Scarlet>Fire
Member
Let me preface this long bitch post by telling everyone what I have for a setup, to put everything in the proper perspective:
I am using DWC w/clay pellets (which is irrelevant, since I can't even get a single freakin plant to the point I can actually use the DWC), a 2 × 4 × 5 Vivosun grow tent w/ Spider Farmer SF2000 LED, and 1.5" rockwool cubes that I regret using, since they apparently require a PhD in horticultural science to properly prepare them.
In addition, I am growing from (feminized) seeds, which was also probably not the best n00b choice to make. My seeds are 10× blueberry kush, g.s. cookies, bruce banner, and gorilla glue, for a total of 40 seeds, minus about 10 now.
When I first started this little hydro project back in March or April, I bought and studied Jorge Cervantes' book, I went online, read articles, guides, and forum threads. I watched videos, and picked the brains of a few people I know that have the experience which I lack.
I've started approx 10 seeds now. You want to take a guess as to how many are still alive? One. One sad little baby, and she is on her way out, too. Not a single plant has made it past maybe 2 inches tall, and the one I have that is barely hanging on is the first one that actually made it far enough to grow the second pair of true leaves. The rest died not long after sprouting the first true pair of leaves, or they never germinated at all, although the few duds I had I think were more due to the company I got them from (Growers Choice). As for the rest, I am sure it's all me.
So, with that out of the way, let me just bitch a moment about the dizzying array of vastly different opinions on the matter. For starters, the advice I have received for soaking rockwool couldn't be more contradictory--some say soak them for 15 mins, some say 2 hours, some say 24 hours, some say "until the bubbles stop". So, which is it?
Secondly, when it comes to how much ppm that seedlings need (specifically in inert rockwool), the advice varies greatly as well. According to Cervantes, you only need plain old tap water for the first few weeks of life. Of course, I don't need to tell you all that if you go online, that's (again) exactly the opposite of what most people say. In fact, I've read (in some guides) that seedlings need upwards of 500 ppm. Then, there are those that say you must soak your cubes in nutients prior to planting. Well, which is it?
Third, when I see my plants yellowing, curling down, damping off, or whatever, I go online to diagnose the problem, and what do I get? When plants are yellowing and curlins, it could be too many nutrients, could be not enough. Could be over-watering. Could be underwatering. Could be too much light. Could be temperature. Could be fuckin VD. Who the hell knows? In other words, could be anything.
Finally, how damp is damp? That is a subjective term. I didn't know there was an actual measurement for "damp". This last I suspect is my real problem, but how the hell can I know that for sure?
Sorry for such a long diatribe, but damn I am so confused and frustrated now that I feel like either trashing it all, or crying like a little school girl. I am a 51 year old man. You do NOT want to see that, trust me.
Ah. I feel slightly better now after I got that off my chest. Anyone care to throw in their two cents? I would appreciate any suggestions, or maybe just comiseration. I will take whatever you all are willing to give me. Throw me a frikkin bone people!
I am using DWC w/clay pellets (which is irrelevant, since I can't even get a single freakin plant to the point I can actually use the DWC), a 2 × 4 × 5 Vivosun grow tent w/ Spider Farmer SF2000 LED, and 1.5" rockwool cubes that I regret using, since they apparently require a PhD in horticultural science to properly prepare them.
In addition, I am growing from (feminized) seeds, which was also probably not the best n00b choice to make. My seeds are 10× blueberry kush, g.s. cookies, bruce banner, and gorilla glue, for a total of 40 seeds, minus about 10 now.
When I first started this little hydro project back in March or April, I bought and studied Jorge Cervantes' book, I went online, read articles, guides, and forum threads. I watched videos, and picked the brains of a few people I know that have the experience which I lack.
I've started approx 10 seeds now. You want to take a guess as to how many are still alive? One. One sad little baby, and she is on her way out, too. Not a single plant has made it past maybe 2 inches tall, and the one I have that is barely hanging on is the first one that actually made it far enough to grow the second pair of true leaves. The rest died not long after sprouting the first true pair of leaves, or they never germinated at all, although the few duds I had I think were more due to the company I got them from (Growers Choice). As for the rest, I am sure it's all me.
So, with that out of the way, let me just bitch a moment about the dizzying array of vastly different opinions on the matter. For starters, the advice I have received for soaking rockwool couldn't be more contradictory--some say soak them for 15 mins, some say 2 hours, some say 24 hours, some say "until the bubbles stop". So, which is it?
Secondly, when it comes to how much ppm that seedlings need (specifically in inert rockwool), the advice varies greatly as well. According to Cervantes, you only need plain old tap water for the first few weeks of life. Of course, I don't need to tell you all that if you go online, that's (again) exactly the opposite of what most people say. In fact, I've read (in some guides) that seedlings need upwards of 500 ppm. Then, there are those that say you must soak your cubes in nutients prior to planting. Well, which is it?
Third, when I see my plants yellowing, curling down, damping off, or whatever, I go online to diagnose the problem, and what do I get? When plants are yellowing and curlins, it could be too many nutrients, could be not enough. Could be over-watering. Could be underwatering. Could be too much light. Could be temperature. Could be fuckin VD. Who the hell knows? In other words, could be anything.
Finally, how damp is damp? That is a subjective term. I didn't know there was an actual measurement for "damp". This last I suspect is my real problem, but how the hell can I know that for sure?
Sorry for such a long diatribe, but damn I am so confused and frustrated now that I feel like either trashing it all, or crying like a little school girl. I am a 51 year old man. You do NOT want to see that, trust me.
Ah. I feel slightly better now after I got that off my chest. Anyone care to throw in their two cents? I would appreciate any suggestions, or maybe just comiseration. I will take whatever you all are willing to give me. Throw me a frikkin bone people!
