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hydroponic Need Hydroponic Advise

Matt50680

Matt50680

Ok so a forum member gave me a YouTube link to what seems like a simple Hydroponic system to build and I am going to try it out. Only thing I am truely lost on is nutrients. What should I use to start? I know I need to change the nutrients depending on if the plant is growing, blooming or producing, but thats all I really know. He is going to grow cucumbers in the video, but it seems like it would be the same for peppers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjSukG1k7G4&feature=related

What do the Hydroponic guys recommend? And where is the best place online to get supplies in the USA? Thanks in advance...
 
Depends on budget. Personally, I use the Flora series from General Hydroponics, but everyone has their own preferences.

Basically, there are 3 parts to the Flora series, Micro, Bloom, and Gro. They each have their own mix of nutrients, for each stage of growth, and you vary their concentrations at each stage of growth. You could just use those 3 alone, but there are other additives you could possibly add to boost the performance of your crops.

There are other factors to learn about such as pH and ppm, which aren't really that hard to learn.

Here is a good site to learn about hydroponics: http://www.simplyhydro.com/hydrou.htm
 
Before you invest a lot of money, you might want to try a bag of GH Maxibloom. You can get one for about $10 and if your water is a good match, it could be all you need. For a little more you could buy Maxigrow (heavy nitrogen) and a pH kit or try out the GH Flora 3 part. I'm now using 3 dry components that I buy in bulk (hydro nute, calcium nitrate, MgSO4), but maxibloom supplies everything plants need but in a fixed ratio that may not be 100% perfect.
 
Start simple... i like the GH series, got it because it was the cheapest... but works well. Ph adj will probably be needed, I went for a while with no PPM meter, I was doing OK with out one, but I was off more than i thought.
 
I'm a big fan of the X Nutrients line. Ive been nothing but impressed with the outcome since I have been using it and will end up buying the entire line for next season.

-J
 
The house I live in does not have a water softener, will that effect my PH in a good way or bad way? I am on city water but the city also supplies the rural community with water as well (small town USA here).
 
Matt50680 said:
The house I live in does not have a water softener, will that effect my PH in a good way or bad way? I am on city water but the city also supplies the rural community with water as well (small town USA here).
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I have a five stage RO/DI filter that I use strictly for watering my potted plants and also for my hydro plants. Water quality in my city is horrible stuff and it's the only way I can effectively grow healthy plants. Learned the lesson of pH this year after moving into the new house.

-J
 
Torno said:
I have a five stage RO/DI filter that I use strictly for watering my potted plants and also for my hydro plants. Water quality in my city is horrible stuff and it's the only way I can effectively grow healthy plants. Learned the lesson of pH this year after moving into the new house.

-J
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what R/O System are you using? i am looking into getting one but trying to get a feel for what others are using.(sorry to thread jack)

i am currently using General Hydro Flora Nova "Bloom" and i add some hydrogen peroxide.
 
Matt50680 said:
The house I live in does not have a water softener, will that effect my PH in a good way or bad way? I am on city water but the city also supplies the rural community with water as well (small town USA here).
Click to expand...

You don't want a water softener. Many times tap water will have a high pH, but the nutrients bring that down. If your lucky it's all you need, but a pH kit is good piece of mind.
 
Would "Filtered or Bottled" water that you get from say Wal-Mart in gallon jugs be ok to use if the house water smells like chlorine? I mean, purified water is obviously better for hydroponics right?
 
Tap water can be ok as well, as long as you are adjusting your PH at and PPM accordingly. tap water depending on your area will increase the TDS reading so you have to remember that PPM at 1000 may only be 800PPM of nutrients... the the other 200 unusable.

Test your tap water, if PH is adjustable easily and PPM isnt outragous (lets say less than 250) Id use the tap water.... although let it sit out for a day so that most of the chlorine can evaporate.

Proper RO water now has zero microNutrients remember. so If you do go RO water... you'll need to buy and supplemnt the Micro's as well.
Hope that helps a little. Best of luck, Cheers
 
I use RO water exclusively for my hydro and soil plants and haven't had to supplement anything extra with using a 3 part fert line.

-J
 
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