New grow, would like some input

My first post ever.
Alright I'd like some input from all you pros out there.

I purchased a 6 plant aeroponics system with a 105 W CFL, which they said is equivalent to a 400HID...but Im not sure if that's true, who knows. But I also have a 250W HPS to flower with later on.

I have the following materials: rockwool, hydroton, netted pots, and earth juice nutes, and of course the golden beans to grow with.

Here's where I need your input on.

So I sprout the seeds, wonderful, I got that part. Now when it comes to PPM, PH, and how many times a day I need to spray the roots, or how to go about increasing PPM over time I am simply baffled.

Do I start with a certain PPM and increase it over the veg cycle? Do I maintain this PPM or reduce it during flowering. I have already done one grow with a different system, the good old water-nutes-and-airstone in rubermaid container, but my plants became stunted since I didn't have any devices to measure pH and or the knowhow on what the appropriate levels were. I would simply change out the water every other week. I'm in the process of buying a TDS and PH measuring device, and I'm gona wait on some input before I get started. Thanks you guys

Wow...im bummed out, no responses...anyone willing to gimme some input?

Welcome to the forum. First of all you will of course want to do some reading. You are right you will need to have a ph meter to check the ph level of your water. For the medium you are using I believe the recommended ph is 5.3 to 5.8. As far as measuring and controlling nutes you will have a little time to learn about this. It will take a week or two before your plants will need any nutrients. You should get some good nutes. My Hydro shop says there are several good ones. They do recommend that you use the same brand for the vegging and flowering stages.
After you have germinated your seeds and planted them in your ph 5.5 moistened rock wool cubes, it helps if you have a propegator, but you have done this before soo....
TDS or total dissolved solids is one way of measuring nutes. I recommend the Blue Lab Truncheon which gives you your reading using EC (electrical conductivity). About $135.00 and so simple to use. Just dip it in the water and it flashes a light at your EC reading.
I think Garden Knomn has a post of a nute schedule for the various stages of growth. I follw one in a book I bought and most companies that manufacture nutes have literature that gives a schedule for thier nutes. Follow the one for tomatoes.
Hope this gets you started in the right direction. VV

Shanti4life said:

Wow...im bummed out, no responses...anyone willing to gimme some input?

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your lucky some noob didnt steer you wrong .

VictorVIcious...you are awesome, thank you for the reply. I picked up Cervantes' book a while back, the MJ horiculture book and I wasn't really very impressed with it, it digressed from a lot of topics at times; however, it did have good pictures. Are there any books or specific articles online you suggest I should read. Furthermore...I've spent about $200 on an aero system 150 on an HPS and a lot on the magic beans...am I looking at another $3-400 for a pH tester, TDS tester, and pH adjusters before I can get started? Do I absolutely need these to be successful?

The ph pens run around $50.00 to $150.00,The blue lab truncheon is one of the best there is.Hydro you have to know what the Ph and tds levels are.The Ph up&down is about $8.00 to $10.00.Peace

Shanti4life said:

Do I absolutely need these to be successful?

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In a word- yes.

However, if you take Tokecrazy's advice & get Truncheon meters, you won't be buying any meters for at least 5 years. My Truncheon ppm meter is 7 years old.

I'll keep that in mind. Those bluelab meters are almost 300 bucks...wow this is gonna hit the bank hard.

mmm.... where are you shopping? Amazon has them for about $120. There's surely a better price than that around, too. I just haven't looked very hard. Google a little more.

this is the one and only i've used not very potable though

420101, that's a nice looking meter. The detachable probe looks like a handy feature.

Sorry I should have been more specific when I said 300 bucks. I meant the bluelab combo one that does it all - PH, TDS, EC costs ~300 bucks.
I decided to buy Stealth Hydro pH Control Kit from stealthhydro.com

I'll probably end up getting a bluelab tds meter.
Thank you all for your input
I was just really disappointed with my first grow. I've been reading up like crazy on mistakes not to make, hopefully it will be smoother sailing this time around.

you won't be too impressed with your system...i could've saved 100 bux by making it...i use super natz instead of the earth juice ones, they just don't cut it. the hydroton is gonna fall all over through the net pots...when you get the system...your gonna be like, "F--K! i could've made this for 50 bux!!!

Shanti4life said:

Sorry I should have been more specific when I said 300 bucks. I meant the bluelab combo one that does it all - PH, TDS, EC costs ~300 bucks.
I decided to buy Stealth Hydro pH Control Kit from stealthhydro.com

I'll probably end up getting a bluelab tds meter.
Thank you all for your input
I was just really disappointed with my first grow. I've been reading up like crazy on mistakes not to make, hopefully it will be smoother sailing this time around.

Click to expand...

Colour match pH test kits may get you in the ballpark, but discerning the difference between a few tenths is more difficult. Assure you use colour match kits in normal room lighting, not under HPS.

If you're looking to be more certain your parameters are in range, when funds permit, you're wise to buy an electronic meter, which you can periodically calibrate using known value pH test solutions (causes the meter to read 4.0, 7.0, etc.).

Absolutely, when funds permit I will certainly buy a digital pH meter. However, the reason I chose the pH strips from stealthhydro is that they don't just turn one color. It has two spots on the strip which you match up to two colors on the meter. It's supposed to show pH at 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 5.75, 6.0, 6.25, 6.5, 6.75, 7.0, 7.25, 7.5, 8, and 8.5...and while it's still not optimal I think it will be sufficient for the short time I use it. I am curious why the two spots on there turn different colors...anyone good with chemistry?

i have a rapitest 4 way tester, are these reliable?