Our setup:
4-bucket DWC system from Current Culture H2O
Inda-gro Pro420 induction light with optional 40W far-red supplemental LED's (16 hours on, 8 hours off)
Automated nutrient and pH doser (maintaining 2100uS and 5.8pH)
1/4HP water chiller (maintaining 65*F)
Current Culture "Cultured Solutions" nutrients
General Hydroponics CaliMagic synthetic Cal-Mag
Advanced Nutrients pH Down
My business partner and I develop hydroponic automation systems, but until recently we never grew anything at our facility. Most of the R&D that we do doesn't require actual plants, and as a result we have a bunch of empty hydroponic systems all over the place. When customers and friends stop by for the first time they invariably ask us, "Why aren't you guys growing something here??" So, January of last year we decided to grow some Carolina Reaper peppers.
Germination took what seemed like forever. Granted, conditions weren't perfect (it was cold), but we started seeing signs of life in the rockwool after about a month. After ~6 weeks we had four beans that sprouted so we threw them in the DWC system.
Again, growth was super slow to start. First, we had an aphid problem (see pic above). Since the plants were still small we meticulously squished all of the aphids we could see, and eventually, miraculously, we conquered those bastards. We also discovered the plants were showing signs of a Cal-Mag deficiency, so we've been adding Gen Hydro CaliMagic ever since.
After about 6 months in the DWC system the plants started flowering. So, we raised our nutrient concentration from 700µS (350ppm NaCl or 490ppm 442) to 1200uS (600ppm NaCl or 840ppm 442). We got frustrated because we couldn't get pods to form despite our best efforts.
Sometime in the fall we raised our nutrient concentration from 1200uS to 2100uS (1050ppm NaCl or 1470ppm 442). We actually thought we lost our window of opportunity to get pods because we went all through the summer with no pods, and we were sure once it got cold all hope would be lost. But strangely, a few weeks ago two of the four plants just started forming pods. We found one red one so far:
The plants are freaking gigantic now, and we're lazy so they're sort of growing wildly. We can't wait to try these peppers and give some away. Anyway, just wanted to share our hydroponic super-hots with you guys!
4-bucket DWC system from Current Culture H2O
Inda-gro Pro420 induction light with optional 40W far-red supplemental LED's (16 hours on, 8 hours off)
Automated nutrient and pH doser (maintaining 2100uS and 5.8pH)
1/4HP water chiller (maintaining 65*F)
Current Culture "Cultured Solutions" nutrients
General Hydroponics CaliMagic synthetic Cal-Mag
Advanced Nutrients pH Down
My business partner and I develop hydroponic automation systems, but until recently we never grew anything at our facility. Most of the R&D that we do doesn't require actual plants, and as a result we have a bunch of empty hydroponic systems all over the place. When customers and friends stop by for the first time they invariably ask us, "Why aren't you guys growing something here??" So, January of last year we decided to grow some Carolina Reaper peppers.
Germination took what seemed like forever. Granted, conditions weren't perfect (it was cold), but we started seeing signs of life in the rockwool after about a month. After ~6 weeks we had four beans that sprouted so we threw them in the DWC system.
Again, growth was super slow to start. First, we had an aphid problem (see pic above). Since the plants were still small we meticulously squished all of the aphids we could see, and eventually, miraculously, we conquered those bastards. We also discovered the plants were showing signs of a Cal-Mag deficiency, so we've been adding Gen Hydro CaliMagic ever since.
After about 6 months in the DWC system the plants started flowering. So, we raised our nutrient concentration from 700µS (350ppm NaCl or 490ppm 442) to 1200uS (600ppm NaCl or 840ppm 442). We got frustrated because we couldn't get pods to form despite our best efforts.
Sometime in the fall we raised our nutrient concentration from 1200uS to 2100uS (1050ppm NaCl or 1470ppm 442). We actually thought we lost our window of opportunity to get pods because we went all through the summer with no pods, and we were sure once it got cold all hope would be lost. But strangely, a few weeks ago two of the four plants just started forming pods. We found one red one so far:
The plants are freaking gigantic now, and we're lazy so they're sort of growing wildly. We can't wait to try these peppers and give some away. Anyway, just wanted to share our hydroponic super-hots with you guys!
Stay warm!
