• Do you need help identifying a 🌶?
    Is your plant suffering from an unknown issue? 🤧
    Then ask in Identification and Diagnosis.

Calling all Hydro users - Flora 3 part ppm help.

Toleman

Toleman

Hi there.

Fancied a go at hydro as I have been looking into it for a long time and finally thought i will take the plunge.

From ebay i've bought a DWC single pot package including:

Pot
Lid with cut out
Pump which doesn't need an air stone aparently
Mesh Pot
Clay pebbles
Tube to check levels.

Sepratly ive ordered - General Hydroponics Flora Tri-Pak Nutrient box set (3 500ml bottles) plus a ph test kit and powdered ph down are included. im not sure how good the powdered ph down is but i can get the system running for a week with no plant and see how it holds out.

Question is really what ppm to use for a plant thats passed the seedling stage and more a small plant - 8/10 true leaves.

Been searching the forums and ive seen Willard uses all 3 nutes at the same amount at 450 - 550 ppm throughout the season. This sound about right?

Just need to get my mum to get me some syringes from work (works in the pharmacy) which will save me buying pipettes for measuring out.

Any advice for ppm is what im mainly after and anything im over looking.

Cheers Chris
 
One glaring omission that I spot is a lack of pics :)

Im about to order a pH/EC meter so I've been wondering the same thing really. So far I've just been following the dilution instructions on the nutrient bottle, and using the liquid pH tester and its working. Only problem is i have no way of monitoring how much the EC changes after that. pH has been stable so far. My plants are too small right now to really use much of the nutes out of my 25gal res, but i need to get that meter ASAP.
 
Pics will be up as soon as it arrives - ordered a few hours ago.

From people I have spoke to most just check ph levels and top up with fresh water (if needed) until 7 - 10 days has passed and then do a solution change.

One experienced hydro grower said if his plants look unhappy a solution change will help the majority of times so doesnt bother with expensive ec/ppm meters.

Does 450 ppm sound about right? its what the website recommend for general use. Im never to sure with trusting what it says on bottles as this could be more for the pot growers.


Cheers, Chris
 
Hiya Nice to see you hear my friend,A pH/EC meter is worth its wait in gold and will soon pay you back in kind ;)
 
Plan is to see how i go this year and decide if I need one.

Pic of plant to go in is a 7 pot (either in square pot)


P110409_1742.jpg
 
Nutes..Always check your water..Hard or soft makes a big difference and can send your PH levels up and down with like a yoyo
Canna Aqua for Soft and Canna Substra for Hydro....Good for hard water areas is super in oxy pot system as ph levels can stabilize easily :)
 
Cheers Dave. I have hard water and have bought the hard water General Hydroponic nutes.

We shall see how I get on. Basicly this is a cheap introduction to hydro for myself and depending how I get on I may upgrade to a NFT or ebb and flow next year and give something else a go in the bubbler.

Chris
 
I'm basically a lazy and skinflint person, at least in some regards. I did check the pH and ppm level after a few weeks - 6.5 and 720 IIRC. I bought off-the-shelf liquid ferts, one heavy in Nitrogen, the other light in it so once the plants start blooming I can change. The total cost was about $7 and I have enough to last me for a couple of years. Add about three ounces per week, plus a couple of multi-vitamins to a four gallon pot and fill it once a week close to the bottom of the net pots.

I love growing plants but I'm learning that trying to micromanage them is an exercise in futility and a waste of time!

JMO, YMMV.

Mike
 
I started looking into hydro today and quickly realized that I would like to get better at soil planting before I move on to this!

Very interesting. I enjoy hovering over hydro threads.

... Maybe some day!
 
Toleman said:
Hi there.

Fancied a go at hydro as I have been looking into it for a long time and finally thought i will take the plunge.

From ebay i've bought a DWC single pot package including:

Pot
Lid with cut out
Pump which doesn't need an air stone aparently
Mesh Pot
Clay pebbles
Tube to check levels.

Sepratly ive ordered - General Hydroponics Flora Tri-Pak Nutrient box set (3 500ml bottles) plus a ph test kit and powdered ph down are included. im not sure how good the powdered ph down is but i can get the system running for a week with no plant and see how it holds out.

Question is really what ppm to use for a plant thats passed the seedling stage and more a small plant - 8/10 true leaves.

Been searching the forums and ive seen Willard uses all 3 nutes at the same amount at 450 - 550 ppm throughout the season. This sound about right?

Just need to get my mum to get me some syringes from work (works in the pharmacy) which will save me buying pipettes for measuring out.

Any advice for ppm is what im mainly after and anything im over looking.

Cheers Chris
Click to expand...



ok man i have been using the GH 3part for many years now.... i only use RO water this will keep your PH more stable... i never use PH down unless i add to much PH up ... i have found using 1 milliter per gallon of PH up does the trick... i also was using a 40gallon rez.... well i use this chart from GH now and it was right on the money with what i wanted i also think you could use half of what it says and your plants will do just fine... i also changed my water 1 time a week i only wanted fresh water but you could wait 2+weeks... for seedlings/clones i would keep it under 400ppm then every water change i would increase the nutes... just do what this chart says http://www.genhydro.com/genhydro_US/feeding_charts/GH_ExpertProgram_Recirculating.pdf i dont even use a tds or ec meters anymore i like the results of this chart...i also use everything on that chart and i have used few more things GH puts out... without a pic hard to say but i would start it off on a mild growth nutes.. i would just use good water and life will be easier for you in the long run.... well good luck man,hit me up if you need anything bro!!!
 
Purchasing a small ready to go unit with TriFlora mix is a super easy and rewarding way to start getting in to hydro.

I plan on purchasing a PH/ec meter sometime for sure, so for I've done well though with the PH test solution and small test vial for the past few seasons. I don't even know offhand what a decent one costs.

And unless you have a vast quantity of water you're adding nutrient to, TriFlora has an easy teaspoon/gallon (or hopefully the Metric equivalent) listed on the back of the bottle for every nutrient bottle.

I also find it's useful to have both PH up and down on hand. I generally only use PH down, but have needed the up when I flubbed up the mix or something.

Have fun with it and post some pics when you get it going.
 
I keep my nutrient between 400 and 500 ppm.

Control of Ph and EC is critical for success in hydro.....buy good meters.
 
Txclosetgrower said:
pH of my tap water is 9.6 holy shit
Click to expand...

lol don't drink it too much unless you want kidney stones! im j/k, I bet if you drink it your nails will grow quicker :-p. I try and get 1 bottle of fiji water a week for these reasons! I know im insane.
 
I got a hanna ph meter for 40 and a "CF ECOstick" ec truncheon. One with LEDs instead of an LCD readout for 58 bucks. Only thing that pisses me off is the range goes from .4 to 5.2 ec (~280 to 3640 ppm using the x700 conversion) and it won't read the ec of my tap water. Which I guess means my water is below 280 ppm but I'd really like to know what it is. Oh well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top