Hydro growing question

Outlawknight7

Outlawknight7

Active Member
Ive been using a hydro system for one week now and ive noticed the water level has gone down a bit. My question is do i add more solution to the res? Or do i just pump it all out and add new solution? I know i will eventually have to, but when and how often?
 
herbose

herbose

Well-Known Member
Mix up as much nute solution as you need and pour it in. When you've added as much solution as your reservoir holds, flush and start new. This is what General Hydro recommends. My reservoir holds 17 gallons. After flushing and replacing with new solution I record how much I added when it goes down. After 17 gal of replacement, I flush again and start all over. The water goes down slowly when the plants are small, the pace picks up when the plants get big.
 
Outlawknight7

Outlawknight7

Active Member
herbose said:
Mix up as much nute solution as you need and pour it in. When you've added as much solution as your reservoir holds, flush and start new.quote]



But why add more solution if ur just going to flush it anyways? Shouldnt i just flush it now and fill it up with new solution?
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Outlawknight7

Outlawknight7

Active Member
exzile said:
how can u guys tell the water level of ur systems? do u upen them up?
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My garden of ease came with a water indicator level. And my water level has been going down since i filled it a week ago. Thats how i can tell, i guess u could just open it too.

Oh does it matter if u change the water/solution with the grow lights on?
 
squishdoggydog

squishdoggydog

Well-Known Member
I have a 6 gallon res and I flush it every 7 days, regardless of level. I use wal-mart brand distilled water. My pH stays about 5.5 all the time that way. I almost never have to adjust it. Now when the plants get taller, they drink almost a gallon a day. In those instances, I wait until it's half empty, add three gallons, and add 1/3 the nutrient mix. The next time it goes half empty, I flush the whole thing and add full nutes. I don't know if this is the best way or not, but it works for me.
 
herbose

herbose

Well-Known Member
But why add more solution if ur just going to flush it anyways? Shouldnt i just flush it now and fill it up with new solution?[/quote]

The reason you flush it is because the plants produce waste products and salts build up that can harm the plants. You add nutes because the plants consume them. Are you using aTDS or EC meter?
If you have a small system you could just flush and replace but you will be doing that often. My whole system holds about 40 gal and takes most of the day to flush and renew. The less often I have to do that the happier I am.
 
msdsm39

msdsm39

Well-Known Member
I have a 17 gal reservoir that I fill up with my nutrient solution thats pH balanced around 6.0. I check it daily and measure the CF and the pH. When the solution gets to the lower limit of the res I top it off with RO water to keep it above the min level and then make sure its in my pH range of 5.7 to 6.5. Then once a week to ten days i flush it and refill it with fresh solution.


https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/47974-big-bud-grow-seed-day-12.html
 
Outlawknight7

Outlawknight7

Active Member
Ok cool thanks, yeah my system is a small one, 7 gallons. I dont have a tds or an ec meter, aleast not yet. Im broke lol. Ill guess i just flush it once a week untill i get those meters. What is RO water tho?
 
exzile

exzile

Well-Known Member
ok wat about those large jugs of water that people have in offices that they get water from to drink? can i use taht water? they have it at homedepot for like 15dollars a huge jug and 7 dollars back if u return the jug
 
msdsm39

msdsm39

Well-Known Member
Yeah... my system cost $130 bucks at Lowe's/Home Depot. I've changed at least 150 gallons of water. Thats 30 big jugs. If you want to save the money. The bottled water is totally fine.
 
User24

User24

Well-Known Member
reverse osmosis, its a type of filtration.

you can buy yourself a RO filter at most big hardware stores, and save the hassle of carting jugs to your water vendor all the time
 
herbose

herbose

Well-Known Member
User24 said:
reverse osmosis, its a type of filtration.

you can buy yourself a RO filter at most big hardware stores, and save the hassle of carting jugs to your water vendor all the time
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Hi USER, what ppm and ph do you wind up with after RO?
 
herbose

herbose

Well-Known Member
msdsm39 said:
I have a 17 gal reservoir that I fill up with my nutrient solution thats pH balanced around 6.0. I check it daily and measure the CF and the pH. When the solution gets to the lower limit of the res I top it off with RO water to keep it above the min level and then make sure its in my pH range of 5.7 to 6.5. Then once a week to ten days i flush it and refill it with fresh solution.


https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/47974-big-bud-grow-seed-day-12.html
Click to expand...

MSDSM, do you have a GH water Farm by any chance?
 
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