AeroGarden Guide/FAQ v 2.0

[Katatawnic]

HAHAHA!!! Received rep for that post, and it said, "I support your right to bear arms!

Don't know who gave me that rep, but it made me giggle. Thanks!

 

[Hobe]

Haha nice Kat, I liked the math best myself. Dont think it was me that gave you rep, but i'll try when Im done to see, cause yah.....
But now for some news that this thread was doing so well: Woke up this morning and found what I think are some hair growing from (I hope then) my girls. Not the best zoom on the camera and this was the best angle I could get, but what do any of you non hating experts think?

 

[Katatawnic]

I'm not an expert yet, but at this point I'm willing to say.... YAY!!! Are they in veg or flower?

 

[lurkmaster]

Looks like a female preflower, congrats man.

 

[Hobe]

Nice, thanks and yes, I changed them to 12/12 on Friday, so day 4 of flower.... The short one looks similar but hasn't given up her secrets yet.

 

["SICC"]

yea looks like a pre hair give her some time, talk dirty to her, thats what i did, you will be amazed

 

[jms1234]

So, lets say you've got a submersible pump, air tube, 8" airstone sitting in the AeroGarden's reservoir. Is that pump going to be continually generating bubbles and oxygen flow through the airstone up to the plant roots 24/7?

Is there a comparable mechanism already installed with the AeroGarden that we are choosing not to use in place of the airpump/tube/stone setup instead?

Sorry if I didn't get the jargon exactly right, I'm still somewhat new to this..

 

[lurkmaster]

So, lets say you've got a submersible pump, air tube, 8" airstone sitting in the AeroGarden's reservoir. Is that pump going to be continually generating bubbles and oxygen flow through the airstone up to the plant roots 24/7?

Is there a comparable mechanism already installed with the AeroGarden that we are choosing not to use in place of the airpump/tube/stone setup instead?

Sorry if I didn't get the jargon exactly right, I'm still somewhat new to this..

Yea the AG already has a submersible water pump, thats what the drip feed is.

The airstone is adding a new feature, extra aeration of the water in the res.

 

[leova]

But once your plants get enough roots in the water, you'll probably want to turn off the AG built-in water pump.

If you don't, not only does it suck in the roots, but they will also rot in there...

 

[jms1234]

Hrm, they will rot b/c of not turning off the stock AG pump? 2-3 weeks into vegetation would you say stop using it then? At that point for the rest of the plant's life it will purely be fed through aeration of the water via airpump/stone?

Also, do you keep the second air pump connected to your airstone inside or outside of the reservoir? I.E. 2 submersible pumps?

But once your plants get enough roots in the water, you'll probably want to turn off the AG built-in water pump.

If you don't, not only does it suck in the roots, but they will also rot in there...

 

[lurkmaster]

Hrm, they will rot b/c of not turning off the stock AG pump?

Its the fact that the pump is running keeping your grow medium super wet 24/7 that causes problems.

When you roots hit the water there is no reason for a drip feed, all it will do is make your stem soggy.

 

[leova]

exactly...

and this comes from personal experience, but when i took out my AG waterpump filter, it was 75% brown, filled with roots, and rotted. The AG sponges were rotting as well!

Pump is only there to help roots find water at the very beginning, and to moisten the grow-sponges in the early-life of the plant. once they're established, turn it off

 

["SICC"]

i think its those grey sponges that do all that shit cause i got the replacement one, the brown one,s look like rapid rooters, and nothing like that has ever happened when i had my two go's in the AG

 

[lurkmaster]

[QUOTE="SICC";2654945]i think its those grey sponges that do all that shit cause i got the replacement one, the brown one,s look like rapid rooters, and nothing like that has ever happened when i had my two go's in the AG[/QUOTE]

Thats what I think too, I even bought a separate master gardener kit... Even if you are using rockwool or something else you would still want to turn the drip feed off when the roots hit water because there is no need for it anymore.

 

[Hobe]

Thats what I think too, I even bought a separate master gardener kit... Even if you are using rockwool or something else you would still want to turn the drip feed off when the roots hit water because there is no need for it anymore.

Oh wow, I missed that somewhere along the line, my AG pump has been running since I started. I am a week into flowering and it looks like they are both females, but I am off now to disconnect the pump! No need for an airstone at this point either then I guess, same idea an such?

 

[lurkmaster]

Oh wow, I missed that somewhere along the line, my AG pump has been running since I started. I am a week into flowering and it looks like they are both females, but I am off now to disconnect the pump! No need for an airstone at this point either then I guess, same idea an such?

DO NOT take your airstone out!

You NEED the airstone or you run a much higher risk of your plants getting root rot.

You need the airstone to aerate the water to give max oxygen levels to your roots otherwise they could drown.




The drip feed is there to keep the sponge moist so the plant can grow roots without being in the water. The gravity of the downward dripping action that gravity creates leads the roots to the water. Once the plants roots hit the water the wet sponge isn't really serving any purpose anymore since the main water source is within reach now.

 

[trichometoker]

very good beginner guide

 

[MrAlex]

yoyoyoyooy...


SO did anybody else besides "SICC" get banned while I was away for the last week..

Lurk u still around??? lol

 

[Hobe]

What the hell did SICC get banned for?

 

[rotwiler]

I am about 3 weeks into my first AG grow and first ever grow. I didn't read up before starting my grow and made some mistakes at first but they are all worked out now. I added a airstone first thing, but I also added miricle grow(had some brown spots), used straight water ph'd for a few days and went with general hydroponics nutes and all seems to be great now. Largest one is aout 1 foot diameter and 7 inches tall on the 5th set now. I have a total of 4 plants which is too much and might pull some. 4 are purple god and 1 is bob marley. The bob marley was given to me at 2 weeks old and has looked droopy since the move to the AG.
Right now I have the AG pro with 2 lights(6 pod setup), 2 23 watt 6500k cfls a few inches from the plants in a reflector(1 front 1 back), pump and airstone, general hydroponics nutes. I did have some 32 watt 5500k lights for past week and going to get some larger 6500k(between 42 and 68 watt). I found 68 watt 2700k cfl's at home depot for under $10 each, so I have 4 of them for when the time comes to flower and thinking about getting a 90 watt UFO. Right now at 3 weeks the smell is getting really strong to the point I had to add a air purifier and not sure how long it can keep the smell down. I'm going to move it into a 4x4x6.5 foot grow tent next week to prepare to flower.

I started adding a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to my water mix each week, is this ok?
I have been having a hard time finding the 6500k cfls above 23 watts(found them at home depot for 97 cents). But was wondering if I should put the 32 watt 5500k cfls in also or go with all 6500k?