So very new, any advice welcome!

Hey gang! I was gifted most of a DWC hydro setup and while 4 of these gals are doing great, this one is having issues.
PPM & PH are right where they need to be, any ideas on what may be going on? I'm guessing stress as they've had quite a journey the last week to so, but idk.
Halp? Please?

Are all your plants the same strain? Grown from seed? Clones? Could just be a fidgety phenotype.

TCH said:

Are all your plants the same strain? Grown from seed? Clones? Could just be a fidgety phenotype.

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3 different strains, all from clones. I lowered the water just a touch so it's closer to a full inch from the bottom of the basket, going to hold my breath and hope for the best!
Thank you!

Looks "underwatered" which is stupid because it's IN water. Must be a root problem, what's the water temp?

Make sure you didn't lower the water too low, roots may not be touching water?

PopAndSonGrows said:

Looks "underwatered" which is stupid because it's IN water. Must be a root problem, what's the water temp?

Make sure you didn't lower the water too low, roots may not be touching water?

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The roots haven't quite gotten through to the bottom of the basket just yet. It's funny, everything I'm reading online says it's DEFINITELY underwatered, or DEFINITELY overwatered, or an overfeeding of nutes lmao.
This is my first go round doing anything like this, so if I don't see improvement by tomorrow I'll raise the water to maybe closer to 1/4" below the basket.
Thank you!

cirebrains45 said:

The roots haven't quite gotten through to the bottom of the basket just yet. It's funny, everything I'm reading online says it's DEFINITELY underwatered, or DEFINITELY overwatered, or an overfeeding of nutes lmao.
This is my first go round doing anything like this, so if I don't see improvement by tomorrow I'll raise the water to maybe closer to 1/4" below the basket.
Thank you!

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Water temp is 68-70 depending on time of day

Raise water NOW, it'll be dead by tomorrow. DWC is like that, you can lose that plant with the quickness if you don't immediately correct an issue.

PopAndSonGrows said:

Raise water NOW, it'll be dead by tomorrow. DWC is like that, you can lose that plant with the quickness if you don't immediately correct an issue.

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On it! Would 1/4" below the basket suffice or should I go closer?

I'm no pro but shouldn't the water touch the roots? That's all i know...

Like even if your aerator is "splashing" the roots should be fine

cirebrains45 said:

On it! Would 1/4" below the basket suffice or should I go closer?

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You might want to get the roots submerged asap until the plant perks back up. Then play around with the water level until you're getting the clay pellets properly wet. Yes, somewhere around1-2" below the basket should be fine until the roots grow enough to hit the water.

Dead serious, consider drilling holes in the bottom of that bucket, get some coco coir to fill the bucket and bury the roots in that. WAY more forgiving that DWC and almost all the same benefits of it; it's virtually "clean" and a clean slate to get started, but, with DWC you literally have to correct an issue ASAP or you're screwed. Coco, there's a bit more of a window to fix things, but positive corrections occur almost immediately unlike soil which can take a week or more to show that you've fixed an issue. Whatever nutrients you're using for DWC will work well for coco also.

Is the air stone in that bucket working as good as the other 3? If they are old & handed down, it could be clogged, and that one could be diverting the flow to the other 3 instead. They can be duds from the get go as is, let alone being used. Not bubbling enough to saturate up through the hydroton, and into the roots with the mist.. With bigger net pots, you want to run the water level right up to the bottom. Or even up above it for larger ones, temporarily anyway. You shouldn't lower the level unless there are roots dropping down yet, or unless you have a serious air pump, sprayers, drip ring from above, or other means of keeping it moist until it does. I try to pull roots down through the net cups (smaller ones are better IMO) when i transplant clones into them if possible, as it helps to speed up the process. Hope the plant made it!

Well, everyone's advice was hella appreciated and it appears "under watered" was the correct diagnosis! 12 hours later and she's perking up nicely!
Thanks RIU fam!

cirebrains45 said:

The roots haven't quite gotten through to the bottom of the basket just yet. It's funny, everything I'm reading online says it's DEFINITELY underwatered, or DEFINITELY overwatered, or an overfeeding of nutes lmao.
This is my first go round doing anything like this, so if I don't see improvement by tomorrow I'll raise the water to maybe closer to 1/4" below the basket.
Thank you!

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Pour the solution through the netbasket from the top a couple of times a day until roots hit the soup.

hotrodharley said:

Pour the solution through the netbasket from the top a couple of times a day until roots hit the soup.

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Thank you! I'll definitely do that!!

hotrodharley said:

Pour the solution through the netbasket from the top a couple of times a day until roots hit the soup.

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..and some more pebbles in it for around the rim, so plant materials or chunks don't fall fall down into the solution through the exposed mesh. Not as big of deal with a non recirculating system though..

You also wanna cover those buckets somehow to block all the light from entering. Probably cheaper to buy new black/opaque ones than it is to cover or even paint your red ones up. Same with the lids, but either way, you don't want algae or whatever else growing inside, from light filtering or making its way in. That includes the clear air lines near the lid, which you could cover up a little ways up, or switch to black line in that section.