I have never grown anything in any medium other than soil, but I am going to venture into hydroponics by starting with hempy buckets. My intention is to grow in 5 gallon buckets in either 100% perlite or a 75/25 perlite, vermiculite mixture. I will water the plants by hand. My question is what tools will I need for ensuring a correct mix of water and nutes? If I mix the solution 1 gallon at a time, will I mix in the nutes by the teaspoon? By fluid ounces with a measuring cup? Or will it be with something like an eye dropper where 1 or two drops is all that’s needed in a gallon of water? If I use General Hydroponics Flora Grow, Bloom & Flora Micro how much of these would typically be added to 1 gallon of water? What is a good meter that will be easy to use so I do not have to do any changing from EC to PPM, etc. to convert to the manufacturers mixing instructions? Thanks.
Sorry buddy. Don’t have time for a more informational answer but a blunt tip syringe. Measure in ml.
I use a children’s tylenol syringe for the liquids, measuring spoons for dry stuff. I mix it in the watering can I use to feed, then aerate with an air stone until I’m ready to use it. Any adjustments you make for pH should be done last, just before use. Most of the products you’re using are going to be using are around 5-10ml/gal., so a small syringe works well. I use the Apera PH20 pH meter, and a cheapo TDS meter (they’re basically ohm meters, don’t go nuts). You mainly want something that holds calibration well, has digital calibration (not an adjustment screw), and you’ll need reference solutions for calibrating when needed.
Here’s the ones I use:
https://www.amazon.com/Accurate-HoneForest-Temperature-0-9990ppm-Aquariums/dp/B073713G5F/
The 3ml/5ml/10ml for nutes and the 1ml for PH up and I use a small siracha sauce bottle for PD down.
The 5ml if you pull the plunger out all the way out its 7.5 ml and the 10ml is 12ml , I only really use those two sizes.
Thanks elheffe702. This is exactly what I wanted to know.
" navy blue objects" are 1ml. Was thinking they would be the most used but I never use them. I mix about 3 gals of GH nutes at a time and they use 5ml/7.5ml/10ml/12.5ml and 15ml on their feeding chart so I just normally use the 5ml and 10ml ones. I use the 3ml for mixing in silica only