DWC when to add nutes?

It's generally the start of week two that you start feeding, but can be as early as 1 1/2 weeks. The cotyledons (seed leaves - the very first that show) will begin to yellow and die off as the seedling uses the nutrients it contains for it's initial growth. When you see them yellow you can start feeding. I generally start about 1/4 strength and work my way up from there. Gradual changes to the reservoir are better for the plant.

Those nutes will work fine... you actually don't need the gro part (or superthrive, really). I use the Lucas Formula which uses just the micro and bloom parts. A quick search brought up this thread which explains it pretty well:
http://forum.grasscity.com/advanced-growing-techniques/211164-lucas-formula.html

You can check my harvests in my sig to give you an idea of how well the simple lucas formula can work. It's certainly not the end all feed method, but it's as easy as it gets and produces quality bud.

My only recommendation is that you get some calmag. Soiless/hydro (especially coco) grows tend to need supplemental calcium/magnesium. You won't need to add much to the reservoir until around mid flower when it needs it most.

 

By 1/4 strength I mean 1/4 of the recommended amount. So if you had a 4gal reservoir using the lucas formula I linked (for veg: 5ml micro and 10ml bloom per gal), you would be using 5ml micro and 10ml bloom instead of 20ml micro and 40ml bloom. You would work up to the full dosage. You may find you can start at a bit more than 1/4 - I sometimes start around 1/3rd, actually, and I've seen people start at 1/2 without problems... it just depends on what you're growing and what it prefers. Just remember more doesn't necessarily mean better.

You don't have to change the reservoir every time, but should every few weeks or so, although it depends on how large the reservoir is... the smaller it is, the more often you should change it. At the very least you should do it when switching to flower and then of course for the final flush (last 1-2 weeks of flower) where you run nothing but water in the reservoir.

 

For mixing, sure - but you will need to change your reservoir at least a couple times during the grow.

Once when switching to flower, and again for the last 1-2 weeks when doing the final flush (nothing but water after).

It's better if you do it more than that, but that's basically the bare minimum. I recommend more often since you really have no experience with the nutrients and no way of really knowing what the plant wants at varying stages. Although possible, it's unlikely that your nutrient levels will stay in check and the plant will suffer because of it.

Lazy growing really only works if you know the ins and outs of your water, nutrients, and even the particular plants your growing. I'm able to go a grow without having to check pH or ppm's because I've done it enough in the past (with the same water, nutes, etc) that I already know what amounts to use - from there I just go by what the plant tells me it wants.

However, I still have to do reservoir changes because salts build up as well as the possibility of a nutrient imbalance depending on what your plant is taking in.

You're also going to want to cover up that rockwool - if light is reaching it like that algae will grow on it, which love to siphon oxygen in the water (possible root rot) and there's also the possibility of pH issues.

 

i also have a question my dwc system which is 5g ( which is my first time)started off good but they starting to look like this i know its gotta be a nute problem or ph level but i used my ph tester says its 6.0 exactly and about week 3 i put the clone in the dwc i used 5ml floragro (x 5 per gallon = 25ml) , 5ml floramicro (x 5 per gallon = 25ml), 1ml florabloom (x 5 per gallon = 5ml) and also should i drain my system every week , two weeks or what?

 

That looks like it may be a fungus gnat problem, although it's been quite some time since I've had to deal with any of that so I'm a bit rusty - they really like to screw with the hydro growers, though. If it is, neem oil is one great method for dealing with them, but I use hotshot no pest strips and they work wonderfully.

It may be a pH issue, however - if you're sure your pH meter is calibrated correctly then you should be okay there, but too low of a pH can bring about a similar look so that's why I bring that up.

As for the nutes - I'm not sure what nute regiment you're following, but around that stage you should be using 1/2 of what's recommended. Also, are you adding for 5gal because you have 5gal of water in there, or because it's a 5gal container? Generally a 5gal bucket will have 3gal of water - so you would add nutes according to 3gal.

 

yea well heres a better look at things on my dwc i also go by this on the nutes and yes it says 5ml per gallon water its damn near full so i times it by five and this is what use as far as pesticides thanks

 

Keep in mind that more doesn't really mean better with nutrients. You're likely better off considering it 4gal rather than 5gal if it's actually almost completely full - however when you fill the res it should be ~1-3" from the bottom of the net pot; this leaves ya around 3gal of water in there so you're likely accounting for too many gallons when feeding.

Along with that, the plant does not need full strength nutes yet, it should be around 1/2 at this point - working you're way up towards full strength (quite possibly a little less).

It concerns me how dirty that bucket looks; seems you do some working outdoors? After dealing with dirt, vegetation, etc outdoors you should never go to your grow room without cleaning up or you will bring an infestation with you. Hydro is meant to be a very clean method; the medium along with growing indoors leaves them much more susceptible to pests because there's no natural predators there to take care of it. I don't know anything about azamax so I can't really comment on that (maybe someone else can chime in there). If you're working outdoors, though, the best method is prevention.

What I said in my previous post still stands: It looks to me like fungus gnats more then a pH issue, but it still wouldn't hurt the make sure your pH meter is calibrated properly... when it comes to problems in hydro pH is one of the first things to check.

 

As matter as fact I do work on my outside garden before inside and the bucket system is something I'm playing with just trying to learn so when I do it full heartedley ill know the ins and out about it ya know but my out door doing great but If u know anything bout soil I'm also having problems indoor a Lil bit thanks for ur help I'm check the ph with a chemical ph tester and see what it says .also if it is fungus gnats can I get rid of them or just prevented it better next time and if I gotta just leave it be will this kill my plants I can send pixs if u want to see outdoor and indoor just let me know ... But another note my bucket system is indoor and it Is beside my plants in soil ... Thanks

 

Fungus gnats are not easy to completely get rid of, but it's not too hard to bring them down to a level that really won't effect the plant. As far as infestations go, fungus gnats are some of the more mild ones, but they cannot be left to do their bidding. The damage to the leaves is actually the larva's damage; if you look where the damage is you may be able to see a thin layer of something wet/shiny-looking - that would be where the larvae are.

I really don't know anything about the azamax so I don't know if that will help for the gnats or not. I've used neem oil in the past with decent success, but what worked the best for me are hotshot no pest strips; I haven't had a single pest problem since using those.

The best part of hotshots for me was how easy it was and that it could be used in flower when the buds are already formed. Neem oil needs to be applied thoroughly and can only be done up to 3 weeks or so in flower before the buds really form.

If ya can, I would do all your work on your inside garden before you work outdoors. Hope all goes well, man

 

Aloha Chinity, Instead of a 1/4 tsp. you use 1/8 tsp. If it is in 5 gal. buckets yes. Bigger no. Full 1/4. Clean out should be once a month if needed or rigged on a resivor or auto feed which I have no idea about clean and nutes cause I am using 5 gal. buckets and it is full clean and nutes added to clean water. I clean every 2 weeks. 
Hope this helps. Aloha

 

I fully agree to the bottom of the depths of the earth. Do not introduce and outside predator to your in door. Check your indoor for bugs and I bet You fimd your problem.  Much aloha.

 

Do indoor care first. Than outdoor. Both of course throroughly. I'm just saying. 

 

When these "cotyledon" start to yellow, start 1/4 strength nutes.
 
Also, seriously clean your shit up. No disrespect intended, but show your ladies more respect than that....................

 

ya I was HORRIFIED when I saw that bucket, what is that on the side of your bucket? paint or what?

 

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Pics ????