For my first grow I decided to take up a challenge, although being a small tent I will be using hydroponics recirculating system, with intention to gain experience and slowly scale up.
Started the seeds in Jiffy with 6.2Ph water and 120ppm of Canna Start on the 19th evening. Using a SpiderFarmer SF1000 LED at 30 inches, 20% power and temperature around 69 F.
Next day I figured out that temperature was not ideal so I placed some water bottles filled with hot water (I don`t have heating yet haha) to increase temp, so now trying to keep always around 73-75 F.
On the 22nd morning noticed some germination going on, but only on one seed, so I checked moisture level in the Jiffy and sprayed some water. And then in the evening the first girl showed up to the world .
Morning of 23rd I removed the dome, lowered the light to 25 inches, and since then I’ve been trying to keep humidity to 65-70% (it has been a challenge) while trying to keep the temp at 73-75 F. The other girl still didn’t show her face out, however in the evening I’ve noticed some germination going on (still waiting…).
So far have only used the exhaust fan and circulating fan whenever needed a quick change in the environment. Will get a heater soon to keep inside the room (outside the tent) so I can control better the temp.
As soon as they are ready I will be moving then into the Hydro system, where I will place the jiffy into the net pots with hydroton on top of the buckets running the top drip irrigation/recirculating system.
That is from today (still waiting for the other one… ). Looking healthy!
@Hydro I was also considering to cut open the Jiffy and place seedlings directly on hydroton to avoid clogging the system. I should have bought rockwool, my mistake (living and learning).
How long do you wait before taking the rockwool and placing into the hydro system? The seedling is already 2 inches tall from the soil and I was considering waiting 1 more day to transplant.
As soon as I see roots coming out of the bottom.
I’ve also used an aerogarden. With that I let the roots get about 2 inches long . My system isnt drip so a little different
Let me know how it turns out washing the jiffy off of the roots. I’ve read many people say it can be done but I’m not sure why. Unless it damages air roots.
Please and thanks
Looks like your off to a great start @Agricanna. I’d have to 2nd what @Hydro said about the jiffy pods. Especially with top feeding, you might get some organics in your system and reservoir. Root riot plugs work best for starting seeds in hydro. Then into hydroton. I prefer to start in root riot plugs, then as soon as I see roots I transition to rockwool cubes. Then again, when i see roots they go into my lids filled with hydroton.
I’m very curious about your statement that flowering takes longer in hydro @lukasz. How did you come to that conclusion?
I’ve been growing hydro for 2 years now and my flowers always finish right when the breeders say they will.
Maybe even a day or 2 sooner.
@lukasz made a good point that you probably wanted to go with black buckets. Your probably going to run into alge growth and possibly root rot from your buckets being transparent. You dont want any light in your rootzone @Agricanna. You could improvise and wrap your buckets in black duct tape. Or use some insulating bubble wrap. That will help keep your h20 temps down.
I’m a big fan of the bubble wrap.
@lukasz those are 10L buckets, do you consider too big? I was actually expecting to have quicker and bigger yields using the Hydro system (at least that is what I’ve read everywhere).
I know I should have black buckets but was challenging to find them here where I live in a decent price. So I will just go with what @Tygrow78 said (was already my plan) to wrap the buckets with some sort of lightproof material (either black tape or foil bubble wrap).
@Tygrow78 thanks for the advice, I can see you have experience and also something very interesting going on in there! What strains do you have in those pictures(looks sativa dominant)? What size of tent and size of buckets are you using? What about your reservoir, how big and how often do you change your water?
Too many question haha. I’ve read all this before starting but people often have different advice from their own experience, always good to hear from different sources
The older sister apparently is doing great, yesterday it poked the jiffy net and the root was outside, so I decided to put it in the net pot with the hydroton to make sure the root is not exposed. I’m spraying Canna Start solution, Ph at 6.2ish, 200ppm, around the hydrotons (not in the jiffy because it holds well the moist from previous watering).
That picture is of 3 Hi-Biscus plants from Humboldt Seed company scrogged in a 2×4 tent @Agricanna. Very tasty but not a big producer. Worth the grow forsure.
I have 4 5 gallon buckets rdwc in an undercurrent system. It’s very basic diy. But it works. I grow top shelf flower, but mostly because of genetics and Advanced Nutrients. Plus some great led lights from marshydro.
It is worth getting to know Mr. Migro. I have been using the hydro system for 2 years. This is a good system if you have a lot more plants. Very demanding and very expensive. Replacing 60 liters of water takes time, plus costs, etc. Not practical for plantations of up to 5 plants. I went back to growing in the ground. I visit the tent once every 3-4 days. In Dwc, min 1 for 2 days. Leaks, algae, etc. I don’t have time for this.
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). Looking healthy!
