Old Reviews Building a Small Hydro Tank out of a Tote

[KindredSpirit]

Awesome writeup Nelson!! +rep

Now you'll have a maternity ward before they go to the "Big Show". :smokebuds:

 

[realcarlos]

Awesome write up!
With hydro do you have to start using nutes right away? Or can you wait a week or two?

 

[Nelson]

I like the maturnity ward metaphor. How apt and thanks for the +rep

Awesome writeup Nelson!! +rep

Now you'll have a maternity ward before they go to the "Big Show". :smokebuds:

 

[Nelson]

That was part of the reason of having the maternity ward as Kindred said. I could give them a little gentler start. I give then the nuits when they are about 2 days old. before that I just spray them with a little coffee and water.

Awesome write up!
With hydro do you have to start using nutes right away? Or can you wait a week or two?

 

[realcarlos]

First time hearing about the coffee. What does the coffee do? What type of ph meter do you have? How do you control your water temps?

 

[Nelson]

When the seedlings first come up I spray them with a mixture 10% coffee and the rest water. I use the coffee to stop a thing called damp off. It is probably the major pot baby killer. The coffee works fine. You can use other things like the commercial product called "Damp off" Some like Muddy use Hyrogen peroxide solution. They all work but I hate to see seedlings die so you should use something. I can describe what damp off looks like if anyone wants to know.

I use a Kelway poke in the ground meter. It works in solution but you gotta keep the contacts clean be wiping them with with some slightly abrasive pad like a dish sponge rough side and occasionly some extra fine steel wool if it isn't reading right. I have used a friends probe type pH meter and I like it better. I still have tab color strips to calibrate my meter. good to check it occaisionly.

I use a pool thermometer. To get the tank temperature down I can take in outside air to my bubbly tank which I do in the summer. When that doesn't do it I take down ice cubes from my refrigerator. In the real hot days I buy the pool a bag of ice at the gas station and heave that in about half a bog at a time. I will be closing down my bubbly pool for July and August this year. I need a holiday from it and it gives me a chance to do a grow room clean up anyway.

 

[Nelson]

There is something I wanted to add. I got the little tote all planted and it is in the maternity ward former clone room. The first tank I am calling nursery 1. Two more to go I hope. I am kind of cutting my teeth on treating the babies with nuits. I am using Miracle Grow - Allpurpose which is 24-8-16. I have taken it up to 350 ppm and added some cal/mag. I am going to bring the pH down to the 6.0 - 6.3 range today. I like to only add one nutrient a day in case of interaction. the vinigar is todays addition. I got no idea what I'm doing so if any o0f you have any suggestions for nuits and strength pipe up I'm listening.

The next tote which is exactly the same I will be starting to get ready and I am starting the MOnday after St. Paddy's day. I am wicked busy packing and harvesting seeds to get them ready for the Spring Seed Swap at our local Breeder's Club. Wish you could all come. We rented the local Legion Hall for tyhis year's meeting and hired a door man to keep every one who isn't a member out. They will be especially careful and on the watch for Muddy, Bailer, Budda, Cres, Hierba and Wiz as well as a few others.

Here are a few baby pictures I hope you can read the tags.

 

[Monkeypox]

Nice job Nelson . Hope it works out well for you

 

[insert name here]

There is an air pump called a hialea, and it pumps out alot of air, one model at 30L/hr, and another a whopping 60L/hr. I am pretty sure you can get them in North America

 

[Nelson]

Are they quiet. The one I got on my main bubbly tank puts out a lot of air but it makes a lot of noise. I can hear it upstairs in my music room and it bugs my butt big time. I want an air pump that is effecient, quiet and pumps a lot of air. The Whisper 30 to 60 gallon aquarium pump cont close to $30 bucks at Walmart. It is enough for one tote but I dould it will handle 2 it is at least quiet. If I don't find a better one I guess I will get another one for the second tank. It sure doesn't pump enough for the main tank. My main tank holds about 100 gallons of solution.

There is an air pump called a hialea, and it pumps out alot of air, one model at 30L/hr, and another a whopping 60L/hr. I am pretty sure you can get them in North America