Hey guys, This is my first post and also my first grow so please excuse any ignorance on my part. I started my DWC grow on July 1st so it's still in the very early stages. It's a very small 6 quart reservoir in a 18w x 13d x 48h grow box under a 300watt Mars hydro led. I'm using the GH trio with calmag at 1/4 strength along with hydroguard. I germinated a Nirvana Lemon OG Haze auto in a rapid rooter. Light was around 30" away but I recently dropped it to 24".I could just be being paranoid but I feel like my first real set of leaves are very droopy compared to the "healthier" seedlings I've seen. My reservoir water was just about touching the bottoms of my net pots as of July 7th so I dropped the levels down a 2 inches since then thinking maybe she wasn't getting enough oxygen and that was causing the drooping because the Rapid Rooter was staying so wet. As of yesterday Ph: 5.9, ppm: 481, 82F, and 49% RH. Rapid Rooter was still very wet even after the drop in reservoir level so I moved the air stone a little farther away from the net pot so the bubbling doesn't saturate the Rapid Rooter. Im still seeing decent growth, green leaves, and healthy roots. I ordered a small circulation fan to get air moving. Pictures are from the 8th to this morning. PH and ppm levels have been consistent 5.8-6.0 and 473-481. Temp ranges between 70F-85F and RH ranges between 48%-70%. I am seeing a lot of moisture in the reservoir and it's keeping the Rapid Rooter very saturated. Any input is appreciated. Thank you in advance. If the pics come in out of order I'm sorry.
This seems to be the most common mistake you don't need nutrients until 3 sets of leaves. Most likely you have nute burn. That ppm is way way to high for seedlings.
I thought nute burn would show more in the tips of the leaves? I'm not arguing your feedback, I do appreciate it. I've always read that nute burn/deficiencies show more in the color and texture of the leaves? I'm just trying to gain knowledge not contradict anyone's help.
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I've been on every page of that site and I'm following Nebulas nute schedule for the GH trio w/ calmag in a DWC. From what I could see from all the diagnosing info it looked like overwatering so that was what was confusing me and pushed me to ask other growers for advice. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
I'll throw in some PHd water to bring the ppm down to see if that helps, I do appreciate your advice. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
It does look like nute burn at the tips of the new growth - but... Overwatering symptoms appear in DWC when there isn't enough O2 to the roots. It's called overwatering because in soil, too much water deprives the roots of O2. Your root growth looks good but it seems that your rapid rooter is going to end up staying too wet under that lid. Even the popping bubbles can keep it too wet - which will look like overwatering with saggy looking plants. This could be what's going on - 1/4 nutes shouldn't really burn like that. I agree with not introducing nutes until a bit later, but I've done it plenty of times without issues. Some strains do act different though. But yeah, DWC and any sort of absorbent rooter - rockwool or rapid rooters - if used, should be in a bigger netpot so that 1/2 of it can sick up out of the surface of the medium - allowing it to drain adequately. The tricky part is getting the roots long enough to reach the bubbles. Some people employ a drip at the early stages, or top feed - until the roots can reach the rez. I grow out clones in a cheapo little bubble bucket setup in a neoprene disc - with only water - until the roots are long enough that I can transplant it into the netpot with the roots sticking out, and backfill with hydroton. Then, no worrying about rooters staying to wet or waiting for the roots to make it out of the netpot. Roots only - much less headaches.
Now, while the roots are still small, I'd suggest lifting the plug up an inch or so and put hydroton under it. Get that plug up out of the bubble spray a bit more. You have good roots, so if after you do that, they aren't sticking through the netpot anymore, just water them by hand as often as you can. Just take a scoop out of the rez and pour it through the netpot. The roots will show through again in a day or 2. One other thing that happens with a rooting plug staying too wet is a damping off at the stem. Right above the root crown the stem starts to swell a bit and get mushy and soon after the plant will wilt and eventually die.
I followed jesse's advice and dropped the ppm from 481 to 350. I was able to get one side of the net pot that is hydroton that is turned towards the bubbles. I also dropped the water levels a bit and moved the air stone off to the side of the pot. I did not expect the pots to be so small they have no room. I'm already seeing a third set of leaves come through since the latest pics I posted this morning so my growth is going great but I want to get this figured out. Hopefully she will start to look better in the morning. Thank you for all the advice I appreciate it. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
She is showing some progress this morning. Leaves are starting to perk up. PH was at 5.8 and PPM was at 335. The RR is also a lot dryer so that's a relief.