNDREDS/month.

 

[Airwalker16]

My local hydroponics store is just looking to sell product and they took advantage of me being a beginner. I think next time around I'll drill some holes into a tote like you said, I already have the netpots. Would 2 plants in a 30 gal tote wrapped in mylar be a better setup? Or just the one in 30 gal? Thanks a bunch, I should've came here instead of rushing into it but it's not a hobby you're putting money into for no reason, in the end the proper setup will be saving me HUNDREDS/month.

You'll be more than good with 2 in a 30gallon tote.

 

[hermm]

You'll be more than good with 2 in a 30gallon tote.

Good news and good tips, cheers man. One day I'll be back here to post results.

 

[TheSadBadGrower]

PS: It's also worth noting I haven't been leaving my tap water to sit therefore letting chlorine evaporate.. Could that be apart of the reason why I'm getting rising PPM and pH?

I doubt it's the reason. But let it sit 24 hours though if you can. The ph could have been not in ideal range for the plant to take in proper nutes.

 

[hermm]

I doubt it's the reason. But let it sit 24 hours though if you can. The ph could have been not in ideal range for the plant to take in proper nutes. View attachment 4525991

My pH levels are not rising nearly as much now after 2 days. they rose about .1 today. I think the vinegar was causing algae buildup which was causing pH to rise. Maybe the chlorine did play a part idk

 

[TheSadBadGrower]

My pH levels are not rising nearly as much now after 2 days. they rose about .1 today. I think the vinegar was causing algae buildup which was causing pH to rise. Maybe the chlorine did play a part idk

Give her a day or two and you'll see results. Luckily you get pretty fast results where in soil you don't see if a solution works for about a week,

 

[hermm]

Give her a day or two and you'll see results. Luckily you get pretty fast results where in soil you don't see if a solution works for about a week,

I think I'm hoping for results a little too fast for my first time, some plants I see on forums are the same age and mine and have 2-3 more sets of leaves. I'm sure these will be slow but make it eventually

 

[SnidleyBluntash]

K, 1) use a syringe to ‘suck’ water out of the Rockwool after you give it a good watering. It holds too much water, so suck some out every time. Do it.

2) your home pH meter : unless you have a special known liquid to calibrate to, you are kind of guessing. You could look through your household supplies and see if you have any known acids, and then research what the pH would be when you mix with your water... the whole pH thing has a wide range, Try to find out what works for you and use the pH meter. The strips will never be great.

What’s the room temp?
Be careful you don’t have the fan blowing on the plant so much. I wouldn’t even have a fan at this point. Find a nice hot window and grow the plants in the sun while you can, then get a small LED light on them all night in a humidity dome.

 

[hermm]

K, 1) use a syringe to ‘suck’ water out of the Rockwool after you give it a good watering. It holds too much water, so suck some out every time. Do it.

2) your home pH meter : unless you have a special known liquid to calibrate to, you are kind of guessing. You could look through your household supplies and see if you have any known acids, and then research what the pH would be when you mix with your water... the whole pH thing has a wide range, Try to find out what works for you and use the pH meter. The strips will never be great.

What’s the room temp?
Be careful you don’t have the fan blowing on the plant so much. I wouldn’t even have a fan at this point. Find a nice hot window and grow the plants in the sun while you can, then get a small LED light on them all night in a humidity dome.

The fan is pointing up to help support airflow to go to the filter, it's not very strong it just helps keep overall humidity and temp down, I'll try having it off for a few days.. It looks a lot better after just a week still a little yellow but not as bad,

http://imgur.com/a/E72WOon

Going to up the nute dosage tomorrow hopefully that adds more colour.