My First DWC Grow w/ Short Rider from Nirvana

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
Man, 6.1 was great. If it is between 5.7 and 6.4, leave it alone and adjust it some other time.

Read this:First you have to realize that the pH is going to change daily as the nutrients are eaten. That means adjusting it daily. Goal is that those daily changes be slight and not major. And too, different sources of water yield different pH problems.

You have to have pH balanced nutes, or a buffer or a stabilizer in the water to keep it from roller coasting and spiking up and down.

I've done some research on pH Control and I 'd like to offer some advice and my opinion.


NEW growers worry about it too too much, and the biggest mistake they make is trying for a perfect contstant same pH.
You will do better, to just try to keep it between 5.6 and 6.8 without changing it often. Plants eat more nitrogen at 5.7 to 5.9 than at 6.7 to 6.9. But they eat more iron and magnesium at 6.5 to 6.8. You need a fluctuating pH level for your plants to absorb different nutes at different levels.
When you get your water, add nutes and pH test it, no matter what the results, if it is between 5.6 and 6.4, leave it alone or only adjust it slightly by .1 to .2 down.
DO NOT PLAY the pH Game.
Do NOT ride the pH Roller Coaster.

It is better to be off, too high, or too low, than to adjust it too much at one time.


Drastic or FAST adjustments really mess up the entire system.
Adjust gradually, and slowly.





The pH should not vary more than .5 to .7 everyday, and if it does flucuate alot more up OR down daily, something is wrong.
First, ask yourself, IF growing in HYDRO, what is going into the tank? Water, Nutes, pH UP and Down should be it. Adding anything else, WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM, is not the wisest thing to do.
(Yes, sometimes some small amount of peroxide or hydrozyme might be needed, but I've done 7 grows without it.)
And if you are making NUTE SOUP, ( a nute mix and supplement mix) I can not advise you about your pH.

Except for the very first time you add the water to the tank, You should pH balance your water FIRST, everytime, outside of the tank, then add the nutes, pH balance it again, then add it to the tank. It should not go up more than .5 within one day or 1.0 in two days.
If it does go up more in one day or two days, you got to do something to stabilize it. After the first two or 3 weeks pass, and the plants are drinking a gallon a day, you can add one gallon back that is over adjusted or over compensated, to get it back down. FOR EXAMPLE, If the tank is reading 7.2, then add one gallon of 6.0, and you'll get it down SOME, without it being too drastic.
DRASTIC pH CHANGES WITHIN 24 HOURS ARE VERY DANGEROUS.


OR

Try adding a lump of charcoal or two, tied in a panty hose or nylon stocking to the tank.

Go to Walmart or PetSmart to the Aquarium Dept, next to the fish food, filters and additives and sea salts, and get those little packages of Ammonia Control absorbent packets. They look like little sponges in a wrapper. I can not remember what they are called, but they work great to stabilize the pH. Or get the Ammonia control pellets and add a few to the tank.

Get everything in your tank like you want it, (except the roots or plants,) and add two heaping tablespoons of baking soda to a gallon of water,Stir it good, then add it to the tank. Wait ten or 15 minutes, then pH adjust it again. Then it should stay stabilized until the next Drain and Replenish.


A buffer solution is an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its conjugate acid. It has the property that the pH of the solution changes very little when a small amount of acid or base is added to it. Buffer solutions are used as a means of keeping pH at a nearly constant value in a wide variety of chemical applications.


You can simply add two heaping table spoons of baking soda to your water, (before yu put it in the tank). Yes, it will wreck the pH, but then you adjust it with pH Down, and then it will stay more stable for a few days.


Primarily what one needs to add to the water are neutralizers and buffers that will stabilize the acid and alkaline levels to the degree that is required for the plants. Most of these stabilizing products are sold in great volume at any pet store that specialized in aquariums and tropical fish and if one is not familiar with what product to purchase, then one should consult with the qualified salespeople so as to arrive at a specific product that will properly address the specific needs of the fish and their owner. You want something that rduces the acid.
 

smartguy345

New Member
Hey thanks for more precious info, I am not sure though but I think one of your guides talks about the ph roller coaster game.. lol, I just thought I dropped because once my lights turn off it be another 5 hours before they turn on, and since they are in veg stage the ph has been steadily going up. Your right though, I am trying to micro manage the ph.. It is not drastically chaning.. I am just getting carried away now that I have a ph meter lol

Well roseman you think by me dropping the water levels down that it save the plants from going to its "overwater phase" again. After all, I just noticed it and I changed water only last night. So it was early in its stages but I knew it was goign to happen again. I really want to show some pics let you guys see how the plants are doing..
 

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
I don't have any knowledge aobut over watering in Hydro, I don't think it is possible with the bubbleponics system.

I'd love to see some pics.
 

smartguy345

New Member
Sure can, its the same problem i had before, the plants were droopy... I looked it up on RIU FAQ, under plant symptoms... said it was from "overwatering" I guess not enough off oxygen..
 

smartguy345

New Member
Ok this should be like day 35 or something like that. Plants still in vegging, but they are suppose to autoflower by themself...not sure when that will happen or if I will have to switch to 12/12

These pics were taking last night... YOu can see the big difference I was talking about with the roots... How they really got biggeR! So did the plants.. in matter of fact it looks like 2 of em even decided to grow another top, is that what its called? I have another branch from bottom that just grew out.. I tied one plant down to help train it a little bit and help get light underneath it.

I did add a light to my grow, but the light is being used for my soil plants. I also purchased a 4 42 watt fluro air cooled light fixture.. I plan on getting that soon... I didnt think i win the bid,, but it was only 49 bucks.. i figured what the hell... the more supplemental lighting the better.


Temps have been ideal as well as the ph level. Only concern I have is when the plants will go to flowering, and how I will hook up my carbon filter.

I figured i hook up my filter at the end of the fan that is pulling all the air from grow op. however concerned about the humidity and if it be around 70 percent that be difficult for carbon filter to clean, so i was told.

I hope you guys enjoy the pics! sorry it took so long for them !!!!:leaf::bigjoint:
 

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smartguy345

New Member
BTW just in case u didnt know, the reason why my water is that color, is because of the nute solution, I forgot which one it is.. Big bloom or tiger but one of them has a milky brown color too it... I always ensure when flushing out water to clean out the container really good.
 

marijuanaFTW

Well-Known Member
lookin good man...i plan to do a bubble system too out of a 5gal bucket....ill be following your grow...the yellowing and drooping of the leaves looks like some sort of deficiency...but i could be wrong im a noob >.<
 

SyNiK4L

New Member
BTW just in case u didnt know, the reason why my water is that color, is because of the nute solution, I forgot which one it is.. Big bloom or tiger but one of them has a milky brown color too it... I always ensure when flushing out water to clean out the container really good.
ya big bloom has that brownish milky color...but ya looks like mayb not enuf dissolved oxygen thats what happened 2 me...they started drooping alot like that and had a weird smell in the res and then a couple of them died i saved one with h2o2. but it was still to late we kept it alive but it wasnt big enuf at this point to keep it to grow some bud so we just tossed it.
 

smartguy345

New Member
well i think it has to do with probably how much water I added to it.. cause i have 4 10 inch airstones working off of two good size pumps.
 

SyNiK4L

New Member
damn ya..cus that sounds like plenty lol...hey man u ordered from nirvana? how many seeds did u get from them? and were they feminized and did u get them all to crack? cus now im hearing of stories where ppl ordered from them got them stealthy as hell but ended up not being able to even get 1 to crack? obviously u got some of them to crack. but how many did u start with and how many did u end up with? cus i know u gotta order 5 at a time. whats the word on this man cus i dn if i wanna order some from them iv im gonna spend 80 dollars on 10 seeds and have them not crack
 

smartguy345

New Member
I had 9 out of 10 crack.. but my seedling mat broke and therefore i couldnt keep desired temps.. I but reg seeds and only bought from the once.. be honest go with attitude you get free seeds and good genetics to choose from.. not downing nirvana.. its just attitude hooked me up!
 

smartguy345

New Member
PLants are doing good.. still kind of droopy, but not as much... I think I need to re work my water levels...cause when there is not as much water, i do not have that problem.. anyways doing will post pics later tonight.
 

smartguy345

New Member
Update plants looking great... one in middle still kinda of droopy... Quick question my roots kinda lil more tan where there is no more water... Should I add more water or leave it?

There is new root growth towards bottom roots which is good.. Just curious if i should be concerned or not, here are some pics.

Ph was at 6.8 so i dropped it down a lil bit. I took some close up pics of the growth near the stem, just to give you idea of whats going on down there.

I dont know what temps are because my meter broke on me so I am going to have to get another one at wally world.
 

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smartguy345

New Member
I think it is safe to say I have preflowers!!! YAY IM HAPPY!!! MY first flowering..... my cherry popped... lol..

After careful looking I believe I have preflowers... Will provide pics to show confirmation.
 

smartguy345

New Member
BTW I am getting a slight smell from the dwc container, as well I might see some areas of concerns on my roots. I dont know if it is mold or not but I see small lil specks that are white on my roots. Not many spots just a few.
 

smartguy345

New Member
Well the pics of the preflower did not come out to well..

The pics of the roots did.. It kinda looks like mold but I dont know. I sprayed diluted h202 to help. There was a slight smell but very slight. Just curious as to what I should do. I mean it could just be from the nutes.

Anyways I am concerned as I hate for them to die on me... :( I mean this is a learning experience for me , and I like to make sure everything is being done right.
 

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marijuanaFTW

Well-Known Member
when i first commented i had not read the entire journal...those plants took a huge turn around...lookin good brother great job on saving them
 

smartguy345

New Member
Thanks.. I been pro active about the whole situation.. My problem was getting the right water levels. hey there some stuff call silica clay it helps roots out anyone suggest that? I think that my plants will be fine, but if not , I want to be prepared. For some reason, this thread isnt popping up when someone responds... crazy.
 
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