Mr. More: Surprise! I thought the same thing about six years ago but it's still a lot of work. That's not A/G's fault though because you're still growing in an active hydroponic system, be it tiny, and you have to be on top of it all the time. If you notice something wrong it has already happened and you missed it. Now you play catch up. In hydro and especially in an A/G it's better to be proactive than reactive.
I've been taking some hydro classes the last couple of years and the first instructor I had said, "If you're growing with hydro your last day off was the one you had before you planted." So true, but an A/G is a great ways to learn and on a small enough scale that your disasters will be a lot less.
It doesn't sound like you did your homework before you started. Read everything that came with your unit and everything A/G has on line about growing with their system. Cervantes's "MARIJUANA HORTICULTURE," will become your bible. The A/G is compact and near idiot proof but you can still screw up. Get to know the folks at A/G customer service and your local hydro stores, they want your continued business and they'll prove to be your best friends. You can get a lot of information here but often it isn't in a timely enough manner to be of much help.
I'm hoping you've got a seven holes model with a tall arm/light stand other wise you're usually pissing up stream. A/G customer service doesn't have to know what you're growing. Tell them it's tomatoes. One of the first things they'll tell you to do is to wrap your pump and tower in a short woman's nylon sock like they wear with flat shoes. It'll protect the pump from roots damage. You can buy them at Walmart in the women's shoe department for $2 a pair, or you can buy a pump sock from a hydro store for $7 to $15.
Keep a good supply of spare A/G parts: pump, filters, lamps, cages, grow pods, and buy in bulk if you can, it's a lot cheaper. A/G is proprietary; no one else sells their stuff. If you lose a pump or lamp in the middle of a grow you're screwed. They're not famous for quick delivery.
Close off the unused holes in your planting deck or you'll have algae problems, and you can't beat A/G's plugs. The DIY plugs guys make look like it.
Check your pH daily and readjust it if necessary. General Hydro makes a good liquid/chemical test kit with a comparison color chart but the down side is it's very slow. You can get an inexpensive pH pen meter at your local hydro store and after replacing three, on a low volume operation, I think that's the way to go. They only last about a year. That's probably why they only guarantee them that long. I usually adjust my pH to between 5.5 and 5.8. Mine like it a little on the acidic side.
If you're serious about growing your own meds I'd suggest you use hydroponic testers and chemicals, not stuff designed or fish aquariums or swimming pools. I've been told they aren't the same and remember this stuff you grow is going to go into your body.
Your humidity seems okay but I'd watch the temperature if you're already at 75. We keep our house between 68 73 degrees year around so my reservoir temperature hasn't been a problem but once you add: an aquarium air pump, air line, check valve and air stone it could go up. I've been told to keep it between 65 and 75 degrees.
I hope you're using good nutes because the stuff that came with your A/G isn't designed for what we're growing. Let me put in a plug for Technafloora's, "Recipe for Success." It's available at most hydro stores, online, and it's very user friendly if you follow their directions to the letter. A $30 sample/starter kit will give you every thing you'll need and it'll last you a long time in an A/G. With any brand of nutrients start your babies out on half or quarter strength, see how they react and after a week when you change your nutes you can go to half or full strength. Change them every week and you shouldn't need a ppm meter. It may be a little wasteful but your reservoir only holds 112 ounces and you can recycle your nutes into your outside dirt garden or inside house plants. With nutes I like to go on the side of safety. I hope this helps. Good luck. HSA
