need help with hydro problems.

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Sm0k3yDaBand1t

Member
hey guys. Me and my friend have been having some trouble with this hydro grow we've been doing. It's our first hydro grow and its been rocky from the start. We originally germinated seeds. But the temp got too hot and killed them. So we got an air conditioner and Thankfully someone else we knew had some starter plants we could use but they were in soil. So we removed the soil and put them in our hydro setup. The ph went a little high the first few days and the stress of the transplant turned them a bit yellow. But we carried on and they are putting out new growth but our clay media is getting pretty covered in what looks like white mold or nutrient build up. Not sure. But there was also some gray looking mold. Ph levels have been brought back to within good range daily for last few weeks. Not sure what we're doing wrong now. I've i clyded pictures of the plants and the white stuff.17787.jpeg17779.jpeg17741.jpeg
 
9BestBudz0

9BestBudz0

Well-Known Member
What kind of nutrition are you using and I think u should have stuck them in Deeper and make sure the water is ditlled or chlorine free. From the first pic. From soil to hydro it might take a lot longer for the roots to adjust
 
My Name is Mike

My Name is Mike

Well-Known Member
The white stuff is most likely nutrient salt residue from evaporated water at the surface. To much build up will give you major issues when it gets to your bottom reservoir. Quick fix is flush it, give it a good rinse, cover top of medium with foil. Poke hole or slit for the plant stalk. Similar to what I posted. Mine is reflectix but foil is fine. This will help against the salt residue.

Next, if you're going to do hydro, you have to know what your PH, PPM/EC and water temp readings are. You need a meter for this or test tabs are cheaper. Using distilled water and mixing in nutes blind will not work well. I suspect you have a major PH and cal/mag deficiency. Using distilled or RO water does not contain minerals like cal/mag which you'll need to supplement if you're not going to use tap water. I recommend calimagic.

If you're using pump that came with the waterfarm kit, plan to replace asap because it's butt.

The drip rings should be cleaned 1x weekly or biweekly because salts will clog the holes eventually. Use hot water or h202. Disconnect them though.

I only grow with waterfarms so if you have questions, let me know. This is a start. There is a lot more I haven't mentioned but the ph and ppm meters are essential.

Also, if you didn't thoroughly clean, wash and rinse your clay pebbles, it's going to leave tons of clay dust and fuck with you with ph swings. Heads up.
 

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Bukvičák

Bukvičák

Well-Known Member
My Name is Mike said:
The white stuff is most likely nutrient salt residue from evaporated water at the surface. To much build up will give you major issues when it gets to your bottom reservoir. Quick fix is flush it, give it a good rinse, cover top of medium with foil. Poke hole or slit for the plant stalk. Similar to what I posted. Mine is reflectix but foil is fine. This will help against the salt residue.

Next, if you're going to do hydro, you have to know what your PH, PPM/EC and water temp readings are. You need a meter for this or test tabs are cheaper. Using distilled water and mixing in nutes blind will not work well. I suspect you have a major PH and cal/mag deficiency. Using distilled or RO water does not contain minerals like cal/mag which you'll need to supplement if you're not going to use tap water. I recommend calimagic.

If you're using pump that came with the waterfarm kit, plan to replace asap because it's butt.

The drip rings should be cleaned 1x weekly or biweekly because salts will clog the holes eventually. Use hot water or h202. Disconnect them though.

I only grow with waterfarms so if you have questions, let me know. This is a start. There is a lot more I haven't mentioned but the ph and ppm meters are essential.

Also, if you didn't thoroughly clean, wash and rinse your clay pebbles, it's going to leave tons of clay dust and fuck with you with ph swings. Heads up.
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Nice
 
S

Sm0k3yDaBand1t

Member
Ok thanks for the replies. We have a ph reader and a ppm reader. Ph has been kept in check lately. So for clarification. You want me to remove the plant from the bucket and wash the white stuff off? And then add a calcium and magnesium supplement with new distilled water?
 
My Name is Mike

My Name is Mike

Well-Known Member
Sm0k3yDaBand1t said:
Ok thanks for the replies. We have a ph reader and a ppm reader. Ph has been kept in check lately. So for clarification. You want me to remove the plant from the bucket and wash the white stuff off? And then add a calcium and magnesium supplement with new distilled water?
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Don't remove the plant, just run water over the surface under a sink or hose. Let all that runoff drain away through the blue snorkel pointed down until the surface is clean. This is not required right now, but it'll help avoid future issues.

If you're going to continue using distilled water, then yes you'll have to supplement cal-mag nute.

What is your ph and ppm reading?
 
S

Sm0k3yDaBand1t

Member
Ph is around 6 and ppm is at 1200. We have switched to using tap water and a brita filter. Were going to rinse them off tonight. When we change water now that we are using tap water and a filter should we still ad a cal mag supplement to make up for what they missed? I have hope for these guys since they still have decent new growth sprouting
 
D

DaFreak

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't worry about the white stuff or what you believe to be mold but looks like root hairs to me, I would be more worried about feeding plants that are clearly stressed 1200 ppm. I would lower the strength to say 800 and wait for them to recover. They also look like they are heat stressed, hang your fan at the top of the tent to take out the hot air and perhaps raise your light if it's too close.
 
S

Sm0k3yDaBand1t

Member
We dont have a fan. We have a charcoal air filter with a air pump. The filter and pump sit on the floor in the back of the tent. Should we also have a fan? The room the tent is in is air conditioned
 
D

DaFreak

Well-Known Member
No idea what an air-pump is but yeah, you want to be sucking air through your tent for air-exchange and to keep temps down
 
S

Sm0k3yDaBand1t

Member
DaFreak said:
No idea what an air-pump is but yeah, you want to be sucking air through your tent for air-exchange and to keep temps down
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I guess its technically a fan its just enclosed in the filter housing. But yeah we have it vented to outside the tent. Should we have a regular fan also?
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
DaFreak said:
As long as it’s exhausting that’s what matters but I’d rather take the hot air from above out and not the cooler air below
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With decent air circulation in a grow space the temps should be uniform from top to bottom so exhaust placement is what is best for good airflow tho up near the ceiling is standard practise.
 
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