Newbie hydroponics grow, need help getting started/selecting equipment!

[SoEx]

You can throw it in now if you want. Just keep a close eye on your rez for things like browning and foam.

I can't seem to find the ml syringe I got from the surplus store, so I'll hold off on the h2o2 until I find it/buy another one

I have pics of the seedlings! All of them are up to some extent! The One of the master kushes is up and squeezing out of its seed (the thing looks a little mangled, I hope I didn't barrage it with hydroton pellets accidentally :/) and the other master kush seed is trying to break the surface but hasn't quite yet -- just the "neck" of the stem is above the surface at the moment.

Anyway, pics (warning, some of these are a bit larger, nothing too big -- YET )

---4 days along---

First one, Lemon Stinky A



Lemon Stinky B



Master Kush A

 

[SoEx]

Hmm.

So they're all above the rockwool now!

Images:

--DAY 5--

Lemon Stinky A:


Lmeon Stinky B:


Master Kush A:


Master Kush B:





Master Kush B exploded out, he was underground before going to bed . He's the only other seedling fully out and not in its shell to some extent.

As you can see, master kush A has a mangled seed shell on him. Lemon Stinky B is still seemingly fully inside its shell. I imagine I should leave them to their own devices?

I also made a bubble cloner with some spare parts I have around

Wee. Trying to find something to measure EC/ph here soon, as ph is making me somewhat nervous. I added 5ml h2o2 yesterday night, they seemed fine in the morning. So I added another 5ml today. Supposedly it goes 1ml/gal and this is ~22gallons, so I think that's a good, low amount this early in life. Water smells fine that I can tell, I hope no algae form.

 

[eLiguL]

Your girls are looking great!

 

[Military]

looking great man If you want you CAN help them out a little bit and pull off those Seed cases. Thats what i always do, and I find it makes them grow a "little" bit faster from germ to about 5inch its pretty quick... talking like not even a week lol.

 

[SoEx]

Just came back to them again and the little seedling that looked mangled pushed its way out, but the seed is still around it to an extent.

Other one still seems kind of encased, I'm just going to let them fight their own way out unless anything goes wrong

 

[FreezerBoy]

She's just shy. You know what they say about the shy ones.

 

[SoEx]

She's just shy. You know what they say about the shy ones.

So she's going to have sex with all the male plants that turn up?

I actually checked the two that were still semi-encased out. The master kush A I removed by simply slightly touching the seed casing -- it was just hanging around it but hadn't yet fallen.

The second came off as well. They're all up and smiling at the (artifical) sun!

Master Kush B has one of the cotelydons curling downwardish kinda, not sure if something's wrong or it's just the shape it came out. I'll take some pictures in a few hours of them all, hopefully.

Hopefully the pics aren't an overload, I'm taking a bunch so I have a good documentation of what went on at what time so I can learn for the future

 

[eLiguL]

So she's going to have sex with all the male plants that turn up?

I actually checked the two that were still semi-encased out. The master kush A I removed by simply slightly touching the seed casing -- it was just hanging around it but hadn't yet fallen.

The second came off as well. They're all up and smiling at the (artifical) sun!

Master Kush B has one of the cotelydons curling downwardish kinda, not sure if something's wrong or it's just the shape it came out. I'll take some pictures in a few hours of them all, hopefully.

Hopefully the pics aren't an overload, I'm taking a bunch so I have a good documentation of what went on at what time so I can learn for the future

I do the same thing, make sure you turn on your timestamp. I also do a video log with my digicam cuz im to lazy to type stuff out HAHA.

 

[SoEx]

I do the same thing, make sure you turn on your timestamp. I also do a video log with my digicam cuz im to lazy to type stuff out HAHA.

I'm quite used to taking laboratory notes, so I've just been typing short notes of what things looked like, what I did, and any notes/observations.

I've got timestamps off but I do have the file creation date as well as a bunch of the original pictures I'm keeping for the mo

I'll have pictures in a bit of all four of them, lets pray for girls

Edit: should I toss the seed casing in the rockwool, maybe some vital food in there that would be beneficial for them to absorb from the rockwool?

 

[eLiguL]

Toss the husk.

The timestamp is good if you have an entire folder that is in thumbnail view.

 

[FreezerBoy]

So she's going to have sex with all the male plants that turn up?

I've found the shy ones to be the most faithful and trustworthy as long as you're worthy of their trust. Once they feel safe, hang on for your life and eat your Wheaties.

 

[SoEx]

Mmm.


So..

I've been thinking. I have about 3'x3' still open in the closet, I was thinking about making a little clone/veg chamber (4-5' tall x 1 ' wide by 3' long) I think.

I'd plan on putting 2 ~100W CFLs in there. This way I can deal with any clones in there as well as maybe even veg there. I could probably build the thing for $10 total, and the lighting would be cheap. Just not sure if that'd really be adequate, but it seems like it'd be a nice start.

Anyhow, that's for later. I'm still not sure how this run will go, the thought just entered my mind and I figured I'd mention it.

 

[SoEx]

EEEEEEEeeeek.

So I'm a bit worried. They're all out and such, but all but the first seedling has a bit of droopiness associated with it.

I covered the rockwool with a layer or two of hydroton since the seedlings started getting taller (I think I had seen this done a few times), but maybe it was too early? I probably should've waited until they got bigger, maybe :/

The poor Lemon Stinky A was kinda laying sideways almost, or at least leaning quite a bit. I hope it's okay. I put some hydroton around it and it's facing up again, but it just doesn't seem very stiff.

Overall shot:


6 Days in at this point:

Lemon Stinky A:


Lemon Stinky B:


Master Kush A:


Master Kush B:


The seed leaves seem to be curling down on all but my lemon stinky A. Maybe that's how they were, and then they perked up or something. I dunno, hope everything's all okay.

 

[Don Cotyle]

Looking good! Remember even though they are in the tubbler the roots may not be out the bottom yet, you should soak the rockwool then wait 2 days and soak again...they need to drink from your watering till the roots are out the bottom and into the tank!!!

First grow...when paranoia grabs you around the ankels remember if you didn't tell anyone...NO ONE KNOWS!!!

 

[SoEx]

Looking good! Remember even though they are in the tubbler the roots may not be out the bottom yet, you should soak the rockwool then wait 2 days and soak again...they need to drink from your watering till the roots are out the bottom and into the tank!!!

First grow...when paranoia grabs you around the ankels remember if you didn't tell anyone...NO ONE KNOWS!!!

I had a bad start today

I broke the taproot of Lemon Stinky A while trying to figure out why it was droopy.

Thread here: http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=78610

The problem wasn't that they were getting soaked, it was that LS A's rockwool COMPLETELY dried out. I didn't know a dried out plant drooped over to a side like that, otherwise I'd have just checked the rockwool and tried to fix it from there. Anyway, as I was removing the thing I must've hit the taproot coming out of the bottom (1cm nub) on something (not realizing it had come out of the cube at all, yet) and it got fractured/cut in some sort. I don't think the thing is going to survive at all. If I had known what I know now 6 hours ago, probably.

OH well, at least I will (Hopefully) not make that mistake again. the other rockwool pieces are all moist. I put the Lemon Stinky A rockwool too high above the bottom of the net pot, all the hydroton around the bottom of the rockwool wasn't wet, it was another layer or two down before it got wet. I sprayed some water onto the bottom of the cube, tried to put it back, and just left it in there. I know it's going to die, but oh well. Should I try to get it to drink water from its foliage before it dies, or is it already dead/destined to die and never try to repair the taproot?

*sigh*

At least I'll have another bucket freed up for something new.

 

[Don Cotyle]

It might not die, remember you are working with a weed!!! They will amaze you at times! I pulled males at an outdoor grow and cut the roots off bent them at about 1' intervals and tossed them on the ground. I came back a month later and 3 of them had started roots from the nodes!!! I now bag and remove all males!!!

Your plant will probably continue to grow but might stunt some, don't throw it away...it very well might surprise you!!!

 

[SoEx]

It might not die, remember you are working with a weed!!! They will amaze you at times! I pulled males at an outdoor grow and cut the roots off bent them at about 1' intervals and tossed them on the ground. I came back a month later and 3 of them had started roots from the nodes!!! I now bag and remove all males!!!

Your plant will probably continue to grow but might stunt some, don't throw it away...it very well might surprise you!!!

I haven't taken a picture of how limp it's gotten, though

At this point it seems like it lost its ability to hold itself up completely. Is there anything I can do to try to keep it on life support? I don't imagine immensely diluted nutrients given on those tiny first leaves would help at all.

Should I turn off the light? I was going to start 18/6 today but this came at me unexpected. I'd rather do whichever would promote the overall health of the plants at this point.

Of all the things I could have possibly done wrong I go and accidentally break the taproot of a new seedling that was dying because I put too many layers of hydroton below it.

To be honest, I know what the real problem is in the first case -- my STUPID bubble wand placement.

I made them into an X since I bought the ones that were too large (like a moron) and the green basket gets far fewer bubbles pumped under it than the others. Whenever I get the chance I'm going to cut them down (these bubble curtains are just tubes with a removable side, you can slice a bit of it off) and make sure there's two lines directly underneath the five pots this time.

I knew I'd make mistakes, I just didn't know I'd make so many

 

[Don Cotyle]

Go ahead and run your lights, you can put a shade over the one for a day or 2. Water it, it should come back in a few days, or die. You should always put your rockwool-peat pellet on the bottom of the net pot!!! The breaking bubbles keep them watered and till the roots come all the way out water them also!

NO NUTES yet at this stage they will probably do more damage than help!

Hey shit happens! be glad it only happened to 1, now you know why I said to go with a higher # of plants to start with!!!

Little lemon stinky still has time to turn around!!, and you still have time togerm a few more if you want!!!!! You'll still have to lose the males so your munbers will be smaller yet!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for the little lemon stinky

I'm off to hunt a new pipe down...wish me luck!

 

[SoEx]

Go ahead and run your lights, you can put a shade over the one for a day or 2. Water it, it should come back in a few days, or die. You should always put your rockwool-peat pellet on the bottom of the net pot!!! The breaking bubbles keep them watered and till the roots come all the way out water them also!

NO NUTES yet at this stage they will probably do more damage than help!

Hey shit happens! be glad it only happened to 1, now you know why I said to go with a higher # of plants to start with!!!

Little lemon stinky still has time to turn around!!, and you still have time togerm a few more if you want!!!!! You'll still have to lose the males so your munbers will be smaller yet!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for the little lemon stinky

I'm off to hunt a new pipe down...wish me luck!

Ah, okay, thanks again for the advice. I covered it up, going to monitor it regularly, and pray it comes through. I just feel so stupid that the very first time I see a taproot poking out I accidentally (unwittingly, at least) destroy it.

I'm going to build a small veg chamber of similar PVCish design pwoered by CFLs, hopefully. Pretty ambitious knowing how my grow is going already, I know, but I'm hoping to do things right

I'm going to check out a dimmer switch coupled with a small heater cartridge to keep my bubble cloner at a good temperature.

Good luck hunting for your pipe, I'm off to hunt for some bargains

 

[FreezerBoy]

By mistakes we learn. My sympathies on your horrible day. You are not alone. We've all been there. Not That I would ever - coff -admit to any mistakes myself ...

As Don sez, prop her up and give her a chance. Either way it's a relativly cheap lesson you'll never forget.

Sorry