Grow Mediums Need help

[Jtrainor87]

grew maybe 5 years ago 1 hydro plant and got 5 oz but I was constantly changing and refilling (overworking) the setup. I would like to make it easier this time around and I don't need to dial this in 100%. IF I had to choose id rather she be slighty underfed.
My set up will be
5 gallon bucket covered in HVAC silver tape
Maxi grow and Maxi bloom dry nutes, GH Liquid cal/mag, GH Rapidstart, Hydrozyme
4in 135cfm Fan in a 2x2x5.5 tent
Cheap ebay PH meter
Bluelab EC/ppm/temp meter

736ghp Commercial air pump with 1 8"air stone disk and 1 6" air stone
I have my original 600watt (300 true watt) blurple ebay LED. (I was going to use a Mars t1000 but I don't have the cash for it )
Auto northern lights x big bud strain Germinated papertowel method into rockwool 1.5" cube in a 6" netpot


So I have a couple of questions in regards to plant feeding. And yes I do know its dependant on your plant but im trying to get a baseline idea of what I should be doing

I know day 1-7 from sprout ( or until the cotelydons fall off) she wont need anything but water.

1. When I get into the 2nd week. Should I be adding the full 5ml dose of calmag start to finish or ease into it.
2. Should I be using PPMS or EC when adding nutes to the Bucket.
3. Next is a multi-part question
4. Hypothetically if I give her 0.5ec on Monday and I check her Wed and the EC has dropped, would you recommend topping her up with plain water or topping her with the same 0.5ec. When topping her off do I empty the bucket and refill at the end of every week, or once I top off the same amount that's in the REZ? And then once its empty and refilled should I bump it up a little. Or keep her the same EC the whole time?

 

[Diamond Dog Hair]

I've just begun my Hydro Journey, so I make no claim of experience but I've done abit of research.

I'm not sure about the CalMag dose but I've just started an RDWC with Aeration I'm growing in Hydroton with a rockwool cube. I have city water and I'm using GH Flora series which is a 3 part mix with calcium and magnesium and all the other Micros and I'm at 22 days not seeing any cal/mag issues. Guess what I'm getting at is you may not need the cal/mag if your water or Nutrients have them in it. I bought Cal/Mag and still haven't used it. I've been easing into all my feedings starting at 25% recommended dose then working up to 50%. Aeration aka bubbleponics can cause nutrient burn quite easily from what I've read.

Between EC and PPM, EC is a more accurate measurement

On the Hypothetical question, If the EC goes up I would top off with Ph'd water. If the EC goes down I would top off with nutrients and if the plant looks drowsy I'd bump the nutrient mix. You could get another 5 gallon bucket that you have filled with nutrients and swap it into the new bucket until the size of the plant makes it unmanageable. Might make it easier.

 

[Jtrainor87]

When do u think to emoty the hucket and refill once inadd back the whole amount or jist when i switch to bloom