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Hydro Grow.... never any fruit. Need advise

MNXR250R

MNXR250R

My last post was about E-cigs and the effects of Poly on the grow.... I'm changing the question.
 
I have had four separate grows in Hydro. You can see the current one http://thehotpepper.com/topic/66093-new-setup-hots/%C2 None of them have ever produced any fruit.
 
I can grow plants like crazy. That is easy.  But I can't get mature flowers to produce fruit. I have tried every form of pollination I can find. I have kept the temperatures low. I've tried high humidity and low humidity. I've changed nutes to (basically) a late flower, and I still can't keep the flowers on the plant. 
 
I'm going insane with this problem. Clearly, I am missing something. The transition from growth to flower to fruit is evading me.  I very close to giving up and going back to soil.
 
If anyone can help, I would be grateful.
 
Thanks All,
 
Jeff
 
Hello, I have not been on in a few months but this post was the second one I reviewed.
 
I understand your frustration,  but don't give up...things can turn around with a simple change in time of lighting, nutrients used and timing, temperature of the soil (growing media), etc. 
 
My first question to you is what nutrients are you using for your hydro grow and what schedule for adding ferts to you water are you using .  I, personally, use Botanicare products (not affiliated with the company at all) and have had great results using Progrow, ProBloom, Liquid Karma, and Cal-Mag....the back of the containers of these products indicates how much and when to use these products during the growth cycle.  
 
With that being said, let it be known I am NOT a hydro gardener, the way I grow is in container gardens that are on drip fertigation continually...each time they get water, they get food...only makes sense to me....but in hydro, the nutrients are everpresent so I can not speak to hydro.
 
sorry to ramble...
 
AJ
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KAOS said:
What hours have you got your lighting on/off ?
Click to expand...
 
Currently running the 18 on and 6 off.
 
AlabamaJack said:
Hello, I have not been on in a few months but this post was the second one I reviewed.
 
I understand your frustration,  but don't give up...things can turn around with a simple change in time of lighting, nutrients used and timing, temperature of the soil, etc. 
 
My first question to you is what nutrients are you using for your hydro grow and what schedule for adding ferts to you water are you using .  I, personally, use Botanicare products (not affiliated with the company at all) and have had great results using Progrow, ProBloom, Liquid Karma, and Cal-Mag....the back of the containers of these products indicates how much and when to use these products during the growth cycle.  
 
With that being said, let it be known I am NOT a hydro gardener, the way I grow is in container gardens that are on drip fertigation continually...each time they get water, they get food...only makes sense to me....but in hydro, the nutrients are everpresent so I can not speak to hydro.
 
sorry to ramble...
 
AJ
Click to expand...
 
Nutes are General Hydro Flora series.  I have a feeding schedule that I downloaded from the GH site. Been using a "late bloom" mix for a few weeks now. Low N and high P,K.
 
I change the nutes every 12-14 days. It depends on my schedule and the pH shift.  I have to add pH DOWN for a weeks or so, the the pH shift will change directions as the nutes get used up. I'll stop adding DOWN and add a little Micro and Bloom for a couple days to keep the pH stable at around 6. Then when I get the chance I'll change out the entire reservoir. Never gone more than 14 days though.
 
I've been toying with the idea of adding nutes every day to keep the PPM and the pH in range.  Perhaps I can work out a schedule to do just that..........after I get some peppers.
 
So the two replies that indicate that light's-on time could be significant. Everything that I have read is that peppers are not photo-period sensitive. I've even read a tale where peppers were grown with a 24/7 light schedule. But then I've read that with the right magic bean, one can travel between realms.
 
SO for the sake of science, I'll cut the lights back to a 12-12 cycle and see what happens.
 
Thanks for the replies,
 
Jeff
 
Jeff...it may not be science as far as light duration, but I would think you would want to emulate the natural duration of the sun down around Trinidad or some other tropical climate....JMHO...
 
AJ
 
AlabamaJack said:
Jeff...it may not be science as far as light duration, but I would think you would want to emulate the natural duration of the sun down around Trinidad or some other tropical climate....JMHO...
 
AJ
Click to expand...
Could this trick actually work? I am in the same situation as MNXR250R exept I grow in soil. I have a bushy plant that is refusing to set fruit and I want to think that I have most of the standard causes of flowerdrop covered.
Currently Im running a 16/8 lightschdule but I saw that current daylight in Trinidad is 11 hours 40 minutes.
 
what is the hybrid? Could be sterile. I've never had a problem getting pods indoors. I really don't think light schedule is important for peppers to flower or fruit, peppers will flower and fruit any time of the year. Not photoperiod sensitive like a lot of other things people grow hydro. Same with the "bloom" formulas, I don't think they do anything for peppers. 
 
What is your ambient night/day temps? And temp of hydro solution when lights go on/off? 
Do you have a fan running?
What pollination methods have you tried? 
 
What are your ppm's, Temps both day and night, and humidity lvls? Also the quantity and type of ph adjuster you are using.
 
To all that replied, thanks a bunch !!  Here is a link to the grow. It has most of the information about the environment.  http://thehotpepper.com/topic/66093-new-setup-hots/
 
Biggy said:
What are your ppm's, Temps both day and night, and humidity lvls? Also the quantity and type of ph adjuster you are using.
Click to expand...
 
The PPM's started out pretty high... around 1500.  I cut this value way back early in the game and now they start (fresh nutes) at around 800 (200 of that is calcium in the tap water).
 
The temps as you'll see in the GLOG were at least 85 during the lights on, and at night (Minnesota fall season) were in the low 70's.  Today I get 80-84 in the tent at lights on, and 68-70 at night.
 
The humidity, which I once had control over, was running at 80%.  When I did this the plants were growing over half an inch a day. Someone said that the humidity (high) will prevent the flowers from maturing, so I killed the humidity. Now the tent ranges from 38-50 percent.
 
Thanks again,
 
Jeff
 
Get a hold of an infrared thermometer, and check your leaf surface temps, and the temps at the flower buds. Temps of the leaves should ideally be 1.5-4 degrees lower than the ambient temp, and flower buds should stay below 87f to set fruit. The cmh may be heating up the plants more than expected, possibly higher than the ambient temps.
 
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