New to hydro grow need advice

(Do not!) add co2 to your water or nutrient solution unlike green underwater vegitation you don’t want co2 levels to rise in your water the reason for cool temps is aide in Oxygen levels. Co2 promotes bacteria algae and just plain problems in your res which is why we strive to keep oxygen high and co2 low

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I don’t think I could express in enough ways why extra co2 is a bad idea but here are some simple factors adding better air stones running cooler res temps is specifically to try and supply greater levels of oxygen. Putting in anything which increases co2 is doing complete opposite at that point the hydro advice which may have been given would be opposite :wink:

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@Donaldj , Just was checking, being new to Hydro.

What PH meter do you use. I had one that was working fine and one day the sensor broke. In my hast to get a replacement I did not read up on them and got a cheep one that at times can read one thing and 2 sec. later read way off from what it just read.

I use 2 pH meters: digital and chemical. Because pH level really is the key to success, I use one pH meter to double check the other. Of course, I also check the pH like 4.62 million times a day. :wink:

Co2 is taken in through the leaves, not the roots. I found a nifty little Co2 generator on eBay. It is a plastic bottle with a vacuum tee at the top. You place water in the bottle, and drop a little pill that comes with it into the water. Over the next week, the pill dissolves and releases Co2. I then mount the bottle at the top of my grow area and run vacuum tubing from the tee down to just hovering over my plants. I got a 3 month supply of the Co2 pills, and the bottle for ~$10.

I am not fussy about ph meters I make sure to have 2 different calibration fluids on hand and always store meter with liquid in lid if they dry they die very simple rule

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Hydro guard really helps in my dwc. I had root problems and it more or less fixed all my problems.

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That being said I’m about halfway through my first dwc (or any) grow so I’m a noob. I have managed to keep all of the plants alive though even with root problems, deficiencies and basically stunting them in almost every way possible though. Botonicare hydroguard calmag n thrive have kept these plants alive so I suggest them

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I suggest cleaning the walls of your bucket, the cleaner the root zone the better in hydro. I suggest the black buckets but you might have to run around town to find them. Or paint the ones you have. Good luck I hope everything works out!:+1:

Im a noob with hydro and have had no issues nor using hydroguard or anything. Perhaps Ive been lucky. I am about 5 weeks from harvest. I do have a black bucket and change the water every week at the moment but didnt change it the first time until about 4 weeks into the grow.

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@Hammer,@Donaldj, I was able to recover 2 of my plants that had a nutrient toxicity issue, did not get much smoke, was ok high. Now I am on a new grow and three weeks from germination I am having an issue again that look like nutrient toxicity. Thing is I have not started adding nutrient yet ?

This plant looks good but seeing Issues with some leaves.? Yesterday was the first time putting Nut’s in water change out PH was 5.8 ± .1 PPM 24 now PH 5.8 ±.1, PPM 600-700 Using GH 3 part combo. These plants are only 3 weeks from germinating. I wait for the seed to shed the seed shell and place in BB. I have also added a bubble drip sys. that has work great, never had a root sys like this in only 3 weeks.

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What’s ur res temps at?

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Been keeping it 63- 69 deg. I put ice packs in daily when checking PH. Change water weekly. Have not had to adjust PH much lately, been holding 5.7-6.0.

Hmm… Can’t think why your plants look droopy like that then… Maybe a lack of something since you haven’t added nutes yet. I would check the calibration of your pH meter too

too cold at 63 66-70 is ideal but mainly they just look to be hungry and yes I certainly would calibrate ph pen for piece of mind also the drip ring is meant to start roots after they are there I always suggest removing it as it keeps root head too wet

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Having just completed my first hydro grow I can say that my temps were always around the early 70’s but as long as you have a good bubble then it seems to be ok. I never put ice or anything near the plant but I did point a fan at the bucket to help the water temps. I didnt change my water for the first 4 weeks, just topped up and ph adjusted.
Guys here are awesome though!

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@Donaldj, @Tonyb I just got a new PH meter and have calibrated it, and I also verify with a liquid drop testing. They are looking a little better, I just change water and PPM is now 850 and PH holding at 5.8 - 60. Fan leaves are very large. Also I had stop watering a couple week ago. Just use it until I have a good root system. The drop sys work very good. They are only on there 4th wk from starting germinating (soaking seed in water).

Probably should be good, just keep us updated if that didn’t do the trick. What did you do about the cold res temps?

@Tonyb, I made smaller ice pack’s (food saver) and now they only drop to about 65. I have also insulated my buckets with some cheep duct vent insulation. Looking for some 1/2" to 1" rubber form.