Return of the Herbage - Strawberry Cough/600Watt HPS/Scr0g/etc.

Discussion in 'Hydroponic Grow Journals' started by DarthHerbage, Feb 10, 2009.

  1. Dude Darth! I just realized your roots are already hangin out your pots... there is absolutely no reason to keep wetting your rockwool at this point. Once they've poped out the bottom just keep your water level a couple inches bellow the pots and you're good to go.

    Crispy leaves in plants that young is most probably going to be either over fertilizing or pH nute lockout. In your case my hunch is over fertilizing. I'm tellin ya, running your solution 100ppm too hot is much worse than 100ppm too low right now.

    Just my 2cents bro and I'm only tryin to help a brotha out. But these are my suggestions.

    1. Stop watering your rockwool.
    2. Ditch the pump (add another airstone or 2 you can)
    3. Drop your PPMs down to 100-150

    Those brown roots really don't look good but if they're showing signs of recovery... then why not give them a shot :smoke:
     
  2. No sweat, Smoove. I appreciate the advice.

    I thought that you weren't supposed to let the rockwool completely dry out though...that the roots and inner rootzone (and therefore the rockwool) still need some water directly even once the roots hit the water?

    Does regular DWC not require hand watering or anything once the roots hit water? Don't the cubes dry out...? Just askin questions I don't have the answer to lol.

    I guess I'll give my girls a few days and see if they start getting better.

    Thanks for the feedback, man.

    Just added back a bunch of water and the PH is now 5.05 and the PPM 210. The water temp is down to 69F. I've put new covers on the net pots and there is no more light leaking through. I'm getting ready to put the water pump on the timer. I figure I'll start at 15 minutes on every 2 hours, but I may change that due to new information and some more opinions. I'm also getting ready to drop some SM90 in the res.
     
  3. If you were growing in just rockwool then of course you could not allow it to dry out. But in a DWC/Bubble bucket you really don't want to keep your rockwool wet once the roots are getting water from the res.

    This is a pic from my last grow: 26 days from seed. The net pots were about 2-3 inches above the water line.. rockwool had been bone dry since the the first roots poped out from the bottom. Right before I took the picture I increased the nutrient solution to around 400ppm and was too hot... the next day some lower leaf tips started to yellow and get stiff) and so I droped it down to 300 and the nute stress subsided.


    [​IMG]
     
  4. #44 Jim Dunlop, Mar 4, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 4, 2009
    Smoove gives good advice!

    I was also going to comment on your ppm being way too high. I don't let mine go above 200 until I see at least 4 nodes and that's with Botanicare nutes (organic). Chem nutes can be much harsher if overfed.

    Also your res temps can be remedied with a computer fan exhausting air from your res. Chillers are too expensive. I've dropped temps from 75 to 65 with one. Make sure you cut some passive intake holes on the side opposite the fan. Also get some sort of insulation around/on top of your res if you can. Insulation, not just aluminum tape. This will help keep the cold in and the hot out. I use the bubble insulation that is covered in aluminum.

    Do you have a pump in your res (pumping water)? Those can dramatically increase res temps. You shouldn't need one at all in DWC.
     
  5. hi!

    yeah i think moisting the cubes is not neсessery any more.
    not really shure about the cause of your brown spots but if overferting caused it the underferting wont let u see the differnce because it will cause another leaf damages. im shure that thay are old enough for a 450 ppm solution. and i think u can just cut that brown shit, relax and see how it goes at 300 ppm for a day or 2. does thay keep growing? if thay do that means u have to add more nutes. and i really dont think that theres any connection between those leafs and roots color. nutes got a lot of color and roots just get darker absorbing it.

    peace!
     
  6. S'allrightythen. Counting the opinion I got in the sick plants forum, the tally is 4 votes for the rockwool not needing water after the roots hit the water and 0 against. So I turned the pump off last night and I'll take it and the hoses out in the next day or two. Wish I'd known this earlier, as I could've saved the 25 bucks I spent on a second water pump for my other reservoir.

    After adding RO water back to the reservoir to get it back to the right level, the PPM was down to about 210 or so I believe. So I think I'm right around where you're suggesting.

    Thanks again for all the help, man!

    I think the PPM is alright now that I added water back.

    As to the fan idea, I don't think I have enough room for one if you're talking about on the side of the res. I use small net pots, so the water level stays too high to be able to fit a 80mm fan on the side. Also, how do you light proof a fan? You are talking about putting it on the side of the res right? That shit would scare the hell out of me, being that close to the water level...

    Can you link me to the type of insulation you're referring to? I've thought about trying to insulate the res a bit, but hadn't came up with what to use...

    Pump is off, so hopefully that will help temps as well.

    Thanks for the input, Jim.

    Dude, after what happened with my first grow and having to try to cut dead and dying roots out, I'm not going to screw with it unless they get real bad. It's just too big of a pain in the ass. I'm hoping that they bounce back. I'm also going to try to get the UV sterilizer in there so hopefully that will keep any root problems at bay.

    As far as the nutes discoloring the roots, I've asked a lot of people about that and almost everyone says that they continue to have bright white roots despite what nutes they use unless there's another problem at work. I think it was a combination of too high of a water temp and a little light getting into the res although of course I could be wrong. Hell if I know lol.

    As far as the PPM goes, I'm going to keep it down until they start rebounding. One thing I learned is that it's better to underdo things than overdo them, as it's a lot easier to fix underdoing things. That's just how I'm going to go about it. At this age, I just don't see them being underfed or anything...but then again? lol

    Shit, man. Appreciate the suggestions and ya stoppin by man.
     
  7. How about using a PVC elbow and mounting the exhaust on top of the reservoir? I can draw it out and actually tell you the parts you need in order to do this if you need.

    Here is the insulation I use
     
  8. Lookin at 'em today, the one thing I can say is that they don't look any better.

    I put 2.5ml/gallon of SM90 in the res last night and I checked everything before I went to bed.

    The stats were:

    PH 5.5
    PPM 350 (I'm assuming about 140 of that was SM90)
    Water temp 69F


    I just checked everything again.

    The stats are:

    PH 6.31
    PPM 210
    Water temp 73.5F (warm today)

    I felt the roots and I have to admit a bit of a slimy feel. I'm curious as to whether or not I should actually try to cut those off, as they both have some other, smaller white roots in the water...

    ...or should I put the UV Sterilizer back in there and hope it keeps things in check?

    Hell if I know. I guess I'm going to have to put some PH down in, as I don't want to raise the PPM...

    Any suggestions?
     
  9. Additives like sensizyme, hygrozyme, cause your pH to go up and ppm to go down because they're enzymes. I'm assuming SM-90 is the same sort of thing so that might be what's happening. Once you quit the SM-90 it should stop spiking.

    I don't think you should cut any roots off. Just my .02 cents tho.
     
  10. 50 bucks? Don't think I can swing it right now. The water temperature will get better when it gets warmer outside, as the way I keep my grow room cool is by an old-fashioned way of doing climate control in the room it's in. In the winter, I close the heating/air vent in the room that the grow box is in and crack the window so it's stays warm in the other rooms of my crib but cold in that room.

    When it's warm, I open the vent in the room that the grow box is in and mostly close the ones in the other rooms. That way it stays cooler than the other rooms. All of this suggests that I keep the door to that room closed so there isn't any heat/cold leaks.

    The problems with temperature happen now, when it's in between cold and hot, and fluctuating between the two. Yesterday was good. It was cold. Today sucked, because it was warm...and it's too early for me to start on the central air...

    I don't know about the fan and exhaust...

    Sounds...complicated lol. :smoking:
     
  11. I bought the smaller roll, only about $25.
     
  12. I figured that's what the PPM/PH was about. I still need to PH down it though, don't I?

    Here's the info on SM90 as a root treatment:

    "SM-90 inhibits common anaerobic fungal and bacterial pathogens. Use for any root disease from ascomycetes pathogens including fusarium, pythium, rhizoctonia, phytopthera and sclerotinia. When added in small quantities to plant nutrient solutions, root disease infestations are inhibited and new root growth emerges. Treated plants develop greater root area and root runs and exhibit a generally healthier root development. Application rate: Apply 2 - 3 ml for each gallon of nutrient solution on a weekly basis."
     
  13. Yea I read over that SM-90 description on the Nutralife site and couldn't really figure it out. I think it's a chemical enzyme if that makes sense. It's a chemical that acts like an enzyme. Don't quote me though. Yea I'd pH down it if you can, it can be pretty hard if you use the recommended dose. When I use hygrozyme I do 1/4 the recommended dose, complete MAX, or I get swings like you're having.

    The swings do mean it's working, but it can be a pain if you want your plants to grow in the mean time. I'd try a smaller dose for a longer time, than a larger dose for a shorter time, it might work out better that way.

    Good luck man.
     
  14. And thanks for the heads up on the reflectix stuff, Jim. I'll pick up the 20 dollar roll in the next couple of days. Do you have a pic of how you applied yours in your grow thread?
     
  15. I just cut it and slapped it on. I kind of sealed the res off from the plants. I laid the insulation over the res and also under the tubes so the whole bottom of the tent where the res is doesn't get any light penetration, or very little.

    Took this pic just for you, because I want to see you grow the dankest bud possible and Strawberry Cough is next on my "to-grow" so I need a decent smoke report. :D

    [​IMG]
     
  16. lol Jim. I'm going to have to go to the "Post a picture of yourself" thread and start repping the hot girls until I can rep you again. :D

    So, since my plants are in my res I guess what I'll do is just find a way to cover the top while leaving holes for the plants to grow through and slap it around the sides as well...

    So would you do anything different if these were your issues? I just want to make sure I'm doing everything I can.

    For the record, btw, I'm probably not the best at smoke reports. I've only had maybe 4 decent strains in the last couple of years. Diesel, Blueberry, Aurora Borealis, and...something I can't remember lol. :smoking::smoking::smoking:
     
  17. I can't think of anything else now. I'll post back when I do, but I bet someone will beat me to it.

    Only strains I've smoked are ones I've grown, and that is few. As long as you can tell me if it makes your heart race or not and the paranoia factor, I'll be content.

    I would cut a piece to fit over your reservoir, secure it, and then take the lid off and cut the insulation through the net pot holes. Does that make sense?
     
  18. Sorry. I've been busy reppin boobs in the cleavage thread. Of course, I repped so much that now I can't rep anyone for another 24 hours lol. :smoking:

    I actually want to make the holes smaller than the net pots themselves, as I was having trouble with light getting through the hydroton. But I do understand what you mean. I thought I'd wrap it around the sides as well, just to be safe. The light reflects pretty well in my grow tent.

    Sounds like you're interested in the Strawberry Cough for the same reason I am. I'm lookin for the anti-anxiety, anti-paranoia, chilled out smooth but not blasted into the couch high. If these two don't get better I'm tossing them and doing it over with 2 more SC fem seeds. I will have some Strawberry Cough in the next 3 months, damn it.

    And I'll be more than happy to let ya know how it hits.
     
  19. Well, the brown spots keep spreading and the roots are stayin the same.

    Anyone have any other ideas as to what could be wrong?
     
  20. I'm thinking that if the roots are already damaged... then leaf damage will continue until there are new healthy roots, at which point all new plant growth should be okay. As for light getting through your netpots, what I did was cut a round shape from piece of cardboard (but you could really use anything... paper plate, a notebook cover... something thicker than paper but still pliable.) about 2 inches wider than the diameter of the netpot... Foil taped both sides, then cut a straight light from the edge to the center and cut a center hole with about a centimeter diameter.

    [​IMG]



    And just so I understand your previous posts.. you did remove the pump from the res already yes? and if so.. has your rockwool dried out?
     

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