Roseman's DIY Bubbleponics Tutorial

[Roseman]

Preface,
Let me start by saying
I plan on posting much more than just a grow journal here. I hope to share a very detailed tutorial here, with many pics, on growing a pound of dried, closely manicured indica buds in a closet. I will use a store bought hydroponic kit and also use a DIY 5 gallon bucket too.
I hope to explain every little thing I do in easy terms, simplified terms, precise details, with photos, and I am dedicating this thread to all the newbies that really want to learn and do not mind reading.
If you want to help and contribute, especially the experienced and knowlegable BubbleHead Gang, I welcome helpful advice. If I, for example, say HID, and forget to tell what HID means or stands for, or if I say CFL, and fail to tell what the letters CFL stands for, I would very much appreciate a heads up IN A PM OR ON A DIFFERENT THREAD. I welcome help. I do not welcome arguements, or "why don't you just blah, blah, blah".
Again, I want to say, I am trying to do this for the first time grower, the so-called newbie here. I will try and do everything the SIMPLE way, and NOT the EXPENSIVE High-Tech way a botanist or horticulturalist or a hydroponic scientist does it.
IN NO WAY AM I STATING THAT I AM DOING IT THE BEST WAY. Many more knowlegable growers are here that know a better way. I'll be showing a grow with CFLs, Compact Fluorescent Lights, but I am not saying that is BEST. I AM saying it is better for the first time grower on a limited budget, who can not afford to handle the HEAT of hotter lights and does not have access to a Hydro store or ordering from the Internet. Everything I show here, you can get from Walmart, Lowes, HomeDepot, PetSmart, Targets, and the local hardware store.

And I will not appreciate rude criticism, and I will not respond to it.

I 'll be off to a slow start here. I don't rush into anything.
Wish me luck and try to be helpful.


IF you are a "know it all, better than you" sort of person, this is not the thread for you.

I'll be uploading pics for a while now.

QUESTIONS will be answered here:
Questions about Bubbleponic Growing Thread
.

PLEASE DO NOT HI-JACK THIS TUTORIAL.


PLEASE DO NOT POST YOUR GROW HERE.

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY THREAD AS A CHAT ROOM FOR YOUR OFF TOPIC DISCUSSIONS.

 

[Roseman]

When you start an indoor grow, you need to seriously consider three important factors. Well, let me say six.
First three are LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.
The second are
PREPARATION, PREPARATION, PREPARATION.
I 've been preparing for weeks. I've done several GROWs at friend's and relative's homes, (for a share) and I've also loaned out my equipment more than I should have. Sometimes I get it all back, soemtimes, it gets lost in the shuffle.
I'll start with PREPARATION first. That's what I 'm doing.
My Dad taught me the best way to examine your "shit" is to spread it all out where you can see it. So I've gathered it all up, and spread it out so let me show you my closet in our spare bed room, that was really our JUNK room.
I "ll start with some pics first.
I'm a collector of additional and bigger bulbs. Last year, I kept tripping a circuit breaker, so this year, I added another line to the closet.





Cost me $32 for parts, $20 for the 50 feet of wire, the circuit breaker, and the box, to add that line.
Attached Thumbnails

 

[Roseman]

can not emphasize the importantce of keeping the grow area clean.
I looked at my closed and started cleaning it out and found two spider webs in it!
You can not have anything from outside, from outdoors in
the area of your grow. When I brought my tools in from the gargage that I knew I would need, I washed them. The grow area has to be clean!




Here you see a pic of the tools. I use a hammer, a flat screwdriver, a phillips head, some wire cutters, needle nose pliers, large strong heavy duty scissors.

You also see a pic of some nutrients. I had three different people return them to me this month, and I have ten times what I need. I just put them out to see what I have. I also have ten times the amount of pH UP or Down that I need too. You also see several rolls of two sided tape, to hang my Mylar on the walls.

And you see a pile of Surge Protectors. I use many, many more lights than what anyone needs.
I collect this stuff. I have several grow buddies that borrow, and call on me to help. I keep an ample supply of EVERYTHING for emergencies.
It is NOT necesary to have what all i have, and I'll get down specifics later.


Save all of those twisty ties you take off the pumps and wires, you will need them later.

 

[Roseman]

There is a large double window behind that blanket that I attached to the wall. There are also BLINDS on the window, behind the blanket. You have to have total darkness during the Flowering (also called BLOOM) Cycle. You have to be able to cut out 98% of the light to your plants during the Bloom Cycle. (Ill explain the TWO Cycles later)
Also, there is the Privacy Issue. I do not want the meter reader looking in the window and seeing my bright lights.

You have to have a dark room, with NO light at times. I will eventually grow with the closet door OPEN, and will have to have my window covered.

You can also see a roll of Mylar, next to the chest of drawers, 50 inches by 25 feet long, costs $29 for the roll.
Attached Thumbnails

 

[Roseman]

When I get to the Section on LIGHTS, I will explain why a large number of 42 watt CFL bulbs are more efficient than using LARGE 105 and 200 watt CFL bulbs.
But you can see what I have collected.
Those 200 watt CFLs are GIANTS!
There are 200s, 105s, 85s, 65s and 42s there.
I only want to use the 42s, 65s and 85s, but I am going to try the big ones, for a short while, as an experiment. I already know they are going to get TOO HOT.
You also see a collection of CLAMP REFLECTORS .


Those 200 watt bulbs are a lot bigger than those 42 watt bulbs.

You also see two Parabolic Reflectors that I am going to try. Those are expensive, $49 EACH. I've never used them but I will try them on those 200 watt bulbs. Those 20 watt bulbs did nto come with a regular sized socket, (called medium size) they are much larger and are called MOGUL Sockets. I had to buy Mogul Sockets to screw the bulbs into.



Oh, that first pic has my ferret playing on the bed. We was going to throw that old bed away, but kept it for the kids to jump and play on. The ferret thinks it is her bed now. I don't know how I will ever keep her out of that room, except to keep the door closed.
Attached Thumbnails

You see my two tanks, 6 holes in each lid. I need to wash them good, and get the mineral salts from my well water off of them.
The next pic is my 5 gallon buckets. One is needed to do the DRAIN and REPLINISH, when yOu drain the water out and replace it.

You also need a trash can or box for trash near the grow area. I use that ASH Bucket from my fireplace. I had a dozen OLD, nasty air stones I am tossing that have done 5 or 6 grows.

For security and privacy, you want to save all trash from your grow room, and discard it separately. You need to put everything you thow away in a public trash dumpster, and not in your household trash.

You also see my collection of water pumps and Air pumps. I had loaned a few pumps out and was not sure I'd get them back for this grow, so I bought two new ones. Then I got the loaned ones back.
Attached Thumbnails

 

[Roseman]

Here you see a pic of Water Pump Attachments.
Also see some old Botanical Nutrients, I experimented with and did not like. They stain the water brown, and I like my water CLEAR.
There are 100s of Nutrients (nutes) on the market for sale, adn they are expensive. They all claim to work miracles, just to get your money.
All you really need are nutes for two cycles, Bloom Nutes and Veg Nutes, also called Grow Nutes and Flowering nutes.

I have tried LIQUID KARMA as a supplement or catalyst, and found it made a difference. it is expensive and not necesary.

I use cheap, pre-packaged, pre-mesured, pre pH balanced, NO brand named nutes :
GROW or VEG N-P-K 10:5:14
CALCIUM 6%, MAGNISUM 2%, SULPHUR 3%,
IRON .12%, MANGANESE .05%,
AND BORON, COPPER, CHLORIDE,
MOLYBDENUM, AND ZINC .01%


BLOOM or Flower N-P-K 5:15:14
(NOTE A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF NITROGEN IS STILL IN THERE)
CALCIUM 5%, MAGNESIUM 3.5%,
SULPHUR 4%, IRON .1%,
AND BORON, COPPER, CHLORIDE,
MOLYBDENUM, AND ZINC .01%

You need to google and study up on N-P-K definitions and proportions.

In the next pic, you see a stack of 12 inch and 8 inch long air stones. Next to the airstones, are rockwool cubes.
You can also see a small 4 inch round airstone I used for my first grow, three years ago. They work OK, but a 2nd airstone really helps alot. It is all about ample oxygen to the roots! I ahve seen a one inch round airstone made for aquariums, used in one 5 gallon bucket and it worked just fine.

In the next pic are some bags of Hydroton rocks, some 1/4 inch plastic tubes for the air stones, some ONA for odor control, and my 30X microscope behind the date on the pic, some 3 and half inch grow cups, also called grow baskets, and some meters laying next to the tubes.
You do NOT have to have those meters and I will show you how to grow without them. They are handy and helpful, but not necesary. A good pH meter, with batteries and calibration solutions are about $50 to $60 each. A cheap one on ebey is $30.
A good ppm meter runs $60 to $120. Again, you can easily grow, without them.

You also see some extra, empty water bottles. They ar much needed.

You also see some Themometers and some Humidity Meters, that are much needed.

 

[Roseman]

A pic of my pH meter in the blue case is seen. I 've done 3 grows with pH test strips when I did not have a pH meter. You can get the pH test strips at any fish aquarium place, or at the pool supply place.

You see a pile of chains, and a carton of 25 feet of small chain, that I hang my Clap Reflector Lights from.

The Home Defense Pesticide in the next pic is odorless, stainless and works great.
Every week on this site, I see 4 to 6 new posts, complaining that spider mites ruined their crops. Eggs and larvae and all kinds of critters can ruin a crop, and better and easier than finding a remedy and cure, is using a preventative.
You have to make your grow area "bug proof"!
SPRAY the walls and floor good with a good pesticide, not one just made for ants or roaches.


And you see some extra extension cords in that drawer.


Here you see my walk in closet, only 24 inches wide, which is excellent for the tanks and grow area.

I do use a ceiling fan, two oscilating fans and a small fan too. You do not need all of those, just one wuill work fine.

The last pic shows the end of the inside of the closet.


A different view of the closet.

 

[Roseman]

Let me review here.

Preparation.

You have to have supplies, that can be obtained at any Pet Store, Aquarium Department, Hardware Store, Walmart, Lowes, Targets, or Home Depot. If you can order off the internet, www.amazon.com has everything.

A list to consider is
a Camera, Reflective Material of Mylar or white paint or panda film, or white plastic sheets like they use for garbage bags, 2 sided tape to hang the mylar, a hammer, two screw drivers, flat and phillips, a box of extra large thumb tacks, a roll of duct tape, a roll of masking tape, 2 dozen extra large twistie ties, large scissors, a black magic marker, small scissors, a razor knife, wire cutters, two clean empty plastic gallon water jugs, a clean quart jar, a large collander, a tea strainer, a straightened wire clothes hanger, a can of pressurized air, a big spoon, needle nose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutters, a measuring cup, clean water, seeds, nutrients, lights, pH UP and Down, reflectors, extension cords, surge protectors, an extra 5 gallon bucket, a syphon hose made for aquariums, 24 feet of small cheap chain to hang lights and reflectors from, a large trash can, trash bags, vacumn cleaner, oscilating fan, styrafoam saucers to make lid covers, fishing weights to hold down the air stones,
sun glasses and a cap to wear so the lights don't blind you, my Grow Bible, a notebook and ink pen to take notes and make a daily diary journal, pH test strips, grow cups, rockwool, hydroton, water pump, air pump, air stones, 1/4 inch plastic tubing, ODOR CONTROL, Pesticide, Large Spray Bottle, and the Reservoir TANKS.


Ask me or the BubbleHeads at :
Questions about Bubbleponic Growing Thread
where to get those supplies and what to expect to pay.

Preparation
SAFETY
If you are not in a legal medical growing state,
Rule One, DO NOT TELL ANYONE. Even if you are a legal grower, DO NOT TELL! Someone will steal your grow.
I've been on this site 3 years. The NUMBER ONE reason for getting busted is the X-wife or X-Girlfriend got mad and psissed off and told the Law.
#2, Nosey Neighbors. don't let them see you hauling in strange things. Don't let them smell your grow.
# 3, Cats! Yes, house cats sure do ruin a lot of grows.

Location
Is it empty?
Can you control the smell? the household pets?
Can you control the Humidity? the Heat?
Can you make it ALL Dark with NO Light?
Central Heat and Central Air Conditioning sure help.
Is the area private, and away from visitors?
Is your area clean and bug free?



You can not bring in buckets, tools, or anything from outside, into the indoor grow area. You wil be bringing in bug eggs, spider mite eggs and all kinds of undesirable bugs and microscopic creatures and things that will ruin your grow.

 

[Roseman]

To do anything well, you have to understand it, so let me provide a little background and information here.

Hydroponics
Way over 2600 years ago, a great king named Nebuchadnezzar built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon....the first Hydroponic Garden. 2000 years later, all man had learned was to grow in water, the water had to be flowing or moving. I think most of us have seen hydroponic vegetables growing in containers that look like giant rain gutters, with water running over the roots.
About 50 years ago, man figured out that if the water was highly oxegenated, with air bubbles, then the water did not have to be mofing or flowing.

Today there are several Hydroponic Systems.
I will explain a few here, VERY Simply.

DWC, Deep Water Culture, is the most simple. It is simply roots dangling in water with air stones in the water making bubbles. (sometimes this is mistakenly called bubbleponics)

DWC:

There is also Ebb and Flow, also called Flood and Drain
That is simply a system of flooding water on and off the roots, timely and systamatically.

There is also the N.F.T. System. (Nutrient Film Technique)
I can't find a pic of that, but it is simply using a SPRAY or a flow of water on a timer, spraying the roots.


There is also a DRIP System.
This is a DWC with feeder tubes DRIPPING water onto each grow cup and root base from above. That DRIP has to be on a Timer.

And the Aeroponic System, using a MIST on the roots from below, inside the tank.

A true Bubbleponics System is my favorite. It uses a submersive water pump, that pumps water to an Irrigation Hub, also called an Irrigation Manifold, that divides the water into 6 streams to each grow cup and root base. It is the MOST rapid growing system available. I can get an average of one inch growth in height daily using the Bubleponics Sytem.

So, What Is Bubbleponics, Exactly?

The world’s first continuous plant feeding system, Bubbleponics is a hybrid design that takes the best from both worlds of the Deep Water Culture (aka DWC, “bubbler&#8221 and drip systems. Since the nutrient mix is highly oxygenated, Bubbleponics converts its drip function to a constant feed flow directly to the inner roots. Without needing to take breaks to allow the root base to drain and absorb oxygen, plants in the Bubbleponic system are able to deliver unparalleled growth energy.

This advantage is particularly pronounced during early vegetative phases when the plant’s root mass is still relatively small. Cuttings placed into the system experience no noticeable transplant shock and practically start growing immediately. In experiments measured against leading aeroponic systems, the Bubbleponic design shaved, on average, four days from a two week growing cycle, a 30% growth rate increase over Aeroponics in the early vegetative stage; truly amazing. As the root mass of the respective plants grow larger, growth rate advantages were less evident, however, the plants in the Bubbleponic planter maintained their 4-5 day lead over the aeroponic plants throughout the cycle.

In a series of stress tests, plants in the Bubbleponic system performed remarkably when recovering from an over-fertilized condition. With almost the entire root mass destroyed, Bubbleponics was able to revive 67% of the plants which started re-growing new roots and were able to complete their cycle. None of the other plants in the aeroponic products survived this stress test. The tests concluded that the Bubbleponic system provided significant recovery advantages over other systems when it came to anything that stressed or killed that root mass.

Hub Feeding Ensures Consistency

The Bubbleponic design is, ironically enough, one of the first hydroponic products to use real irrigation parts. This includes a hub feed system, where the main flow from the water pump is broken up into 6 smaller feeder tubes via a pressure regulating irrigation distributor. No other plant’s sites are thus dependant on any other as they would be in most drip systems that use T’ed designs. This also ensures identical feeding conditions at each site.

For this grow, we wil use Bubbleponics . If you do not want to get the water pumps, hub and tubes, that is OK, you can still follow along and do a plain DWC.
You will still learn alot here.

 

[Roseman]

QUESTIONS will be answered here:
Questions about Bubbleponic Growing Thread

Also go there also for off topic comments



3 days ago, I cleaned the closet, washed the walls, and vacumned the carpet. Today, I sprayed with HOME DEFENSE, an all purpose, "lasts for 12 months" odorless, stainless pesticide, for critters, bugs, eggs, whatever. I just can not emphasis this enough.
You MUST spray the grow area, to not only kill what is present, but to kill the eggs and prevent future eggs.

Clic pics to enlarge and click again to enlarge more.


Well, I need to soak some things in pH prepared water.
( I need to soak everything that goes in the tank or grow cups in pH prepared water.)
To do that, I have to get my pH meter ready.
That means replacing old batteries, cleaning them and calibrating them.


Here you see me replacing the batteries, Triple A size, in my Trunchone EC-ppm meter.

The pH meters all use 4 1.5 volt button batteries.


Let me say again, the meters are not absolutely necesary to grow successfully.
I 've done at least 3 successful grows without a ppm meter or a pH meter. You do need and should have pH test strips if you do not have a pH meter.


I'll discuss " pH " later. I'll also discuss purchasing the meters, and what to look for and insist on.


Here you see my meters.

When you buy any meter,
1, do NOT buy used meters, expecially from ebey,
2, Make sure they are Water-Proof,
3, Be sure they come with Batteries
4, And be sure they come with Calibration Solution


BTW, I have two pH meters, because one was a gift for a grower buddy and she got paranoid after her first grow, and gave it back.

 

[Roseman]

These meters have been loaned to three other growers besides me, and they have really benn used and abused.
I bought a bottle of LCR, LIME, RUST and CALCIUM remover,
poured a small amount in a quart jar, and as you see in these pics, I soaked the tips of the meters in the LCR in the jar, for 20 minutes.



After soaking the meters in the LCR, I rinsed them a long time in flowing water, and very gently scrubbed them in water, with a soft bristled toothbrush.


After I rinsed the meters and brushed the tips with a tooth brush, I rinsed my jar very good, and poured some household vinegar in the jar.
Then I soaked the tips in the vinegar for 20 minutes. Later I rinsed them in water again, dipped them back in the vinegar, and dried them with a paper towel, and left them to air dry for an hour.

Time now to calibrate the pH meters.

 

[Roseman]

One of the most aggrevating things I've ever attempted was calibrating a pH meter.
Makes me want to just pee straight up!
And what makes it worst, is having two pH meters to compare results.

Let me give you a heads up about calibrating a pH meter and using it. You have to just use it as a "rule of thumb" so to speak, and use it to try to stay within range.
For those that already know and those that do not, you can put an expensive $54 super-duper pH meter in water, test it, read it, get 6.8 and take it out, stick it back in, and it will be a little different, like 6.6. Shake it around in the water, stir it in the water and you'll get a different results, like 6.4, in the exact same water. Then take it out of the water, turn it off, and put it back in the same water, turn it back on in the water, and read 6.5, blow on it and get 6.9.
Temperature of water makes a big difference in the pH of water.
Shaking and stirring the meter in the water, makes a slight difference.
Turning it on IN the water and turning it on OUT of the water, makes a slight difference.
Turning it OFF and ON in the same water, makes a difference.
Waiting three minutes yields a different reading too.

I had year old calibration solution, but it was still clear looking and smelled OK. I used it and adjusted my meter, and then I used it and adjusted my meter, and then I used it and adjusted my meter, and then I used it and adjusted my meter, and then .......well,,,that took an hour.
I would put it in the 4.0 solution, get it to read 4.0 by adjusting it, (there is a SET SCREW you turn to make it go up or down) then put it in the 6.8 solution, it would read 7.1, I 'd turn it down to make it say 6.8, then try it again in the 4.0 and it would read 3.7!

After I spent an hour, spliting the difference, going back adn forth, it was very close to accurate to the calibration solution. In 6.8, it read 6.7, and in the 4.0, it read 4.1. Sounds good enough, huh?
Then, I checked it with my old meter, and good grief! The old meter said the 4.0 was 3.5 and the 6.8 was read as 6.2.
Took another hour to get the two meters to agree within .5 difference, which is really a broad difference, but one I will accept.
AND I am not even going to compate them to the tEST STRIPs tonight, although I will later.

If you ever want to really drive someone crazy, or start them drinking early, buy them TWO pH meters, and ask them to adjust and calibrate them to perform the same.

Anyway, I got two pH meters, fairly close to reading the smae, but not really. What's a pot head to do?

The pics show my efforts.

 

[Roseman]

pH

I am starting to soak my air stones and cubes in pH water of 6.0, and I want to discuss pH here.

pH, oh so important.

pH is measured on a scale from 1.0 to 14.0. Pure water has a pH of 7.0 and is considered pH neutral. pH below 7.0 is considered to be acidic and pH higher than 7.0 is considered to be alkaline.
A substance that decreases pH (pH-down) is called an acid while a substance that increases pH (pH-up) is called a base. A substance that helps nutrient solutions resist pH changes when an acid or base is added, is called a buffer. ..or stabilizer.
A pH difference of 1.0 is equal to a ten times increase or decrease in pH. That is, a nutrient solution with a pH of 6.0 is ten times as acidic as a nutrient solution with a pH of 7.0. A pH difference of 2.0 is equal to a hundred times increase or decrease in pH.
It is very important to keep the pH level in your water within certain limits when growing marijuana. Most grow-books say strive for 5.9, or some books say 5.6 to 6.2. Some books say 5.5 to 6.5, and you will not find two books that say the exact same thing. Growers need to monitor the pH of their nutrient solution and keep it within recommended levels.
The pH level of your hydroponic nutrient solution will determine how well your plants are able to eat and absorb nutrients. If the pH level is out of the proper range, the growth rate of the plants will slow down or stop.

Almost a 1/4 of all the problems I read about that growers experience are due to pH problems.
There are pH meters and test strips to test the pH of your water.
There are additives, or chemicals, made to adjust it, called pH UP and pH Down. These additives are to be used in very small amounts, like one gram, or 1/4 level teaspoon per gallon of water. (just a pinch)


First you have to realize that the pH is going to change daily as the nutrients are eaten. That means adjusting it daily. Goal is that those daily changes be slight and not major or drastic. And too remember, different sources of water yield different pH problems.

You have to have pH balanced nutes, and normal regular water or a buffer or a stabilizer in the water to keep it from roller coasting and spiking up and down.

I've done some research on pH Control and I 'd like to offer some advice and my opinion.

NEW growers worry about it too too much, and the biggest mistake they make is trying for a perfect contstant same pH.
You will do better, to just try to keep it between 5.6 and 6.8 without changing it often. Plants eat more nitrogen at 5.7 to 5.9 than at 6.7 to 6.8. But they eat more iron and magnesium at 6.5 to 6.8. You need a fluctuating pH level for your plants to absorb different nutes at different levels.
When you prepare your water, add nutes and pH test it, no matter what the results, if it is between 5.6 and 6.4, leave it alone or only adjust it slightly by .1 to .2 down.
Do NOT try to make it exactly 5.9.
DO NOT PLAY the pH Game.
Do NOT ride the pH Roller Coaster.
Do NOT adjust it more than .5 in 4 hours.

It is better to be off, too high, or too low, than to adjust it too much at one time.

Drastic or FAST adjustments really mess up the entire system.
Adjust gradually, and slowly.

The pH should not vary more than .5 to .7 everyday, and if it does flucuate alot more up OR down daily, something is wrong.
First, ask yourself, IF growing in HYDRO, what is going into the tank? Water, Nutes, pH UP and Down should be it. Adding anything else, WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM, is not the wisest thing to do. (Yes, sometimes some small amount of peroxide or hydrozyme might be needed, but I've done 7 grows without it.)
And if you are making NUTE SOUP, ( a nute mix and supplement mix of more than two nutrients) I can not help you or advise you about your pH.

Except for the very first time you add the water to the tank, You should pH balance your water FIRST, everytime, outside of the tank, then add the nutes, pH balance it again, then add it to the tank. Rule of thumb is your pH should not go up more than .5 within one 12 hour day or 1.0 in 24 hours.
If it does go up more in one day or two days, you got to do something to stabilize it. After the first two or 3 weeks pass, and the plants are drinking a gallon a day, you can add one gallon back that is over adjusted or over compensated, to get it back down. FOR EXAMPLE, If the tank is reading 7.2, then add one gallon of 6.2, and you'll get it down SOME, without it being too drastic.
DRASTIC pH CHANGES WITHIN 24 HOURS ARE VERY DANGEROUS.

IF YOU ARE HAVING A PROBLEM, AND ONLY IF IT IS GOING UP AND DOWN WILDLY, then try adding a lump of charcoal or two, tied in a panty hose or nylon stocking to the tank.
OR
Go to Walmart or PetSmart to the Aquarium Dept, next to the fish food, filters and additives and sea salts, and get those little packages of Ammonia Control absorbent packets. They look like little sponges in a wrapper. They work great to stabilize the pH. Or get the Ammonia control packets and add a couple to the tank.
IF YOU ARE HAVING A PROBLEM, AND ONLY IF IT IS GOING UP AND DOWN WILDLY, and you need a remedy then get everything in your tank like you want it, (except the roots or plants,) and add two heaping tablespoons of baking soda to a gallon of water,Stir it good, then add it to the tank. Wait ten or 15 minutes, then pH adjust it again. Then it should stay stabilized until the next Drain and Replenish.

From the book:
A buffer solution is an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its conjugate acid. It has the property that the pH of the solution changes very little when a small amount of acid or base is added to it. Buffer solutions are used as a means of keeping pH at a nearly constant value in a wide variety of chemical applications.

IF YOU ARE HAVING A PROBLEM, AND ONLY IF IT IS GOING UP AND DOWN WILDLY,
you can simply add two heaping table spoons of baking soda to your water, (before you put it in the tank). Yes, it will wreck the pH, but then you adjust it with pH Down, OUT OF YOUR TANK, and then it will stay more stable for a few days longer.


Primarily what one needs to add to the water are neutralizers and buffers that will stabilize the acid and alkaline levels to the degree that is required for the plants. Most of these stabilizing products are sold in great volume at any pet store that specialized in aquariums and tropical fish and if one is not familiar with what product to purchase, then one should consult with the qualified salespeople so as to arrive at a specific product that will properly address the specific needs of the fish and their owner. You want something that reduces the acid.

 

[Roseman]

Let me discuss pH more here.

pH is measured on a scale from 1.0 to 14.0. Pure water has a pH of 7.0 and is considered pH neutral. pH below 7.0 is considered to be acidic and pH higher than 7.0 is considered to be alkaline.
A substance, an additive that decreases pH (pH-Down) is called an acid while a substance that increases pH (pH-Up) is called a base. A substance that helps nutrient solutions resist pH changes when an acid or base is added, is called a buffer or stabilizer.
A pH difference of 1.0 is equal to a ten times increase or decrease in pH. That is, a nutrient solution with a pH of 6.0 is ten times as acidic as a nutrient solution with a pH of 7.0. A pH difference of 2.0 is equal to a hundred times increase or decrease in pH.
It is very important to keep the pH level within certain limits when growing marijuana. Even first time marijuana growers need to monitor the pH of their water-nutrient solution and keep it within optimum levels.
The pH level of your hydroponic nutrient solution will determine how well your plants are able to absorb nutrients. If the pH level is out of the proper range, the growth rate of the plants will slow down or stop.

We use TEST STRIPS or pH METERS to test and read the pH of the water.

First you have to realize that the pH is going to change daily as the nutrients are eaten. That means adjusting it daily. Goal is that those daily changes be slight and not major or drastic. And too, different sources of water yield different pH problems. The most difficult water is water HIGH in Minerals, or water that has NO minerals, like Filtered or Distilled water.

You have to have pH balanced nutes, or a buffer or a stabilizer in the water to keep it from roller coasting and spiking up and down.

I've done some research on pH Control and I 'd like to offer some advice and my opinion.

NEW growers worry about it too too much, and the biggest mistake they make is trying for a perfect contstant same pH.

Some grower books say strive for 5.9. Some books say between 5.6 and 6.8. Some experts recommend 5.7 to 6.3.
None agree or say the same thing although they all say keep it in the middle of acidity and alkaline.

You will do better, to just try to keep it between 5.6 and 6.8 without changing it often or more often than daily. Plants eat more nitrogen at 5.7 to 5.9 than at 6.7 to 6.9. But they eat more iron and magnesium at 6.5 to 6.8. You need a fluctuating pH level for your plants to absorb different nutes at different levels.
When you prepare your water, add nutes and pH test it, no matter what the results, if it is between 5.6 and 6.4, leave it alone or only adjust it slightly by .1 to .2 down.
DO NOT PLAY the pH Game.
Do NOT ride the pH Roller Coaster.
Limit adjsutments to once a day.
Avoid going UP and Down the same day.

It is better to be off, too high, or too low, than to adjust it too much at one time in one day.


Drastic or FAST adjustments really mess up the entire system.
Adjust gradually, and slowly.

The pH will vary daily, but should not vary more than .5 to .7 everyday, and if it does flucuate alot more up OR down daily, something is wrong.
First, ask yourself, IF growing in HYDRO, what is going into the tank? Water, Nutes, pH UP and Down should be it. Adding anything else, WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM, is not the wisest thing to do. (Yes, sometimes some small amount of peroxide or hydrozyme might be needed, but I've done 7 grows without it.)
And if you are making NUTE SOUP, ( a nutrient mix and supplement mix of more than two nutrients, supplements or catalysts) I can not advise you or help you with your pH.

Except for the very first time you add the water to the tank, You should pH balance your water FIRST, everytime, outside of the tank, then add the nutes, pH balance it again, then add it to the tank. It should not go up more than .5 within 12 hours or 1.0 in 24 hours.
If it does go up more in one day, you got to do something to stabilize it. After the first two or 3 weeks pass, and the plants are drinking a gallon a day, you can add one gallon back that is over adjusted or over compensated, to get it back down. FOR EXAMPLE, If the tank is reading 7.2, then add one gallon of 6.0, and you'll get it down SOME, without it being too drastic.
DRASTIC pH CHANGES WITHIN 24 HOURS ARE VERY DANGEROUS.


IF YOU ARE HAVING WILD EXTREME FLUCUATIONS,
try adding a lump of charcoal or two, tied in a panty hose or nylon stocking to the tank.
IF YOU ARE HAVING WILD EXTREME FLUCUATIONS,
go to Walmart or PetSmart to the Aquarium Dept, next to the fish food, filters and additives and sea salts, and get those little packages of Ammonia Control absorbent packets. They look like little sponges in a wrapper. They work great to stabilize the pH. Or get the Ammonia control pellets and add a few to the tank, IF YOU ARE HAVING WILD EXTREME FLUCUATIONS.

IF YOU ARE HAVING WILD EXTREME FLUCUATIONS, get everything in your tank like you want it, (except the roots or plants,) and add two heaping tablespoons of baking soda to a gallon of water,Stir it good, then add it to the tank. Wait ten or 15 minutes, then pH adjust it again. Then it should stay stabilized until the next Drain and Replenish.


A buffer solution is an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its conjugate acid. It has the property that the pH of the solution changes very little when a small amount of acid or base is added to it. Buffer solutions are used as a means of keeping pH at a nearly constant value in a wide variety of chemical applications.

IF YOU ARE HAVING WILD EXTREME FLUCUATIONS,
primarily what one needs to add to the water are neutralizers and buffers that will stabilize the acid and alkaline levels to the degree that is required for the plants. Most of these stabilizing products are sold in great volume at any pet store that specialized in aquariums and tropical fish and if one is not familiar with what product to purchase, then one should consult with the qualified salespeople so as to arrive at a specific product that will properly address the specific needs of the fish and their owner. You want something that reduces the acid.

Do not use the charcoal, or buffers if you do not have to have them. They are only to be used in extreme flucuations.

 

[Roseman]

I am almost ready to really start, but I still have a lot of prepreation yet to accomplish.
I will be using 2 14-inch long blue aquarium airstones in each 8 gallon size tank, with 6 gallons of water in each tank. I will be using 2 8-inch long blue aquarium airstones in the 5 gallon bucket.
Air tubes and Air Diffussers and Air Wands are much better. I use the cheaper stones and just thow them away after each grow.

I have seen a grow done with a one inch round stone, and it worked fine.

In my first two grows, I used a 4 inch round stone, like you see here next to the long ones:


Then I started reading the importance of Air or Oxygen in my water for rapid growing.
The more oxygen in the water, the faster the rate of growth.
I need to SOAK my airstones, and prepare them in a pH water of 5.9. I wanted to soak them for an hour or two, in pH balanced water.
I use a powder pH Down solution that says use .2 gram, (2/10s gram) to adjust one gallon of water by .1 measurement of pH.
Let me say here a gram is a just a pinch.
2.4 grams ( a measurement of weight) equals one measured level teaspoon.
I want 4 gallons of water, close to 5.9 or 6.0, to soak my stones in.
I use well water and it comes out of the faucet cold at 6.9, 7.0 and 7.1 pH. It varies according to the temperature of the water.
I wanted my 7.0 water to be 5.9, so I wanted to adjust it 1.0 down in pH to get it to 6.0.
To adjust it ten times .1, I needed ten times .2 grams of pH Down adjustment powder. So I used 10 time .2 grams, equals 2 grams. 2 grams is slightly less than a teaspoon, so I added a teaspoon of adjustment powder to each gallon of my water, and after I had 4 gallons in the bucket, and adjusted it, it read 5.8, close enough to my goal!
In the pics, you see me adjusting my water and soaking my air stones in the 5.8 water.

I am getting excited and anxious, but I want to be cautious and prepare every detail as wisely as I can.

 

[Roseman]

Let me discuss Hydroponics, indoor growing, compared to outdoor, soil growing.
There is a fast train, and there is Bubleponics!

Naturally, normally, I would plant seeds in my area, in Springtime, outdoors, in April. They would get sunlight about ten hours a day, with the sunlight increasing as Summer nears.
As Summer approaches, they would get 12 hours of light a day, and up to 14 hours of light, everyday, in mid to late summer.
During that time, the plants are in the VEGATIVE (VEG) or GROWING cycle.
Then, in July, when the days start getting shorter, they would realize their days are fewer and numbered and they will start the FLOWERING or BLOOM cycle.

This will take April, May, June, July, August, September and part of October to complete the cycles, at least 6 full months.

I will cut that grow time in half, by providing 24 hours of light 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, what we call 24/7 of light. After I provide light 24/7 for 5 weeks, I will change to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness, for 8 weeks, about 13 weeks total for my Indica grow.

 

[Roseman]

Reflectivity, Reflection of Light

I will be using CFLs, Compact Flourscent Lights, for Light in this grow. I will get deeper into discussing LIGHT and CFLs later, but here I want to discuss Reflectivity, Reflection of Light.
I am just about done preparing my closet, but I need to prepare the walls to reflect my Light that escapes and is not directed on to the plants. I will be using Reflector Clamps on each bulb, but much light still escapes the Reflectors.
CFL bulbs emit the most lumens from the sides of the bulb and not from the end or tip of the bulb. (Lumen is the measurment of perceived light, or seen light) Much of this light escapes flowing on the plants and can be captured and redirected with proper reflective material on the walls. That is a good reason to grow in a small closet. The walls are very close to my plants and can not only contain the plants and help hold them up, the walls also can reflect the light too, with proper reflective material on the walls. The walls or closet also help contain the Odor, the Humidity and Temperature too. If I was forced to grow out in the middle of a large room, it would be better to obtain a "Grow Tent" to contain my Lights and Plants.


The light generated by HID Lights, (High Intensity Discharge) or CFLs is great for plants, but it can be a source of frustration for gardeners whose living areas are cramped or don’t have an extra small room or small closet for an indoor garden.

With a Grow Tent, aka Dark Room, or Dark Tent however, those frustrations are a thing of the past. A Grow Tent is the foundation of a completely self-contained indoor garden, featuring a lightweight, durable, washable interior reflective lining that keeps more light going where it’s supposed to go; to the plants.

The frame supports the lighting, ventilation or other equipment, and every unit has access ports that accommodate ducting or other equipment. DarkRooms or Grow Tents can be assembled without tools in minutes by one person, and collapse just as quickly for storage.

Grow Tents come in many differnet sizes, and run $80 up to $360, depending on size.
And of course if you are a handy dandy DIY (Do It Yourself) kind of person, you could build one with PCV pipe or 2 X 2 strips of wood as a frame and use any of a dozen different materials for the sides.


I prefer my closet, the cost was surely right.


If you want to start an arguement in an Internet Grow-Forum Website, just bring up Reflectivity as a topic of discussion. You will read all kinds of rants about Mirrors not reflecting light, Tin Foil causes Hot Spots, Flat White Paint vs Glossy White paint, Plastic film similar to garbage bags called Panda Film, Diamond Foil and Insulation Foil boards, and all sorts of arguements about which perform best and which are useless or harmful.

I could quote what I have read from books, but I would rather tell you what I have personally experienced. I hate to say "they say" as a source of infomation. When someone offers me advise and starts with "They say that....." well, I ignore them.

I expermiented with Tin Foil and CFLs on two grows and never saw any evidence of a Hot Spot or burnt place on my plants. I have read on Internet Grow Forums about many growers using Tin Foil and HID lights and getting hot spots or burnt spots on their plants.

I have used Flat White and Glossy White paint on the walls and both worked well for me. If you google "flat white, glossy white, reflection" you will find that more growers agree that Flat White is better reflecting 75%, and Glossy White reflecting 65%. But that is "they say" advise. "They say" tin foil will make burn spots on your plants, but I never saw one when I tried it. And I had 14 bulbs in the closet and tin foil on all the walls.
Panda Film, a plastic film just like garbage bags are made from, works well too. It is rated in the 80% to 905 range. The newest material being used now for reflection is called Diamond Reflective Foil. "They say" the diamonds prevent hot spots. I do not know for sure.

Let me emphasis here again, I do not listen to, or go by "they say" advise. I advise you to investigate and verify any "they say " advise.

From my own personal experience, from 9 of the 14 books I own on Indoor Growing, from many years of reading on Internet Grow Forums, MYLAR is the highest recommended reflective material to use on the walls and on this grow, I have added MYLAR to my closet walls. MYLAR is a plastic film, also called polywrap, like you see Birthday and Holiday Baloons made from.
It is reported to supply a 98% reflection of light.

I used 5 rolls of two sided sticky cellophane tape to attach my mylar to the walls. I used 2 millimeter thickness, because I will be spraying and misting my plants often and the thicker MYLAR is easier to wipe down and not tear.

I paid $30 for a 50 inch by 25 foot roll and used half a roll.

And an added suggestion from my grow buddy, SmokeDoggy:

Another good tip while we're talking about reflective walls, is to try some of the "drawer liner" stuff. It usually is already sticky on one side, a lot less inconspicuous than mylar, does not create hotspots (no crinkling) just in case, and it is flat white. I use it in my micro box (20x36x25) and it works awesome. The whole box now "glows" on all 4 walls, ceiling, and floor. It also doesn't bunch up or fall down, etc.. Not dissing mylar, but this is a lot easier to come by and work with, and it seems to do just fine for me.

 

[Roseman]

Time to get my old used 7 times tanks ready and wash them.
These two lids have seen a total of 7 grows, and the white you see is mineral salts, or mineral deposits from my well water. These mineral deposits are often feared to be MOLD, and are often seen on the lids, the rims of the grow cups, on the rockwool cubes and on the Hydroton rocks. MOLD will stink, be slimey, be thick, and have black streaks or black spots in it.
Minearal Deposits will NOT smell or stink, will be very thin and will be gritty. The mineral deposits are not to be feared or worried about and will cause no harm, if you clean them up after each grow.

To clean the lids, I will be using a CLR remover, Calcium, Lime and Rust remover, meant to be used in bathrooms. I will use a stiff brush, and a metal mesh pan scrubber. To rinse the CLR off of the lids and be sure I did not leave any, I will use common vinegar to rinse everything.
Vinegar is very safe and works well for cleaning up after and before a hydroponic grow.

 

[Roseman]

That was a lot of scrubbing and work, but they look good as new now. The vinegar really works well as a rinsing acid.








All that hard scrubbing and I had to have some liquid refreshment and a smoke to adjust my attitude.

 

[Roseman]

Cleaning the Water Pumps

Look at these pics of this pump and see the old dead decayed roots hung up in the filter, inside the pump.











There is all kinds of dead root trash in that pump.

For three years, and 5 grows, I used a smaller water pump, a 185 gph pump. (gallon per hour) Now I have started using these 240 gph pumps, because they last longer and have a built in filter in them. Now I am seeing I need to replace those filters, but I can not find replacement filters for them. I bet I could make something with a nylon mesh pan scrubber. It will take me an hour with the eyebrow tweezers to get the dead root pieces out of this pump, and I have three pumps to clean. I think when these pumps quit working, I will go back to the cheaper smaller pumps and only use them one time and toss them. I could sell my crappy used old grow supplies on ebey like everyone else does. LOL


The smaller 140 gph pumps run cooler, are much cheaper at about $12 to $14, and deliver the trickle I need. I think they are more disposable too. These larger 240 gph pumps run hotter, cost $18 to $20 each, and the filters are too difficult to clean. I would never recommend any larger.

I am starting to see a lot of growers go to FILTER BAGS. A draw-string bag made of nylon screen, that the water pump sits in, to filter out the trash.

IF you use your same water pumps a 2nd time and have a pH problem, it might be the dead root particles trapped in your old water pumps.

I am taking these pumps apart and cleaning them as good as I can with a tooth brush and compressed air and some eyebrow tweezers.