Stealth dwc (bubbleponic) grow, lowryder #2 (HD pictures)

endofwed

Active Member
Hi, first grow and would appreciate your advice!

Specs
-(1) one gallon buckets (holds .65 gallons of water)
-(4) 42W 6500K light bulbs, 2800 lumens each (veg)
-(4) 40W 2700K light bulbs, 2600 lumens each (flowering)
-GH nutes with lucas formula
-lowryder #2 fem




ph: 6.3
ppm: 70 (Currently using filter water, but will have to switch to tap water later that has a ppm of around 250. Therefore, I've planned to use GH hardwater series)
temp: 83F (will receive exhaust fan soon in mail)
res temp: 77F


some questions..
1) for small seedlings that have just sprouted, what type of light should be given since its neither in the veg or flowering stage. Right now, I have (1) 6500K light bulb on
2) when does day 1 start, when the seed was planted or when it has sprouted
3) Should I put on a humidity doam (plastic water bottom) over it right now?

Thanks!
 

Weedler

Well-Known Member
Turn them all on once they sprout up. Sprout up = Day 1 of its life... When people say I'm on Day 48 they are more than likely flowering and the plant has really been growing for say 68 days or something like that but only on 48 days of 12/12 flower cycle. Check out my grow and read about my nutrients and dosages. I used mild nutes to start as I too have hardwater my mother seedlings are sprouting nicely and are under T-5's
 

endofwed

Active Member
I only have sockets for 4 bulbs...

This is confusing because lowryder 2 is an autoflower strain which skips its veg growth...should I still use veg bulbs for seedlings for the first few weeks even though it never really reaches the veg stage?

 

Flo Grow

Well-Known Member
Use a mixed spectrum.
It's the best anyways.
So that's 3-6500K and 1-2700K
Once into bloom, do 3-2700K's and 1-6500K
Your first 2 - 3 weeks is actually the autoflowers veg stage, then bloom kicks in.
 

r1tony

New Member
Nice let me know how the LowRyder works for ya.. been wanting to try an auto-flower and been leaning towards that or a Lowryder2/AK47 cross.
 

endofwed

Active Member
Thanks!



Last image is from day 3/4. They dont look very happy as leaves drape down and look dry, along with a bit of yellowing on one leaf probably due to overwatering of the rockwool. Cab is getting way too hot 86-90F, w/only one cfl light on, but exhaust fan should be coming soon. I fed it some light nutes and ppm is around 100. The pH is at 6.4 and has been something I've been having a hard time trying to control. I need a pipette to make administering amounts easier...
 

Banditt

Well-Known Member
Gotta work on getting your temps down in both your res and your room. Otherwise it's gonna hurt your yield. Your ph should be a little lower as well. Aim to let it fluctuate between 5.5-6.5
 

gom

Active Member
Here is a little chart I use. It helps me remember what the ph should be for dirt and hydro. I'm old. So sometimes I forget. Hope it helps and good luck with the grow.
 

Attachments

endofwed

Active Member
Thanks!

Im having some serious heat issues. Is it ok to put these autoflower seedling in 18/24 or 20/24 hour light?
 

endofwed

Active Member
Hydro cheat sheet:
Ec/PPM goes up, PH goes down=plants require less nutes.
Ec/PPM goes down, PH goes up=Plants require more nutes
Ec/PPM stable, PH goes up=Equilibrium=Good thang.
I found this on a forum, is it accurate?

I changed the res last night (pH 6.1 and 80 ppm). I checked again this afternoon, about 8 hours later, and find out the ppm hasn't changed but the pH shot up to 7. Should I be worried? I'm not sure if I should add some more pH down or leave it alone since I've been told not to play the "pH game" of constantly adjusting the pH to a desired level.

Also, how much pH down am I suppose to use? From the videos I've watched, It seems like I only need a small amount but I'm using a shit load for my tap water... Is this normal?
 

Weedler

Well-Known Member
I always do this... Fill 5GA bucket full of tap water, I add Amquel (removes Chlorine & other products) I then add nutes in proper order then I check PH, adjust PH with PH Down or UP. For 5GA bucket PH starts off around 7.5 it takes me 8-12 ML of PH down to get it to ~ 5.8 I do a little at a time and have never added it all up this is just a guess. The next day PH will ALWAYS (for my ladies) go from 5.8 to 6.5 I PH again the next day and it usually hangs around 5.9- 6.2 1-2 ML of PH down drops it right down to 5.70 and I just let it slowly rise.

I am now having issues where I have one jug that rises the other decreases... It is ALWAYS the one that is directly under the light that I see dropping in PH. I think this is due to the accelerated evaporation rate? I really don't know been experimenting.

Now my 2 small ladies in an ice chest the PH has not moved... I was surprised not sure why even when the other girls were young I was having to adjust the PH.
 

endofwed

Active Member
Very helpful weedler! I added 1.6 ml of pH down and it dropped my original pH of 7.5 to 5.8. Before, I had been adding drop by drop thinking it would be enough for my 1 gallon bucket... it was extremely frustrating!

though I'm not too sure how to help you since I'm learning myself..I hope everything is alright for you! I've been reading your grow and everything looks great so far
 

endofwed

Active Member
Could someone tell me if this is a problem? the leaves look like they are drooping but I cant tell if its just me. Maybe its just the lowryder strain?

first side


other side


ppm is at around 800 and ph stays at a constant 5.5/5.6. temp stays at around 75 degrees-78 degrees.
 

Weedler

Well-Known Member
Can you lower your PPM? Possibly pour out some of the full strength nutes and add back in tap ph'd water or r/o water, I suspect that you may start to see some nute burn, 800 seems high for veg nutes, maybe not but for only 2 weeks old.... I'd be down closer to 500
 
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