Plant isnt growing very fast in bubbleponic system

[Rumple4skin]

Here is my plant at the beginning of week 3. This includes the time it was germinating. Ive been using a 60w cfl at about 3 inches away. The nute solution is only 50%. I know my seedling seems tall too and Ive figured out that it was most likely caused from the incandescent bulb I was using that wasnt putting out enough light and it was pretty far from the plant causing it to stretch. Also I figured out that the brown spots are most likely nute burn so I wont go up in the solution.

I keep looking at others plants at about the 3rd week and they look much bigger compared to mine. Ive grown in soil before and its about the same size as if I would have put it in soil. Anyone have some input please. Thanks

 

[noanoxan]

first, try to re-pot your plant, so it's not so tall. also, make sure the medium isn't packed in the pot. it should be pretty loose. the stem you just buried will revert back to a taproot, and sprout more roots, plus your stem doesn't look like it could support a third node; it'll give it strength. if that's perlite, I'd suggest you get some aquarium rocks or something. hydroton would work better. perlite sucks. it's really only useful in soil, as it's mildly toxic to plants when it's dry, and is buffered when mixed with soil.

what's your light cycle? it should be 24 hours. also, move your light to 2". if it's too hot, put a fan over it. they cool off quickly.

mist it with some water daily to foliar feed it a while. think of it as bottle feeding.

check your ph! it's probably high. high ph stunts growth. it should be at 5.8-6.5. temperature is important too. shouldn't drop below 60, and rise above 85.

that's about all I can think of. it looks good, aside from the stretching. the new leaves don't show burn, so it's fine. just don't point a fan at your plant. it's too young and will die.

good luck

 

[Rumple4skin]

first, try to re-pot your plant, so it's not so tall. also, make sure the medium isn't packed in the pot. it should be pretty loose. the stem you just buried will revert back to a taproot, and sprout more roots, plus your stem doesn't look like it could support a third node; it'll give it strength. if that's perlite, I'd suggest you get some aquarium rocks or something. hydroton would work better. perlite sucks. it's really only useful in soil, as it's mildly toxic to plants when it's dry, and is buffered when mixed with soil.

what's your light cycle? it should be 24 hours. also, move your light to 2". if it's too hot, put a fan over it. they cool off quickly.

mist it with some water daily to foliar feed it a while. think of it as bottle feeding.

check your ph! it's probably high. high ph stunts growth. it should be at 5.8-6.5. temperature is important too. shouldn't drop below 60, and rise above 85.

that's about all I can think of. it looks good, aside from the stretching. the new leaves don't show burn, so it's fine. just don't point a fan at your plant. it's too young and will die.

good luck

Thanks a bunch for all the info man. I actually just used like an inch layer of perlite over hydroton to plant the germinated seed. Today I bought 2 23w=100w cfls and im using those now. I have been running them 24/7. Ive made sure the heat isnt getting to it either. Ill re-pot the plant tomorrow afternoon and wash off all the perlite and just use hydroton. I figured I could do without checking my Ph but I'll start doing that also.

 

[SlowToker]

You can germ them in a paper towel next time, it's a lot faster.

Peace

 

[Rumple4skin]

You can germ them in a paper towel next time, it's a lot faster.

Peace

Yeah thats what I did. I just placed it in the perlite cause it was a good medium to hold it instead of just putting it right in the hydroton. I was to cheap to drive all the way out to my hydroponics store and pick up some rockwool.

 

[fred1]

I'd suggest more light.

 

[Rumple4skin]

Here are some new pics with the new bulbs and plant re-potted without the perlite. Now all i need to do is check my ph but im gonna have to stop by the hydro store first.

 

[Rumple4skin]

I have a question. The nutes I have been using were purchased almost 2 years ago and left in a storage building behind my house. When I finally decided to grab the bottle and start this project it was at night and it seemed like the solution was a bit frozen. Could this have anything to do with my plant not growing very fast? Have they expired or has it been ruined by being in the weather?

 

[noanoxan]

could be. I know my bottles say not to store in freezing temps. I guess it could react in some way, but I'm no chemist..

if you don't see any improvement in a week, I'd replace them.

 

[shnkrmn]

These plants are in nothing but perlite, and always have been.

first, try to re-pot your plant, so it's not so tall. also, make sure the medium isn't packed in the pot. it should be pretty loose. the stem you just buried will revert back to a taproot, and sprout more roots, plus your stem doesn't look like it could support a third node; it'll give it strength. if that's perlite, I'd suggest you get some aquarium rocks or something. hydroton would work better. perlite sucks. it's really only useful in soil, as it's mildly toxic to plants when it's dry, and is buffered when mixed with soil.

what's your light cycle? it should be 24 hours. also, move your light to 2". if it's too hot, put a fan over it. they cool off quickly.

mist it with some water daily to foliar feed it a while. think of it as bottle feeding.

check your ph! it's probably high. high ph stunts growth. it should be at 5.8-6.5. temperature is important too. shouldn't drop below 60, and rise above 85.

that's about all I can think of. it looks good, aside from the stretching. the new leaves don't show burn, so it's fine. just don't point a fan at your plant. it's too young and will die.

good luck

 

[Rumple4skin]

^^^ ^^^ Very nice.

 

[shnkrmn]

I have a question. The nutes I have been using were purchased almost 2 years ago and left in a storage building behind my house. When I finally decided to grab the bottle and start this project it was at night and it seemed like the solution was a bit frozen. Could this have anything to do with my plant not growing very fast? Have they expired or has it been ruined by being in the weather?

old nutrients subject to freezing temperatures are apt to precipitate so fertilizing salts held in solution would crystallize. I assume you shake things up well. If you hear solids swishing around in the bottle, that's probably not good, as vital components won't get into your solution. Your plant looks okay and planting a germed seed in perlite probably wasn't the fastest way to get going unless you watered every day. Water probably wasn't wicking up from the res. Better to germinate in rockwool and then when you have roots coming out of that, you can get them to grow into your bucket faster. Just be patient, keep your lights close and a little breeze, keep the nutes light and all will be well.

 

[Rumple4skin]

old nutrients subject to freezing temperatures are apt to precipitate so fertilizing salts held in solution would crystallize. I assume you shake things up well. If you hear solids swishing around in the bottle, that's probably not good, as vital components won't get into your solution. Your plant looks okay and planting a germed seed in perlite probably wasn't the fastest way to get going unless you watered every day. Water probably wasn't wicking up from the res. Better to germinate in rockwool and then when you have roots coming out of that, you can get them to grow into your bucket faster. Just be patient, keep your lights close and a little breeze, keep the nutes light and all will be well.

Thanks for the re-assurance and info. I did hear some solids swishing around and i tried to shake it until there was very little. I guess I really should go buy some new nutes. I was using some called Ionic. Any suggestions on something better? I think your right bout the perlite because when I repotted and got a chance to look at the roots most of them were concentrated in the perlite with the exception of one or 2 pretty long roots that had started to grow towards the solution. The perlite was moist though.

 

[nasd90]

Great start but listen to the other fella's and spend the twenty or fifty spot and get some NEW NUTES...

Cheers & keep us updated with pics !

 

[Rumple4skin]

Great start but listen to the other fella's and spend the twenty or fifty spot and get some NEW NUTES...

Cheers & keep us updated with pics !

I will get some new nutes for sure. Any particular brand you would suggest? I'll keep posting pics after the beginning of each week.

 

[nasd90]

I will get some new nutes for sure. Any particular brand you would suggest? I'll keep posting pics after the beginning of each week.

hey brah...
I'm new at this too, but I've heard pretty good things about Botanicare.... which I'm using Pure Blend Pro & Liquid Karma. gotta take it easy on 'em, because it's strong stuff. I had some serious nute burn that was my fault... I'm actually loading up some pics on my Grow Journal after I write this.

There's many NUTES, just read some posts. Nutes are like opinions... once you start reading... haha.

Good luck man!!

 

[shnkrmn]

hey brah...
I'm new at this too, but I've heard pretty good things about Botanicare.... which I'm using Pure Blend Pro & Liquid Karma. gotta take it easy on 'em, because it's strong stuff. I had some serious nute burn that was my fault... I'm actually loading up some pics on my Grow Journal after I write this.

There's many NUTES, just read some posts. Nutes are like opinions... once you start reading... haha.

Good luck man!!

I use Fox Farms. Botanicare is good, they are all good. It's the user that makes the difference!

 

[mcaaz943]

hey dude im currently into my second week with some blue cheese nd white diesel seeds in dwc mine are onto there 3rd node i keep my ph at 5.6 to 6 and water temp never higher then 68c and nutes are kept at .50 ec hope this helps

 

[Rumple4skin]

So here are some new pics of my plant at the beginning of week4. I believe it finally back on track. Thanks to all for being so helpful and giving me great information. So all I did was get rid of the perlite and re-potted it, got better bulbs, got the ph balanced, and got some new nutes by fox farm. Now its finally growin at the rate I was hopin. I think I'll just call this my beginning of week 2 since it wasn't growing as it was supposed to. When can I start adding more than 50% nutes?

 

[shnkrmn]

Don't ever add more than 50% nutes if you want your plants to be healthy. Once they start looking good, don't start looking to change things. They do look better!

So here are some new pics of my plant at the beginning of week4. I believe it finally back on track. Thanks to all for being so helpful and giving me great information. So all I did was get rid of the perlite and re-potted it, got better bulbs, got the ph balanced, and got some new nutes by fox farm. Now its finally growin at the rate I was hopin. I think I'll just call this my beginning of week 2 since it wasn't growing as it was supposed to. When can I start adding more than 50% nutes?