Grow Mediums Garage RDWC Grow Questions

[Benji2018]

Hey All,

I am on a quest to grow my own medication. I believe I have gathered enough equipment to get started.

Equipment:
4x4 GG Tent
AcuRite 00613 Digital Hygrometer & Indoor Thermometer
SPIDER FARMER SF-4000
Active Aqua Water Chiller1/4 HP
General Hydroponics pH Control Kit
General Hydroponics TRIO
Calmag
PA Hydroponics RDWC (13 Gal)
6" Clip Fans x2
Fungicide
Hydroton
Apera PC60
Humidifier
Hose Water Meter
Rope Ratchets
Space Heater

Items left to order:
8" Fan
Filter
Ducting

I and still on the fence on which to order for the my Items Left to Order list. I invite all suggestions and/or recommendations.

Do I need to get a dome of some sort to get my seeds started? I would like to just start them inside the Riot Root which would be inside the hydroton covered. Would you all recommend a 6" or 8" fan? I'm leaning towards 8" being that I won't have to work the fan as hard.

Thanks in advance for all responses.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Don't bury the starter cube keep it flush with the surface. The hydroton can cause stem rot above the cube by keeping it too wet and can also abrade the stem opening it to secondary infections.

Yes, go with the 8" exhaust system. You can run it at a lower speed and it will be much quiter than a 6" working harder.

You may need a bigger circulation fan but that will play out as you grow. Do you have a water quality report for your starting water?

Fungicide brand and purpose?

Picture of your RDWC system and net pots.

 

[Benji2018]

Don't bury the starter cube keep it flush with the surface. The hydroton can cause stem rot above the cube by keeping it too wet and can also abrade the stem opening it to secondary infections.

Noted

Yes, go with the 8" exhaust system. You can run it at a lower speed and it will be much quiter than a 6" working harder.

Literally just purchased an 8" Vivosun fan currently searching for a controller

You may need a bigger circulation fan but that will play out as you grow. Do you have a water quality report for your starting water?

My tap is:
PH 7.63
COND 523
TDS/PPM 372
SAL .26

This is based off what my pen said

Fungicide brand and purpose?

By trade I do lawn service so I keep Fungicide on hand the brand is Southern AG

Picture of your RDWC system and net pots.

I don't have a picture of it but this is what I have https://shop.pahydroponics.com/pa-h...on-grow-sites-with-reservoir-outside-of-tent/

As far as additional lighting, is it possible to add it? Of course speaking more in flower. I was thinking hanging some cobbs in there with the SF4000. I'm still a neophyte so don't hesitate inform me on the rights and wrongs of things. I look forward being under you guys tutelage.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

If your starting PPM is 372 on the Hanna scale you cannot use that water as is. If you are on municipal water get the most recent water quality report off the internet. We are interested in the hardness section and the sanitation section. screen shot them and post them.

Some people here have used the Southern Ag Garden Friendly Fungicide in place of Botanicare HydroGuard. It is not exactly the same strain and it is much more concentrated than the HydroGuard. For the kind of investment you have here I would consider the Botinicare. I know it works.

When you place the root riots in the net pot fill the hydroton (ps be sure you puchased the PH balanced clay balls the cheap ones don't work) about 1 to 1.5 inches above the water line and hand water to get the roots down into the water. If the cube is too close to the water it will remain soggy and that is not a good thing. After the roots get in to the water stream you want to let the root riot dry out. This will prevent crown rot.

That looks like a good system. The only problem is containing a catastrophic failure 50+ gallons of water is a big problem if you are on carpet or wood floors.

I do not know what you mean by COND 523 or SAl .26?

 

[Benji2018]

If your starting PPM is 372 on the Hanna scale you cannot use that water as is. If you are on municipal water get the most recent water quality report off the internet. We are interested in the hardness section and the sanitation section. screen shot them and post them.

I've looked at the website for my city and I don't see anything on the report discussing sanitation and hardness

I have some water with an airstone bubbling now. I'm checking the PPM after it has bubbled for 24 hours. My other option is to mix distilled water with my tap.

Some people here have used the Southern Ag Garden Friendly Fungicide in place of Botanicare HydroGuard. It is not exactly the same strain and it is much more concentrated than the HydroGuard. For the kind of investment you have here I would consider the Botinicare. I know it works.

I'll have to look into Botonicare. I've heard about it but never looked into it being that I have the stuff from AG

When you place the root riots in the net pot fill the hydroton (ps be sure you puchased the PH balanced clay balls the cheap ones don't work) about 1 to 1.5 inches above the water line and hand water to get the roots down into the water. If the cube is too close to the water it will remain soggy and that is not a good thing. After the roots get in to the water stream you want to let the root riot dry out. This will prevent crown rot.

That looks like a good system. The only problem is containing a catastrophic failure 50+ gallons of water is a big problem if you are on carpet or wood floors.

I'm not to concerned about a spill. The tent will be in my garage which has decent drainage. As far as being notified when/if a spill happens that's another story.

I do not know what you mean by COND 523 or SAl .26?

This is based off a Google search being I don't know what SAL or COND mean either. I got the reading off of my PH Pen
SAL=Salinity
COND=Conductivity

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

All municipal water systems have a water quality report you need to find it or risk a crop failure. You can send a sample out for testing or get an RO filter. How will you know what ratio to mix your tap water with distilled and 50 gallons of distilled water will be very cumbersome. It is very important to know what is in your water.

Show me a picture of your PH and EC pens with make and model #s These tools are very important to your success! Hydroponics is unforgiving of mistakes. Once you learn how to control it, it is very simple.

 

[Benji2018]

All municipal water systems have a water quality report you need to find it or risk a crop failure. You can send a sample out for testing or get an RO filter. How will you know what ratio to mix your tap water with distilled and 50 gallons of distilled water will be very cumbersome. It is very important to know what is in your water.

I'm still navigating through my county website. I see water reports but, I don't see anything on sanitation and hardness.

Do you think this would work? It says it is good for 45K gallons

Show me a picture of your PH and EC pens with make and model #s These tools are very important to your success! Hydroponics is unforgiving of mistakes. Once you learn how to control it, it is very simple.

APERA PC60

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

That is a good meter - a bit complicated but not really once you get the buttons down COND = EC. The calibration process is a bit complex but you need to learn it and I have never used one. TDS and SAL are calculated from the COND.

No that filter will not do what is needed. Only a Reverse Osmosis system can do that but we really need to see what is in your water to determine if the expense is justified.

sanitation and hardness are part of the report not seperate reports. They all look different but this is the type of information:

 

[Benji2018]

The example you provided helped quite a bit. This the information for the water in my city. I don't know what I am looking at nor what to look for. Please enlighten me.

 

[Simplicio]

I tried 190 ppm tap water and failed, so I got a cheap RO filter system for about $70.
Pure Water Club and RO Buddy have cheap units.

You can start seeds in hydro with 0 ppm in Rapid Rooters if you want.
I usually germinate mine in the dark, move them under a lamp for a day, then into hydro.

Sprouts can be burned by giving too much fertilizer too soon, so be careful.

Following the high humidity recommendations given by the Vapor Pressure Deficit chart will lead to profuse growth, but will require humidifier(s).
Top fill ultrasonic are by far the best.
Subtract 3-5 F from air temp to get leaf temp, then stay in the green. Better is to use an infrared "gun" thermometer.