Watering

[Libster921]

I am using Fox Farm products. I have been watering every 5-7 days. I have 4 plants in 4 five gallon canvas pots in a grow tent. I put them in the bathtub to water. The recent watering I used 2 gallons total of distilled water. One gallon had Grow Big and the other gallon was just distilled water. Is that enough for all 4 plants? I poured the nutrient one first and then the plain distilled next. I am so worried about over watering. I do have a green thumb though and I do have house plants as well. Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

 

[sonnyjim]

I'd stop using distilled water. Also when you use distilled water immediately after feeding you essentially flush the plant of the nutes you just fed them. How old are your plants?

 

[hotrodharley]

I'd stop using distilled water. Also when you use distilled water immediately after feeding you essentially flush the plant of the nutes you just fed them. How old are your plants?

Pretty much right on.

 

[Libster921]

I'd stop using distilled water. Also when you use distilled water immediately after feeding you essentially flush the plant of the nutes you just fed them. How old are your plants?

I used tap water one time and it really affected them. I assume it's the chlorine. What should I use? Yeah, I thought about flushing out the nutes. Probably good I did though considering the high level of PH. Here are some of my notes:
6/30/2021- Germination
7/6/2021 – Seedling Stage (lasts 2-3 weeks)
7/19/2021 – Vegetation Stage (3-16 weeks)
7/24/2021 – Veg. Stage
7/29/2021 – Veg. Stage
8/13/2021 – Still vegging
8/28/2021 – Moved lighting to 12 on / 12 off

 

[MustGro]

I am using Fox Farm products. I have been watering every 5-7 days. I have 4 plants in 4 five gallon canvas pots in a grow tent. I put them in the bathtub to water. The recent watering I used 2 gallons total of distilled water. One gallon had Grow Big and the other gallon was just distilled water. Is that enough for all 4 plants? I poured the nutrient one first and then the plain distilled next. I am so worried about over watering. I do have a green thumb though and I do have house plants as well. Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

You’re using fox farm products, are you using their soilless mixes too? The Ocean Forest and HappyFrog aren‘t shy on nutes, especially if you put a small plant in a 5 gallon bag. Most seedlings are good on water the first month or so.
Me personally, I put fluids on when the pot is light, then I soak it completely, then I get a good bunch of runoff. If you’re organic you don’t need to wash the root zone like you do with liquid nutes.
What’s the ppm of your water?

 

[Libster921]

Pretty much right on.

What do you recommend in terms of water? We are on city water which contains chlorine. I used it one time and they did not like it.

 

[Rurumo]

First, you need to figure out the PPMs of the nutrient you are mixing up. Do you have a tds/ec meter? To remove chlorine, buy a 1 lb bag of Vitamin C from amazon, I believe 30 mg is enough to remove the chlorine/chloramine from water, you don't need to measure it on a scale, just a tiny bit on the end of a knife will do it. Try adding a teaspoon to your bathwater and you'll instantly see how affective it is.

 

[Libster921]

You’re using fox farm products, are you using their soilless mixes too? The Ocean Forest and HappyFrog aren‘t shy on nutes, especially if you put a small plant in a 5 gallon bag. Most seedlings are good on water the first month or so.
Me personally, I put fluids on when the pot is light, then I soak it completely, then I get a good bunch of runoff. If you’re organic you don’t need to wash the root zone like you do with liquid nutes.
What’s the ppm of your water?

Honestly, I haven't given them many nutrients. I am new to this. LOL. Not sure about PPM. Again, I haven't done much. They are looking good other than the PH has always been 7-8. When you say soak it completely about how much are you putting in each plant? Thanks.

 

[Libster921]

First, you need to figure out the PPMs of the nutrient you are mixing up. Do you have a tds/ec meter? To remove chlorine, buy a 1 lb bag of Vitamin C from amazon, I believe 30 mg is enough to remove the chlorine/chloramine from water, you don't need to measure it on a scale, just a tiny bit on the end of a knife will do it. Try adding a teaspoon to your bathwater and you'll instantly see how affective it is.

I have new meters on order. I am not sure of the one I have. It's cheap and sticks into the soil. When I put it into the soil of my houseplants the PH changes so I know it works. Please elaborate on the PPMs. Thanks.

 

[Rurumo]

I have new meters on order. I am not sure of the one I have. It's cheap and sticks into the soil. When I put it into the soil of my houseplants the PH changes so I know it works. Please elaborate on the PPMs. Thanks.

A TDS (read up on TDS, PPM, and EC) meter is the gold standard for determining fertilizer concentration, adding X amount of teaspoons or MLs will never be very accurate. It reads the "total dissolved solids" of your water. For example, I mix up my bloom formula until my TDS meter reads 600 ppms (parts per million). That way, if you over or underfeed, you will know exactly the concentration of your nutrient solution that did it, and can add more or less in the future. There are a lot of cheap TDS meters on Amazon in the $10 range (ph meters too) they just aren't accurate. Those soil probes aren't accurate either. These two meters are the best investment you can make after a quality light in this hobby, but good ones aren't cheap. You can get away with a PH test kit if you don't have the cash for a meter, but you can't really get away from a TDS meter.

 

[MustGro]

My $40 com80 ppm/EC meter is dead nuts on with my Bluelab Guardian for ppm. If you want a cheaper ppm meter, I can recommend that one. For ph the gen hydro drops are cheap and still available.

 

[Libster921]

A TDS (read up on TDS, PPM, and EC) meter is the gold standard for determining fertilizer concentration, adding X amount of teaspoons or MLs will never be very accurate. It reads the "total dissolved solids" of your water. For example, I mix up my bloom formula until my TDS meter reads 600 ppms (parts per million). That way, if you over or underfeed, you will know exactly the concentration of your nutrient solution that did it, and can add more or less in the future. There are a lot of cheap TDS meters on Amazon in the $10 range (ph meters too) they just aren't accurate. Those soil probes aren't accurate either. These two meters are the best investment you can make after a quality light in this hobby, but good ones aren't cheap. You can get away with a PH test kit if you don't have the cash for a meter, but you can't really get away from a TDS meter.

Thank you very much. So much to learn.

 

[Libster921]

A TDS (read up on TDS, PPM, and EC) meter is the gold standard for determining fertilizer concentration, adding X amount of teaspoons or MLs will never be very accurate. It reads the "total dissolved solids" of your water. For example, I mix up my bloom formula until my TDS meter reads 600 ppms (parts per million). That way, if you over or underfeed, you will know exactly the concentration of your nutrient solution that did it, and can add more or less in the future. There are a lot of cheap TDS meters on Amazon in the $10 range (ph meters too) they just aren't accurate. Those soil probes aren't accurate either. These two meters are the best investment you can make after a quality light in this hobby, but good ones aren't cheap. You can get away with a PH test kit if you don't have the cash for a meter, but you can't really get away from a TDS meter.

Thank you!

 

[Libster921]

My $40 com80 ppm/EC meter is dead nuts on with my Bluelab Guardian for ppm. If you want a cheaper ppm meter, I can recommend that one. For ph the gen hydro drops are cheap and still available.

Thank you.

 

[sonnyjim]

Tap water is fine to use as long as you check the PH before using and adjust ~6.3 when growing in soil. If your concerned about chlorine draw a bucket of tap water and let it set out overnight or put an air stone in it for a few hours before use. Also if your feeding, adjust PH AFTER adding nutes to water. A decent PH pen is vital to growing successfully, check out Bluelabs or maybe the HM Digital PH-80.

 

[Libster921]

Tap water is fine to use as long as you check the PH before using and adjust ~6.3 when growing in soil. If your concerned about chlorine draw a bucket of tap water and let it set out overnight or put an air stone in it for a few hours before use. Also if your feeding, adjust PH AFTER adding nutes to water. A decent PH pen is vital to growing successfully, check out Bluelabs or maybe the HM Digital PH-80.

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it.

 

[1212ham]

I used tap water one time and it really affected them. I assume it's the chlorine.

Assumptions are often wrong.
Do you have a water softener?
Fox farm products? OK, which ones?
As Rurumo said, those soil meters aren't accurate, what meters did you order?

It seems odd to me that just one watering with tap would cause problems?

 

[Jjgrow420]

Thousands of people use tap water on their plants every day and they don't die or get fd up you're doing something wrong.

 

[Libster921]

Thousands of people use tap water on their plants every day and they don't die or get fd up you're doing something wrong.

OK so ....... as I've been going along I've been keeping records (I'm a little neurotic) about different plants, etc. I totally forgot about this until just now. Most people wouldn't admit it but I got a chuckle out of it so I'd like to share. Feel free to laugh. I am. I used tap water with crushed up egg shells (calcium) and crushed up cashews without salt. Ok! There! I said it.