How to grow hydroponically?

cues

Well-Known Member
I have been noticing with my latest tray that there is a thick white sediment on the bottom of my upper res. that was not present with the first setup. I am running the water at around 6-6.2 PH and my nutes are running 750 as the girls have just popped. Is this salt buildup and should I be concerned? I was going to rinse it out today so that it remixes with bottom res but should I just do a refill. Also re: the different readings on my meters is due to 2 different conversion factors, one is .5 and the other has .71, it is my understanding that .71 is the norm, but again I know shit about this and rely on u seasoned hydro guys for all the help I can get..lol. One more question, my one meter has a salt reading that I have not paid much attention to it is I believe around 675, should I be monitoring this as well. I have borrowed the multi tester and will have to return it soon when they get my PH teater in, but may buy it as it does salt, conductivity, TDS, and PH. It is an expensive little thing but is it worth keeping due to its capabilities? Sorry that was 2 questions lol.
Fella, I'ver had more than slight staining on the bottom of tables. I've always found the majority of deposits tend to stay on the top of the substrate (other than hydroton dust which sinks to the bottom of the res).

I would keep the meter, especially for TDS. I wouldn't trust the pH though unless you calibrate regularly. I find the fluid kit far easir/cheaper and more reliable.
 

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
I have two tds meters. But the one I own now only does just that. The other does all four, but as I said I will have to return it when PH meter arrives, and I have to buy one of them...lol. And yes I do have the fluids to calibrate PH and distilled to check TDS/Cond. I think!!!!!, again I know shit about all this as it is my first time at hydro. After many years of figuring out what to do with all my left over soil infused root balls I figured I'd give it a shot, so far so good!! The stuff on the bottom sure does feel like salts when it dries on my finger. Thanks!
 

cues

Well-Known Member
Thinking again, my table has quite a slope on it (it's designed to be either nft or flood/drain).
I guess that would make sediments more likely to flow down to the reservoir compared to 'flatter' tables.
 

SOMEBEECH

Well-Known Member
Fella, I'ver had more than slight staining on the bottom of tables. I've always found the majority of deposits tend to stay on the top of the substrate (other than hydroton dust which sinks to the bottom of the res).

I would keep the meter, especially for TDS. I wouldn't trust the pH though unless you calibrate regularly. I find the fluid kit far easir/cheaper and more reliable.
Cmon man fluid kit more reliable.........You must have not tried good meters and yes they need to be calibrated.
What you gonna due if nutes or additives have Color......Give me my oaktons ant day over tht chit.:shock:



BEECH
 

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
I did try a colour kit and maybe just me but had a hell of a time deciding what colour it was........lol. I'd hate to use it with led's!!! lol
 

cues

Well-Known Member
I did try a colour kit and maybe just me but had a hell of a time deciding what colour it was........lol. I'd hate to use it with led's!!! lol
Yes, that is one problem. Even the HPS makes it hard. I don't have a problem under MH though.
I usually do the test out of the grow area next to a sheet of white paper.
 

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
Strawberries!!! jeezus I'm not in this for fruit!!!! Still tryin to figure out pot lol and yes it is for the family, my partner loves the shit :mrgreen:
 

cues

Well-Known Member
LOL. To tell the truth I've just pulled a lot of stuff out and had a big gap in the table so thought 'why not?' I put all sorts in there. The way i see it, fill the space then just thin it out as your priority plants (whatever they are) grow.
Why not use that empty space in early veg for a few peppers etc then just pull them out and pot them up when needed?
 
How to grow hydrophonically method was mentioned above but here not mention which the season is better for this purpose so need help me for taking the better results in this regard?I was much crazy to have such study for the current information properly.
physical therapy emr
 

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
Strawberries!!! jeezus I'm not in this for fruit!!!! Still tryin to figure out pot lol and yes it is for the family, my partner loves the shit :mrgreen:
5 gallon bucket and lid all Gorilla taped. NO light penetration possible. Get a 6" net basket. Cut a hole just big enough to support the net basket. Buy your nutrients and your meters. Figure out where your water will come from - tap or RO. Air pump (big aquarium is fine trust me), 2 cheap $.99 airstones and a hank of tubing.

Your water PPM needs to be considered and a water report tells you the minerals making those PPM. Not all are bad or unwanted. Stick your rooted rockwool cube in it so that it barely sits in the solution and fill with some inert material (I use horticultural grade pumice from Wally World). Get after it. The seedlings live on water a bit if real seedlings.

I put water bottles with the bottoms cut off over if they need. Raise your nutrients slowly and watch. It ain't rocket science. I'm new as hell at hydro. If I can you can. See my DWC grows going on in the Autos section.

Rinse the pumice really well before placing in cups!
 

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
All i can say is hydroponics is SO much easier than soil, better plant growth, better buds, less waste material, allot cleaner and easier to deal with! Ive been using a multicult system for a while now, i used to use standard NFT trays, was a nightmare changing res's or cleaning them.

They also have allot of information about Hydroponics on there site

http://www.multicult-hydroponics.co.uk/pages/hydroponics-explained

Heres my baby :)

View attachment 2377697
I like this rack setup. A lot. Will be building one this weekend. Thanks for posting. I agree on the hydro. I still have soil grows going but having a harder time starting new ones while I watch my DWC plants wailing. I'm new to hydro - built my own DWC units and read up here and elsewhere on meters, nutes, solutions, hygiene etc.
 

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
I used plastic square fence posts to make the trays and they worked great pvc tubing for rack, drilled 4" holes for net pots. But that is a cool setup!! My total cost for just the trays was around $60 and that gave me 3 trays 15 net pots and a 40 gal res.
 
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